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Edwin Franklin Townsend

Edwin Franklin Townsend was born July 14, 1833 in New York and died August 15, 1909 in Washington, DC. He is the son of Edwin Townsend and Anne Elizabeth Graff. He is buried in Arlington Cemetery, Section 1, space 122.A. He was a Cadet at the Academy at West Point, New York from Sept 1, 1850 until July 1, 1854, when he graduated and was promoted in the Army to Bvt. Second Lt. of Artillery, July 1, 1854. He served on frontier duty at San Diego, Calif., 1854-1855, escorting ( Second Lt., 3rd Artillery, Jan. 31,1855) Lt. Parkes' Topographical Party in the Mohave River Country, 1855 and at Fort Yuma, Cal., 1855-1856. He resigned Mar. 11, 1856 and settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where much of his family had lived. His father was a land broker there. Edwin was a Counselor of Law in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1858-1861. He was married to a Mary Jane Wadhams in 1858. They had a daughter Mary Abernethy Townsend.

His Military History:

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1861-1866: and was made a Captain of the 16th Infantry on May 14, 1861 and in command of Battalion of 16th Infantry in the Department of the Cumberland, Dec., 1861, to Feb., 1862 in the Tennessee and Mississippi Campaign, commanding Battalion ( Army of the Ohio ) Feb to June, 1862, being engaged in the March to Nashville, and Pittsburg Landing, Feb. to April 1862, - Battle of Shiloh, April 7, 1862, ( Bvt. Major, April 7, 1862, for GALLANT and MERITORIOUS Services at the Battle of Shiloh, Tenn ) and advance upon and Siege of Corinth, April 09, to May 30, 1862 in the movement of his Company ( Army of the Ohio ) through Mississippi, North Alabama, and the line of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, June 26 to August 05, 1862; and in command of Ordnance Depot at Nashville, Tennessee, August 05, 1862 to July 1, 1865 and of 12 Companies ( Bvt. Lt Colonel, March 13, 1865, for Continued and Faithful Sevices of the Ordanance Department ) of the 16th Infantry, at Nashville, Tennessee, July 1, 1865 to April 24, 1866. Served: on Recruiting service, April 24, to September 30, 1866; in command ( Transferred to 25th Infantry, September 21, 1866 ) of Company at Nashville, Tennessee, October 03, 1866 to March 1867 and at Paducah, Kentucky, March 1867 to August 29, 1867; on leave of absence August to December of 1868; on frontier duty at Omaha Nebraska, December 8, 1868 to March 1869. He then was transferred to 9th Infantry March 15th, 1869 and was in command of the battalion, March to June 1869. And then he moved on to Fort Sedgewick where he was in command and remained until June 1869, then on to Omaha, Nebraska, where he was in command of the barracks from September 1870, until September, 1872. He then was transferred to Camp Stambaugh, Wyoming June 10- September 28, 1871; on frontier duty on Yellowstone Expedition with battalion of the 8th and 9th Infantry, May 24, to October 09, 1873; at Omaha Nebraska, October 1873 to March 1874 - enroute to and at Spotted Tail Agency, Dakota until September 1874. He then went to Camp Sheridan, Nebraska, September 03, 1874 to February 1875. He then took leave of absence From February thru October 1875. He then went on frontier duty at Fort Laramie, Wyoming from October 24, 1875 to November 07, 1876. He was in command of regiment, from May 05, - November 07, 1876. Then he moved on to the Powder River Expedition, from November 07, 1876 until January 26, 1877.Then he was back to Omaha Barracks, Nebraska from January 26, 1877 until June 26, 1879. He was made Lt. Colonel. 11th Infantry, March 20, 1879. He then took a leave of absence from July 01, to October 01, 1879. Then on to frontier duty at Fort Custer, Montana until May 02, 1880, and at Fort Buford, Dakota until May 22, 1880. He then took another leave of absence until July 22, 1880. He then was put on Court Martial duty at Fort Keogh, Montana and Fort Sully, Dakota until October 22, 1880. He then was in command at Fort Sully Dakota until April 06, 1881, then on to Court Martial duty at Fort Custer and Missoula, Montana until August 05, 1881. Then again in command of regiment at Fort Sully until August 23, 1882. He then took another leave of absence until September 23, 1882. After the leave of absence he was again in command of the regiment at Fort Buford, Dakota until April 14, 1883, and of the Depot at Columbus Barracks, Ohio until October 03, 1884; on delay and leave of absence until January 12, 1885; in command of Fort A. Lincoln, Dakota until May 11, 1886; on another leave of absence to June 10, 1886; again in command ( was promoted to rank of Colonel, 12th Infantry, October 13, 1886 ) of Fort A. Lincoln, Dakota until October 27, 1886. He then took another leave of absence from November 12, 1886 until December 02, 1886. He then was in command of regiment at Madison Barracks, New York until July 25, 1887, and at Fort Yates, Dakota until December 29, 1888. After another leave of absence he was sent to Washington, D.C. for Court Martial duty until April 25, 1889. He took a leave of absence until April 25, 1889 and then once again was put in command of regiment at Fort Yates, Dakota until August 21, 1890 and of Fort Levenworth, Kansas and Infantry and Calvary school, August 28th 1890 until October 14, 1894. During this time he was also a member of the Board of Visitors ( President ) to Artillery School, Fort Monroe, Virginia, June 20, 1892 to June 30, 1892. He then returned to command of the regiment at Fort Niobrara, Nebraska from October 15, 1894 until June 20, 1895. He took another leave of absence until October 01, 1895. He then retired from active service, upon his own request being over 62 years of age, October 01, 1895. He lived in Washington, D. C.
He was promoted to Brigadier General upon his retirement for his Long and Meritorious duty and his Loyalty to his Nation.

Written By: Linda Hendley March, 07, 1999

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