Thomas Eckert

Thomas Thompson Eckert (April 23, 1825 – October 20, 1910) was an officer in the U.S. Army, Chief of the War Department Telegraph Staff from 1862 to 1866, United States Assistant Secretary of War from 1866 to 1867 and an executive at Western Union.

Early life Thomas Thompson Eckert was born April 23, 1825, in St. Clairsville, Ohio. At a young age, he became interested in the use of the telegraph and the actions of Samuel F.B. Morse. Reading The National Intelligencer he became fascinated with the proceedings between Morse and Congress in which Morse was granted money to construct an experimental telegraph line. In 1847, after telegraph lines were built from New York to Washington, D.C., Eckert decided to travel to New York in order to see the Morse telegraph in action and became an operator with the Morse Telegraph Company. Eckert then returned home to Ohio and learned how to telegraph. When Eckert returned home, he took a job as an operator at the Wade Telegraph Company, which was owned by J.H. Wade. While working as one of Wade's operators in Wooster, Ohio, in 1849 Eckert was appointed local postmaster as well. Eckert combined these two jobs by connecting the telegraph wire to the post office. In 1852, Wade appointed Eckert to superintend the construction of a telegraph line between Pittsburg and Chicago on the Fort Wayne route. The lines under Eckert's management became part of the Union Telegraph Company, and his jurisdiction was substantially enlarged.

Eckert held this position as superintendent until 1859, when he moved to Montgomery County, North Carolina, to manage a gold mine. Later, Stanton went on to appoint him Assistant Secretary of War in 1866, a position Eckert held until 1867. He retired from this position in 1900 to become chairman of the board of directors, a position which he held until shortly before his death on October 20, 1910.

In popular culture Eckert was portrayed by David Dastmalchian in the 2013 theatrical film Saving Lincoln. Eckert was portrayed by Damian O'Hare in the 2024 Apple TV+ miniseries series Manhunt.