Free frank signature with rank on Engineer Department cover

Totten had the distinction of being the longest tenured of any Chief Engineer in the U.S. Army

(1788-1864) Born in New Haven, Connecticut, he was the tenth person to ever graduate from the U.S. Military Academy being one of three graduating members of the class of 1805. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers on July 1, 1805. He helped build Castle Williams, and Castle Clinton in New York harbor. During the War of 1812, he was chief engineer of the Niagara frontier and Lake Champlain armies under General Stephen Van Rensselaer. At the Battle of Queenston Heights, he fought alongside Winfield Scott, who used Totten's cravat as a white flag to signal the American surrender. He was brevetted lieutenant colonel for gallant conduct in the Battle of Plattsburgh, N.Y. From 1825 until 1838, Totten oversaw the construction of Fort Adams, in Newport, Rhode Island. Fort Adams was the second-largest construction project attempted by the army in the 19th century, after Fort Monroe, Virginia. Totten employed recent graduates of West Point as assistant engineers at Fort Adams, and taught them advanced engineering techniques. Totten's apprentices included John G. Barnard, George W. Cullum, P.G.T. Beauregard, and Alexander D. Bache, all of whom earned distinction during the Civil War. Totten was appointed Chief Engineer of the United States Army in 1838, and served in that position until his death in 1864, the longest tenure of any chief engineer. As chief engineer, he was intimately involved with every aspect of the Army Corps of Engineers activities, from fortifications to harbor improvement. During this period, Totten invented an iron-reinforced embrasure for cannon. Known as "Totten shutters," the hinged swinging doors were installed on the cannon openings of the fort between the mortar and brick facade. Balanced to swing freely, the iron shutters would be forced open by the gasses expelled from the cannon, and then rebound shut immediately afterwards, shielding the gunners from incoming fire. First installed in American forts in 1857, the design was incorporated in such locations as Fort Montgomery, Fort Delaware, Fort John C. Calhoun, Fort Wool, and Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas, Florida. Totten was greatly admired by General Winfield Scott, for whom he directed the siege of Veracruz as his chief engineer during the Mexican War. He later served as a Civil War General, being promoted to Brigadier General, U.S. Army, on March 3, 1863, and he was promoted to Brevet Major General on April 21, 1864, having served almost six decades in the army. He died suddenly of pneumonia in Washington, D.C., and was buried in the Congressional Cemetery.

Free Franked Engineer Department Envelope: 5 1/2 x 3 1/8, imprinted cover, "Engineer Department, Official Business" signed in ink, J.G. Totten, Chf. Eng. Addressed to Jno. S. Putnam, Eqr., Cornish, N.H., with postmark, Washington, D.C., FREE, Mar. 14. Light age toning and wear.