Abbot, Henry Larcom (1831-1927) Union army officer and topographical engineer, born in Beverly, Massachusetts. Wounded in 1861 at First Bull Run, Abbot was rewarded for his “gallant and meritorious service” with a promotion to brevet captain. From November 1862 to February 1863, Abbot served as chief topographical engineer for Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks's expedition to New Orleans and the lower Mississippi region. From 1864 to 1865 he commanded the siege artillery of the Army of the James, which was then involved in operations against Petersburg and Richmond. His work earned him the brevet rank of major general, U.S. volunteers, by the war's conclusion.
As a consulting engineer on the Panama Canal, Abbot was influential in convincing the government to accept the consulting board's minority report favoring a lock-canal over the sea-level canal recommended by the majority.See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.
