Colonel Gouverneur Kemble Warren (1830-1882), second commander of the Duryee Zouaves, was a West Point-educated professional whose dedication and military skills were invaluable to his regiment. Warren later served as Chief Topographical Engineer of the Army of the Potomac, and as commander of the Fifth Corps.
Born in 1830 in New York, Gouverneur Warren graduated from West Point in 1850. He served with the Corps of Topographical Engineers and taught mathematics at West Point until the beginning of the Civil War. He participated in the Peninsula Campaign, Second Bull Run, and Antietam. At Gettysburg he gained fame for helping the Union avert probable disaster on Little Round Top. Subsequently, he was promoted to major general.
He was the commander of the V Corps for most of the remainder of the war. This corps was heavily engaged in most of the fighting around Petersburg. Criticisms of him being too cautious led to his removal, by Gen. Sheridan, of command of the V Corps as the battle of Five Forks was ending.
The Duryee’s Zouaves, 5th New York at Second Manassas
Assigned to Major General Warren's Fifth Corps, they played a conspicuous part in the campaigns of the East as part of the Army of the Potomac, enduring the actions of Bethesda Church, the Assult on Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Poplar Spring Church, Hatcher's Run, Hicksford's Raid, Siege of Petersburg, 2nd Hatcher's Run, White Oak Road, Five Forks, and the Appomattox Surrender. They were mustered out 8/21/65 at Hart's Island, Long Island Sound, between Long Island and the Bronx.
Warren spent the rest of his army career as an engineer. He requested and finally received a court of inquiry into the charges that led to his removal. The court convened fourteen years after the fact and published its findings in November of 1882. The court had cleared Warren of the principal charges - three months after his death.
