A Civil War Biography
Herman Haupt
Haupt was born 26 March 1817 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was
appointed to the US Military Academy when just 14 years old by
President Andrew Jackson. Haupt, at the age of 18, graduated 31st in
the class of 1835. More interested in engineering pursuits he
resigned his commission after just three months and began a life
long career associated with the railroads. As a civil engineer Haupt
became an expert in building railroads while teaching civil
engineering, architecture, and mathematics at Pennsylvania College
in Gettysburg. In 1851 his work, "General Theory of Bridge
Construction", the definitive work on bridge building of its time,
was published. In 1851 and 1852, Haupt was employed as the general
superintendent of the Pennsylvania Railroad. He would serve for many
years on the board of directors. He spent the years leading up to
the Civil War as the engineer of the five-mile Hoosac Tunnel which
cut through the Berkshires in Massachusetts. He also helped finance
the project.
Haupt joined the war effort in April 1862 when Secretary of War
Edwin M. Stanton asked him to head the effort to utilize the US
railroad system for military purposes. Haupt, with the rank of
colonel, was assigned as an aide-de-camp to Irvin McDowell who by
then was commanding the Washington defenses. Haupt first set out to
secure the rail lines in the Washington area by building blockhouses
in weak locations and protecting machine shops with stockades. He
had all railroad staff armed and trained to help resist attack. He
also improved telegraph communications along the rail lines. He
streamlined the process to repair damaged rail lines and bridges. On
5 September 1862 he was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers
but he refused the appointment, explaining he would prefer to serve
without rank or pay so as not to limit his freedom to continue his
private business pursuits. He resigned on 14 September 1863 citing
he could not tolerate interference in his work that was coming from
above. This ended his military career.
After resigning form the army Haupt worked for several railroads as
chief engineer or general manager. These railroads included the
Shenandoah Valley, the Richmond and Danville, and the Northern
Pacific. He was president of the Dakota and Great Southern Railroad.
He died in New Jersey of a heart attack on 14 December 1905,
fittingly while on a train.
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