Maj Gen Gouverneur Kemble Warren

[mikeejay2]

Maj Gen Gouverneur Kemble Warren (b 1830 -d 1882) Warren was born in Cold Spring, New York. He entered West Point at age 16 and graduated second in his class in 1850. Upon graduation, he was commission as a 2nd Lt in the Corps of Topographical Engineers. During the antebellum years, he worked on the Mississippi River, on surveys for the transcontinental railroad, and mapped the trans-Mississippi West. He served as the engineer on the Sioux Expedition into the Nebraska Territory in 1855, where he saw his first combat. At the start of the war, Warren helped raise l regiment for service in the Union Army and was appointed Lt Col of the 5th New York Infantry in May, 1861. This regiment saw its first combat at Big Bethel in Virginia on June 10th, arguably the first major land engagement of the war. He was promoted to colonel and regimental commander in September. In the 1862 Peninsula Campaign, Warren (assisting the chief topographical engineer Brig Gen Humphreys) led reconnaissance missions and drew detailed maps of appropriate routes for the army in its advance up the Virginia Peninsula. He commanded his brigade during the Seven Days Battle and was wounded in the knee at Gaines’ Mill. He continued to lead the brigade at 2nd Bull Run, suffering heavy casualties in a heroic stand against an overwhelming enemy assault. Warren was promoted to Brig Gen in Sept,1862.When Hooker reorganized the Army of the Potomac in February 1863, he named Warren his chief topographical engineer and then chief engineer. As chief engineer, Warren was commended for his service at Chancellorsville. At the start of the Gettysburg Campaign , as Lee began his invasion of Pennsylvania, Warren advised Hooker on the routes the Army should take in pursuit. On the second day of Gettysburg, Warren initiated the defense of Little Round Top, recognizing the importance of the undefended position on the left flank of the Union Army, and directing, on his own initiative, a brigade to occupy it just minutes before it was attacked. Promoted to major general (Aug 1863), Warren commanded the 2nd Corps until March 1864, replacing the wounded Hancock, and distinguished himself at Bristoe Station. Upon Hancock's return from medical leave, Warren assumed command of V Corps. During the final campaigns in the east, Warren established a reputation of bringing his engineering traits of deliberation and caution to the role of infantry corps commander. The aggressive Maj. Gen. Sheridan, a key subordinate of Grant, was dissatisfied with Warren's performance. He was angry at Warren's corps for obstructing roads after the Battle of the Wilderness and its lack of success during the Siege of Petersburg. At the beginning of the Appomattox Campaign, Sheridan requested that the 6th Corps be assigned to his pursuit of Lee's army, but Grant insisted that the 5th Corps was better positioned. He gave Sheridan written permission to relieve Warren if he felt it was justified "for the good of the service." At Five Forks, Sheridan became enraged with Warren's performance. He perceived that the V Corps moved too slowly into the attack and faulted Warren for not being at the front of his columns when Sheridan went to confront him. Warren in fact was handling dispositions of his divisions in a manner consistent with that a corps commander, and the attack by the V Corps carried the day at Five Forks, arguably the pivotal battle in the final days against Lee's army. Nevertheless, Sheridan relieved Warren of command on the spot. Humiliated by Sheridan, Warren resigned his commission as major general of volunteers in protest in May,1865, reverting to his permanent rank as major in the Corps of Engineers. The career that had shown so much promise at Gettysburg was ruined. He requested a court of inquiry to exonerate him from the stigma of Sheridan's action. Numerous requests were ignored or refused until Grant left the presidency. President Hayes ordered a court of inquiry that convened in 1879 and, after hearing testimony from dozens of witnesses over 100 days, found that Sheridan's relief of Warren had been unjustified. Unfortunately for Warren, these results were not published until after his death. Warren was buried in his home town at his request in civilian clothes and without military honors. His last words were, "The flag! The flag!"

[Gil R.]

Thanks.

[Bombsight]

He was also a founding member and first president of the National geographic Society.

[Drex]

Chamberlain had a few things to say about Sheridan in the Five Forks matter(in which Chamberlain was involved) in his "passing of the Armies".

[Gil R.]

Okay, Warren is done, after a bit of work on my part: this was too long, so I had to shorten it at several points, especially his pre-war engineering experience. I also took out mention of Chancellorsville, and Hooker’s reorganization of the AOP, but otherwise didn’t have to take out much in the way of details.


Maj. Gen. Gouverneur Kemble Warren (b. 1830, d. 1882). Born in Cold Spring, New York, Warren entered West Point at age sixteen and graduated second in his class in 1850. Commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the Corps of Topographical Engineers, he conducted numerous surveys and saw action against the Sioux. In May 1861, Warren helped raise the 5th New York Volunteer Regiment and was appointed its lieutenant colonel. On June 10, this unit fought at Big Bethel, the first major land engagement of the Civil War. Warren was promoted to colonel of the regiment that September. In the 1862 Peninsula Campaign, he assisted the chief topographical engineer, Gen. Andrew A. Humphreys, by leading reconnaissance missions and drawing detailed maps of appropriate routes for the army in its advance up the York Peninsula. After the Battle of Seven Pines, Warren was appointed to command a brigade in V Corps, and he gained great distinction a month later when he was wounded in the knee at Gaines’ Mill but refused to leave the field. He continued to lead the brigade at Second Bull Run, suffering heavy casualties in a heroic stand against an overwhelming enemy assault. Warren was promoted to brigadier general in September 1862, and the following February became Gen. Joseph Hooker’s chief topographical engineer and, later, chief engineer. As Gen. Robert E. Lee began his invasion of Pennsylvania, Warren advised Hooker on the routes the army should take in pursuit. On the second day of Gettysburg, Warren initiated the defense of Little Round Top, recognizing the importance of the undefended position on the left flank of the Union Army, and on his own initiative directed a brigade to occupy it just minutes before it was attacked. Promoted to major general of volunteers that August, Warren commanded II Corps until March 1864, replacing the wounded Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, and distinguished himself at Bristoe Station. Upon Hancock’s return, Warren assumed command of V Corps. During the final campaigns in the East, Warren established a reputation of bringing his engineering traits of deliberation and caution to the role of infantry corps commander. The aggressive Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, a key subordinate of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, was dissatisfied with Warren’s performance, especially for his corps’ obstructing roads after the Battle of the Wilderness and its lack of success during the Siege of Petersburg. At the beginning of the Appomattox Campaign, Grant ignored Sheridan’s wishes by assigning him V Corps for pursuit of Lee’s army, but gave written permission to relieve Warren if he felt it was justified “for the good of the service.” At Five Forks, Sheridan became enraged when he perceived that the V Corps moved too slowly into the attack, and faulted Warren for not being at the front of his columns. Warren, in fact, was handling dispositions of his divisions in a proper manner for a corps commander, and the attack by the V Corps carried the day in what was arguably the pivotal battle against Lee in the final days. Nevertheless, Sheridan relieved Warren of command on the spot. Humiliated, Warren resigned his commission in protest in May, reverting to his permanent rank as major in the Corps of Engineers. The career that had shown so much promise at Gettysburg was ruined. Warren requested a court of inquiry to exonerate him from the stigma of Sheridan’s action, but his many requests were ignored or refused until Grant left the presidency. Pres. Rutherford B. Hayes ordered such an inquiry in 1879 and, based on testimony from dozens of witnesses, Sheridan’s relief of Warren was found to have been unjustified. Unfortunately for Warren, this was not published until after his death on August 8, 1882. At his request, Warren was buried in his home town in civilian clothes and without military honors. His last words were, “The flag! The flag!” (Bio by Scott Jennings)