THE INCORPORATORS 155 
$50,000 each, the Delta Survey was formed, and Captain 
Humphreys undertook with what would now be considered 
inadequate means, the task of solving the problems of controlling 
the mighty river, which the sufferers from flood personified 
as “an evil spirit, which periodically reared his tawny front 
from the chasm where he writhed in uneasy slumber at low 
water.” ‘Captain Humphreys conducted for ten years a series 
of researches which accomplished their object, and which have 
placed his name high on the list of the distinguished hydraulic 
engineers of the world.” (Abbot.) His arduous labors per- 
formed under a burning sun, caused a “coup de soleil” in the 
summer of 1851, which obliged him to suspend work. When 
somewhat recovered, he obtained permission to visit Europe for 
the purpose of studying methods of protection against inundation 
and returned in 1854 ready to renew operations on the Mississippi. 
In the meantime, however, the question of a railroad to the 
Pacific Coast had arisen, and the Secretary of War, appreciating 
Humphreys’ great ability, insisted upon having him as his con- 
fidential adviser. In this work, and in preparing reports on the 
Mississippi enterprise, he was occupied until the Civil War. 
He served throughout that war with the Army of the Potomac, 
and rose to the command of an Army corps. The two corps 
of engineers having been consolidated during the war, he was ap- 
pointed brigadier-general and chief of engineers, discharging 
the duties of this office until, at his own request, he was placed 
on the retired list on June 30, 1879. After his retirement he 
contributed to the Scribner’s Series a history of his campaigns in 
two small volumes based on an analysis of the official records of 
both armies, that has been said by General Abbot “ to be worthy 
of a place beside Cesar’s Commentaries or Xenophon’s Ana- 
basis.” 
In 1857 General Humphreys was elected a member of the 
American Philosophical Society. He was also an honorary 
member of the Imperial Geological Institute of Vienna, and a 
fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 
