Help Identify This Confederate Engineer Officer

[DaveBrt]

Capt. E. L. Heriot was an Engineer Officer in Southeastern Texas. In 1862 he is mentioned at Sabine Pass and in '63 and '64 he is the Railroad Superintendent in Houston. In the Texas Almanac of 1866, he is the Civil Engineer and Superintendent of the Texas & New Orleans RR. In 1867, he is mentioned in the same jobs for the Waco Tap RR (to the Houston & Texas Central RR).

This is all I know about him. I don't find him in the 1860 census (though I think he was in Houston because the newspaper editor twice thanks Mr. Heriot of the Texas & New Orleans RR for providing New Orleans papers in 1859). What is his name? When was he commissioned? What happened to him after 1867? Any other War activities?

 

[AndyHall]

Editor also thanked him (Mr. Heriot) in the Houston Tri-weekly Telegraph of January 30, 1863 for providing New Orleans papers. Mentioned he was with the New Orleans and Texas Railroad Co.

 

[ErnieMac]

Did a little googling this afternoon. Nothing definite but perhaps some leads.

1. E. L. Heriot, Citadel Class of 1847, is noted in the following link as living in Texas. The Heriot family seems to have been prominent in South Carolina. http://www.citadelsanantonio.org/mexWar.html
2. The Southwestern Reporter, Volume 39, page 202 note a legal decision in Waco TX involving an E. L. Heriot a citizen of California. The case was being argued in the 1890's about a contract originating in 1872.

 

[AndyHall]

@ErnieMac , I saw the E. L. Heriot in Charleston also. I guessed it was not the same person, but sure could be kin.

Heriot was living in Houston still in the early 1880s, working railroad construction and management.

 

[DaveBrt]

Did a little googling this afternoon. Nothing definite but perhaps some leads.

1. E. L. Heriot, Citadel Class of 1847, is noted in the following link as living in Texas. The Heriot family seems to have been prominent in South Carolina. http://www.citadelsanantonio.org/mexWar.html
2. The Southwestern Reporter, Volume 39, page 202 note a legal decision in Waco TX involving an E. L. Heriot a citizen of California. The case was being argued in the 1890's about a contract originating in 1872.

The Charleston Capt. E. L. Heriot was a customs officer in 1860. During the War he turned into a Commissary Captain, still in South Carolina.

 

[DixieRifles]

I found these records in Confederate Misc files.
All the records are dated in 1863. Many are just copy of back of the document.







This is the start of another file for Captain Edgar L. Heriot of the Willow Bayou Rifles. Not sure if this is the same person but it is earlier in 1861.
A google search shows the Willow Bayou Rifles was a Louisiana Militia commanded by Capt. E. L. Heroit.

 

[AndyHall]

Charleston News and Courier, 19 December 1903, p. 3:

 

[AndyHall]

Charleston News and Courier, 18 June 1899, p. 5:

 

[AndyHall]

Charleston Evening Post, 8 August 1911, p. 2:

 

[AndyHall]

The Citadel Guidon, 2011-2012, p. 39:

___________________

For seventeen years following the end of the Civil
War, The Citadel was occupied by Union troops. Efforts
to reopen the institution began in April 1877 when the
recently reorganized Association of Graduates, nine
in all, met in Charleston. The alumni association, thus
reestablished, intensified its efforts to obtain the return
of The Citadel property from the federal government and
to secure legislation in the U.S. Congress and the South
Carolina General Assembly to revive the institution.
The legislation to reopen the South Carolina Military
Academy was passed in January, 1882, and possession of
The Citadel returned to the state on March 17, 1882. On
October 2, 1882, one hundred eighty-nine cadets reported
to the revived Citadel. Colonel John P. Thomas, Class
of 1851, who had headed the Arsenal Academy during
the war, was appointed Superintendent. In 1890, Colonel
Asbury Coward, Class of 1854, assumed the office of
Superintendent. The same year, the first Commandant
of Cadets, Lieutenant John A. Towers, 1st U.S. Artillery,
was appointed and assumed from the Superintendent,
the responsibility of disciplinary matters in the Corps
of Cadets.

During the Spanish-American War in 1898,
seventeen Citadel graduates served with volunteer
regiments. Five graduates served with the Regular Army.
During the post war period, Citadel graduates
were also involved in the westward expansion of the
United States. E.L. Heriot, Class of 1847, conducted the
first railroad survey west and south of the Rio Grande
River. T.J. Arnold, Class of 1852, designed the harbor
and wharves of San Francisco and Oakland, California.

 

[AndyHall]

Biography beginning p. 552:

http://books.google.com/books?id=GFhHAAAAYAAJ&dq=heriot+citadel+1847&source=gbs_navlinks_s

 

[DixieRifles]

He has 57 records filed under Confederate / CSA folder.
Several long letters where he explains the problems with guards and desertion and lack of mechanics and equipment.
Here are a few.

 

[DaveBrt]

Biography beginning p. 552:

http://books.google.com/books?id=GFhHAAAAYAAJ&dq=heriot citadel 1847&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Great, Andy -- this is the mother load!

 

[DixieRifles]

Biography beginning p. 552:

http://books.google.com/books?id=GFhHAAAAYAAJ&dq=heriot citadel 1847&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Great find.
And the captain of the Louisiana militia was the same man.

Page 553-554
"Immediately upon the secession of Louisiana, he raised a company of infantry and tendered its service to Governor Moore, of Louisiana. It was accepted; he received his commission as Captain, and the Company was mustered into service. He was, however, immediately detached and ordered to report to Gen. Mansfield, Lovell...."

 

[AndyHall]

Guy had a helluva life. Dave will do something interesting with it, I'm sure!

 

[DaveBrt]

Guy had a helluva life. Dave will do something interesting with it, I'm sure!

In the near future, I'm planning a book on the Confederate RR Bureau -- it problems, organization, people, objectives, successes, etc. I intend to include a bio of each of the Government officers or employees who acted as Transportation Coordinator, Agent, etc. Capt. Heriot will definitely get coverage.