William Buel Franklin, an American soldier, born in York, Penn., Feb. 27,1823. He graduated first in his class at West Point in 1843, and was stationed on the survey of the northern lakes. In the summer of 1845 he accompanied an expedition to the South pass of the Rocky mountains under command of Brig. Gen. Kearny, and in the following year was engaged in the survey of Ossabaw sound, Georgia. He served on the staff of Gen. Taylor at the battle of Buena Vista, and was brevetted first lieutenant for his part in it. In June, 1848, he was ordered to West Point as assistant professor of natural and experimental philosophy; and in February, 1852, he was appointed professor of natural and experimental philosophy and civil engineering at the New York city free academy. During the next eight years he was continually employed as consulting engineer and inspector on various public works, particularly harbors and lighthouses, having been engineer secretary of the lighthouse board, and superintendent of the capitol extension and other government buildings at Washington. On May 14, 1861, he was appointed colonel of the 12th (new) regiment of infantry, and in July was assigned a brigade in Heintzelman's division of the army of N. E. Virginia. At the battle of Bull Run he was in the hottest of the fight," according to the official report of Gen. McDowell. In August he received the commission of brigadier general of volunteers, to date from May 17, 1861. In September he was appointed to the command of a division in the army of the Potomac. Sent to reenforce Gen. McClellan after the evacuation of Yorktown, he transported his division by water to West Point on York river, and repulsed the enemy under Gens. Whiting and G. W. Smith, who attempted to prevent his landing, May 7, 1862. On the 15th he was appointed to the command of the 6th provisional army corps.

During the movement to the James river, which began June 27, he was charged with covering the retreat, and repulsed the enemy on the right bank of the Chickahominy, June 27 and 28, and again in conjunction with the corps of Gen. Sumner at Savage's Station, June 29. He commanded at the battle of White Oak swamp bridge on the 30th, and the next day joined the main body of the army on the banks of the James. He was promoted to the rank of major general of volunteers July 4, and brevet brigadier general in the regular army, June 30. In the battle of South mountain, Sept. 14, he distinguished himself by storming Crampton's gap. He was in the battle of Antietam, Sept. 17, and in November was placed in command of the left grand division of the army of the Potomac, including the 1st and 6th corps, which he commanded in the battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13. The next year he was transferred to the department of the gulf, commanded the expedition to Sabine pass, September, 1863, and was second in command in Banks's Red river expedition, April, 1864, being wounded in the battle of Sabine cross roads.

He was brevetted major general in the United States army March 13, 1865, and resigned March 15,1866. He is now (1874) vice president and general agent of the Colt firearms manufacturing company, at Hartford, Conn., and consulting engineer of the commission for the erection of a new state house.