Thomas Jackson Rodman was one of six children born on a humble farm near Salem, Indiana, on July 31, 1816, to James and Elizabeth Rodman. He entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1837 and was a member of the Class of 1841.
During the Mexican-American War, Rodman served as ordnance officer at Camargo and Point Isabel Depots. In 1860, he was the commanding officer at the Watertown Arsenal, residing there with his wife and six children. It was here that he invented a way to create the strongest cast iron cannon that had ever been made. This same cannon would continue to be used as coastal defense guns into the last half of the 19th century. The first 15-inch Rodman gun was completed in May 1860.
Rodman remained at the Watertown Arsenal during the Civil War. He was brevetted Brigadier General on March 13, 1865, for “faithful, meritorious and distinguished services in the Ordnance Department.”
Shortly after the war ended, Rodman was took command at Rock Island, Illinois, to oversee the construction of the island. At the time of his death on June 7, 1871, he was still in charge of completing the arsenal. He died in quarters on post of Angina Pectoris and Dropsy from heart disease. He had previously requested that his grave be “made within the shady precincts, and quiet loveliness of this spot, for which he had done so much to improve and adorn.”
Due to his service and contributions during the Civil War, Rodman had a street in Washington D.C. named after him, as did many Civil War generals. It was an east-west street in the Northwest quadrant and is called Rodman Street, NW.
General Rodman now rests in Section Post, Row 0, Site 2 at Rock Island National Cemetery. Honor his service at his Veterans Legacy Memorial page.
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VA is highlighting 250 Veterans leading up to July 4, 2026, which marks 250 years of independence. Learn more about the count down to 250 years of the American spirit at the America 250 web page.
This #VeteranOfTheDay is from the Veterans Legacy Program. To learn more about the VLP, our partnerships and how we share the stories of Veterans in our national cemeteries, please visit the VLP webpage.
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