'Happiness Is Not My Companion' : The Life of General G. K. Warren

"Happiness Is Not My Companion"The Life of General G. K. WarrenDavid M. JordanThe valorous but troubled career of the Civil War general, best known for his quick action to defend Little Round Top and avert a Union defeat at Gettysburg.Gouverneur K. Warren, a brilliant student at West Point and a topographical engineer, earned early acclaim for his explorations of the Nebraska Territory and the Black Hills in the 1850s. With the start of the Civil War, Warren moved from teacher at West Point to lieutenant colonel of a New York regiment and was soon a rising star in the Army of the Potomac. His fast action at Little Round Top, bringing Federal troops to an undefended position before the Confederates could seize it, helped to save the Battle of Gettysburg. For his service at Bristoe Station and Mine Run, he was awarded command of the Fifth Corps for the 1864 Virginia campaign. Warren's peculiarities of temperament and personality put a cloud over his service at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania and cost him the confidence of his superiors, Grant and Meade. He was summarily relieved of his command by Philip Sheridan after winning the Battle of Five Forks, just eight days before Appomattox. Warren continued as an engineer of distinction in the Army after the war, but he was determined to clear his name before a board of inquiry, which conducted an exhaustive investigation into the battle, Warren's conduct, and Sheridan's arbitrary action. However, the findings of the court vindicating Warren were not made public until shortly after his death.For this major biography of Gouverneur Warren, David M. Jordan utilizes Warren's own voluminous collection of letters, papers, orders, and other items saved by his family, as well as the letters and writings of such contemporaries as his aide and brother-in-law Washington Roebling, Andrew Humphreys, Winfield Hancock, George Gordon Meade, and Ulysses S. Grant. Jordan presents a vivid account of the life and times of a complex military figure.David M. Jordan, a native of Philadelphia, a graduate of Princeton University, and a practicing attorney, has previously published biographies of New York political boss Roscoe Conkling, Union general Winfield Scott Hancock, and pitcher Hal Newhouser, as well as a history of the Philadelphia Athletics.May 2001400 pages, 13 b&w photos, 11 maps, 6 1/8 x 9 1/4, index, append.cloth 0-253-33904-9 $35.00 t / ?26.50 ContentsCold Spring and West PointTopographical EngineerInto the West with HarneyThe Black HillsThe Explorer Becomes a SoldierOn the Virginia PeninsulaSecond Manassas to FredericksburgWith HookerTo Little Round TopThe Aftermath of GettysburgSecond Corps InterludeFallout 1863--1864Into the Dark WoodsBloody SpotsylvaniaAround Lee's RightStandoff at PetersburgThe Mine and the RailroadWest to Peebles' FarmTo the End of 1864Beginning of the EndTo the White Oak RoadAll Fools' DayA Soldier's Good NameAn Engineer, AgainNewportThe Court BeginsThe Court ResumesThe Lawyers Have Their SayThe Frustration of WaitingWhere Malevolence Cannot Reach

"Happiness Is Not My Companion"
The Life of General G. K. Warren

David M. Jordan

The valorous but troubled career of the Civil War general, best known for his quick action to defend Little Round Top and avert a Union defeat at Gettysburg.

Gouverneur K. Warren, a brilliant student at West Point and a topographical engineer, earned early acclaim for his explorations of the Nebraska Territory and the Black Hills in the 1850s. With the start of the Civil War, Warren moved from teacher at West Point to lieutenant colonel of a New York regiment and was soon a rising star in the Army of the Potomac. His fast action at Little Round Top, bringing Federal troops to an undefended position before the Confederates could seize it, helped to save the Battle of Gettysburg. For his service at Bristoe Station and Mine Run, he was awarded command of the Fifth Corps for the 1864 Virginia campaign.

Warren’s peculiarities of temperament and personality put a cloud over his service at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania and cost him the confidence of his superiors, Grant and Meade. He was summarily relieved of his command by Philip Sheridan after winning the Battle of Five Forks, just eight days before Appomattox. Warren continued as an engineer of distinction in the Army after the war, but he was determined to clear his name before a board of inquiry, which conducted an exhaustive investigation into the battle, Warren’s conduct, and Sheridan’s arbitrary action. However, the findings of the court vindicating Warren were not made public until shortly after his death.

For this major biography of Gouverneur Warren, David M. Jordan utilizes Warren’s own voluminous collection of letters, papers, orders, and other items saved by his family, as well as the letters and writings of such contemporaries as his aide and brother-in-law Washington Roebling, Andrew Humphreys, Winfield Hancock, George Gordon Meade, and Ulysses S. Grant. Jordan presents a vivid account of the life and times of a complex military figure.

David M. Jordan, a native of Philadelphia, a graduate of Princeton University, and a practicing attorney, has previously published biographies of New York political boss Roscoe Conkling, Union general Winfield Scott Hancock, and pitcher Hal Newhouser, as well as a history of the Philadelphia Athletics.

May 2001
400 pages, 13 b&w photos, 11 maps, 6 1/8 x 9 1/4, index, append.
cloth 0-253-33904-9 $35.00 t / £26.50

Contents Cold Spring and West Point Topographical Engineer Into the West with Harney The Black Hills The Explorer Becomes a Soldier On the Virginia Peninsula Second Manassas to Fredericksburg With Hooker To Little Round Top The Aftermath of Gettysburg Second Corps Interlude Fallout 1863–1864
Into the Dark Woods Bloody Spotsylvania Around Lee’s Right Standoff at Petersburg The Mine and the Railroad West to Peebles’ Farm To the End of 1864
Beginning of the End To the White Oak Road All Fools’ Day A Soldier’s Good Name An Engineer, Again Newport The Court Begins The Court Resumes The Lawyers Have Their Say The Frustration of Waiting Where Malevolence Cannot Reach

The valorous but troubled career of the Civil War general best known for defending Little Round Top and averting a Union defeat at Gettysburg. The lieutenant colonel of a New York regiment and rising star in the Army of the Potomac, Gouverneur K. Warren performed heroically at Gettysburg. For his service at Bristoe Station and Mine Run, he was awarded command of the Fifth Corps for the 1864 Virginia campaign. But Warren’s peculiarities of temperament and personality put a cloud over his service at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania and cost him the confidence of his superiors, Grant and Meade. He was summarily relieved of his command by Philip Sheridan after winning the Battle of Five Forks, just eight days before Appomattox. Warren continued as an engineer of distinction in the Army after the war, but he was determined to clear his name before a board of inquiry, which conducted an exhaustive investigation into the battle, Warren’s conduct, and Sheridan’s arbitrary action. However, the findings of the court vindicating Warren were not made public until shortly after his death. For this major biography of Gouverneur Warren, David M. Jordan utilizes Warren’s own voluminous collection of letters, papers, orders, and other items saved by his family, as well as the letters and writings of such contemporaries as his aide and brother-in-law Washington Roebling, Andrew Humphreys, Winfield Hancock, George Gordon Meade, and Ulysses S. Grant. Jordan presents a vivid account of the life and times of a complex military figure. With the start of the Civil War, Gouverneur K. Warren moved from teacher at West Point to lieutenant colonel of a New York regiment and was soon a rising star in the Army of the Potomac. His fast action at Little Round Top, bringing Federal troops to an undefended position before the Confederates could seize it, helped to save the Battle of Gettysburg. For his service at Bristoe Station and Mine Run, he was awarded command of the Fifth Corps for the 1864 Virginia campaign. However, Warren's peculiarities of temperament and personality cost him the confidence of his superiors, Grant and Meade. He was summarily relieved of his command by Philip Sheridan after winning the Battle of Five Forks, just eight days before Appomattox. Warren continued as an engineer of distinction in the Army after the war, but he was determined to clear his name before a board of inquiry. Sadly, the findings of the court vindicating Warren were not made public until shortly after his death. For this major biography of Gouverneur Warren, the author utilizes Warren's own voluminous collection of letters, papers, orders, and other items saved by his family, as well as the letters and writings of such contemporaries as his aide and brother-in-law Washington Roebling, Andrew Humphreys, Winfield Hancock, George Gordon Meade, and Ulysses S. Grant "Gouverneur K. Warren, a brilliant student at West Point and a topographical engineer, earned early acclaim for his explorations of the Nebraska Territory and the Black Hills in the 1850s. With the start of the Civil War, Warren moved from teacher at West Point to lieutenant colonel of New York regiment and was soon a rising star in the Army of the Potomac. His fast action at Little Round Top, bringing Federal troops to an undefended position before the Confederates could seize it, helped to save the day at Gettysburg. For his service at Bristoe Station and Mine Run, he was awarded command of the Fifth Corps for the 1864 Virginia campaign.". "For this major biography of Gouverneur Warren, David M. Jordan utilizes Warren's own voluminous collection of letters, papers, orders, and other items saved by his family, as well as the letters and writings of such contemporaries as his aide and brother-in-law Washington Roebling, Andrew Humphreys, Winfield Hancock, George Gordon Meade, and Ulysses S. Grant. Jordan presents a vivid account of the life and times of a complex military figure."--BOOK JACKET. Contents 8 Preface 10 1. Cold Spring and West Point 16 2. Topographical Engineer 22 3. Into the West with Harney 29 4. The Black Hills 35 5. The Explorer Becomes a Soldier 46 6. On the Virginia Peninsula 55 7. From Second Manassas to Fredericksburg 66 8. With Hooker 80 9. To Little Round Top 95 10. The Aftermath of Gettysburg 111 11. Second Corps Interlude 118 12. Fallout, 1863–1864 130 13. Into the Deep, Dark Woods 140 14. Bloody Spotsylvania 154 15. Around Lee’s Right 168 16. Standoff at Petersburg 177 17. The Mine and the Railroad 191 18. West to Peebles’ Farm 202 19. To the End of 1864 212 20. Beginning of the End 219 21. To the White Oak Road 225 22. All Fools’ Day 239 23. A Soldier’s Good Name 250 24. An Engineer, Again 258 25. Newport 269 26. The Court Begins 278 27. The Court Resumes 292 28. The Lawyers Have Their Say 307 29. The Frustration of Waiting 315 30. Where Malevolence Cannot Reach 322 Notes 334 Bibliography 392 Index 404 About the Author 417 Presents a study of Gouverneur K Warren, a topographical engineer acclaimed for his explorations of Nebraska Territory and the Black Hills in the 1850s. This work utilises Warren's own collection of letters, papers, orders, and other items saved by his family, as well as the letters and writing of his contemporaries.