Charles Nelson Warner

The Goat of the Class of 1862 - last in his class - he graduated from West Point and was commissioned brevet 2nd Lieutenant, 2nd US Artillery on 17 June 1862 as was assigned to Battery D under Lieutenant Upton. He was appointed permanent 2nd Lieutenant, 4th US Artillery, to date from 5 August 1862.

He led a section of the battery on the Maryland Campaign. In his diary he noted:

SEPTEMBER 17, 1862 (WEDNESDAY)—Battle of Antietam
Moved out from Crampton’s Gap — passed through Rohrersville 9:30 a.m. Went forward through Cedarville to the battlefield — Arrived there about noon — Afterwards took quite an active part in the action. Was under a sharp fire for several hours — Lost 2 horses in my section — 2 men wounded in Battery.

SEPTEMBER 18, 1862 (THURSDAY)
Went forward into battery about 7 a.m. Was under the fire of sharpshooters until about noon — Then under the protection of flag of truce both sides ceased hostilities and engaged in removing their wounded and burying their dead till night — remained in position all day without firing — Fell back a short distance and passed the night.

He was promoted to First Lieutenant, 4th US Artillery on 11 May 1864. He was honored by brevet to First Lieutenant for action at Gettysburg, PA and to Captain for capture of Selma, AL in April 1865.

He continued in Regular Army service, at St. Louis on the frontier, at Forts Leavenworth, Riley and Harker, KS (to 1867), in garrison at Ft. Washington, MD (to 1870) and at Ft. Graham and Lumberton, NC (to 1871). He mustered out on 1 January 1871.

He was a farmer from 1871 to 1874, then studied the law, being admitted to the bar in 1875. In 1878 he applied, unsuccessfully, to be reinstated in the US Army. In 1880 and to at least 1910 he was an attorney in Montrose, serving also as Justice of the Peace from 1894-99.

His service information from Heitman1 and Cullum.2 His Cullum # is 1994. His role at Antietam from Lt. Williston's Report and his own diary, quoted here; thanks to great-great-grandson Jim Lafferty of sharing a transcription on Facebook. Personal details from family genealogists and the US Census of 1880-1920. His gravesite is on Findagrave. His photo from the USMA Class Album 1862, online from the Academy.

He married Eliza Brown Houston (1839-1925) in October 1866 and they had 6 children.

His brother Fletcher Gustavus Warner was wounded at Antietam while a Private in Company G, 50th Pennsylvania Infantry.

04/19/1839; Montrose, PA

09/05/1920; Montrose, PA; burial in Montrose Cemetery, Montrose, PA