Eben C. Smeed

Eben Cedron Smeed (December 8, 1830 – August 24, 1892) was an American civil engineer who was best known for his work on railroads, particularly the United States Military Railroad (USMRR) in supporting Sherman's Atlanta and Savannah campaigns working first under General Herman Haupt and then Colonel William Wierman Wright. Smeed typified the successful, self-made civil engineer in the 19th century.

Haupt praised Smeed as a "man without education... [and nevertheless] a close student [and] expert mathematician" as well as the best organizer of worksites Haupt had ever seen. Smeed's work on building the Chattahoochee bridge was in Haupt's opinion, unmatched anywhere in the world or military history.

Early life and career Smeed was born into a pioneer family of six in Nicholson Township, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania on December 8, 1830.

Smeed married Mary Smeed and had a daughter, Kate Smeed Cross. With his brother Mathias, Smeed started as a rodman in 1851 on the Catawissa Railroad in Columbia County, Pennsylvania. Smeed became Road Supervisor, in charge of bridges and trestles.

In 1852, Smeed was one of three engineers who designed the old Portage bridge on the Erie Railroad. He also worked on building several large stone arches still standing on the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad near Scranton, Pennsylvania. to Fredericksburg, Virginia controlled by the Union army with Adna Anderson acted as chief engineer of construction. After rebuilding the bridges and wharves for the road, Wright was forced to abandon Acquia creek on September 6, 1862, due to Lee's victory at the Second Battle of Bull Run.

As Haupt noted in his memoirs, in this 1863 retreat, Smeed remained at his station long after they had been evacuated by the military in retreat.

Post bellum career Smeed became chief engineer of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1890.