What do you think?
Rate this book
From First to Last: The Life of William B. Franklin
From First to Last is a complete life story of one of the most controversial yet least well known generals on either side during the Civil War. The number one graduate of the West Point class of 1843, William Buel Franklin served in the U.S. Army's Corps of Topographical Engineers and contributed greatly to the building of the nation's internal improvements, including a stint as chief engineer in charge of construction of the U.S. Capitol's dome and extension from 1859 to 1861.
During the Civil War Franklin ascended rapidly in rank and command authority, from command of a Union brigade at Bull Run, to leadership of the Sixth Corps of the Army of the Potomac on the Peninsula and during the Maryland Campaign, to command of the Left Grand Division, of that army at the terrible Battle of Fredericksburg. In the wake of Fredericksburg, Franklin was unjustly blamed for the Union army's defeat, not so much because of his generalship-or lack thereof-but because of his politics and the highly-charged political nature of high-level leadership in the Army of the Potomac. Censured by the notorious Joint Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War, Franklin was banished to the Department of the Gulf, where he participated in the ill-fated Sabine Pass Expedition and Red River Campaign. Wounded during the Red River Campaign and captured by Confederate partisan rangers Franklin would escape his captors but could not escape the wrath of the Lincoln administration, which refused to place him back in command even though his old West Point classmate-U. S. Grant-personally requested his services.
Franklin resigned his commission in 1866 and began a highly successful post-war career as Vice President and General Manager of Colt's Firearms Company in Hartford, Connecticut. A respected citizen of that city, Franklin continued to serve his country in a number of public positions, including leadership of a government bureau that eventually became the U.S. Veterans Administration. Snell's study of Franklin is evenly balanced, correctly pointing out Franklin's flaws and lapses of judgment-such as the Battle of Crampton's Gap on September 14, 1862-but giving him credit where he received none in the past. Snell provides readers with a complete picture of brilliant engineer, doting husband, respected businessman, and controversial Union general. From First to Last will change the way historians interpret this important figure of American history.
During the Civil War Franklin ascended rapidly in rank and command authority, from command of a Union brigade at Bull Run, to leadership of the Sixth Corps of the Army of the Potomac on the Peninsula and during the Maryland Campaign, to command of the Left Grand Division, of that army at the terrible Battle of Fredericksburg. In the wake of Fredericksburg, Franklin was unjustly blamed for the Union army's defeat, not so much because of his generalship-or lack thereof-but because of his politics and the highly-charged political nature of high-level leadership in the Army of the Potomac. Censured by the notorious Joint Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War, Franklin was banished to the Department of the Gulf, where he participated in the ill-fated Sabine Pass Expedition and Red River Campaign. Wounded during the Red River Campaign and captured by Confederate partisan rangers Franklin would escape his captors but could not escape the wrath of the Lincoln administration, which refused to place him back in command even though his old West Point classmate-U. S. Grant-personally requested his services.
Franklin resigned his commission in 1866 and began a highly successful post-war career as Vice President and General Manager of Colt's Firearms Company in Hartford, Connecticut. A respected citizen of that city, Franklin continued to serve his country in a number of public positions, including leadership of a government bureau that eventually became the U.S. Veterans Administration. Snell's study of Franklin is evenly balanced, correctly pointing out Franklin's flaws and lapses of judgment-such as the Battle of Crampton's Gap on September 14, 1862-but giving him credit where he received none in the past. Snell provides readers with a complete picture of brilliant engineer, doting husband, respected businessman, and controversial Union general. From First to Last will change the way historians interpret this important figure of American history.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
8 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 31, 2020
William Franklin was a moderately well-known but not very well regarded Union general during the American Civil War. This biography started as the author's doctoral dissertation. It is heavily based on Franklin's extensive correspondence with his wife, which had previously been unavailable. He wrote with a frequency and apparent frankness beyond even McClellan or Meade.
Franklin was a career Army officer before the war, having graduated first in his class at West Point. The prewar years cover the first 50 pages, out of 364 pages of main text. Particularly disappoint to me was Franklin's extensive work on lighthouses over an eight year span - first as a District Engineer and Inspector in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts then as the Engineer Secretary of the Lighthouse Board - is reduced to two paragraphs and a footnote. The footnote states in part: "According to the architectural historian of the Main Historic Preservation Commission, 'Franklin's impact on the design of Maine's light stations in the 1850s was substantial.'" Unfortunately, Snell apparently did not think that that substantial impact was important enough to cover in any detail.
The bulk of the text cover's Franklin's wartime experience, which is also where the aforementioned letters primarily come into play. More than three quarters of the book covers the events from 1861 through 1864. Franklin first served with the Army of the Potomac then in the Department of the Gulf. Snell gives Franklin a reasonably even treatment. It feels slightly apologist at times, but within reason. For example, Snell argues Franklin has received unfair criticism for some of his actions at Crampton's Gap (Maryland Campaign of 1862), but that he also made serious mistakes immediately after that engagement especially his failure to attack the next day in Pleasant Valley.
Franklin's letters cast a fresh light on his actions during and after Fredericksburg, particularly regarding Ambrose Burnside. This biography also puts Franklin's behavior in context with other events during his career.
The last 30 pages cover the remaining nearly four decades of Franklin's life with the Colt firearms company and various civic roles. It's a pretty interesting and probably not well known period of Franklin's life.
This is a well-written and interesting biography. For something the started as a dissertation, it doesn't come off as overly academic. It's an excellent example of a thesis serving as a theme and point of focus without beating the reader over the head with it. The use of Franklin's personal papers as a major source really helps the reader to get to know the subject better (rather than simply know about).
I would highly recommend this book to Civil War buffs. For a more general audience, I think the heavy focus on the Civil War will make it less accessible. It seems best read after you're already familiar with wartime events in Virginia from 1861 to 1863.
Franklin was a career Army officer before the war, having graduated first in his class at West Point. The prewar years cover the first 50 pages, out of 364 pages of main text. Particularly disappoint to me was Franklin's extensive work on lighthouses over an eight year span - first as a District Engineer and Inspector in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts then as the Engineer Secretary of the Lighthouse Board - is reduced to two paragraphs and a footnote. The footnote states in part: "According to the architectural historian of the Main Historic Preservation Commission, 'Franklin's impact on the design of Maine's light stations in the 1850s was substantial.'" Unfortunately, Snell apparently did not think that that substantial impact was important enough to cover in any detail.
The bulk of the text cover's Franklin's wartime experience, which is also where the aforementioned letters primarily come into play. More than three quarters of the book covers the events from 1861 through 1864. Franklin first served with the Army of the Potomac then in the Department of the Gulf. Snell gives Franklin a reasonably even treatment. It feels slightly apologist at times, but within reason. For example, Snell argues Franklin has received unfair criticism for some of his actions at Crampton's Gap (Maryland Campaign of 1862), but that he also made serious mistakes immediately after that engagement especially his failure to attack the next day in Pleasant Valley.
Franklin's letters cast a fresh light on his actions during and after Fredericksburg, particularly regarding Ambrose Burnside. This biography also puts Franklin's behavior in context with other events during his career.
The last 30 pages cover the remaining nearly four decades of Franklin's life with the Colt firearms company and various civic roles. It's a pretty interesting and probably not well known period of Franklin's life.
This is a well-written and interesting biography. For something the started as a dissertation, it doesn't come off as overly academic. It's an excellent example of a thesis serving as a theme and point of focus without beating the reader over the head with it. The use of Franklin's personal papers as a major source really helps the reader to get to know the subject better (rather than simply know about).
I would highly recommend this book to Civil War buffs. For a more general audience, I think the heavy focus on the Civil War will make it less accessible. It seems best read after you're already familiar with wartime events in Virginia from 1861 to 1863.
Displaying 1 of 1 review