Background
Adrian Root was born in Buffalo, New York on May 6, 1832.
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Adrian Rowe Root
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Career
He served as colonel of the 94th New York Volunteer Infantry and commanded a brigade at the Battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, a parole camp at Annapolis, Maryland in 1864–1865 and a brigade from May 13, 1865 to June 23, 1865. He was appointed brevet brigadier general of volunteers at the end of the war and was confirmed brevet major general of volunteers on March 12, 1866. Root was a commission merchant before the Civil War.
Root enlisted in the Union Army at the beginning of the war and, on May 20, 1861, he was appointed lieutenant colonel 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 New York
The 21st New York Infantry Regiment served in northern Virginia but engaged in no major actions during Root"s service with that regiment. On May 2, 1862, Root was commissioned colonel of the 94th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
Root fought with his regiment at the Battle of Cedar Mountain on August 9, 1862 and fought and was wounded at the Second Battle of Bulletin Run on August 30, 1862. On November 15, 1865, he returned to duty to command the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, I Corps of the Army of the Potomac 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, 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 Abraham Lincoln nominated Root for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers, to rank from March 2, 1865, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 9, 1865. After the close of hostilities, from May 13, 1865 to June 23, 1865, Root commanded the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, V Corps of the Army of the Potomac.
Root was mustered out of the United States. volunteers on July 18, 1865. On January 13, 1866, President Andrew Johnson 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 United States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.
After the war, Root was a warehouse executive and newspaper editor at Buffalo, New New York
Adrian R. Root died at Buffalo, New York on June 4, 1899. He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo, New New York
