18 Facts About Andrew Talcott

Andrew Talcott was an American civil engineer and close friend of Civil War General Robert E Lee.

Andrew Talcott did not serve during the Civil War, as he could not fight against the Union, nor fight against his brothers in the South.

Andrew Talcott traveled to Veracruz, Mexico, to work on the railroad.

Andrew Talcott was moved to Fort Warren in Boston harbor under orders of General John E Wool.

Andrew Talcott attended West Point and graduated second in his class in 1818.

Andrew Talcott's career was as a military and civil engineer building forts, roads and railroads both in the States and Mexico.

Andrew Talcott started the 1824 construction of Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island.

Andrew Talcott rediscovered the method to determine a place's latitude from the stars, a method originally invented by the Danish astronomer Peder Horrebow.

Andrew Talcott was hired as superintending engineer for construction on the Hampton Roads at Fort Calhoun and Fort Monroe becoming a superior and friend to the future general, Robert E Lee and married Harriet Randolph Hackley at Norfolk, Virginia, in 1832.

In 1838, Andrew Talcott was elected as a member to the American Philosophical Society.

Andrew Talcott was considered for the post of Superintendent of the Coast Survey which was filled by Alexander Bache in 1843, but he went on to supervise construction of the Richmond and Danville Railroad in 1849, where he was later appointed general manager.

Andrew Talcott became chief engineer and superintendent of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad and later appeared as a consultant at the Coroner's jury for the Desjardins Canal disaster, Hamilton, Ontario, 1857.

When Escandon purchased the fourth concession from Mosso brothers in 1856, two routes were considered and Andrew Talcott was assigned the far more difficult southern passage probably due financial stakes held near Orizaba by the project's investors.

At the request of Lee, Andrew Talcott accepted the positions of Colonel and State Engineer of Virginia in 1861.

Andrew Talcott was charged with the coastal defense of Richmond and James River.

Andrew Talcott was arrested in New York, March 1863, only to be held at Fort Warren in Massachusetts as a Mexican citizen.

Andrew Talcott returned to a French-reorganized Mexican project in the late 1860s under a new concession where he remained until Juarez defeated Maximilian's conservative regime in 1867.

Andrew Talcott died on Sunday, April 22,1883, at his residence, 519 East Leigh Street in Richmond, Virginia, at the age of 85 and was remembered in his obituary for building the Richmond and Danville Railroad.