David Henry Williams (March 19, 1819 – June 1, 1891) was a railroad surveyor, civil engineer and writer in civilian life. He was a volunteer in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

during the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...

and a volunteer

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. He was appointed colonel of the

82nd Pennsylvania Infantry The 82nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was designated the 31st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry until after the Battle of Seven Pines but changed to avoid c ...

Regiment on July 23, 1861. He was appointed a

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in the Union Army on November 29, 1862, but his appointment expired on March 4, 1863, without being confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

. His actual highest rank remained colonel. After the expiration of his appointment in 1863, Williams resigned from the Union Army and returned to his career as a civil engineer and, after his health soon declined, a writer for newspapers and magazines.

Early life

David Henry Williams was born in

Otsego County, New York Otsego County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,524. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name ''Otsego'' is from a Mohawk or Oneida word meaning "place of the rock." History In 178 ...

, on March 19, 1819.Eicher, John H., and

David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...

, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. 615. Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders''. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1964. . p. 560. Williams moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1837. He was a railroad surveyor for 10 years.Warner, 1964, p. 561.

Mexican–American War and aftermath

Williams served as a volunteer in the Mexican–American War. Historian Ezra J. Warner wrote that Williams's obituary stated that he served in the Mexican-American War but he is not listed as an officer in F. B. Heitman's ''Historical Register''. Historian Stewart Sifakis wrote that Williams served "apparently as an enlisted man."Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War.'' New York: Facts On File, 1988. . p. 717. After the Mexican-American War, Williams moved to

Allegheny, Pennsylvania Allegheny City was a municipality that existed in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania from 1788 until it was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907. It was located north across the Allegheny River from downtown Pittsburgh, with its southwest border formed by ...

, now part of

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

. He practiced engineering and became interested in the militia.

American Civil War

The 82nd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment was organized as the 31st Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment and served under that designation until the

Battle of Fair Oaks The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, nearby Sandston, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was th ...

. Thereafter, the 2nd Reserve Regiment was given the designation 31st Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment and the original regiment was renumbered as the 82nd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. Williams was the first colonel of the regiment, having been appointed July 23, 1861. Williams commanded the regiment during the Peninsula Campaign, where the unit was in action at the

Siege of Yorktown The Siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown, the surrender at Yorktown, or the German battle (from the presence of Germans in all three armies), beginning on September 28, 1781, and ending on October 19, 1781, at Yorktown, Virgi ...

and at the

Seven Days Battles The Seven Days Battles were a series of seven battles over seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, command ...

during which the regiment suffered heavy casualties at the

Battle of Seven Pines The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, nearby Sandston, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was t ...

and

Battle of Malvern Hill The Battle of Malvern Hill, also known as the Battle of Poindexter's Farm, was fought on July 1, 1862, between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, led by Gen. Robert E. Lee, and the Union Army of the Potomac under Maj. Gen. George B. Mc ...

. The regiment did not become engaged in heavy combat in the Maryland Campaign or the

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat, between the Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnsi ...

and suffered few losses in them. Williams was appointed a brigadier general on November 29, 1862. The appointment expired on March 4, 1863, without having been confirmed. Warner notes that Williams's last appearance in the ''Official Records'' was January 31, 1863, when he was commander of the 82nd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment in the division commanded by

Charles Devens Charles Devens Jr. (April 4, 1820 – January 7, 1891) was an American lawyer, jurist and statesman. He also served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Early life and career Born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, Devens g ...

.United States War Department. ''The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies.'' Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1880–1901. (Principally prepare by Robert N. Scott) . Williams resigned from the Union Army in early 1863 and returned to Allegheny (Pittsburgh).

Later life and death

Williams returned to engineering after he resigned from the

. Warner states that he was a professor of engineering after his return to Allegheny. After a short time, his health deteriorated and he became a prolific writer for newspapers and magazines. David Henry Williams died on June 1, 1891, at Allegheny, Pennsylvania. He is buried at

Allegheny Cemetery Allegheny Cemetery is one of the largest and oldest burial grounds in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is a historic rural cemetery. The non-sectarian, wooded hillside park is located at 4734 Butler Street in the Lawrenceville neighborhood, and boun ...

Notes

References

* Eicher, John H., and

, ''Civil War High Commands''. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * Sifakis, Stewart. ''Who Was Who in the Civil War''. New York: Facts On File, 1988. . * Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders''. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1964. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, David Henry 1819 births 1897 deaths United States Army officers Union Army colonels People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War People of Michigan in the American Civil War People of New York (state) in the American Civil War American military personnel of the Mexican–American War Burials at Allegheny Cemetery