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 primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

during the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...

and a volunteer Union Army

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), 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 colon ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. 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 ...

Regiment on July 23, 1861. He was appointed a brigadier general 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 a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

. 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 county's population center is Oneonta. The name ''Otsego'' is from a Mohawk or Oneida word m ...

, 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 Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

. 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 as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union's Army of the Po ...

. 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 The Peninsula campaign (also known as the Peninsular campaign) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March to July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The oper ...

, where the unit was in action at the

Siege of Yorktown The siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown and the surrender at Yorktown, was the final battle of the American Revolutionary War. It was won decisively by the Continental Army, led by George Washington, with support from the Ma ...

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 States Army, Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army ...

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 as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union's Army of the Po ...

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. ...

. The regiment did not become engaged in heavy combat in the

Maryland Campaign The Maryland campaign (or Antietam campaign) occurred September 4–20, 1862, during the American Civil War. The campaign was Confederate States Army, Confederate General (CSA), General Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the Northern United Stat ...

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, Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Major general ( ...

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 Union Army. 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 b ...

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