Major General Alexander B. Dyer was born in Richmond, Virginia on January 10, 1815.
He served as Chief of Ordnance from 1864 to 1874. He had previously been offered the position in 1862 by President Lincoln, but due to his respect for General Ripley, the then incumbent, he declined.
One of his most significant contributions to Ordnance was, when serving as Commander of Springfield Arsenal, he increased the daily output of rifles by 400 percent, to nearly 1,000 rifles per day. Later, he designed and developed the “Dye-Artillery Shell” one of the most effective shell of the time.
During the first part of his tenure as Chief of Ordnance, he was able to provide sufficient munitions to the Union Army to end the war.
In the postwar era, an era noted for extensive corruption, in spite of numerous attacks from unscrupulous persons, Maj. Gen. Dyer's devotion to duty, steadfast loyalty, and basic honesty were recognized by all. General Dyer died in 1874 while on active duty.