Biographical sketches.
General Wm. Buel Franklin
Was born in York, Pa., February 27, 1823; graduating at West Point in June, 1843, he was assigned to the corps of topographical engineers. In the ‘Chihuahua Column’ in the early part of Gen. Taylor's campaign in Northern Mexico, he served upon the staff of Gen. Wool. He was on the staff of the commander-in-chief at Buena Vista, and for ‘gallant and meritorious services’ in that battle, was brevetted first lieutenant.For several years prior to 1852, he was instructor in natural and experimental philosophy, at West Point Military Academy. He subsequently filled the same chair in the College of New York. He was engineer in charge of the Capitol at Washington, from November, 1859, to March, 1861. Naturally the services of a loyal, trained soldier, so accomplished as was the subject of this sketch, were in eager demand in the spring of 186; he was appointed, May 14, colonel of the Twelfth United States Infantry, and three days later was commissioned brigadier general, United States volunteers. Gen. Franklin commanded a brigade in Heintzelman's division at Bull Run. During the period of organization of the Army of the Potomac, and until its movement in the spring of 1862, he commanded a division which was first assigned to McDowell's corps. The division was detached in April, 1862, and joined McClellan before Yorktown. Gen. Franklin commanded at West Point near the mouth of the Pamunkey, May 6, 1862, and during this month organized the Sixth Army Corps, which he commanded till the following November. During this period he commanded in the affairs at Golding's Farm and White Oak Swamp, June 27 to 30; commanded the left at South Mountain, September 14, his troops capturing Crampton's Gap; relieved Sumner's command in the afternoon of September 17, at Antietam.
In November he assumed command of the left grand division [11] (First and Sixth Corps), and in the battle of the 13th of December, commanded the left wing of the Army of the Potomac. In the following September, he commanded the expedition against Sabine Pass, Louisiana. In 1863-64, he commanded the troops occupying northern Louisiana. He was with Gen. Banks at Sabine. Cross Roads; in this battle Gen. Franklin was wounded, and had two horses shot under him. It was he who conducted the retreat to Alexandria, and directed Col. Bailey to make arrangements for the relief of Porter's fleet by the Red River dam. Through the summer of 1864, on account of his wound, he was absent on sick leave. During this period Gen. Grant urged the appointment of Gen. Franklin to the command of the middle military division. The general, who retired from the service in 1865, resides at Hartford, Conn.
General Henry Warner Slocum
Was born at Pompey, New York, September 24, 1827. He entered West Point Military Academy in 1848. Graduating in 1852, he was appointed second lieutenant of artillery. Three years later he was commissioned first lieutenant, and served in the Florida campaign of that year, against the Seminoles. In October, 1856, he resigned from the army and entered upon the practice of law at Syracuse, N. Y. He was a member of the New York House of Representatives in 1859. Slocum was one of the first to tender his services to the general government at the outbreak of the Rebellion, and early in May, 1861, he was commissioned colonel of the Twenty-seventh New York Volunteers. This regiment he led in the battle of Bull Run, being severely wounded on the 21st of July. A few days later he was made brigadier general of volunteers, and during the winter of 1861, commanded the first brigade of Franklin's division. In May, 1862, upon the formation of the Sixth Corps, he succeeded to the command of the First Division. June 27, his division was sent at a critical moment to Porter's relief at Gaines' Mill, and rendered important service. At Fraser's Farm, June 30, the record made by his division is historic; at Malvern Hill, July 1, 1862, it held [12] the right of the main line. He was commissioned major general of volunteers, July 4, 1862. He led his division in the victorious engagement on the left at South Mountain; and at Antietam, three days later, the timely arrival of Slocum's and Smith's commands of the Sixth Corps without doubt saved to the Federals the fortunes of the day. In October, he was assigned to the command of the Twelfth Corps, which he led at Chancellorsville, likewise at Gettysburg, where he commanded the right wing of the Army of the Potomac. The Twelfth Corps was afterwards transferred to the Army of the Cumberland, and in April, 1864, Gen. Slocum was assigned to the command of the district of Vicksburg....
September 2, 1864, the Twentieth Corps, the advance of Sherman's army commanded by Gen. Slocum, was the first to enter Atlanta; thenceforth he participated in all the engagements of the ‘march to the sea,’ and of the northward movement in pursuit of Johnston's army. Upon the disbandment of the volunteer forces in 1865, he resigned and resumed the practice of law, in his native state. He subsequently served in the Forty-first and Forty-second Congress, and is at present, 1886, a member of the National House of Representatives from southern New York. He resides at Brooklyn.
