Adelbert Rinaldo Buffington

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Adelbert Rinaldo Buffington (1837-1922) was an American soldier. He was born at Wheeling, W.Va., and graduated at West Point in 1861. He was brevetted major in 1865, and was commander successively of the United States ordnance depots at Wheeling, W. Va., and of the arsenals in New York, Baton Rouge, Watertown, Mass., Watervliet, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Springfield, Mass., and Rock Island. In 1899 he was appointed chief of ordnance and was raised to the rank of brigadier general. In 1901 he was retired. He invented a magazine firearm, a "rod bayonet," and a rear sight for military firearms. Many other improvements in firearms were introduced by him.

• This article incorporates text from an edition of the New International Encyclopedia that is in the public domain.