SHIRAS, Alexander Eakin, soldier, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 10 August, 1812; died in Washington, D. C., 14 April, 1875. His grandfather emigrated from Petershead, Scotland, about 1765. The son was appointed to the United States military academy through his uncle, Major Constantine M. Eakin, and was graduated there in 1833. He was assigned to the 4th artillery, and served on frontier and garrison duty till 1839, when he was assistant professor of mathematics at West Point till 1843. He was made commissary of subsistence, 3 March, 1847, with the staff rank of captain, and served in the subsistence bureau in Washington till his death, rising to the head of his department, with the rank of brigadier-general, which he attained on 23 June. 1874. A large share of the credit for the manner in which the National armies were supplied during the civil war is due to General Shiras. At the close of the war he was brevetted brigadier-general and major-general, United States army.