Frederick Townsend

Frederick Townsend
General Frederick Townsend (1825-1897)
Born	(1825-09-21)September 21, 1825
Died	September 12, 1897(1897-09-12) (aged 71)
Buried at	Albany Rural Cemetery, Albany, New York, New York
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	Union Army New York State Militia
Years of service	1857–1881
Rank	Colonel Brevet Brigadier General Brigadier General (Militia)
Unit	18th U.S. Infantry Regiment
Commands held	76th New York Militia Regiment 3rd New York Infantry Regiment
Battles/wars	American Civil War Battle of Big Bethel Battle of Lick Creek Battle of Perryville Battle of Stones River
Other work	Adjutant General of New York

American Civil War

Frederick Townsend (September 21, 1825 – September 12, 1897) was a Union officer in the American Civil War. He founded and was Colonel of the 3rd New York Regiment, and later served with the US Army's 18th Infantry, where he was brevetted a brigadier general. Townsend served three terms as Adjutant General of New York from 1857–1861, and again in 1880.

Frederick Townsend was born in Albany, New York on 21 September 1825 to Isaiah and Hannah Townsend. He was the grandson of Solomon Townsend, a ship's captain during the American Revolution, and great grandson of Samuel Townsend a member of the New York provincial congress and of the committee appointed to prepare a form of government for the state of New York. His ancestors Henry Townsend and Henry's brother John immigrated to Massachusetts from Norfolk England in 1640 and settled at Jamaica on Long Island NY, and were founding members of Oyster Bay Long Island.

Townsend had 7 brothers and 2 sisters. There was a strong military bent in the family, as one brother, Franklin Townsend was Adjutant General of New York from 1869–1873, and another, Robert served in the U.S. Navy, both on the side of the Union. His sister Mary, on the other hand, married General William H.T. Walker of the Confederate Army.

Frederick attended a The Albany Academy and Bartlett Collegiate School at Poughkeepsie, New York and was graduated from Union College, which he entered at age 15, in 1844. He studied law under John Van S.L. Pruyn and was admitted to the bar in 1849 and practiced in Albany.