Sold – The Hero of Gettysburg, Gouverneur Warren, Tenders His Official Resignation As General and Fights to Clear His Name

But it was at Gettysburg where Warren earned everlasting fame, when in the midst of the Confederate attack on the Union left on July 2, 1863, he realized that Little Round Top, a low mountain which commanded the entire Union left flank, was unoccupied. Realizing the implications, he acted quickly, and virtually commandeered a regiment of troops and rushed them to the top, just-in-time to repulse a Confederate charge aimed at taking the hill. This saved the Union flank and most likely the battle, and there is a statue stands today on Little Round Top showing Warren surveying the scene. He was wounded in the subsequent defense of Little Round Top, and for his services was promoted to Major General of Volunteers and given command of the 2nd Corps. The following spring he commanded the 5th Corps during Grant's campaign in Virginia. His Corps took part in battles at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania and Cold Harbor, and then participated in the siege of Petersburg. Warren lost almost half of his men during that time period.

But all was not well for Warren, as Gen. Sheridan had a dislike for him. In February 1865, at an engagement at Dabneys Mill, Generals Grant and Sheridan thought he was overcautious in committing his troops offensively. Then at the battle of Five Forks, he was delayed by conflicting orders in reinforcing Sheridan, and Sheridan, with Grant's agreement, removed him from command. The cause of the friction between Grant and Warren lay in their conflicting ideas on the handling of troops. Grant, aware of his great numerical superiority over the Confederate Army, constantly took the offensive without regard to casualties because he knew that he could afford to take losses much more easily than the Confederates. Warren, on the other hand, was unwilling to attack unless he could be reasonably sure of victory without the loss of a large number of his men.

After his removal from command, Warren was given some lesser posts. However, with the war over, and his reputation besmirched, Warren resigned his volunteer general's commission on May 19, 1865, and began requesting an investigation to clear his name. He remained in the army as a major, conducting surveys and engaging in engineering projects. Neither Grant nor Sheridan had any interest in pursuing an investigation. However, finally, President Hayes ordered a court of inquiry. It convened in January 1880 and closed in July 1881 to consider a verdict. Through the trial and even after it there was a storm of controversy as both sides and their circle of friends rallied to each side’s defense. On one side were Grant, Sheridan, and Sherman. On the other were such men as Joshua L. Chamberlain. In November 1882, the verdict was reached and exonerated Warren of all major accusations related to the Five Forks affair. Unfortunately, Warren would never know his name had been cleared; he died three months before the verdict.

This archive includes eight letters and documents from the file of the Recorder of the Court of Inquiry, Maj. James McMillan. The first item is Warren's actual resignation as general, apparently sent to the Court of Inquiry as a record. Autograph letter signed, on his Headquarters Department of Mississippi letterhead, Vicksburg, May 19, 1865, to Edward Townsend, Adjutant General of the United States. "I respectfully tender my resignation as Major General of Volunteers, and request a leave of absence for 30 days as major of engineers to enable me to attend to my private affairs. The secession of all armed resistance within the limits of my command, and the breaking up of the Confederate government and subsequent reduction of our forces, will prevent, I presume, any objection being made to the acceptance of my resignation. In addition, I have to say that from constant exertion in the field since the beginning of the rebellion, I have become much exhausted and feel unable to properly continue on duty in this hot and debilitating climate without some relaxation."

President Hayes ordered a court of inquiry on December 9, 1879. Warren lost no time in requesting the calling of witnesses on his behalf.  Autograph letter signed, New York, December 20, 1879, to the Recorder of the Court of Inquiry, Maj. James McMillan. "Major, I have the honor to request that the following named may be called as witnesses at the meeting of the Court on Monday, January 5. (1) Bvt. Brig. Gen. N. Michler…(2) Bvt. Maj. Gen. R.B. Ayers…(3) Bvt. Col. Charles E. LaMotte…(4) Bvt. Maj. W.W. Swan…(5) Bvt. Maj. Gen. Samuel W. Crawford…(6) Colonel John A. Kellogg…(7) Bvt. Brig. Gen. H.C. Bankhead…I cannot make out a full list of witnesses that I may want now, but I think I can submit the names hereafter so that the proceedings of the Court will not be delayed, nor unnecessary time lost by the witnesses. I would like to open the case with the witnesses above-named, somewhat in the order they are placed. They will cover a good deal of the ground of the investigation, and may occupy considerable time. I cannot forecast the rate of progress in the investigation, as it must be developed by experience."

Warren followed this with a letter to the Secretary of War. Autograph letter signed, New York, June 18, 1880, to Alexander Ramsey, Hayes' Secretary of War. "The Court of Inquiry into my conduct on April 1st and March 31st, 1865 having taken a recess until Monday the 28th in order that the members of the Court can attend to other official duties etc., I respectfully request an order to go to Newport, Rhode Island and return before this recess terminates, in order to attend to my official engineering duties at that station, and thus be authorized to draw transportation for the journey."

There are five exhibits, two of them letter-marked as exhibits A and B. A is a copy of a letter that Warren sent Grant's aide John A. Rawlins (and thereby Grant) dated April 9, 1865, demanding an investigation to clear his name. "The order of Gen. Sheridan taking from me the command of my Corps on the evening of 1st April, after the victory was won, assigns no cause, and leaves me open to the inferences now finding expression in the public prints, which are in every way to my prejudice. I am unconscious of having done anything improper or unbecoming to my position or the character of a soldier, or neglected any duty or order. I therefore request a full investigation of the matter as soon as the exigencies of the service will admit…I do not intend nor desire to press the matter upon the consideration of the Lieut. General [Grant] until he can give it his attention without interfering with more important duties. The regard already shown me…gives me the assurance that he will not deem it an intrusion to solicit to vindicate the honor and reputation of a faithful soldier of the Union who waits in silence under an unmerited injury…" Exhibit B is a copy of Grant's response to Warren, dated May 6, 1865, rejecting Warren's request for the investigation. "Your note requesting authority to publish your application for an investigation of the grounds upon which you were relieved from the command of the 5th Army Corps, or to have the investigation, is received. it is impossible at this time to give the Court and witnesses necessary for the investigation, but I see nothing in your application which I see objectionable to have published."

There are three unnumbered exhibits, all copies for the Court in clerical hands. The first is a letter from Warren to Gen. Alexander Webb, dated March 30, 1865, during the engagement at Dabneys Mill. "General Ayers advance now sees the White Oak Road near Dabneys, 3/4 of a mile. There is a difficult swamp between the plank road and that place. I have now a continuous entrenched line from my right across Griffin's front and along the plank road, nearly down to Gravelly Run. If Gen. Humphreys can take charge of Griffin's front about 500 yards west of plank road, with the return down it, I can take my Corps and block the White Oak Road." The second is a letter from Gen. George Meade to Grant, dated March 31, 1865, informing Grant of a repulse. "Gen. Warren reports by staff officer that Ayers advance on White Oak Road was repulsed. Ayers fell back to Crawford, the enemy following and attacking both Ayers and Crawford and compelling both to fall back to Griffin. Here the enemy was checked, the fighting still continuing. Gen. Warren expresses confidence in his ability to hold his present position. Miles has been ordered to be prepared to support Warren, and Humpheys will be ordered to attack as soon as I can communicate with him by telegraph, if the fight is not over by that time." At the bottom there is a notation in the hand of, and signed by, General Webb himself (who was then serving as president of the City College of New York), dated N.Y. City, February 19, 1881, certifying that this letter was "Sent March 31st [1865] 1 PM to Gen. Grant."

The last is a letter received by the Court on July 2, 1880, and is a copy of a letter sent by Gen. George A. Custer to Warren on May 3, 1866, concerning the battle of Five Forks, in response to a letter from Warren to him. It sheds great light on Warren's bravery and leadership style. "My dear friend… As you are undoubtedly aware, I saw you but once on that memorable day; that was when our combined forces were driving the enemy from the field. I with my command had advanced against the enemy's right and rear, and had met your advance coming from the left in front of the opposing line; both infantry and cavalry were in close pursuit. I remember distinctly that as my cavalry, which was moving at a gallop, passed your troops I saw you with your advance. You recognized me and we had but time to exchange ordinary salutations before we became separated. I was able nevertheless to observe that you were leading your advance and with sword in hand was encouraging and cheering your men forward…"

An important and one-of-a-kind archive bearing not only on Warren's leadership and court of inquiry, but showing some of the interpersonal relationships between the great commanders of the Army of the Potomac. To find Warren's actual holograph resignation in the group is extraordinary.