William Gurney William Gurney ( 21 August 1821 - 2 February 1879 ) was a soldier and statesmen from New York and South Carolina , who distinguished himself in the Civil War and within the craft of Freemasonry . Early life . William Gurney was born at Flushing , Long Island , in 1821 . He was of Quaker extraction . Pre - Civil War life . Gurney went to New York City in 1837 , and obtained employment as a clerk in the wholesale establishment of A . N . Brown , in Dey street . He became a junior partner of Mr . Brown , and afterward the head of the firm of Gurney & Underhill , which succeeded the old firm . William Gurney was one of the originators of the Five Points Mission in New York City . Masonic affiliations . Gurney was affiliated with many Masonic lodges including Adelphic and Arcana and in 1853 was one of the founders of Continental Lodge No . 287 Free and Accepted Masons in the state of New York . He was also a member of Adelphi Chapter and Morton Commandery . Military service . Gurney always took an active interest in the Militia , and was originally a member of the Eighth Regiment . At the outbreak of the American Civil War he was a First Lieutenant in the Seventh Regiment , which he accompanied during its three months ' term of service . On his return to New York City he accepted a captain ' s commission in the Sixty - fifth Regiment , New York Volunteers , commanded by Col . John Cochrane . In 1862 he was appointed Assistant Inspector - General and Examining Officer on the staff of Gov . Morgan , in which position he was required to pass upon the qualifications of persons applying for commissions in the regiments of the State of New York . On July 10 , 1862 Gurney received authority to raise a regiment , and in 30 days recruited the One Hundred and Twenty - seventh New York Volunteers . It was organized on Staten Island September 8 , 1862 . Colonel Gurney returned to the front at the head of this unit . Later in 1862 he was assigned to the command of the Second Brigade in Gen . Abercrombie ' s Division . In 1864 he joined the command of Gen . Q . A . Gillmore , who was then operating on the South Carolina coast . He was severely wounded at Denoe ' s Neck , near Charleston , in December 1864 , and was sent North for medical treatment . On his recovery he returned south and was assigned to duty as Commander of the post at Charleston , taking over the job from Stewart Woodford . While in this position Gurney was involved in an incident with Stephen Atkins Swails , the first African American Commissioned Officer . He was promoted for gallantry in action to the rank of Brigadier - General . Gen . Gurney returned to New York in July , 1865 , where he was mustered out of the service . The 127th New York Volunteers he had raised was mustered out on June 30 , 1865 after three years of service to the United States . Post Civil War life . Gen . Gurney went back with his family to Charleston , where he established himself as a merchant and cotton factor . In 1870 Gen . Gurney was appointed Treasurer of Charleston County . He was a member of the Electoral College in 1872 from South Carolina , and was the Commissioner from that State in the Centennial Exposition . He continued to reside in Charleston until about 1878 , when he came North on account of his health .