Franklin, William Buel, 1823-1903

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Educated West Point, graduated 1843. Served in Mexican-American War, as Professor at West Point for three years and as an engineer until the outbreak of the Civil War. As a Union Army General, he saw action at Antietam and Fredericksburg. After the war he became manager of Colt Firearms.

From the description of W. B. Franklin letter to Col. George E. Waring, Jr. [manuscript], 1870 Jul 1. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 225134864

Army officer.

From the description of William Buel Franklin papers, 1861-1865. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79450703

William Buel Franklin was a Union army general in the Civil War.

From the description of W. B. Franklin letter to Colonel Nicholson, 1899 September 1. (University of California, Santa Barbara). WorldCat record id: 746528112

William Buel Franklin was born in York, Pennsylvania, on February 27, 1823. His father, Walter S. Franklin, served as a clerk for the United States House of Representatives. Franklin entered the United States Military Academy at West Point at the age of 16 and graduated as the first-ranking cadet in the Class of 1843. Following his graduation, he served in the Corps of Topographical Engineers and served in Mexico under General John E. Wool during the Mexican War. He later moved to Washington, D.C., and became a civil engineer, working as a lighthouse inspector. In 1857, he became Army Secretary to the Lighthouse Board. Franklin served in the Union Army during the Civil War, participating in several battles under Major General George B. McClellan and attaining the rank of major general. He resigned his commission after the war, and continued to work as an engineer in Hartford, Connecticut, where he oversaw construction of the state capitol in the 1870s. William B. Franklin died on March 8, 1903.

From the guide to the William B. Franklin letter book, Franklin, William B. letter book, 1857-1859, (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Woodward, Ashbel, 1804-1885. Ashbel Woodward biography collection, undated. Connecticut Historical Society
creatorOf Hartford (Conn.). Committee on the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial. Records, 1874-1890. Connecticut Historical Society
creatorOf Anderson, Joseph Reid, 1813-1892,. Papers of the Rives family [manuscript] (1777) 1822-1945. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Smith, William Farrar, 1824-1903. William Farrar Smith papers, 1849-1903. Vermont Historical Society
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
creatorOf Wallace, Lew, 1827-1905. Papers of Lew Wallace, 1863-1902, bulk 1883-1899. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part III: The Civil War: The Union, 1804-1915. Houghton Library
creatorOf Franklin, William B. The changing role of women in the United States labor force. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn George Brinton McClellan Papers, 1783-1898, (bulk 1850-1885) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn James E. Babb Memorial collection, 1860-1942 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
creatorOf Welles, Edgar Thaddeus, 1843-1914. Edgar T. Welles papers, 1858-1900. Connecticut Historical Society
creatorOf Franklin, William Buel, 1823-1903. Letter : Hartford, Conn., to [Marsena Rudolph] Patrick, 1884 Nov. 15. University of Chicago Library
creatorOf Franklin, William Buell, 1823-1903. William Franklin papers, 1872-1880. Connecticut Historical Society
referencedIn Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States Commandery of the State of Massachusetts Civil War collection, 1724-1933 (inclusive); 1861-1912 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Dyer, Alexander B. (Alexander Buel), 1815-1874. Letters / 1867-1872. Connecticut Historical Society
creatorOf Franklin, William Buel, 1823-1903. Papers [microform]. University of Texas Libraries
referencedIn Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States Civil War Commandery of the State of Massachusetts collection: Patriotic covers, ca. 1861-1865. Houghton Library
referencedIn Photographic Portrait File The Huntington Library
creatorOf Franklin, William Buel, 1823-1903. Letter, 1844 June 9, Michigan City, Indiana, [to] a friend. United States Military Academy, USMA Library
referencedIn Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States Commandery of the State of Massachusetts Civil War collection, 1724-1933 (inclusive); 1861-1912 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Sneden, Robert Knox, 1832-1918. Plan of the battle of Savage's Station, Virginia, fought Sunday, 29th June 1862 / From engineer's official map, staff of Maj. Genl. Franklin, 6th Corps, additions by R.K. Sneden, Topgr., 3rd Corps. Virginia Historical Society Library
referencedIn United States. Army. Corps, 19th. Division, 1st. Nineteenth Corps, 1st Division circular, 1863 Aug. 15. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part III: The Civil War: The Union, 1804-1915. Houghton Library
creatorOf Franklin, William Buel, 1823-1903. W. B. Franklin letter to Colonel Nicholson, 1899 September 1. University of California, Santa Barbara, UCSB Library
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part III: The Civil War: The Union, 1804-1915. Houghton Library
creatorOf Franklin, William Buel, 1823-1903. William Buel Franklin papers, 1861-1865. Library of Congress
referencedIn Porter, Fitz-John, 1822-1901. Letters, 1894-1895. Portsmouth Athenaeum Library & Museum
creatorOf Franklin, William Buel, 1823-1903. [Letters, 1869-1870]. Boston Athenaeum
creatorOf Franklin, William Buel, 1823-1903. Letter : Hartford, Conn., to [Marsena Rudolph] Patrick, 1884 Nov. 15. Texas Christian University
referencedIn Brady, Mathew B., ca. 1823-1896. Photographs of Civil War scenes [manuscript]. ca. 1862-1865. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Stone, Chas. P. (Charles Pomeroy), 1824-1887. Note : to General W.B. Franklin, 1863 November 26. University of California, Santa Barbara, UCSB Library
creatorOf William B. Franklin letter book 1857-1859 Franklin, William B. letter book William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Franklin, William Buel, 1823-1903. W. B. Franklin letter to Col. George E. Waring, Jr. [manuscript], 1870 Jul 1. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Sketch of battle of Gain's [sic] Mill June 27th 1862 : 5th Army Corps. commanded by Maj. Genl. Fitz John Porter, U.S.A. Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
referencedIn Philip Case Lockwood memorial collection of Civil War portraits and autographs, 1862-ca. 1886. Houghton Library
referencedIn Carrington Family papers, 1749-1929 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
referencedIn Swayne, Wager, 1834-1902. Military officer correspondence, 1875-1896. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
referencedIn Smith, William Farrar, 1824-1903. William Farrar Smith correspondence, 1863-1899. Library of Congress
referencedIn Abbett, Leon, 1836-1894. Letters, 1877-1892. New Jersey Historical Society Library
referencedIn Reports of 4 brigade and artillery commanders and brigade surgeon in relation to the action near West Point, Va., Transcripts, 1862. New-York Historical Society
creatorOf Keyes, Erasmus D. (Erasmus Darwin), 1810-1895. Letter to Maj. Gen. W. B. Franklin. Paris. 1891 June 7. University of Iowa Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Abbett, Leon, 1836-1894. person
associatedWith Babb, James Elisha, 1864-1934. person
associatedWith Brady, Mathew B., ca. 1823-1896. person
correspondedWith Burnside, Ambrose Everett, 1824-1881 person
associatedWith Butler-Gunsaulus Collection (University of Chicago. Library) corporateBody
associatedWith Carrington family family
associatedWith Carrington family. family
associatedWith Carrington family. family
associatedWith Confederate States of America. Army. corporateBody
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Dyer, Alexander B. (Alexander Buel), 1815-1874. person
associatedWith Hartford (Conn.). Committee on the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial. corporateBody
correspondedWith Kenly, John Reese, 1822-1891 person
associatedWith Keyes, Erasmus D. (Erasmus Darwin), 1810-1895. person
associatedWith Library of Congress. Manuscript Division. corporateBody
correspondedWith Lockwood, Philip Case, 1844-1897 person
correspondedWith Marcy, Randolph Barnes, 1812-1887 person
correspondedWith McClellan, George Brinton, 1826-1885. person
associatedWith Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Commandery of the State of Massachusetts, collector. corporateBody
associatedWith Online Archive of California. corporateBody
associatedWith Patrick, Marsena Rudolph, 1811-1888. person
correspondedWith Porter, Fitz-John, 1822-1901. person
correspondedWith Ruggles, George D. (George David), d. 1904 person
associatedWith Sellers, John R. person
associatedWith Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891. person
associatedWith Smith, William Farrar, 1824-1903. person
associatedWith Sneden, Robert Knox, 1832-1918. person
associatedWith Stone, Chas. P. (Charles Pomeroy), 1824-1887. person
associatedWith United States. Army corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Army Corps, 1st. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Army Corps, 6th. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Corps, 19th. Division, 1st. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Corps, 6th (1862-1865) corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army of the Potomac. corporateBody
associatedWith United States Customhouse (Portland, Me.) corporateBody
associatedWith Wallace, Lew, 1827-1905. person
associatedWith Waring, George E. (George Edwin), 1833-1898, person
associatedWith Welles, Edgar Thaddeus, 1843-1914. person
associatedWith Woodward, Ashbel, 1804-1885. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Washington (D.C.)
United States
Subject
Beacons
Civil engineering
Civil engineering
Correspondence
Lighthouses
Lighthouses
Wagon trains
Occupation
Army officers
Engineers
Activity

Person

Birth 1823-02-27

Death 1903-03-08

Information

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SNAC ID: 70012878