Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bordwine, Joseph
BORDWINE, JOSEPH (d. 1835), professor at Addiscombe, was a native of America, and served for some time under General Whitlock, but was deprived of his commission in consequence of his having issued a pamphlet in which he commented rather severely on that general's conduct. He was made professor of fortification to the East India Company's College at Addiscombe, Surrey. In 1803 he was appointed an assistant in the quartermaster-general's department, and attacked to the staff of the western district. A French invasion was expected, and Bordwine drew up a sketch of a new circular system of fortification for the defence of the country. He continued the work at intervals, and at last in 1809 published the ‘Sketch,' which apparently attracted very little attention at the time. He was, however, prompted by his friends to take the subject up again in 1830, and the result was the issue in 1834 of a large ‘Memoir of a Proposed New System of Permanent Fortification.’ He died at Croydon 21 Feb. 1535.
[Gent. Mag. vol. for 1835; Introduction to the Memoir of a new syntem of Fortification.]