Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General, Businessman. The President of the American Telegraph Company at the start of the Civil War, his expertise in telegraph communications was called upon by the Union to help defeat the rebellion. Commissioned Colonel, US Volunteers, he served as Military Supervisor of Telegraphic Messages for the Union Army. He was brevetted Brigadier General, US Volunteers on March 13, 1865 for “meritorious services”. (bio by: Russ Dodge)