Rock Island County IL Archives Biographies.....Buffington, Adelbert Rinaldo 1837 - 
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Deb Haines http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00003.html#0000719 August 9, 2008, 10:20 am

Author: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary

BUFFINGTON, Adelbert Rinaldo, soldier, was born at Wheeling, Va., Nov. 22, 
1837. He was graduated at the United States military academy in 1861, and was 
assigned to duty as drill master of volunteers at Washington, D. C. He was on 
duty at the St. Louis arsenal as assistant ordnance officer and in mustering 
volunteers in Illinois and Missouri. He defended Pilot Knob, Mo.; was 
assistant adjutant-general of the 5th division, army of the west; organized a 
Missouri regiment from the men in the arsenal, of which he was made colonel, 
and afterwards had charge of the ordnance depot at Wheeling, W. Va. From 
September, 1863, to July, 1864, he was inspector of rifling seacoast cannon, 
and from July, 1864, to September, 1865, was in command of the New York 
arsenal. After the close of the war he was on leave of absence inspecting arms 
for the Egyptian government until April, 1866, when he was in charge of the 
ordnance depot at Baton Rouge, La., and then became chief of ordnance, 
department of the Gulf. After March, 1867, he was in command of the 5th 
military district, Texas and Louisiana, until 1868, when he commanded the 
Watertown arsenal. He was at the Detroit arsenal from December, 1870, to 
February, 1872; was superintendent of southern forts, February, 1872, to May, 
1873; in charge at Indianapolis arsenal, 1878 to 75; promoted major of 
ordnance June 23, 1874, after which he had charge of the Allegheny and 
Watervliet arsenals until 1881, when he was promoted lieutenant-colonel and 
placed in charge of the national armory Oct. 3, 1882. He was in command at the 
Rock Island, Ill., arsenal in 1896. Colonel Buffington made numerous 
inventions in the line of ordnance attachments and improvements, including a 
magazine firearm, a rod bayonet, a rear sight with adjustment for fine 
shooting for military firearms, and carriages for light and heavy guns. He was 
the first to use gas furnaces for drop forging. He became chief of the 
ordnance department with the rank of brigadier-general, April 15, 1899, and 
resigned in 1901.

Additional Comments:
Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans.
Vol. I-X. Rossiter Johnson, editor. Boston MA: The Biographical Society. 1904.

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