 Abbott was educated at Addiscombe Military Seminary from 1829 to 1831, from where he joined the 74th Native Infantry.Abbott published anonymously a short account of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, not intended for widespread public circulation, entitled "Particulars of the Mutiny at Delhi, on the 11 May, 1857".In about 1886 Abbott designed the Ellerslie building in Shimla which is the home of the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat.