Henry A . du Pont Henry Algernon du Pont ( July 30 , 1838 – December 31 , 1926 ) was an American soldier , businessman , and politician from Delaware . A member of the illustrious du Pont family , he graduated from West Point shortly after the beginning of the American Civil War and served in the Union Army , earning the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Cedar Creek in October 1864 . After retiring from the Army in 1875 , he was president of the Wilimington & Northern Railroad Company for 20 years , until 1899 . An active member of the Republican Party , he was elected by the state legislature as a U . S . Senator from Delaware , serving most of two terms ( June 13 , 1906 to March 4 , 1917 ) . Early life and education . Du Pont was born July 30 , 1838 at Eleutherian Mills , near Greenville , Delaware , son of Henry and Louisa Gerhard du Pont and grandson of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont , the founder of E . I . du Pont de Nemours and Company and the family in the United States . He attended the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia , and graduated first in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point , New York in 1861 , after the beginning of the American Civil War . Civil war and military career . Du Pont was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant of Engineers upon his graduation from West Point on 6 May 1861 . Soon after he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in the 5th Regiment , U . S . Artillery with date of rank of 14 May 1861 . He served as a light artillery officer in the Union Army during the war , initially assigned to the defenses of Washington and New York Harbor . From 6 July 1861 to 24 March 1864 , he served as regimental adjutant ( administrative officer ) until he was promoted to captain . He subsequently became chief of artillery in the Army of West Virginia . Du Pont was part of General Philip Sheridan ' s army in the Shenandoah Valley of northern Virginia . He received the Medal of Honor for his handling of a retreat at the Battle of Cedar Creek , allowing Sheridan to win a victory in the battle . During the war , du Pont received two brevets ( honorary promotions ) . The first was to the rank of major , dated 19 September 1864 , for gallant service in the battles of Opequan and Fisher ' s Hill . The second brevet was to the rank of lieutenant colonel , dated 19 October 1864 , for distinguished service at the Battle of Cedar Creek , Virginia . After the war , Du Pont continued as a career officer until resigning on 1 March 1875 . In the postwar years , he became a companion of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States ( MOLLUS ) , an organization for former officers of the Union Army and their descendants . Then assigned to Washington , DC , Du Pont was a member of the District of Columbia Commandery and was issued MOLLUS insignia number 10418 . Marriage and family . At the age of 36 , du Pont married Mary Pauline Foster in 1874 . They had two children , Henry Francis du Pont and Louisa Evelina du Pont . They lived on his estate , Winterthur , near Greenville , Delaware . The family were members of Christ Episcopal Church in Christiana Hundred . Business career . In 1875 du Pont returned full - time to Delaware . Within a few years , he became president and general manager of the Wilmington & Northern Railroad Company , serving from 1879 until 1899 . During that time , and for the remainder of his life , he also operated an experimental farm on his estate . Since 1951 , when his son established it as a museum , the estate has been operated as the Winterthur Museum and Country Estate near Greenville , Delaware . Political career . Du Pont was elected to the U . S . Senate on June 13 , 1906 , to fill the vacancy in the term beginning March 4 , 1905 . During this term , he served with the Republican majority in the 59th , 60th , and 61st U . S . Congress . In the 61st Congress he was Chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the Military Affairs Department . He was again elected to the U . S . Senate in 1911 . During this term , he served with the Republican majority in the 62nd Congress , but was in the minority in the 63rd , and 64th U . S . Congress . In the 62nd Congress he was again Chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the War Department , in the 63rd Congress he was a member of the Committee on Military Affairs , and in the 64th Congress he was a member of the Committee on Transportation and Sale of Meat Products . In the first popular election of a U . S . Senator in Delaware , du Pont lost his bid for a third full term in 1916 to Democrat Josiah O . Wolcott , the Delaware Attorney General . In all , he served most of two terms from June 13 , 1906 to March 4 , 1917 , during the administrations of U . S . Presidents Theodore Roosevelt , William H . Taft and Woodrow Wilson . Death and legacy . Henry A . du Pont died at his home , " Winterthur , " and is buried in the Du Pont de Nemours Cemetery at Greenville , Delaware . His son , Henry Francis du Pont , developed his home into the well known Winterthur Museum . Archival materials relating to him are part of the Archives owned by the museum at Greenville , near Wilmington . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : Captain , 5th U . S . Artillery . Place and date : At Cedar Creek , Va . , October 19 , 1864 . Entered service at : Wilmington , Del . Birth : Eleutherean Mills , Del . Date of issue : April 2 , 1898 . Citation : Almanac . Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1 . The General Assembly chose the U . S . Senators , who took office March 4 for a six - year term . After 1913 they were popularly elected .