Abbot, Henry Larcom, 1831-1927

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Henry Larcom Abbot (born August 13, 1831, Beverly, Massachusetts - died October 1, 1927, Cambridge, Massachusetts), army officer and engineer, was born in Beverly, Massachusetts. He was the older brother of Francis Ellingwood Abbot, an influential religious radical. Upon his graduation from West Point in 1854, Abbot was commissioned in the engineers and assigned to duty with the Pacific Coast Railway. For several years from 1857, he was associated with Captain Andrew A. Humphreys in a study of flood control and navigation improvement of the Mississippi River.

During the Civil War Abbot saw varied service. He was wounded at the first battle of Bull Run, served as an engineer with General George G. McClellan on the Peninsula and as chief topographical engineer with the New Orleans expedition under General Nathaniel P. Banks, and commanded the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery of which he had been appointed colonel in the Spring of 1863, and the siege artillery before Richmond, Virginia. Placed in command of the engineer battalion at Willett's Point, New York, he organized there the Engineer School of Application, a combined advanced training and research facility for military engineers. He devoted much of his time to the improvement of coastal defenses by means of submarine mines and of other forms of ordnance and equipment, serving as well on numerous engineering boards. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in March 1880 and to colonel in October 1886, and he retired at that rank in 1895. In 1904, Congress voted him rank of brigadier general, retired. As a civilian engineer, Abbot drew plans for the harbor at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and served on the technical committee of the New French Panama Canal Company. He later was a member of the board of engineers appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt to plan the American canal in Panama. He served on the graduate engineering faculty of George Washington University from 1905 to 1910. He died in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Henry L. Abbot

  • 1831, Aug. 13: Born, Beverly, Mass.
  • 1854: Graduated second in his class, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
  • 1854 - 1855 : Second lieutenant, United States Corps of Topographical Engineers, Office of Pacific Railroad Explorations, Washington, D.C.
  • 1855: Assisted in railroad survey in California and Oregon
  • 1856: Married Mary Susan Everett (died 1871)
  • 1857: First lieutenant, United States Corps of Topographical Engineers
  • 1857 - 1861 : Assisted Captain Andrew A. Humphreys on survey of the Mississippi River delta and coauthored their Report upon the Physics and Hydraulics of the Mississippi River (1861)
  • 1861 - 1862 : Assistant topographical engineer, staff of General Irvin McDowell, United States Army Wounded at the First Battle of Bull Run, Va. Assisted General John G. Barnard, chief engineer for the Department of Washington, in constructing forts south of the Potomac River Aide-de-camp to General Barnard in the Peninsular Campaign, Va. Chief topographical engineer for Major General Nathaniel Banks’s expedition to New Orleans, La.
  • 1863 - 1865 : Colonel, First Connecticut Artillery, United States Volunteers, in defense of Washington, D.C. Captain, Corps of Engineers, United States Army Commanded siege artillery for United States armies operating against Petersburg and Richmond, Va.
  • 1865: Mustered out of the volunteer service with brevet rank of major general and returned to regular duty in the Corps of Engineers with rank of major
  • 1866 - 1886 : Colonel, Corps of Engineers, United States Army
  • 1888 - 1895 : Member, Board of Ordnance and Fortifications, United States Department of War
  • 1895: Retired from active service
  • 1897 - 1904 : Member, technical committee, and consulting engineer, La Compagnie Nouvelle du Canal de Panama (New Panama Canal Co.)
  • 1904: Brigadier general, United States Army, retired, by Act of Congress
  • 1905 - 1906 : Member, board of consulting engineers appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt to prepare plans for the Panama Canal
  • 1905 - 1910 : Professor of hydraulic engineering, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
  • 1927, Oct. 1: Died, Cambridge, Mass.
Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Abbot, Henry L. Henry Larcom Abbot Papers, 1853-1943, 1855. Oregon Historical Society Research Library
referencedIn National Archives And Records Administration. Rg 77: Chief Of Engineers.
creatorOf Abbot, Henry L. Position of Richmond, Va. [electronic resource] / prepared by order of Maj. Gen. Geo. B. McClellan, U.S.A., A.A. Humphreys, Brig. Gen. & Chief of Topl. Engrs., May 27th, 1862 ; compiled from "Map of Henrico Co." and "Sketch exhibiting the approaches" with additional reconnaissances, Henry L. Abbot, Lieut. Topl. Engr. Yale University Library
referencedIn Bushnell, David, b. 1740. David Bushnell papers, 1783-1956 (inclusive). Yale University Library
referencedIn Walter Nickerson Hill Papers, Hill (Walter Nickerson) Papers, (bulk 1870-1884), 1860-1905 John Hay Library, Special Collections
referencedIn Records of the U.S. Coast Guard. National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States Commandery of the State of Massachusetts Civil War collection, 1724-1933 (inclusive); 1861-1912 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Farquhar, Francis Peloubet, 1887-1974. Francis P. Farquhar papers, 1912-1968. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief of Engineers. 1789 - 1999. Activities Files Photographs National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Noble, Alfred, 1844-1914. Alfred Noble papers, 1863-1922 [microform]. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Abbot, Francis Ellingwood. Papers, 1815-1940. Andover-Harvard Theological Library
creatorOf Noble, Alfred, 1844-1914. Alfred Noble papers, 1863-1922. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Immigration Restriction League (U.S.) records, 1893-1921 Houghton Library
referencedIn Sawyer, Robert W. Robert W. Sawyer papers [manuscript], 1917-1943. Oregon Historical Society Research Library
creatorOf Abbot, Henry L. Henry L. Abbot papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Weather Bureau National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Alfred Noble Papers, 1863-1922 Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Abbot, Henry L. [White House to Harrisons Landing]. Library of Virginia
referencedIn Gilman, Daniel Coit, 1831-1908. Letter to Henry L. Abbot, circa 1896.
creatorOf Abbot, Henry L. Position of Richmond, Va. [electronic resource] / prepared by order of Maj. Gen. Geo. B. McClellan, U.S.A., A.A. Humphreys, Brig. Gen. & Chief of Topl. Engrs., May 27th, 1862 ; compiled from "Map of Henrico Co." and "Sketch exhibiting the approaches" with additional reconnaissances, Henry L. Abbot, Lieut. Topl. Engr. Yale University Library
referencedIn Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary. Correspondence, 1863-1879 Smithsonian Institution Archives
creatorOf Henry Larcom Abbot Papers, 1853-1943, 1855 Oregon Historical Society Research Library
referencedIn Edwin Hale Abbot family papers, 1787-1933 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
creatorOf Henry L. Abbot miscellany, 1856-1899 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Henry L. Abbot Family Papers, 1770-2001, (bulk 1832-1870) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary. Correspondence, 1865-1891 Smithsonian Institution Archives
referencedIn Rhees, William Jones, 1830-1907. William Jones Rhees Papers, 1744-1907 The Huntington Library
creatorOf Noble, Alfred, 1844-1914. Alfred Noble papers, 1863-1915. Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Abbot, Henry L. Letter, February 17, 1874. Naval War College, Henry E. Eccles Library
creatorOf Abbot, Henry L. Papers, 1792-1919. Houghton Library
referencedIn American Philosophical Society Archives. Record Group IIg, 1887-1891 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Sargent, Charles Sprague, 1841-1927. Records of the Director Charles Sprague Sargent, 1893-1927 (inclusive). Harvard University, Arnold Arboretum, Horticultural Library, Jamacia Plain
creatorOf Abbot, Henry L. The Panama and Nicaragua Canals / by General Henry L. Abbot, U.S.A. Rogers Public Library
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part III: The Civil War: The Union, 1804-1915. Houghton Library
creatorOf Abbot, Henry L. Position of Richmond, Va. / prepared by order of Maj. Gen. Geo. B. McClellan, U.S.A., A.A. Humphreys, Brig. Gen. & Chief of Topl. Engrs., May 27th, 1862 ; compiled from "Map of Henrico Co." and "Sketch exhibiting the approaches" with additional reconnaissances, Henry L. Abbot, Lieut. Topl. Engr. Library of Congress
referencedIn Abbot, Henry L. Henry L. Abbot papers Houghton Library
creatorOf Abbot, Henry L. The Panama and Nicaragua Canals / Henry L. Abbot. California State University, Sacramento
creatorOf Abbot, Henry L. Position of Richmond, Va. / prepared by order of Maj. Gen. Geo. B. McClellan, U.S.A., A.A. Humphreys, Brig. Gen. & Chief of Topl. Engrs., May 27th, 1862 ; compiled from "Map of Henrico Co." and "Sketch exhibiting the approaches" with additional reconnaissances, Henry L. Abbot, Lieut. Topl. Engr. Library of Congress
referencedIn Abbot, Edwin Hale, 1834-1927. Edwin Hale Abbot family papers, 1787-1933 (inclusive). Yale University Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Abbot, Abiel, 1770-1828 person
associatedWith Abbot, Edward Stanley, 1841-1863 person
associatedWith Abbot, Edwin Hale, 1834-1927. person
associatedWith Abbot family. family
correspondedWith Abbot, Fanny Larcom, 1807-1883 person
correspondedWith Abbot, Francis Ellingwood, 1836-1903 person
associatedWith Abbot, Frederic V. (Frederic Vaughan), 1858-1928 person
correspondedWith Abbot, Jos. Hale (Joseph Hale), 1802-1873 person
correspondedWith Abbot, Mary Susan Everett, 1832-1871 person
associatedWith Abbot, William Ebenezer, 1810-1888. person
associatedWith American Philosophical Society. corporateBody
correspondedWith Barnard, Charles Francis, 1808-1884 person
correspondedWith Barrows, Samuel June, 1845-1909 person
correspondedWith Bartol, Cyrus Augustus, 1813-1900 person
correspondedWith Bell, Alexander Graham, 1847-1922 person
associatedWith Bushnell, David, b. 1740. person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Everett, Emily, 1799- person
associatedWith Everett, Stevens, 1797-1833. person
associatedWith Farquhar, Francis Peloubet, 1887-1974. person
associatedWith First Parish (Beverly, Mass.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Foote, Henry Wilder, 1838-1889 person
correspondedWith Gibbs, George person
correspondedWith Gilman, Daniel Coit, 1831-1908. person
associatedWith Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885 person
associatedWith Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. corporateBody
correspondedWith Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 person
associatedWith Hill, Walter Nickerson, 1846-1884 person
associatedWith Humphreys, A. A. (Andrew Atkinson), 1810-1883. person
correspondedWith Immigration Restriction League (U.S.). corporateBody
correspondedWith Jackson, Charles, 1775-1855 person
associatedWith Larcom, Henry, 1777-1862 person
associatedWith Lewis, James person
associatedWith Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 person
associatedWith Mahan, D. H. person
associatedWith Margaret (Ship) corporateBody
associatedWith McClellan, George Brinton, 1826-1885. person
correspondedWith Miles, Henry Adolphus, 1809-1895 person
associatedWith Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Commandery of the State of Massachusetts, collector. corporateBody
correspondedWith Morison, Robert Swain. person
associatedWith Noble, Alfred, 1844-1914. person
correspondedWith Peabody, Andrew Preston, 1811-1893 person
correspondedWith Rhees, William J. person
correspondedWith Richardson, William A. person
correspondedWith Robbins, Chandler, 1810-1882 person
associatedWith Sargent, Charles Sprague, 1841-1927. person
associatedWith Sawyer, Robert W. person
correspondedWith Seward, William Henry, 1801-1872 person
correspondedWith Thayer, Christopher Toppan. person
associatedWith United States. Army corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Connecticut Artillery Regiment, 1st. corporateBody
employeeOf United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. corporateBody
employeeOf United States. Army. Corps of Topographical Engineers corporateBody
employeeOf United States. Army of the Potomac. Engineer Dept. corporateBody
alumnusOrAlumnaOf United States Military Academy corporateBody
associatedWith United States. President (1861-1865 : Lincoln). corporateBody
correspondedWith Ware, Henry, 1794-1843 person
correspondedWith Ware, John Fothergill Waterhouse, 1818-1881 person
associatedWith Weir, Robert Walter, 1803-1889. person
correspondedWith Whitman, Jason, 1799-1848 person
correspondedWith William Ebenezer Abbot person
associatedWith Wilson, James Harrison, 1837-1925 person
correspondedWith Woodruff, J. C. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Richmond VA US
Oregon OR US
Petersburg VA US
Charles City County VA US
Hanover County VA US
Cambridge MA US
Republic of Nicaragua 00 NI
Mississippi River 00 US
Washington, D. C. DC US
Petersburg VA US
California CA US
Panama Canal 00 PA
Beverly MA US
Henrico County VA US
Subject
Bull Run, 1st Battle of, Va., 1861
Canals
Christianity
Coast defenses
Fortification
Fortification
Gettysburg, Battle of, Gettysburg, Pa., 1863
Military engineering
Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815
Pacific railroads
Peninsular Campaign, 1862
Recommendations For Positions
Submarine mines
Surveys
Torpedoes
Unitarian churches
Whitehead torpedoes
Occupation
Army officers
Clergy
Engineer
Military engineers
Activity

Person

Birth 1831-08-13

Death 1927-10-01

Male

Americans

English

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