Adrian Rowe Root (May 6, 1832 – June 4, 1899) was an American commission merchant, warehouse executive, newspaper editor and military officer in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. He served as brigade commander for much of the war but his highest actual substantive grade was

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

. His March 2, 1865 nomination for appointment as

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

of volunteers to rank from March 2, 1865, was confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

on March 9, 1865. His January 13, 1866 nomination for appointment as a brevet major general of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 12, 1866.

Background

Adrian Root was born in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...

, on May 6, 1832.Eicher, John H., and

David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. 461.Hunt, Roger D. and Brown, Jack R., ''Brevet Brigadier Generals in Blue''. Olde Soldier Books, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, 1990. . p. 520. Root was a commission merchant before the Civil War.

American Civil War

Root enlisted in the Union Army at the beginning of the war and, on May 20, 1861, he was appointed

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

of the 21st New York Volunteer Infantry, nicknamed the "1st Buffalo Regiment" because it was the first regiment mustered into the Union Army from Buffalo, New York.Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. . p. 553. The 21st New York Infantry Regiment served in northern

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

but engaged in no major actions during Root's service with that regiment. On May 2, 1862, Root was commissioned

of the 94th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Root fought with his regiment at the

Battle of Cedar Mountain The Battle of Cedar Mountain, also known as Slaughter's Mountain or Cedar Run, took place on August 9, 1862, in Culpeper County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks attacked Confederate f ...

on August 9, 1862, and fought and was wounded at the

Second Battle of Bull Run The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederate ...

on August 30, 1862. On November 15, 1862, he returned to duty to command the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division,

I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to: France * 1st Army Corps (France) * I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French A ...

of the

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...

until May 11, 1863, when he resumed command of his regiment. As brigade commander, he commanded the brigade at the Battle of Fredericksburg and the Battle of Chancellorsville. Root returned to command the brigade on July 1, 1863, the first day of the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

, after two other brigade commanders were wounded. Root also was soon wounded and captured. He was exchanged at Annapolis, Maryland, in 1864. Thereafter he was appointed commander of Camp Parole at Annapolis. On March 2, 1865,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

nominated Root for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers, to rank from March 2, 1865, and the

confirmed the appointment on March 9, 1865.

Post–war

After the close of hostilities, from May 13, 1865, to June 23, 1865, Root commanded the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division,

V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to: France * 5th Army Corps (France) * V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Ar ...

of the Army of the Potomac. Root was mustered out of the U.S. volunteers on July 18, 1865. On January 13, 1866, President

Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a Dem ...

nominated Root for appointment to the grade of brevet major general of volunteers, for faithful and meritorious service during the war, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U. S. Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.Eicher, 2001, p. 714. After the war, Root was a warehouse executive and newspaper editor at Buffalo, New York. Adrian R. Root died at Buffalo, New York, on June 4, 1899. He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, New York.

Notes

References

* Eicher, John H., and

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * Hunt, Roger D. and Brown, Jack R., ''Brevet Brigadier Generals in Blue''. Olde Soldier Books, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, 1990. . * Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Root, Adrian Rowe 1832 births 1899 deaths Military personnel from Buffalo, New York Union Army colonels American Civil War prisoners of war held by the Confederate States of America