Montgomery Cunningham Meigs | |
|---|---|
 Montgomery C. Meigs | |
| Born | May 3, 1816 Augusta, Georgia |
| Died | January 2, 1892 (aged 75) Washington, D.C. |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Service/ | United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1836 - 1882 |
| Rank | Brigadier General, Brevet Major General |
| Commands | Quartermaster General |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
| Other work | Smithsonian Institution regent National Academy of Sciences, member |
Montgomery Cunningham Meigs (/ˈmɛɡz/; May 3, 1816 – January 2, 1892) was a career United States Army officer, civil engineer, and construction engineer. He co-designed and oversaw the construction of the Washington Aqueduct (which brought large amounts of fresh water to Washington, D.C., for the first time), the extension of the United States Capitol, and the construction of the United States Capitol dome. During the American Civil War, he was Quartermaster General of the United States Army and one of Abraham Lincoln's most trusted military advisors. He founded Arlington National Cemetery on the grounds of the estate of his former close friend Robert E. Lee, and was superintendent of the cemetery from its creation in 1864 until 1882. He also designed and oversaw construction of the Pension Building.