"Attended USMA at Westpoint, graduated 1847. Built his own tombsite and was buried there with his second wife, Juliette Dana. He served in the Mexican War, as Brig Gen. in the Civil War.
In 1852, after 5 years of service on the frontier and in Mexico, he resigned and commenced a career of practical and consulting engineering in New York City, which lasted for fifty years. In 1859 his experience of the devastating epidemics of cholera and yellow fever on the southwestern border and in Mexico led to his beginning an active crusade in behalf of sanirary reform in New York City. There can be little doubt but that it was he, aided by well-known members of the medical profession, who paved the way for the establishment of municipal Boards of Health all over the country as well as a National Board.
His Topographical Atlas of New York City has been long a guide to physicians and to prospective purchasers of real estate on Manhattan Island. "This Atlas is alone a sufficient monument of which any man might be proud." He was intimately connected with the first planning of Central Park. His plans were not those accepted, but the compiler, though very young at the time, can well remember that Gen. Viele sued the city for the use of his plans and recovered $10, 000. His counsel was Charles O'Connor. He claimed to have originated some of the plans which had been accepted. His claim was allowed. Gen. Viele laid out Prospect Park, Brooklyn, and later he was Park Commissioner in New York City and President of Public Parks.
In 1861, Egbert L. Viele responded to the first call for Volunteers, and as Captain of Co. K of the 7th. Regiment commanded the detachment of that regiment, which, on the steamer Day-light, in April, 1861 opened the Potomac to Washington. The compiler can recall that departure from the New York wharf crowded with well-wishers; the boat happily met with no oposition on its way, but all felt at the time that there were serious possibilities and watched the departure of the little band with bated breath.
On August 17, 1861, Egbert L. Viele received his commission as Brigadier-General of Volunteers and "led" his troops to Norfolk, Va., and was made Military Governor of that place, where he remained until Oct., 1863. He had been a humane governor and the loyal citizens of norfolk gave him on his departure a beautiful silver service as a token of esteem.
After the war gen. Viele engaged in numerous engineering enterprizes, including projects for the establishment of elevated roads and cable systems in New York City, and for the building up of the city's water-front---yet so sadly neglected. In 1885 Harlem ship canal was especially marked. He opened this last to traffic a few years later.
In his later years he turned with most interest to West Point, and in 1886 he was Congressional member of the Board of Visitors at West Point.
Gen. Viele was the author of "Viele's Handbook of Active Service", which was adopted by the "Rebels" and used by them against the Federal side. He wrote also, many monographs and reports.
In 1902 Gen. Viele was taken ill while attending a dinner of 7th. Regiment Veterans and was carcely in his own house when his life ended. He had erected for himself a tomb in the West Point Military Cemetery wnd thither he was borne on an April day with military honors.
Source: Two Hundred and Fifty years with a Dutch Family (1909 & 1913) by Kathlyne Knickerbocker Viele
a Representative from New York; born in Waterford, Saratoga County, N.Y., June 17, 1825;
attended Albany (N.Y.) Academy;
was graduated from the United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., July 1, 1847;
commissioned brevet second lieutenant in the Second United States Infantry;
served in the Mexican War in 1847 and 1848;
promoted to second lieutenant, First United States Infantry, September 8, 1847;
promoted to first lieutenant in 1850;
resigned in 1853;
became a civil and military engineer;
appointed State engineer of New Jersey in 1855;
appointed engineer in chief of Central Park, New York City, in 1856;
appointed engineer of Prospect Park, Brooklyn, in 1860;
appointed captain of the Engineer Corps of the Seventh New York Regiment in 1860;
appointed brigadier general of United States Volunteers in 1861;
military governor of Norfolk, Va., in 1862;
resigned October 20, 1863;
engaged in civil engineering;
appointed president of the department of public parks in New York City in 1884;
elected as a Democrat to the Forty-ninth Congress (March 4, 1885-March 3, 1887);
unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1886 to the Fiftieth Congress;
resumed his former business pursuits and also engaged in literary work;
died in New York City April 22, 1902;
interment in Post Cemetery, West Point, Orange County, N.Y. (Congredational Biography, web)
West Point Cemetary :
The biggest monument, however, a large pyramid, belongs to a general named Egbert Viele. An eminent engineer, he helped design the Cemetery, which perhaps explains his prominence. The entrance to the pyramid is guarded by a pair of sphinxes. These are not the original sphinxes, which Mrs. Viele found too buxom, and which were then sunk in the Hudson River. Cemeteries reward the ironist.
(sources : G.de Paysac / http://www.britannica.com/bcom/magazine/article/0,5744,220926,00.html
14.
The SELDEN HOUSE (private), SW. comer W. Freemason and Botetourt Sts., a post-Colonial frame building with broad chimneys, was built in 1807 as a country house for Dr. William B. Selden (1773-1849), originally of Hampton, who settled in Norfolk after a medical education in Philadelphia and Edinburgh, and became a leading physician.
When Norfolk was occupied by Federal troops from 1862-65, General Egbert L. Viele, military governor of the city, occupied the Selden house. Egbert L. Viele ,Jr., born here in 1864, settled in France at an early age and under the name of Francis Viele-Griffin became an outstanding poet and vers librist. Robert E. Lee, during his last visit to Norfolk in 1870, was a guest in this house, then occupied by Dr. Selden's son, Dr. William Selden (1808-87), formerly a surgeon in the Confederate army. G.de Paysac /
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/VAGuide/norfolk.html "
Sources:
- person, family 1: D.de Raugl/G.de Paysac
MY SOURCES: "Ancestors/Descendants of Roger Wentworth", http://www.geneastar.org,
Egbert Ludovicus Viele 