★ Harrow, William

William Harrow​

Born: November 14, 1822

Birthplace: Winchester, Kentucky

Father: Thomas Farrow Harrow 1797 – 1853

(Buried: Lawrenceville City Cemetery, Lawrenceville, Illinois)​

Mother: Lucy W. Gray 1796 – 1862

(Buried: The Old Graveyard, Carmi, Illinois)​

Wife: Juliette Randolph James 1834 – 1922

(Buried: Bellefontaine Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Indiana)​

Children:

Mary Ann Harrow 1859 – 1861​

(Buried: Bellefontaine Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Indiana)​

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Enoch Randolph Harrow 1864 – 1904​

(Buried: Bellefontaine Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Indiana)​

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Esther Harrow Leonard 1867 – 1960​

(Buried: Bellefontaine Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Indiana)​

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Thomas Gray Harrow 1869 – 1946​

(Buried: Long Island National Cemetery, East Farmingdale, New York)​

Occupation before War:

Attorney in Lawrenceville, Illinois​

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Associate of Abraham Lincoln on the Illinois Eighth Judicial Circuit​

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Attorney in Mount Vernon, Indiana​

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Captain of Knox County Invincibles Militia​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1862: Major of 14th​ Indiana Infantry Regiment​

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1861: Served in the Battle of Cheat Mountain in Western Virginia​

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1861: Served in the Battle of Greenbrier River in Western Virginia​

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1862: Lt. Colonel of 14th​ Indiana Infantry Regiment​

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1862: Served in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign in Virginia​

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1862: Served in the Battle of Kernstown Virginia losing 54 men​

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1862: Colonel of 14th​ Indiana Infantry Regiment​

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1862: Briefly resigned from army accused of being drunk at Kernstown​

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1862: Reinstated as Colonel the following month​

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1862: Led his men at the Battle of Antietam, Maryland​

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1862: Promoted to Brig. General but war Dept. stalled on promotion​

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1862: Brigade Commander during Fredericksburg Virginia Campaign​

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1863 – 1865: Brigadier General of Union Army, Volunteers​

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1863: Led his men during the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania​

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1863: At Gettysburg, his men captured flags but had casualties of 768​

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1864: Served in the Atlanta Georgia Campaign​

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1864: Led his men well at the Battle of Atlanta, Georgia​

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1864: Led his men well at the Battle of Ezra Church, Georgia​

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1864 – 1865: Left without a command after reorganization​

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1865: Resigned from the Union Army in April​

Occupation after War:

1865 – 1872: Attorney in Mount Vernon, Indiana​

Died: September 27, 1872

Place of Death: New Albany, Indiana

Cause of Death: Thrown out of a railroad car

Age at time of Death: 49 years old

Burial Place: Bellefontaine Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Indiana

 

[Pollaco]

He also put in his resignation several weeks after Gettysburg when he was relieved of his new divisional command but Lincoln refused to accept the resignation. He was transferred to the Army of the Tennessee where he commanded a division.

 

[Pollaco]

His frequent resignations were part of why he wasn't brevetted like so many other officers. That and his "troublesome nature" made him unpopular with his superiors.

 

[Pollaco]

When he was killed in that train accident he was campaigning for Horace Greeley.

 

[rpkennedy]

William Harrow would give a rousing speech to the 15th Massachusetts and 82nd New York on July 2 at Gettysburg. This is how one Bay State soldiers remembered it:

"He called upon all of us by all that was Good & Infernal to kill every son of a b***h that runs without a cause. Said he, if you see me running, I want you to kill me on the spot…just stand to it and give them Hell"

And I try to forget that the same soldier described Harrow as an elderly gentleman at the ripe old age of 41, the same age that I am now. That little bugger.

Ryan

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy weekend (November 14th) Birthday Brig. General William Harrow! Salutes remembering General Harrow on his birthday weekend.

 

[Pollaco]

His 14th Indiana became part of the "Gibraltar Brigade" and was Indiana's first 3 year regiment.

 

[Luke Freet]

I've seen Harrow portrayed quite negatively as a drunkard and unpopular with his troops, being a Lincoln-ally appointee. That said, he was instrumental in the Battle of Bald Hill, where he reinforce 17th Corps and helped repulse Cleburne's Division (capturing almost all of two regiments).

 

[rpkennedy]

I've seen Harrow portrayed quite negatively as a drunkard and unpopular with his troops, being a Lincoln-ally appointee. That said, he was instrumental in the Battle of Bald Hill, where he reinforce 17th Corps and helped repulse Cleburne's Division (capturing almost all of two regiments).

He had what I'll charitably call a big personality and seems to have rubbed some people the wrong way.

Ryan