Zealous Bates Tower was an American soldier and civil engineer.
Background
He was of English ancestry, a lineal descendant of John Tower who came to America from Hingham, England, in 1637 and settled in Hingham, Massachussets; his parents were Nichols and Ann (Bates) Tower of Cohasset, Massachussets, where he was born on January 12, 1819.
Education
After his school days he entered the United States Military Academy, graduated at the head of his class in 1841.
Career
He was commissioned second lieutenant in the corps of engineers. Prior to 1846 he was engaged principally on the construction of the fortifications at the entrance of Hampton Roads, Va.
In the Mexican War he was on the engineer staff of General Scott and took part in all the operations of Scott's army from the siege of Vera Cruz to the capture of the city of Mexico. His duties were mainly the dangerous tasks of reconnoitering the positions of the enemy and of leading columns of attack. For gallant and meritorious service he received the brevets of first lieutenant, captain, and major, United States Army. He was wounded in leading the storming column at Chapultepec, September 13, 1847.
After the war he was superintending engineer on the coast defenses of Portland and Portsmouth, and of harbor works on the New England coast; from 1855 to 1858 he was in charge of the defenses of San Francisco, where he also constructed the custom house and appraiser's store.
Early in 1861 he was directed to assume command of Fort Barrancas, near Pensacola, Fla. , but when he reached Fort Pickens, on a nearby island, the state troops were already in possession of Barrancas. As a volunteer he assisted in organizing the defenses of Fort Pickens and Santa Rosa Island and in repelling the attacks made by the Confederates in October 1861, and aided in making the works proof against the bombardments of Confederate batteries later in the year. For these services he received the brevet of lieutenant-colonel, United States Army, and was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers.
In Pope's Virginia campaign in 1862 he commanded a brigade and took part in the battles of Cedar Mountain and Manassas and in the engagement at Thoroughfare Gap. In the second battle of Manassas, he was so badly wounded that he was incapacitated for further field service. For this campaign he received the brevets of colonel and brigadier-general, United States Army.
He recovered sufficiently to return to duty in June 1864, and in July became superintendent of the United States Military Academy. In September of the same year, however, the unsatisfactory condition of the field defenses of Nashville, Tenn. , gave the War Department grave concern and Tower was sent to take charge of them; later, at General Sherman's request, he was also made inspector general of fortifications for the Division of the Mississippi. By organizing the quartermaster and railroad employees he was able so to strengthen the fortifications that when Hood appeared in their front with his army he dared not venture an attack. Under the protection of these works General Thomas was enabled to organize his forces for the attack that destroyed Hood's army. For his services in the war Tower received the brevets of major-general of volunteers and major-general, United States Army. From 1866 until his retirement, Jan. 10, 1883, as one of the senior officers of the corps of engineers he was an active member of many boards convened to consider projects of river and harbor improvement and of coast defense. After his retirement he lived at Cohasset, Massachussets, where he died.
Membership
He was an original founding member of the Aztec Club of 1847, a social organization for officers who served in the Mexican-American War.