French, William Henry, 1815-1881
Name Entries
person
French, William Henry, 1815-1881
Name Components
Surname :
French
Forename :
William Henry
Date :
1815-1881
eng
Latn
authorizedForm
rda
Genders
Male
Exist Dates
Biographical History
William H. French was born in Baltimore. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1837 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Artillery. He briefly served in the Second Seminole War and was then assigned to garrison duty along the Canada–US border from late 1837 through 1838, when he was reassigned to other military posts for the next decade.
During the Mexican–American War, French was aide-de-camp to General Franklin Pierce, and also on the staff of General Robert Patterson. He was engaged in the siege of Vera Cruz, and received two brevet promotions for bravery: to captain for Cerro Gordo and to major for Contreras and Churubusco.
Between 1850 and 1852, he again served against the Seminole Indians in Florida and was the commanding officer of Stonewall Jackson. The two disagreed often and French's assignment with Jackson led to the two filing numerous charges against each other with U.S. Army authorities. After Florida, French served on frontier duty until 1861.
He was the co-author of Instruction for Field Artillery (1860), along with William F. Barry and Henry J. Hunt.
At the start of the Civil War, Captain French and the 1st U.S. Artillery were stationed at Fort Duncan, Eagle Pass, Texas. He refused to surrender his garrison to the Confederate-aligned state authorities as they requested. Instead, he moved his men to the mouth of the Río Grande in sixteen days and sailed to Key West, where he quartered at the Federal military post there, Fort Zachary Taylor. Shortly thereafter, he was elevated to major and assumed command of the base. In conjunction with the Union Navy, he was instrumental in shutting off Key West to slave traders.
He was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers as of September 28, 1861, and was assigned to the Army of the Potomac, where he commanded a brigade of the II Corps in the Peninsula Campaign. He was engaged at the battles of Yorktown, Seven Pines, Oak Grove, Gaines' Mill, Garnett's & Golding's Farm, Savage's Station, Glendale, and Malvern Hill. French received praise in official reports for his actions and leadership, and was promoted to command a division during the Northern Virginia Campaign.
French commanded the 3rd Division of the II Corps at the Battle of Antietam, making the first attack on Confederate units in the Sunken Road. He was promoted to major general on November 29, 1862. He led his division in the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville.
French commanded elements of the VIII Corps and the District of Harpers Ferry during the Gettysburg Campaign, but shortly after Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Sickles was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg, French assumed command of the battered III Corps. His military reputation was ruined during the Mine Run Campaign in November 1863 when Maj. Gen. George G. Meade claimed that French's corps moved too slowly to exploit a potential advantage over Gen. Robert E. Lee. This engagement was the last for the III Corps, which was reorganized out of the Union Army in the spring of 1864, and French was mustered out of volunteer service on May 6, 1864.
He remained in the regular army, and for the remainder of the war, he served on military boards in Washington, D.C. French ended the war with the regular army rank of colonel of the 4th U.S. Artillery.
Following the war, French commanded the 2nd Artillery on the Pacific Coast from 1865 until 1872, including an assignment as commander of Fort McDowell in San Francisco Bay. In 1875, he was appointed the commander of Fort McHenry near Baltimore. In July 1880, at his own request, being over sixty-two years of age, he was retired.
French died in Washington, D.C., and is buried there in Rock Creek Cemetery.
He married Caroline Read (1820–1884). They had six children: Frank French (1842–1865), William H. French (1844–1923), Anna French Clem (1852–1899), Frederick French (1855–1906), George French (1857–1895), and Rosalie French Conklin (1861–1891).
His grandson, John French Conklin (1891–1973), was also a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and a brigadier general in the United States Army.
eng
Latn
External Related CPF
https://viaf.org/viaf/55998683
https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q2579051
https://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n2004014104
https://id.loc.gov/authorities/n2004014104
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5842136/william-henry-french
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Languages Used
eng
Latn
Subjects
Antietam, Battle of, Md., 1862
Cerro Gordo, Battle of, Mexico, 1847
Chancellorsville, Battle of, Chancellorsville, Va., 1863
Churubusco, Battle of, Churubusco, Destrito Federal, Mexico, 1847
Civil War, 1861-1865
Contreras, Battle of, 1847
Fredericksburg, Battle of, Fredericksburg, Va., 1862
Gaines' Mill, Battle of, Va., 1862
Gettysburg Campaign, 1863
Malvern Hill, Battle of, Va., 1862
Mexican War, 1846-1848
Mine Run Campaign, Va., 1863
Peninsula Campaign, 1862
Savage's Station (Va.), Battle of, 1862
Seminole War, 2nd, 1835-1842
Vera Cruz, Battle of, 1847
Nationalities
Americans
Activities
Occupations
Aides-de-camp
Authors
Soldiers
Legal Statuses
Places
Key West
AssociatedPlace
Residence
William French was in command of Fort Zachary Taylor after leaving Fort Duncan, Texas.
San Francisco Bay
AssociatedPlace
Residence
William French was the commander of Fort McDowell after the Civil War.
District of Columbia
AssociatedPlace
Death
William French died May 20, 1881.
Baltimore
AssociatedPlace
Birth
William French was born on January 13, 1815.
Virginia
AssociatedPlace
Residence
William French served a portion of his Civil War Service in Virginia.
Baltimore
AssociatedPlace
Residence
William French was a commander of Fort McHenry.
Florida
AssociatedPlace
Residence
William French served in the 2nd Seminole War.
West Point
AssociatedPlace
Residence
William French graduate from the US Military Academy in the Class of 1837.
Fort Duncan
AssociatedPlace
Residence
William French was stationed prior and during the beginning of the Civil War.
District of Columbia
AssociatedPlace
Residence
William French served with the 4th US Artillery and on military boards toward the end of the Civil War.
Convention Declarations
<conventionDeclaration><citation>VIAF</citation></conventionDeclaration>