109 
served the necessity of having guns in our harbor defences 
larger than twenty-four pounders. To the labors and genius 
of a Rodman we owe the actual invention of the art of 
constructing fifteen and twenty inch guns; but without the 
unceasing stimulus of General Totten’s known and urged 
views, it is doubtful whether Rodman’s labors would have 
been called for or sustained. 
The preceding pages have been mainly devoted to the 
illustration of our departed associate’s career as an officer 
and as the Chief Engineer of the United States; before 
turning our attention to other spheres of his usefulness, it 
seems fitting to quote from one of his eulogists the following 
Summary of his official characteristics. 
“In wielding the influence of his office as Chief Engi- 
neer, the prominent traits exhibited by General Totten were 
strict justice and scrupulous integrity. No sophistry, no 
blandishments, no arbitrary exercise of superior authority, 
could turn him in the least from his steadfast adherence to 
his own sense of duty. Avoiding all useless collisions: with 
his official superiors, showing due respect to their station, he 
never failed to call their attention to any errors committed 
by them with respect to the department under hi charge ; 
nor did he ever leave them any excuse for wrong- _ 
doing by remaining silent; even when he knew that: his 
Suggestions would not only be ill-received and of no use, 
but might be visited by the exercise of those petty vexa- 
tions which official superiors can employ against those un- 
der them who thwart their misdoings. 
“The individual traits of General Totten were strongly 
marked. Powerfully built, of a constitution of the most 
Vigorous’ stamp, cool, potent, and persevering, of sound 
judgment and men of intellectual capacity, Nature 
