1836 Andrew Jackson - Corps of Topographical Engineers

In 1834, President Andrew Jackson began urging Congress to expand the Corps of topographical engineers. These were members of the military who services in both peace and war were instrumental to the peace of our country. Initially, they were concerned with military surveys and fortifications, but by the 1830's had taken on jobs from internal improvements including interstate roads, canals, and even the construction of lighthouses. Jackson's recommendations seemed to fall on deaf ears until 1836 when he had his "I told you so" moment with Congress. In 1836, the Second Seminole War dictated an urgent need to survey all of Florida, pulling several engineers from some of the "most important surveys and constructions directed by recent laws". In 1838, Congress finally obliged to pass a law to not only increase the size of the Army, but also to reorganize and expand the Corps of Topographical Engineers.  On July 4, 1838, the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers was formed. In 1863, it was merged with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

The first message delivered by Jackson on the needs of the topographical engineers was a simple suggesting that a "different organization seems to be demanded by the public interest".  Ten years earlier, Congress authorized the employment of additional civil engineers and officers of the Cops of Engineers to assist in the survey of internal improvements. Secretary of War James Barbour proposed that this expansion include a formation of a corps similar to that of the Corps of Engineers, but Congress failed to pass any such bill. Nevertheless, the Topographical Engineers engagement in internal improvements continued to grow and by the 1830's they were extensively involved in them both governmental and private and by 1834, the Topographical Engineers were being employed in the construction of lighthouses.  Jackson noted this increased demand by the "public interest" and recommended to Congress that they consider reorganizing the topographical engineers.

"From the duties which devolve on the Engineer Department and upon the topographical engineers, a different organization seems to be demanded by the public interest, and I recommend the subject to your consideration."

In 1835, the demand for Topographical Engineers continued to grow, and yet Congress did nothing. President Jackson again urged Congress to consider "reorganization of the Topographical Corps". Jackson tried to appeal to their better senses, explaining that the reorganization could be accomplished without any additional expenditures.

"The duties of the Engineer Corps press heavily upon that branch of the service, and the public interest requires an addition to its strength. The nature of the works in which the officers are engaged renders necessary professional knowledge and experience, and there is no economy in committing to them more duties than they can perform or in assigning these to other persons temporarily employed, and too often of necessity without all the qualifications which such service demands. I recommend this subject to your attention, and also the proposition submitted at the last session of Congress and now renewed, for a reorganization of the Topographical Corps. This reorganization can be effected without any addition to the present expenditure and with much advantage to the public service. The branch of duties which devolves upon these officers is at all times interesting to the community, and the information furnished by them is useful in peace and war."

Then, in 1836 several Topographical Engineers were removed from internal projects and ordered to Florida to serve under the Army against the Seminole Indians. The army had no time to waste, they needed military surveys and explorations completed for their upcoming war. Several important surveys and constructions recently passed by Congress now had to be suspended because Congress had failed to act. It was an "I told you so" moment for Andrew Jackson.

"The recommendations of an increase in the Engineer Corps and for a reorganization of the Topographical Corps, submitted to you in my last annual message, derive additional strength from the great embarrassments experienced during the present year in those branches of the service, and under which they are now suffering. Several of the most important surveys and constructions directed by recent laws have been suspended in consequence of the want of adequate force in these corps."

In 1837, the Engineers compiled a "Map of the Seat of War in East Florida" which became instrumental in the Second Seminole War. The additional demand of the war also forced Congress to finally pass a bill forming U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers. Congress passed the bill on July 4th, 1838 during the presidency of Martin Van Buren.

References

Presidency.ucsb.edu. 2020. Eighth Annual Message | The American Presidency Project. [online] Available at: <https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/eighth-annual-message-2> [Accessed 13 May 2020].

Presidency.ucsb.edu. 2020. Seventh Annual Message | The American Presidency Project. [online] Available at: <https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/seventh-annual-message-2> [Accessed 13 May 2020].

Presidency.ucsb.edu. 2020. Sixth Annual Message | The American Presidency Project. [online] Available at: <https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/sixth-annual-message-2> [Accessed 13 May 2020].

BEERS, HENRY P. “A History of the U. S. Topographical Engineers, 1813-1863.” The Military Engineer, vol. 34, no. 200, 1942, pp. 287–291. JSTOR, Available at: <www.jstor.org/stable/44693353.> [Accessed 13 May 2020].