Frederic Vaughan Abbot (March 4, 1858 – September 26, 1928) was an American military officer who attained the rank of brigadier general in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

. He was most notable for his

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

work as assistant to the Army's

Chief of Engineers The Chief of Engineers is a principal United States Army staff officer at The Pentagon. The Chief advises the Army on engineering matters, and serves as the Army's topographer and proponent for real estate and other related engineering programs. ...

, a post in which he organized, trained, and deployed Engineer soldiers for service in France. A native of

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...

and the son of Brigadier General

Henry Larcom Abbot Henry Larcom Abbot (August 13, 1831 – October 1, 1927) was a military engineer and career officer in the United States Army. He served in the Union Army during the American Civil War and was appointed brevet brigadier general of volunteers ...

, Abbot was educated in the schools of Cambridge and at Flushing Institute in Flushing, Queens, New York. He graduated from high school in Cambridge in 1875, then attended the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

. Abbot graduated first in the Class of 1879, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. Abbot specialized in rivers and harbors improvement and coast artillery defenses. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, he worked on projects including construction at

Charleston Harbor The Charleston Harbor is an inlet (8 sq mi/20.7 km2) of the Atlantic Ocean at Charleston, South Carolina. The inlet is formed by the junction of Ashley River (South Carolina), Ashley and Cooper River (South Carolina), Cooper rivers at . Morr ...

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...

, and improvements to the coastal defenses of

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

. He later took charge of river improvements in the midwestern United States, including

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

and

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

, as well as command of the Corps of Engineers'

Sioux City Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Iowa. The county seat of Woodbury County, Sioux City is the primar ...

District. Subsequent assignments included improving the coastal defenses of

Boston Harbor Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, located adjacent to Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the Northeastern United States. History 17th century Since its dis ...

and New York City. During

, Abbot received promotion to brigadier general. He was in charge of enlisting and organizing divisional Engineer regiments for service in France, as well as enlisting, organizing, and training replacement troops for soldiers who became casualties in combat. He served as acting Chief of Engineers on several occasions, and received the

Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. ...

in recognition of his wartime service. Abbot retired in 1920, and was a resident of Washington, D.C., and Nonquitt, Massachusetts. He died in Nonquitt on September 26, 1928. Abbot was buried at

Mount Auburn Cemetery Mount Auburn Cemetery, located in Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, is the first rural or garden cemetery in the United States. It is the burial site of many prominent Boston Brahmins, and is a National Historic Landmark. Dedicated in ...

in Cambridge.

Early life

Abbot was born in

on March 4, 1858, the son of Brigadier General

and Mary Susan Everett Abbot. Among his relatives was uncle Edwin Hale Abbot. He attended the schools of Cambridge and Flushing Institute in Flushing, Queens, New York, and graduated from high school in Cambridge in 1875. In March 1875, Abbot received an at-large presidential appointment to the

(USMA) which was scheduled to begin in the summer of 1876. By May 1875, he had been re-nominated to fill a vacancy in the class that was scheduled to commence that July. He attended from July 1875 to June 1879 and graduated ranked first in his class of 67. As with most top graduates of his era, Abbot received his choice of branch assignment, and selected the Corps of Engineers. He received his commission as a second lieutenant and assignment to the USMA faculty.

Start of career

In November 1879, Abbott was posted to an engineer battalion at Willets Point, New York. He assumed command of a company at Willets Point in May 1881, and received promotion to

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

in June. He resumed duty with his battalion in August, and remained at this post until June 1882. From June 1882 to August 1884, Abbot was assigned to an engineer team led by

Oswald Herbert Ernst Oswald Herbert Ernst (June27, 1842March21, 1926) was an engineer, military educator, and career officer in the United States Army who became superintendent of the United States Military Academy. Over a forty-year career, Ernst served as an eng ...

which carried out river and harbor improvements on the Osage and

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

Rivers. From October 1883 to March 1884, he took part in a survey that located the precise boundary between

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

and

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

. From 1884 to 1888, Abbot was an assistant to Colonel Quincy A. Gillmore while Gillmore oversaw improvements to the

in Charleston, South Carolina and served as president of the

Mississippi River Commission The United States Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division (MVD) is responsible for the Corps water resources programs within 370,000-square-miles of the Mississippi River Valley, as well as the watershed portions of the Red River ...

. He performed special duty in September 1886 when he was assigned to inspect and report on the serviceability of buildings in Charleston which had been damaged by an earthquake. Abbot served as an assistant to his father from 1886 to 1888 as his father superintended several river and harbor improvements in South Carolina and the removal of wrecks caused during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. In addition, Abbot took part in surveys of and improvements to coastal defenses in South Carolina, including Forts Moultrie,

Sumter Sumter may refer to: People Given name * Sumter S. Arnim (1904–1990), American dentist * Sumter de Leon Lowry Jr. (1893–1985), United States Army general Surname * Rowendy Sumter (born 1988), Curaçaoan footballer * Shavonda E. Sumt ...

, and

Johnson Johnson may refer to: People and fictional characters *Johnson (surname), a common surname in English * Johnson (given name), a list of people * List of people with surname Johnson, including fictional characters *Johnson (composer) (1953–2011) ...

and

Castle Pinckney Castle Pinckney is a small masonry fortification constructed by the United States government, in the Charleston Harbor, harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, in 1810. It was used very briefly as a prisoner-of-war camp (six weeks) and artillery po ...

. As part of improving defenses along South Carolina's coast, Abbot also oversaw design and construction of mortar batteries and disappearing gun carriages on Sullivan's Island, Charleston Harbor. He was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in July 1888.

Continued career

From 1888 to 1897, Abbot supervised acquisition of torpedo material and employment of torpedoes for use in the defense of Charleston Harbor. He served on a combined civil and military board that planned improvements to the harbor of

Brunswick, Georgia Brunswick ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Glynn County, Georgia, Glynn County in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As the primary urban and economic center of the lower southeast portion of Georgia, it is the second-larges ...

from November 1894 to June 1896. From December 1895 to October 1897 he was engineer of the 6th Lighthouse District, responsible for inspection, maintenance, and repair of facilities in a command that extended extending from the mouth of the

Cape Fear River The Cape Fear River is a blackwater river in east-central North Carolina. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The river is formed at the confluence of the Haw River and the Deep River in the town of ...

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

to Jupiter Inlet, Florida. From September 1897 to October 1898, Abbot was in charge of river improvements in

and

, including command of the Corps of Engineers'

District. During the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

, he served on many boards which conducted surveys of harbors and coastal defenses in the eastern United States and made recommendations to improve them. He was promoted to

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

in July 1898. Abbot served as assistant to the Army's

from August 1900 to August 1903. In December 1901, he served on a board which considered options and provided recommendations for defenses at

Apra Harbor Apra Harbor, also called Port Apra, is a deep-water port on the western side of the United States territory of Guam. It is considered one of the best natural ports in the Pacific Ocean. The harbor is bounded by Cabras Island and the Glass Breakwat ...

Guam Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...

, where some Filipino insurgent leaders had been deported as part of the

Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War, known alternatively as the Philippine Insurrection, Filipino–American War, or Tagalog Insurgency, emerged following the conclusion of the Spanish–American War in December 1898 when the United States annexed th ...

. From December 1901 to March 1903, Abbott served on a panel of engineer officers that reported on the feasibility of establishing the

United States Army War College The United States Army War College (USAWC) is a U.S. Army staff college in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, with a Carlisle postal address, on the 500-acre (2 km2) campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks. It provides graduate-level instru ...

Washington Barracks Fort Lesley J. McNair, also historically known as the Washington Arsenal, is a United States Army post located on the tip of Buzzard Point, the peninsula that lies at the confluence of the Potomac River and the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C ...

and reconstructing the site so it could host the headquarters of the Chief of Engineers and the Engineer School. From August 1903 to February 1907 he was in charge of manufacturing and distributing Taylor-Raymond 8, 10 and 12‑inch chain ammunition hoists so they could be installed at various coast artillery posts. In September 1906, Abbot was promoted to lieutenant colonel. From September 1907 to January 1908, he served in the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

, where he oversaw the construction of coast artillery defenses. From January 1908 to May 1910, Abbot served again as assistant to the Chief of Engineers. In June 1909, he received promotion to

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

. From May 1910 to June 1913, Abbot was stationed in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, where he was in charge of improving the coastal defenses of

. During this posting, Abbot also oversaw improvements to

Lake Champlain Lake Champlain ( ; , ) is a natural freshwater lake in North America. It mostly lies between the U.S. states of New York (state), New York and Vermont, but also extends north into the Canadian province of Quebec. The cities of Burlington, Ve ...

and rivers and harbors in

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

and

New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

. Abbot was in charge of river, harbor, and fortifications projects in

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

and

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

from March 1911 to August 1912. From June 1911 to August 1912, he was a member of the board that considered fire control and searchlight positions for

Narragansett Bay Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound covering , of which is in Rhode Island. The bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor and includes a small archipelago. S ...

. From June 1913 to October 1917, Abbot was posted to New York City as commander of the Corps of Engineers' Northeast Division, where he oversaw river and harbor improvements on the coasts of New York and

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. Abbot was in charge of the coastal defenses of New York City from July 1915 to October 1917. In August 1917, Abbot was promoted to temporary brigadier general.

World War I

From October 1917 to October 1919, Abbot served as principal assistant to the Chief of Engineers. In this assignment, Abbot took charge of enlisting and organizing divisional Engineer regiments for service in France. In addition, he oversaw enlisting, organizing, and training Engineer soldiers with technical specialties as well as replacement troops for soldiers who became casualties in combat. He commanded the Washington Barracks post, which included sub‑posts at

Camp Leach Camp Leach, formerly known as the American University Experimental Station and Camp American University, was a World War I era United States Army camp built by the Corps of Engineers on American University property in Washington, D.C. It wa ...

and Camp A. A. Humphreys. Abbot was also commandant of the School for Engineer Officers at Washington Barracks from October 1917 to October 1918. From February to April 1918, he served as acting Chief of Engineers while the Chief of Engineers performed temporary wartime duty in France.

Post-World War I

From November 1918 to February 1920, Abbot was a member of the board that designed the facilities for the Engineer School at Camp A. A. Humphreys. In May 1919 he reverted to his permanent rank of colonel. Abbot served again as acting Chief of Engineers from October 1919 to February 1920. He was retired for disability in May 1920.

Retirement and death

In retirement, Abbot was a resident of Washington, D.C., and Nonquitt, Massachusetts (part of the town of Dartmouth). He died in Nonquitt on September 26, 1928. He was buried at

. Abbot received the

for his World War I service. In 1930, the U.S. Congress passed legislation permitting the general officers of World War I to retire at the highest rank they had held. As a result, Abbot was posthumously promoted to brigadier general on the retired list.

Personal life

In 1886, Abbot married Sara Julie Dehon of

, the granddaughter of

Theodore Dehon Theodore Dehon (December 8, 1776 – August 6, 1817) was the second bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina. Biography Theodore Dehon was born in Boston and graduated from Harvard University in 1795. He was ordained deacon by Bishop E ...

. They were the parents of three children—twin daughters Marion and Elinor, and son Henry.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abbot, Frederic Vaughan 1858 births 1928 deaths Military personnel from Cambridge, Massachusetts People from Dartmouth, Massachusetts Military personnel from Washington, D.C. United States Military Academy alumni United States Army Corps of Engineers personnel American military personnel of the Spanish–American War American military personnel of the Philippine–American War United States Army generals of World War I United States Army generals Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Burials at Mount Auburn Cemetery 19th-century United States Army personnel