Boy General

F. Welch Richard

Description

The biography of an ambitious Civil War soldierDrawing heavily on primary-source material, The Boy General is the first full-length account of Francis Channing Barlow, one of the most successful combat officers in the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War.Although his clean-shaven, youthful appearance earned him the nickname "the Boy General," his fighting capabilities resulted in frequent promotions and greater responsibilities.Born in October 1834 in Brooklyn, New York, Barlow's professional, military, and political careers were all in the service of his native state. Intelligent, ambitious, and confident, Barlow graduated as valedictorian of the 1855 Harvard class and launched a legal career in New York. When Lincoln sent out a call for volunteers following the bombardment of Fort Sumter, Barlow dropped his practice and entered the U.S. Army as a private.He transformed himself from a privileged young lawyer into one of the most formidable combat leaders produced by either side during the Civil War. Rising from private to major general, Barlow served in most major operations in Virginia and was increasingly entrusted with assignments of crucial importance to the success of Federal arms. He cleared out the deadly sunken road at Antietam, where he was badly wounded, and led a division at Gettysburg, where he suffered another serious wound. He and his men often spearheaded the Army of the Potomac's assaults during Grant's bloody Overland campaign. Following the war, Barlow resumed his law practice and entered the political arena. He served as New York attorney general in 1871 and as Grant's personal representative in the Florida recount following the contentious 1876 election.This book will be welcomed by Civil War historians and buffs alike.

Sujets

• Lettres et linguistique
• USA
• History of the Americas
• États-Unis

Informations

• Publié par: The Kent State University Press
• Date de parution: 21 février 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781612774381
• Langue: English

Extrait

The Boy General
Francis Channing Barlow as a major general, c. 1865. Library of Congress.
The Boy General
The Life and Careers of Francis Channing Barlow
Richard F. Welch
The Kent State University Press Kent London
2003 by Rosemont Publishing and Printing Corp. All rights reserved
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 2004056911 ISBN 0-87338-835-6 Manufactured in the United States of America
09 08 07 06 05 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Welch, Richard F. The boy general: the life and careers of Francis Channing Barlow / Richard F. Welch p. cm. Originally published: Madison, N.J.: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 2003. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-87338-835-6
1. Barlow, Francis C. (Francis Channing), 1834-1896. 2. Generals-United States-Biography. 3. United States, Army-Biography. 4. United States-History-Civil War, 1861-1865-Campaigns. I. Title.
E467.1.B25W45 2005 973.7 3 092-dc22
[B] 2004056911
British Library Catloging-in Publication Data are available.
For Kate and Jack
Contents
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. The Apprentice Warrior
2. Initiation in Blood
3. Valor and Frustration: The Seven Days
4. From Antietam to Gettysburg
5. From the Rapidan to the Salient
6. To Cold Harbor and Across the James
7. Stalemate
8. Collapse and Resurgence
9. Peaceful Pursuits
10. Afterlife
Notes
Bibliography
Index
List of Illustrations
I LLUSTRATIONS
Francis Channing Barlow as a major general, c. 1865 .
Almira Penniman Barlow, possibly by Francis Alexander. Courtesy Don Richard Lauter, Winslow Homer and Friends in Prince George County, Virginia, 1864.
Barlow on horseback leads his division through the Wilderness. The First Division, II Corps flag, flies to his left. Drawing by Alfred R. Waud .
The Boy General. The leaders of the II Corps enjoying a respite after Cold Harbor. Winfield Scott Hancock takes a seat surrounded by his division commanders. Barlow is to his right wearing his signature combat garb. Birney is to Barlow s left and Gibbon stands at his far left. Mathew Brady photograph .
The 7th New York Heavy Artillery of Barlow s division in brief control of the captured Confederate salient, Cold Harbor, June 3rd, 1864. Drawing by Alfred R. Waud .
First Deep Bottom, July 27th, 1864, Nelson Miles brigade captures four 20 lb. Parrott guns. The Confederate gunners flee with their sponge staffs to render the cannon at least temporarily unusable. Drawing by William Waud .
Gravestone and Memorial Plaque to Arabella Wharton Griffith Barlow, Somerville, New Jersey .
Barlow s men in skirmish order 12 miles from Richmond. Probably Deep Bottom, July 27-29 or August 13, 1864. Drawing by Alfred R. Waud .
Francis Channing Barlow. A written note on the photograph states Rome. Jan. 1865 indicating that it was taken during Barlow s convalescent leave .
Ellen Shaw about the time of the Civil War. She married Francis Channing Barlow in 1867 .
Francis Channing Barlow, probably in the mid-1870s .
Francis Channing Barlow s final resting place, the Penniman family tomb. Walnut Street Cemetery, Brookline, Massachusetts. Barlow s maternal grandparents, mother, and brothers are interred with him. The bronze plaque, installed by the Lafayette Post 140, Department of New York, Grand Army of the Republic, is inscribed Francis Channing Barlow. Born Oct. 19, 1834. Died Jan. 11, 1896. Enrolled as a private soldier, Apr. 19, 1861. Appointed Major General of Volunteers May 26, 1865.
Participants at the Dedication of Barlow s Monument at Gettysburg, June 6, 1922. Barlow s son, Charles Lowell Barlow, stands second left in hat. The bespectacled girl in the middle is Barlow s granddaughter, Louisa Jay .
M APS
The Virginia Theater of War, 1861-1865 .
The First Day at Gettysburg .
Area of Grant s Overland Campaign, May-June, 1864 .
Barlow on the Po, May 10, 1864 .
The II Corps Storms the Salient, 12 May 1864 .
Deep Bottom, July 26, 1864 .
Bailey s Creek .
Grant s Pursuit of Lee, April 1865 .
Acknowledgments
N O ONE WRITES A BOOK-ESPECIALLY A WORK OF HISTORY-BY himself. This book could not have been possible without the aid, support, and enthusiasm of many individuals and institutions. These individuals and institutions shared their expertise and provided me with the means necessary to navigate the sometimes poorly charted currents of Francis Channing Barlow s life. Thanks are due to several libraries, historical societies, and other repositories of historical documents, that have generously allowed me to use letters and documents from their collections. The Massachusetts Historical Society kindly made available the Francis Channing Barlow Letters, the prime resource of Barlow material for the Civil War years. The staff at the Houghton Library, Harvard University was most helpful in guiding me through their Barlow family collection, and in allowing me to quote from it. I also wish to express my gratitude to the Manuscripts and Archives Division of the New York Public Library, the New York Historical Society, the Yale University Library, and the Perkins Library, Duke University for making their Barlowrelated letters available. I am indebted to the United States Military History Institute, Carlisle Barracks, Carlisle, Pennsylvania for supplying both photographic material and permission to quote from manuscripts in their possession.
Donald Pfanz, historian at the National Battlefield Park at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania, provided documents from the Park s own collections as well as making useful suggestions for further research. Williams C. Sparks, Jr. was most considerate in allowing me to quote from the letter of his ancestor, Robert Robertson. I also wish to thank Anna Barlow Nielsen of Center Moriches, Long Island and Robert Sullivan of the Brookline Public Library, Brookline, Massachusetts, for their help in illuminating Barlow family connections. The reference staff at the South Huntington Library, Huntington Station, New York, was most accommodating in securing uncommon titles through interlibrary loan. I am also indebted to Miesko and Kamila Lis, who rendered valuable assistance in negotiating bottlenecks in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Likewise, thanks to Wally Broege, Director of the Suffolk County Historical Society, who graciously allowed me to read the Official Records of the Civil War in the comfort of his office in Riverhead, New York. A special note of appreciation is due Don Richard Lauter of Disputanta, Virginia, who unhesitatingly made available material from his Barlow collection and who freely shared his knowledge of Barlow and his circle. Don s enthusiastic interest and generosity were of immense help.
It is always helpful for an author to get feedback on his work, and I wish to express my appreciation to those who read and critiqued the book in its various stages. I am beholden to Wilbur Miller, History Department, University at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York, and Chris Calkins, Historian at the National Battlefield Park at Petersburg, Virginia for their helpful comments and suggestions. In this regard, let me extend my deepest gratitude to George Collins, Professor Emeritus of History, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas, who took on the entire volume in its early form, and, as always, made pertinent and valuable recommendations for its improvement. Thanks are also due Beverly Welch, who proofed the entire book and helped me clean up many grammatical and technical errors.
Lastly, let me express my fond appreciation of my family, who tolerated my long hours at the word processor and pretended that they believed the project would really be completed. Needless to say, any flaws remaining in the book are the sole responsibility of the author.
Introduction
T HE A MERICAN C IVIL W AR PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR many individuals to demonstrate talents in organization, leadership, and combat, which might otherwise have lain dormant. Throughout the four years of war, both sides encouraged and rewarded such men with promotion, official recognition, and public acclaim. A few of these, primarily army and corps commanders, although occasionally exceptional or infamous leaders of smaller or irregular units, achieved a place in the national consciousness which survived the demise of the Civil War generation. Others, whose exploits had made them household names and sectional, if not national, heroes, slowly faded from the public awareness and fell into obscurity, largely unknown except by specialists and enthusiasts. One such man was Francis Channing Barlow, known to his men as The Boy General.
The nickname derived from his youthful looks and clean-shaven face, unusual among Civil War officers. Slight of frame, unprepossessing in appearance, only his gaze betrayed the implacable energy and formidable spirit which burned within him. His men, superiors, and opponents soon learned that the young countenance masked a hard and agile mind, unshakable self-confidence, indomitable will, and an acid tongue. These characteristics, combined with an innate aggressiveness and fearlessness, made Barlow one of the most successful field and general officers in the Army of the Potomac.
Experiencing army life on several levels, from private to general, Barlow served in almost all the major operations in Virginia between 1862-65. He quickly proved his capabilities as a fighting man. He was repeatedly promoted to higher rank and entrusted with greater responsibility. The young general was increasingly handed assignments of crucial importance to the success of Federal arms, and he commonly thrust his way into much of the hottest and deadliest combat in the Virginia theater. By the time he mustered out of the United States Army in 1865, Barlow had compiled a record of achievement and distinction on the regimental, brigade, and divisional level, which few could match and none