Frederic Vaughan Abbot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frederic Vaughan Abbott
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Abbot as a brigadier general in April 1918
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| Born | March 4, 1858 Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | September 26, 1928 (aged 70) Nonquitt, Massachusetts |
| Buried |
Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 United States Army |
| Years of service | 1875 – 1290 |
| Rank |  Brigadier General |
| Service number | 0-13436 |
| Unit | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| Commands held | Sioux City Engineer District Northeast Engineer Division Washington Barracks School for Engineer Officers Chief of Engineers (acting) |
| Battles/wars | Spanish–American War Philippine–American War World War I |
| Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal |
| Alma mater | United States Military Academy |
| Spouse(s) | Sara Julie Dehon (m. 1886–1928, his death) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relations | Henry Larcom Abbot (father) Edwin Hale Abbot (uncle) |
Frederic Vaughan Abbot (born March 4, 1858 – died September 26, 1928) was an important officer in the United States Army. He became a brigadier general. He is best known for his work during World War I. He helped the Army's Chief of Engineers by organizing and training Engineer soldiers. These soldiers were then sent to serve in France.
Frederic Abbot was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His father, Henry Larcom Abbot, was also a brigadier general. Frederic went to school in Cambridge and in Flushing, New York. He finished high school in 1875. After that, he attended the United States Military Academy (West Point). He graduated first in his class in 1879. He then became a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers.
Abbot was an expert in improving rivers and harbors. He also worked on coastal defenses. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, he helped build things at Charleston Harbor in South Carolina. He also improved coastal defenses there. Later, he managed river projects in the Midwest, including Wisconsin and Minnesota. He also led the Corps of Engineers' Sioux City District. Later, he worked on improving the coastal defenses of Boston Harbor and New York City.
During World War I, Abbot was promoted to brigadier general. He was in charge of finding and organizing Engineer regiments for service in France. He also organized and trained new troops to replace soldiers who were injured or killed. He served as acting Chief of Engineers several times. He received the Army Distinguished Service Medal for his service during the war.
Abbot retired in 1920. He lived in Washington, D.C., and Nonquitt, Massachusetts. He passed away in Nonquitt on September 26, 1928. He was buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Frederic Abbot was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on March 4, 1858. His parents were Brigadier General Henry Larcom Abbot and Mary Susan Everett Abbot. His uncle was Edwin Hale Abbot. Frederic went to school in Cambridge and at Flushing Institute in Flushing, New York. He graduated from high school in Cambridge in 1875.
In March 1875, Abbot was chosen by the president to attend the United States Military Academy (USMA). He started there in July 1875 and graduated in June 1879. He finished first in his class of 67 students. Because he was a top graduate, Abbot got to choose his branch of the Army. He chose the Corps of Engineers. He became a second lieutenant and was assigned to teach at West Point.
Starting His Military Career
In November 1879, Abbot was sent to an engineer battalion in Willets Point, New York. He took command of a company there in May 1881. He was promoted to first lieutenant in June. He stayed at this post until June 1882.
From 1882 to 1884, Abbot worked with an engineer team. They improved the Osage and Mississippi Rivers. From 1884 to 1888, Abbot helped Colonel Quincy A. Gillmore. Gillmore was in charge of improving Charleston Harbor in South Carolina. Abbot also inspected buildings in Charleston that were damaged by an earthquake in 1886.
Abbot also helped his father from 1886 to 1888. His father was improving rivers and harbors in South Carolina. He also helped remove old shipwrecks from the American Civil War. Abbot helped survey and improve coastal defenses in South Carolina. This included Forts Moultrie, Sumter, and Johnson, and Castle Pinckney. He also designed and built special gun platforms on Sullivan's Island in Charleston Harbor. He was promoted to captain in July 1888.
Continuing His Work
From 1888 to 1897, Abbot supervised the use of torpedoes to defend Charleston Harbor. He also served on a board that planned improvements for the harbor of Brunswick, Georgia. From 1895 to 1897, he was the engineer for the 6th Lighthouse District. This meant he was in charge of lighthouses from North Carolina to Florida. From 1897 to 1898, Abbot managed river improvements in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He also commanded the Corps of Engineers' Sioux City District. During the Spanish–American War, he surveyed harbors and coastal defenses in the eastern United States. He made suggestions to improve them. He was promoted to major in July 1898.
Abbot worked as an assistant to the Army's Chief of Engineers from 1900 to 1903. In 1901, he helped decide on defenses for Apra Harbor in Guam. From 1901 to 1903, Abbot was on a team that looked into building the United States Army War College at Washington Barracks. From 1903 to 1907, he was in charge of making and sending out ammunition hoists for coastal artillery posts. In September 1906, Abbot was promoted to lieutenant colonel. From 1907 to 1908, he worked in the Philippines, building coastal defenses.
From 1908 to 1910, Abbot was again an assistant to the Chief of Engineers. In June 1909, he became a colonel. From 1910 to 1913, Abbot was in Boston. He was in charge of improving the coastal defenses of Boston Harbor. He also oversaw improvements to Lake Champlain and rivers in Vermont and New Hampshire.
Abbot worked on river, harbor, and fortification projects in Rhode Island and Massachusetts from 1911 to 1912. From 1913 to 1917, Abbot commanded the Corps of Engineers' Northeast Division in New York City. He managed river and harbor improvements along the coasts of New York and New Jersey. Abbot was also in charge of New York City's coastal defenses from 1915 to 1917. In August 1917, Abbot was promoted to temporary brigadier general.
World War I Service
From October 1917 to October 1919, Abbot was the main assistant to the Chief of Engineers. In this role, Abbot was responsible for finding and organizing Engineer regiments to serve in France. He also oversaw the recruitment, organization, and training of Engineer soldiers with special skills. He also trained replacement troops for soldiers who were injured or killed in combat. He commanded the Washington Barracks post, which included other smaller camps. Abbot was also the leader of the School for Engineer Officers at Washington Barracks from 1917 to 1918. From February to April 1918, he served as acting Chief of Engineers while the Chief of Engineers was in France.
After World War I
From November 1918 to February 1920, Abbot helped design the facilities for the Engineer School at Camp A. A. Humphreys. In May 1919, he returned to his permanent rank of colonel. Abbot served as acting Chief of Engineers again from October 1919 to February 1920. He retired from the Army in May 1920 due to a disability.
Retirement and Legacy
After retiring, Abbot lived in Washington, D.C., and Nonquitt, Massachusetts. He passed away in Nonquitt on September 26, 1928. He was buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Abbot received the Army Distinguished Service Medal for his service in World War I. In 1930, the U.S. Congress passed a law that allowed World War I generals to retire at the highest rank they had held. Because of this, Abbot was given the rank of brigadier general again after his death.
Family Life
In 1886, Abbot married Sara Julie Dehon from Charleston, South Carolina. They had three children: twin daughters named Marion and Elinor, and a son named Henry.
