author
William Franklin Gore Shanks
1837–1905
A Civil War reporter with a front-row view of history, this American journalist turned battlefield observation into vivid books and magazine pieces. His work mixes firsthand reporting with lively portraits of generals, newspapers, and public life in the 19th century.
1 Audiobook
Personal Recollections of Distinguished Generals
by William Franklin Gore Shanks
About the author
Born in Shelbyville, Kentucky, on April 20, 1837, William Franklin Gore Shanks was an American journalist and author best known for writing about the Civil War and the people who shaped it. Reference works identify him as a war correspondent for the New York Herald during the war, and they note that he later wrote for the New York Tribune.
Shanks is chiefly remembered for Personal Recollections of Distinguished Generals (1866), a book drawn from his experiences around Union commanders and wartime campaigns. Library and archive records also connect him with other writing, including Bench and Bar and a play titled A Noble Treason, while magazine archives show that he contributed articles to Harper’s on military subjects, journalism, and public affairs.
He died in 1905. No suitable verified portrait image was found during this search, so a profile image is not included here.