General Thomas Eckert

[L Verge]

Welcome to the forum, Tommy, and I hope that we can fill in some of the blanks about Thomas Eckert. He seems to be best-known for the anecdote that he could break iron pokers over his arm and that he refused the invitation to accompany President and Mrs. Lincoln to Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865. His whole life, however, seems to be heavily tied to the invention, use, and expansion of the telegraph.

Thomas Eckert is one of the chapters in David Homer Bates's well-respected book on Lincoln in the Telegraph Office, but I don't remember that there is much personal history there. Bates's Papers are in the Alfred W. Stern Collection of Lincolniana at the Library of Congress, and you might be able to find personal reminiscences of his work and friendship with Eckert at both the Telegraph Office during the war and at Western Union afterwards. I did find this link online that might help a little:

https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s...s%20Eckert