William Fowler was a Yale grad and lawyer who joined Griffin's staff in the summer of 1864.
CV: [from General Catalogue, Psi Upsilon Fraternity, edit. Leo Weldon Wertheimer (1917) p. 92]:
AB 1860 Yale, Editor Yale Literary Magazine, Commencement Orator; LLB 1861 Albany Law School. 1Lt 173NY 62-64; Capt. 146NY 63; Bvt Maj & AAG on Staff of CG 64-65; Capt. US Army 65; Aide on Staff of Gen. Howard and in charge of Land and Claim Division of the Freedmen’s Bureau 65-68. Lawyer. died 1874
the Teche country, and lay in the rifle-pits before Port Hudson until its fall, and after suffering
from illness as the consequence, he was transferred, in the Autumn of 1863, to the 146th New
York Regiment, and joined the Army of the Potomac on the eve of the Mine Run movement,
and went through the battles of the Wilderness, and was commissioned as Captain. Subsequently brevetted Major, he served as Assistant Adjutant-General on the staff of General Charles Griffin ofthe Fifth Corps, until the surrender of General Lee, with the exception of a very short interval, when he was called to General Casey's staff at Washington, and he marched with our victorious army through Richmond to Washington."
Letters from the volume "MEMORIALS OF WILLIAM FOWLER" (NY 1875)
p. 87 Fowler comments that newspapers “give General Crawford too much credit for the North Anna fight, the whole brunt of which was borne by General Griffin, and not part of his line yielded for a second.”
p. 90 [Sumner’s Ford, Chickahominy River, June 9, 1864] “The General is very genial for the most part, but exceedingly cross at times, when out of sorts. He is fond of a hearty laugh, and very sociable with his staff. We used to think him reckless with his men, but I have learned how different the truth is. I have never met an officer so pained by losses and so averse to unnecessary risks. In an emergency he reaches his decisions instantaneously, and does not hesitate to carry them out. Artillery is his pet, of course, and probably no one in the army can use it with so much effect. His freedom of speech provokes hostility, and undoubtedly blocks his promotion, but I shall be greatly mistaken if, in spite of this, he does not attain another star before the present campaign ends.”
p. 94 [June 19, 1864]. “General Griffin rode, as usual, to the very front, urging on the skirmishers and directing the batteries. The fire from muskets and cannons was very sharp, and I expected every moment that some of us would catch it. Away went the General, however, and I ground my teeth and followed, feeling like one of his brigade commanders for whom he had sent, and who when I gave him the message, said: ‘Tell General Griffin, when you can, that I don’t like skirmishing with him, and would rather be with him on any other occasion.”
p. 96 [June 20, 1864] “One thing I know from personal observation, and that is, that General [97] Griffin pushed his division with the utmost vim, that it achieved its purpose more nearly than any other, and that the slaughter of our 800 men would not have been so far a waste had other commanders acted as effectively. He is a warhorse, and my idea that division staff duty is safer than line duty during engagements, is wholly dispelled. I never got under heavier fire, both of musketry and artillery, than on Saturday last.”
P 98 [June 22, 1864] “I am writing in the country cottage of Mr. Cheesman, one of the wealthiest citizens of Petersburg. .. I keep mourning over Saturday’s failure, for I never counted more upon success, and it was only the gross want of energy on the part of some of our commanders that thwarted us.” “we have a carpeted room, with elegant mahogany furniture, a spring bed, and other like articles”
p. 114 [Aug 28, 1864]. “The General takes things much more coolly than his staff, but when aroused , something is certainly up. It is a sight to look at him in action. He has a marvelously quick eye and apprehension, and in critical moments, everyone, high and low, defers to him. I have seen him twist General Warren right around, and manage to suit himself even when he had no command. He is not choice at such times in expressions to his superiors, but blurts out what he thinks, just as he thinks it. This makes him enemies among prominent men, but if there was a vacancy there, the vote of the soldiers would put him over every one in command of the corps.”
p. 117 [October 21, 1864]. “General Griffin has come to Washington and wishes me back on his staff…. All my inclinations dispose me to go with General Griffin, who offers me a permanency on his staff, and is urgent that I should take it.”
[October 25, 1864]: “General Griffin was telegraphed for last evening, and is anxious that I should go with him. General Casey has consented, and I start today.”
p. 118. [Dec 5, 1864]. “My Captain’s commission has come to hand, and I shall go to the field permanently as soon as possible. General Griffin telegraphs that he needs me now. I shall apply to General Casey for permission to go down tomorrow and stay awhile, and then return to settle my affairs.”
p. 120 (HQ 1Div V Corps, Dec. 26, 1864) Returned here on Thursday evening. Arrived at Griffin’s tent. “The General was indignant because I had not brought his wife with me, but soon recovered his good humor. Everything was, and is still, in utter disorder. We are putting up log houses, and live anyway in the meanwhile. The General has a grand one nearly done – four rooms, with good doors, fire-places, floors, windows, and all the modern improvements.. [121] . General G. left for home Saturday, on ten days’ leave.”
“I am acting now as Adjutant-General of the division… Mrs Griffin and her little child are with us, the General having permission from the War [122] Department to bring them here.
p. 125 [March 18, 65]. “Mrs. Griffin takes her departure tomorrow, and then the last link to civilization is broken, and I shall resume my battered hat and private’s pants, and go unshorn and unshaven once more, and out at the elbows and knees.”
p. 130 [April 3, 1865] Regarding Sheridan: “General Griffin had made his fortune. Sheridan relieved Warren and placed him in command in the midst of the battle, and he did heroically, scaling the rifle-pits, where the artillery was, first of all.”
p. 134 [April 10, 1865 – Appomattox Court-House] “Sheridan did not fight by map and telegraph, but took the field himself, and saw who the soldiers were. There can be no higher compliment than he paid Griffin by putting him at the head of the [135] corps on the 1st of April, and it was deserved too. Set free from control, Griffin shot up at once…Though Crawford ranks Griffin, he is placed under his command, and this makes him sore.”
p. 137 [April 14, 1865] “I have bought General Griffin’s little mare for $350, and would like a check to pay for her as soon as the mail is safe. I would not sell her for a $100 to boot, because of the reminiscences associate with her. I rode her during Lee’s surrender, and learned from rebel officers that she was thoroughbred, and raised by Hare, the celebrated Virginia jockey.”
p. 140 [May 26, 1865 HQ 1Div V Corps] “Added to my office duty have been the grand review to occupy me, and the presentation to General Griffin of a diamond division badge, which would make your eyes open. One of the brilliants cost a $1000.”
p. 146: Letter from WR Dewitt MD , Medical Director 1Div, V Corps: “General Griffin reposed great confidence in him, and continued with him until the closing of the war, that of Five Forks, when General took command of the Corps, and Major Fowler remained in his post in the Division, on the staff of General J.L. Chamberlain.”
https://hdl.handle.net/2027/yale.39002071115704
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