Graduated from Harvard Scientific School in 1858.
Was Captain of Engineers in Confederate Army under General Lee and witnessed the surrender at Appomatox.
While at Cambridge Mr. Babbitt spent much of his time at the home of his cousins who lived in Boston, one of whom, William, he especially liked. At the outbreak of the war these cousins both enlisted, William Babbitt in the Northern Army and Charles in the army of the South, and in several engagements fought regiment against regiment. After the war they renewed their close friendship and corresponded frequently. In his army life Mr. Babbitt exercised his training as civil engineer to good advantage, at the close of the conflict being in Gen. Lee's staff in charge of his pontoon bridges, in fact it was he who laid the last bridge used at Appomotax by his beloved chief and his devoted men before the surrender. On this occasion Mr. Babbitt had in charge two hundred and twenty-five men and after Lee and his army had crossed they were ordered to destroy the bridge, although so doing would cut off the wagon train, this act being necessary because Gen. Grant was pushing so close behind. While engaged in burning the bridge, the men became marks for the Federal sharpshooters who were ambushed on the river bank and when the task was done, but forty-two remained alive of the heroic workers.
On another occasion he was serving with his company in South Carolina, and the Confederate Gunners were unable to silence the fire of one particular gun of the Union Army which was shelling them with much effect. Mr. Babbitt was able to measure a base line and by the use of his watch for a compass to get the angle to the gun from both ends of his base line, and by triangulation figured out the distance for the Confederate gunner, whose first shot hit the troublesome gun squarely and blew it to pieces. For this service Mr. Babbitt was promoted and secured a commission as Lieutenant of the Engineers with orders to report to Gen. Rodes, who was on the staff of Gen. Lee.
He did not catch up with Lee's Army until the day before the Battle of Gettysburg and reached his headquarters on the morning of the battle. Gen. Rodes was absent and not being accessible, Mr. Babbitt was ordered to wait without being assigned to duty, and knowing that the battle was imminent, climbed a tree and from there witnessed Pickets' celebrated charge from beginning to end.
Mr. Babbitt remained with Gen. Lee's army until the close of the war, at which time he was Captain of Engineers. He was a witness of the surrender of Gen. Lee.Mr. Babbitt was a great humorist and mimic and fond of telling stories. Especially did he delight in exchanging stories of his experiences with his war comrades.
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