Zealous B. Tower

Zealous B. Tower (1819-1900) - Born 12 Jan 1819 in Cohasset, Massachusetts. Career U.S. Army officer and engineer. Died 20 Mar 1900, in Cohasset, Massachusetts at age 81.

He entered the United States Military Academy in 1837 and graduated in the Class of 1841 ranking 1st out of 52.

Served in the U.S. Corps of Engineers, fought in the Mexican-American War. Supervised construction of fortifications at San Francisco including Fort Alcatraz and Fort Point (3). Fought for the Union in the U.S. Civil War and became a Bvt. Major General, U. S. Army. Served seventeen years in river improvement and the construction of fortifications after the war. Briefly Superintendent of the United States Military Academy in 1864. Retired from the U.S. Army as a Colonel on 10 Jan 1883 with 40 years service.

Sources:
 * Wikipedia - Zealous B. Tower
 * Cullum Register - Zealous B. Tower