Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Casey, Silas 1807-1882

Military officer; born in East Greenwich, R. I., July 12, 1807; was graduated at West Point in 1826; served with Worth in Florida (1837-41) and under Scott in the war with Mexico (1847-48) ; was also in the operations against the Indians on the Pacific coast in 1856. Early in the Civil War he was made brigadier-general of volunteers, and organized and disciplined the volunteers at and near Washington. He was made major-general of volunteers in May, 1862, and commanded a division in General Keyes's corps on the Peninsula, and received the first attack of the Confederates in the battle of fair Oaks (q. v.). General Casey was brevetted major-general U. S. A. in March, 1865, for “meritorious service during the rebellion,” and the legislature of Rhode Island gave him a vote of thanks in 1867. He was author of a System of Infantry tactics (1861) and Infantry tactics for colored troops (1863). He died in Brooklyn, N. Y., Jan. 22, 1882.