62 
it is not surprising that the government yet entertained the 
common notion that only in Europe, and especially in 
France, could high military science be found; nor that, in 
undertaking so vast and costly a work as the fortification 
of our sea-coast, distrust should have been felt in the un- 
aided abilities of our own engineer officers. A distinguished 
French engineer, General Simon Bernard, was invited to 
this country, and as “ Assistant ” in the Corps of Engineers, 
(an office created for the purpose by Congress,) made a 
member of the board which, as first constituted, November 
16, 1816, consisted of himself as President, Colonel William 
McRee, and Lieutenant-Colonel J. G. Totten. In 1817, 
Colonel Totten was relieved, and appears to have been sta- 
tioned at Rouse’s Point, Lake Champlain, in charge of forti- 
fications at that place, and the board to have been com 
of Brigadier-General J. G. Swift, Chief Engineer, Brig 
dier-General Bernard and Colonel McRee; but Colonel 
Totten was again made a member in 1819, and (both Gen- 
eral Swift and Colonel McRee having resigned) the pe? 
manent board came to consist of Bernard and Totten aloney 
and the labor of. working out the fundamental principles 
the system, and of elaborating the projects of defence for the 
great seaports thus devolved mainly upon these two officers, 
though naval officers of rank and experience were associated 
with them whenever their examinations included positions 
for dock-yards, naval depots, or other objects which con- 
cerned the naval service. 
Though the advent of a foreign officer, and his assignment 
to this duty, under the anomalous designation of “ Assist- 
ant” in the Corps of Engineers, naturally caused some feel- 
ing, yet it can scarcely be doubted that the influence of the 
proceeding was beneficial. If in Swift, McRee, Tottem 
Thayer, and many others, were found high engineering 
