New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-07
GENERAL ABBOT TO RETIRE.
THE STORY OF HIS LONG SERVICE TOLD
by HIMSELF.
WHO WILL BE HIS SUCCESSOR IN THE BOARD Oh
ORDNANCE AND FoRTIFIcATIoNs AND IN
rr,r bonn or r-xctSrEpc,

WHO WILL BE HIS SUCCESSOR IN TIE BOARD OF
ORDNANCE AND FoRTIFIcATIoNs AND IN
THE BOARD OF ENGINEERsG
Army officers and especially members of the
Army Board OF Fortihcations and OF the Board OF
Engineers. asking OF one another serious
question That is who Is to succeed General Henry
l.. Abbot who retires by reason Of age limitation
en- August 10? All day yesterday. while the General
was busy with the Army Board OF Fortifcations.
Major Samuel p. Hatfield. who has been his as
sistant for many years. was busily engaged getting
together valuable records TO have them ready for
removal from the Army Building on the appointed
day. The Major who will pass TO the Southwest
Division of the Engineers Department as q cierK'
remarked to The Tribune reporter:
II feel as though my life work were draw
ing to close in thus separating from Gcnerai
Abbot with whom / have been associated as as
sistant since the close OF the war. better man
have never known and his services in the Interest
of the country and especially with regard 70 coast
offences have been invaluable. He has been an
indefatigabe worker. laboring day and night, ana
might almost say wishing for twenty-five hours
in day so that ne might have an added hour TOT
labor He it Is who designed all OF the defensive
works on both coasts OF the United states and the
Gulf of Mexico such works now exist at Sandy
Hook and San Francisco Of the mortar battery
type, and his son. Captain Of Engineers F. V.
Abbot is now in charge OF the Charleston Haroor
works. In course Of construction
GENERAL ABBOT TALKS OF his SAhHSh@'
General Abbot thus tenderly spoken OF by one
who has been close to him. was FOUND at MS nome
No. 145 Lexington-ave.. last evening. he was JUST
preparing for a visit with General Schofeld. at the
Windsor Hotel, and walking up Lexington-a'e'
talked quietly Of his long service which extends
over period Of forty-one years. The General was
born at Beverly, Mass, August H. 1851 ana was
graduated at West Point in 1854
MY first service" said General Aooot, alter
graduation was as assistant to Captain Williamson
on Pacific Railroad surveys. Surveys had peen
conducted for various lines OF ROAD aiohe the
eastern side of the mountains; but this "ork was
intended to supplement that OF the party which mao
been exhausted by nearly three thousand mics OF
travel by making the survey over the most oi"cu'
portion Of the road through the Sierra nevada
mountains We began at San frahcisco anu
worked northward through the sacramento anu
San JOAQUIN valleys. across Mount SHASTA winch
connects the two ranges and went as far north as
the Columbia River. 1t was over this projecting
shoulder between the ranges that the railroad haa
10 run and that was the main problem 10 De soiVeo
CAPTAIN Williamson was taken ILL., and II deVoiVed
upon to make the report OF the trip. 80
after my return in 1857 was associated Win
Colonel afterward General. Humphreys In his COM
prehensve investigation of the aluvial lands aios
the Mississippi River. below the OHIO win the
object in view Of devsing plan to prevent the
frequent overhows OF that stream Generai
Humphreys was engaged in this work TOT eigh'
wears and I was associated with him as assistant
for four years Of that time. The result OF inns
work was embodied In very comprehensive rePoit
on the subject. and General Humphreys was 80
highly pleased with that portion devoving upon me
that we Jointly signed II. and It was known as 'he
Humphreys-Abbot report 1t was TRANSLATED ".o
various foreign languages and we were compn-
mented with election to membership IN many III"
| portant societies. In that report we auVoc".e'
levee construction as the best means OF saving
| followed We finished that report just In time 10
meet the outbreak Of the Civil War, and hao not
bAen at home a month when / was assigned to
General McDowes staff , ana shorty rseyvns bali
in the leg After recovery was sns :henato IN
the construction Of defences aPou hai wss
| in 1912.
ASSOCIATED WITH MCCLELLAN.
While engaged in that work was again trans
ferred to go with Mcclellan. and joined MIN Ior the
Peninsular campaign. But had contracted sever
case of chills In the works along the Potomac tne
climate being. most unhealthfu. and during the
| march I was seized with the Chickahominy FEVER,
| from which nearly lost my life: but recovered
and was assigned as chief Of engineers 10 accom-
pany General Banks in his expedition 10 New
| orleans and the Gulf That was during the winter
of 1920 and in February OF the latter year the
| command Of the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery
was offered to me- had had some experience with
the officers and Of this command ana HneM VI
WAS promoted they asked that be assigned to the
command Twice command had peen reiu lS fn ne
before as young were not easily -.
the engineer corps but this time was aoTea soo i,
| accent and returned to Washington where Il LOON
| Command We kept In the works ABOUT WASH ,
ington and couldn't get OUT LOT mna,en against
| picbmond I was ordered by him TO the command Oh
the gege train which was to be useo III His ope"
| tions before Petersburg and against or rishei'
OFT OF THE VOLUNTEER SERVICE.
| "Our works covered all Of the James River ana
| there we met Butler. was mustered Out Oh the
o,rntesr service September 25 1865 and for twenty
| o.rs was In charge of the Engineering School OF
| .nnlcat,on at Willetts Point There 1t was my
| business 10 make study of torpedo devices as a
| means of submarine defence for harbors, ana we
had experiment WIN an sTi.s % ~ varous kinds
The plan of submarine lines wnicn SUNNI &
adopted by the Government since looo ' T,,eo,
member Of the Board OF raaared The Mans for
nast and harbor defence which were ADOPTED py tne
| Cnvernment and which are now bens cons.I 't
AN Of this labor fo OF al Of the principal
both coasts and along the Cur peins isvt SV ,nr
! of the minor harbors yet remain DC rhnr the
H,, in The main the work Is done. In 1882 wheh tne
D. poorH Of Engineers formed. l was mace presi-
~, and have since remained at It's neao pelhg the
| senior colonel on the East coast. .nonan,s ara
~ have about completed my arranseneh.s, an ~
shau leave at once for Manitowoc 70 TAKE CID se VI
some engineering work there In the ihreres, 81 a
| comnanv with the Central Wisconsin RaAroad CoH-
| pany the head. .o...o- on tho Poa rd
of ordnance and Fortifcatons VIII Pc aItnousn iie
must OF necessity be taken from tne nSd ~ ths
| Toisnel H. NJ Robert will be the presioeent OF ant
| Inrineer Board and he is a very exceHe9t man
hmt do not know who my successor as d ihei,ie,
! Of that Board will be. The Secretary OF war """e'
| the appointments
| >urr,r1ONS OF WAR DISCUSSED.