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G.K. Warren

G.K. Warren

Federal (USV)

Colonel

Gouverneur Kemble Warren

(1830 - 1882)

Home State: New York

Education: US Military Academy, West Point, NY, Class of 1850

Command Billet: Brigade Commander

Branch of Service: Infantry

Unit: 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 5th Corps

Before Antietam

He graduated from the USMA in 1850, served on engineering duty, especially surveying, and was an instructor at West Point. He made an extensive survey of the Northern Plains on an expedition 1855 - 57. In May 1861 he was made Lieutenant Colonel of the 5th New York Regiment seeing combat at Big Bethel. In August 1861 he was made Colonel relieving newly promoted Brigadier General Duryee, and led the Regiment at Yorktown. He commanded the 3rd Brigade/2nd Division/Fifth Corps at Gaines's Mill in June, where he was wounded, and at Second Bull Run in August 1862.

On the Campaign

He commanded the Third Brigade in the Second Division of the Fifth (V) Army Corps in Maryland.

The rest of the War

Just after the battle he was appointed Brigadier General of Volunteers and was at Fredericksburg in December. In May 1863 he was promoted to Major General of Volunteers and was chief engineer of the Army of the Potomac (AOP) at Gettysburg, where his timely deployment of Vincent and Weed's brigades saved the day, and he was again wounded. He commanded the Second (II) Corps in the Mine Run campaign and Fifth (V) Corps in the Overland campaign of 1864.

He was relieved of command by Sheridan at Five Forks in 1865. He was later exonerated by a court of inquiry which criticized Sheridan's action in relieving him.

After the War

He continued in Army service in the engineers and was later a writer and railroad bridge builder.

References & notes

His basic service from Warner.1 His gravesite is on Findagrave. His picture from a photograph at the Library of Congress.

Birth

01/08/1830; Cold Spring, NY

Death

08/08/1882; Newport, RI; burial in Island Cemetery, Newport, RI

Notes

1   Warner, Ezra J., Generals in Blue, Lives of the Union Commanders, Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1964, pp. 541-542  [AotW citation 29430]