EDWIN C. BENNETT was born in Somerville, Mass. on Feb. 3, 1840. He was in Company I, Fifth MVI during the first three months of the war, and was in the battle of Bull Run. He joined the Twenty-second as sergeant of Company G, and was promoted second lieutenant, Aug. 2, 1862; first lieutenant, Dec. 16, 1862; captain, Aug. 27, 1863; brevet major and brevet lieutenant-colonel, March 13, 1865. He was wounded at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862. An ounce ball passed through the angle of his left jaw, lodging in his neck. After the war he received an appointment in the St. Louis Post Office, and was there from April 15, 1867 to December, 1883. He was money-order clerk, general cashier, and for the last eleven years of his service he was assistant postmaster. He still [1887] resides in St. Louis. https://www.oocities.org/pentagon/3622/roster.html
In a memoir of his Civil War service, Edwin C. Bennett recalled several incidents involving Charles Griffin as both brigade and division commander.
[p. 60] Bennett had mustered out in October 1864. He came to visit army at Petersburg in 1/65 and called on Griffin. “I had been acting as Asst. Adjut. Gen. of his 2d Brigade, and he knew me well and was very cordial. He referred to the campaigns of the past, and much to my surprise, discussed freely the Battle of Gaines Mills, in which he commanded a brigade, formerly Morrell’s. He was an artillerist, unsurpassed in courage and skill. He said that our lines were poorly chosen, and that a defense action should be planned so as to utilize artillery fully, and that Confederates did not come in range of our batteries until within two hundred, yards, and were then partially screened by woods. He gave it as his opinion, that our line should have been established where our reserve artillery was placed, and every gun should have been in position there. The assailants would have been sub- [p. 61] jected to a wasting fire of grape and canister that with the infantry support would have beaten them.”
P 68 At Malvern Hill with 22MA, 7/1/62. “General Charles Griffin, in addition to the command of an infantry brigade, seemed to have charge of the artillery of the 5th [p. 69] Corps in our front. He was very active, passing continually from the infantry to the batteries. He had a horse shot under him, but mounted that of his orderly, and continued his rounds. About 5pm, he came over the crest, and beckoned to General Martindale. He said in his characteristic shrill tone: ‘Fetch on your infantry, general.’”
P 190 Incident of court martial execution of 118PA private for desertion. Col Gwynne was president of court martial. [p. 191] Gwynne said that “the man had been released while on the march to Gettysburg by General Charles Griffin, in command of the division, and restored to duty in the ranks.” “General Griffin had a kind heart disguised by a brusque and sarcastic manner when he chose to assume it, and probably knew something about the case favorable to the prisoner. He disliked the presence of useless vehicles near the front. The ambulance conveying the prisoner with the troops and in the way. It seems the general demanded why it was there, and was informed by the guard, that it was occupied by a prisoner whose ex- [p, 192] ecution should have taken place as ordered several days before.” Griffin told ordered not given at the time bc the army was in motion. Griffin then said “’Bring him out,’ and was quickly obeyed. He then remarked to the prisoner: ‘You are a fine looking fellow,’ and said to those near him, that it was a shame for us to shoot each other when the rebels were so willing to save us the trouble. He then asked the man if he would serve faithfully if sent back to the regiment. He promised fervently to do so. The general then admonished him to be true to his pledge. He then ordered the captain of the guard to deliver the now fortunate man to the colonel of his regiment with instructions to put him on duty, giving the general his authority.” Bennett observes that only the president can commute or pardon and wonders what Lincoln would have thought.. [p. 193]. “If General Griffin was censured his standing was not affected. He was a West Pointer with the breezy ways of a western volunteer.”
P 227 Laurel Hill – Griffin directs the attack ”General Griffin talked to us at some length, saying that we must drive the rebels from the picket line and follow them to the woods and make a lodgement there, and that he would protect our left flank with artillery.”
p. 236. May 23, 1864:[Battle at North Anna River] Sweitzer’s brigade to lead the division but Sweitzer “not on hand not having had breakfast.” Griffin “was impatient and indulged in some criticisms garnished with a little profanity. He [p. 237] happened to look down and saw the Chaplain of the 118PA at breakfast and said: ‘Beg pardon, parson, I did not know you were here. I cannot help swearing sometimes, but I am ashamed of it.”
P 257. Griffin placed “great confidence in his [Sweizter] skill and judgment… General Griffin would call him the ‘Dutchman,’ when in a jesting mood
p. 268. June 5, 1864; Sweitzer asked Bennett to report the progress made to Griffin and suggest that if other brigades could support him, he could make an assault. Griffin “was at Bethesda Church. I delivered my message. He made many inquiries and said he would not bring on an engagement without orders, and that we had gone further than he anticipated. He instructed me to say to Colonel Sweitzer, from him, that he must use his own judgment as he was on the spot and responsible for the [p. 269] reconnaissance. Gen Griffin’s views were conclusive; a forward movement must be concerted to prevent the massing of the enemy at the critical point.”
p. 275-6- 6/18/64: Bennett is questioned by Griffin “regarding the progress made and the location of the enemy.” Griffin instructs Bennett to show Capt. Phililps of 5MA Batt where to place his pieces.
p.279; Griffin visits Col. GL Prescott of 32MA who was mortally wounded in attack and lived until the next day. “He told General Griffin that while he had much to live for, he was contended to die for the cause.”
pp. 287-88. Bennett writes about Lt. Seitz’s farewell interview with Griffin in July 1864. According to Bennett, as told by Seitz, Griffin “was very cordial in response to my friend’s good wishes, and said he was sorry to see so many valuable officers leave the army, as there was much yet to be done. He added that the task was an ugly one and good officers could not [p. 288] be spared. He said that if the lieutenant would remain he would induce the Governor of Pennsylvania to make him a captain, and would have him detailed upon his staff as an aide, without any clerical duties. He wished him to assist in handling the troops in action. Lieut. Seitz assured the general that he was deeply sensible of the compliment and would accept the proffer were it not for the fact that his widowed mother would be heart broken if he did not return with his regiment. He state also, that the tension had been very severe upon him, and he must have a brief rest, and that to speak frankly he was for the present sufficiently amused. The general laughed at this expression, and observed that the service had been unrelenting in its exactions.”
P 308 Sept. 30, 1864: Griffin “put artillery about twenty yards behind them, and as it was unmasked by the staff officers who were riding to and fro in rear of the infantry it would hurl solid shot at a lively rate. General Griffin was with us, and five out of eight horses ridden by him and his staff were shot.”
p. 318. Lt. Ackerman, now of 32MA, “was in high favor with General Griffin.”
p. 321: Bennett visits Griffin “and was very cordially received. He discussed the peninsular campaign of 1862, in a very able manner, and gave his opinion of General Crawford with startling frankness. He made no reflection upon his courage, but questioned his ability.” Bennett believed that Col Gregory forgot to nominate him for a brevet promotion. Griffin “suggested that I should call upon Colonel Gregory, and say that General Griffin has requested me to wait upon him, and state that something had been forgotten, and should be made right. I followed the advice.” Gregory “adopted the general’s hint” p. 322, a few months later Bennett got his commission for Brevet Lt Col US Vols , a rank higher than expected “and I am convinced that I owe it to General Griffin.”
CG named to replace Warren even though Crawford was senior and Griffin “displayed great skill and vigor in the pursuit of General Lee. He died soon after the war, while in command of an important district in Texas. He was urged to leave, as yellow fever was raging. He replied that it would be too much like [p. 323] abandoning men under fire, and remained and perished a victim of the scourge. His death was felt with the force of a family affliction by thousands who had served under him, and is never recalled at their gatherings without evoking deep emotion. His life was an inspiring example in very path of duty.”\
Bennett, Edwin Clark. Musket And Sword: Or The Camp, March, And Firing Line In the Army of the Potomac. Boston: Coburn publishing co., 1900. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009598747/Home
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