After a disastrous strike he was forced to resign in August 1864, and did not hold office again, although he remained active in union affairs until his death.

The organization held a number of meetings up to the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, but did not make much progress.

In the fall of 1862 Robinson's friend J.C. Thompson arranged for him to be hired by the Michigan Central Railroad, and he moved to Detroit.

[3] In April 1863 nineteen locomotive engineers met at Robinson's house and decided to form an organization to represent their interests.

As Grand Chief he traveled widely between October 1863 and August 1864, and organized fifty-four local divisions.

[2] He spoke in 1890 at a meeting of the five Brotherhoods of Railroad Fraternities, where he was reported to be old and feeble, but gave a speech full of "sound advice and encouragement".

[11] Robinson died after a prolonged illness from cancer of the stomach on 7 November 1890 in Washington, Daviess County, Indiana, at the age of 64.