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of physical manhood, quite six feet tall, of noble presence and bearing.
After a short and sudden illness he died on July 10, 1875.
His wife had died on June 28, 1868.
Brigadier-General William R. Boggs was born in
Georgia, was appointed to the United States military academy in 1849, and upon graduation four years later entered the army as brevet second lieutenant,
topographical engineers.
After serving on artillery duty at the academy in 1853, he was in the topographical bureau of the Pacific railroad surveys until transferred to the ordnance corps.
He was made second lieutenant of ordnance in 1854, and first lieutenant in 1856.
Being stationed in
Louisiana and
Texas, he participated in the combat with Cortina's Mexican marauders near Fort Broome, in December, 1859.
When
Georgia seceded from the
Union he resigned his commission in the army of the United States, and was appointed captain, corps of engineers, C. S. A. His first service was at
Charleston, S. C. Early in March, at the call of the governor of
Georgia,
Captain Boggs and
Major Whiting were sent to
Savannah, and
General Beauregard, regretting the loss of these ‘two most reliable and efficient officers,’ earnestly requested their immediate return or the assignment of others of equal ability.
In April,
Captain Boggs was sent to the assistance of
Bragg at
Pensacola.
His skill in mounting artillery on fortifications was highly praised by both
Beauregard and
Bragg.
He was warmly commended by
General Bragg, in his report of the fight on
Santa Rosa island, for the ‘close reconnoissances on which the expedition was based, and the secret and complete organization which insured its success.’
General Bragg, in a letter to
Richmond in October, named
Captain Boggs among others from whom the
President might select two brigadiers.
On December 21st
Captain Boggs resigned his position in the Confederate army to accept that of chief engineer of the
State of Georgia, but at the
