Frederick W. Lander

"Tall and handsome, vigorous and hot-tempered, fearless to a fault, Frederick W. Lander (1821-1862) became one of the most name-recognized Americans in the years 1854 to 1862. A top-notch railroad and wagon-road engineer in the western territories, a popular lyceum speaker, a published fiction writer and poet, an adept negotiator with Native Americans, and an agent for the Lincoln administration and the Union army, the Massachusetts native attracted newspaper coverage from coast to coast for his renown and versatility. His name evoked emotion and passion among his friends and associates,…