Orville E. Babcock

Orville Elias Babcock was an American Civil War General in the Union Army. He graduated third in his class as United States Military Academy in 1861. Babcock served in the Corps of Engineers throughout the Civil War. He was promoted to Brevet Brigadier General in 1865. Babcock served as aidedecamp for Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and participated in the Overland Campaign. After Grant became President in 1869, Babcock was appointed his Private Secretaryin modern terms, the chief of staffand served until 1876. Upon his appointment Babcock was young and ambitious and considered the Iago of the Grant administration. In 1869, Babcock was sent on a mission by President Grant to explore the possibility of annexing to the United States the Hispanic and mostly mulatto island nation of Santo Domingo.

Orville E. Babcock was born on December 25, 1835 in Franklin, Vermont, a small town located near the Canadian border close to Lake Champlain. Babcocks father was Elias Babcock, Jr. and his mother was Clara Olmstead. While growing up in Vermont he received a common education. At the age of 16, Babcock was appointed to the West Point Military Academy , where he graduated third in a class of 45 on May 6, 1861.

Source: Wikipedia