Franklin Aretas Haskell (July 13, 1828 – June 3, 1864) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War and was killed at the Battle of Cold Harbor.

[2] When the Civil War began, Haskell enlisted in Col. Lysander Cutler's 6th Wisconsin Infantry of Brig.

[6] In his recollections of the Battle, Haskell was highly critical of Sickles as a soldier and a person as well as his move forward that led to his III Corps being attacked by the Confederates.

[7] That night, Gibbon took part in a council of war called by Meade which Haskell recorded in his recollections of the Battle.

Late that morning, Gibbon hosted a meal for much of the Union high command which Haskell also recorded for posterity.

[9] Shortly after the luncheon broke up Confederate artillery began to shell the area where Gibbon's men were positioned.

)[15] commended Haskell for his performance, with Gibbon later writing that "I have always thought that to him, more than to any one man, are we indebted for the repulse of Lee's assault.

"[16] A few weeks after the Battle, Haskell wrote the account of what he had experienced at Gettysburg to his brother Harrison in Portage, Wisconsin.

"[21] Gibbon wrote to his wife that he had planned to promote "poor Haskell" to field command after the battle.

[23] In The Civil War, the documentary by Ken Burns, the subtitle of Episode 5, "The Universe of Battle", comes from Haskell's account, where, shortly after the lunch, he and Gen. Gibbon are sitting, watching the great cannonade of the third day.