U.S. Senator, Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. Born near Mount Sterling, Kentucky, he graduated from Miami University at Oxford, Ohio in 1839. He studied law and became an attorney in Bourbon County, Kentucky. He enlisted to serve in the Mexican American War and was commissioned as a Captain of an independent company attached to the 6th U.S. Infantry. He later became a Colonel with the 4th Regiment of Kentucky Volunteers and earned his nickname, "Cerro Gordo Williams" for gallantry that he displayed in the Battle of Cerro Gordo. He returned to Kentucky after the war, and became a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1851 and 1853. Although he was initially against secession, he was still a leading proponent of states rights, but later detested President Lincoln's proposed policies and supported the Confederacy. When the Civil War began, he was commissioned as a Colonel with the 5th Kentucky Infantry and served under General Humphrey Marshall in Southwestern Virginia. He accepted a promotion to Brigadier General and was assigned to command the Department of Southwestern Virginia in 1863. He later helped to organize a cavalry brigade and participated in repulsing Union General Ambrose Burnside's invasion into Eastern Tennessee. He was transferred to Georgia and commanded a cavalry regiment under Confederate General Joseph Wheeler. Williams was later commended by the Confederate Congress for his conduct at the Battle of Saltville in Virginia. After the war, he returned to Kentucky and became a farmer in Winchester. He became a member of the Kentucky Legislature again in 1873 and 1875, and was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor in 1875. He was the presidential elector on the Democratic ticket in 1876, was later elected as a Democrat to represent Kentucky in the United States Senate, and served from 1879 to 1885. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1884. He died in Mount Sterling, Kentucky in 1898 when he was 80 years old.
U.S. Senator, Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. Born near Mount Sterling, Kentucky, he graduated from Miami University at Oxford, Ohio in 1839. He studied law and became an attorney in Bourbon County, Kentucky. He enlisted to serve in the Mexican American War and was commissioned as a Captain of an independent company attached to the 6th U.S. Infantry. He later became a Colonel with the 4th Regiment of Kentucky Volunteers and earned his nickname, "Cerro Gordo Williams" for gallantry that he displayed in the Battle of Cerro Gordo. He returned to Kentucky after the war, and became a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1851 and 1853. Although he was initially against secession, he was still a leading proponent of states rights, but later detested President Lincoln's proposed policies and supported the Confederacy. When the Civil War began, he was commissioned as a Colonel with the 5th Kentucky Infantry and served under General Humphrey Marshall in Southwestern Virginia. He accepted a promotion to Brigadier General and was assigned to command the Department of Southwestern Virginia in 1863. He later helped to organize a cavalry brigade and participated in repulsing Union General Ambrose Burnside's invasion into Eastern Tennessee. He was transferred to Georgia and commanded a cavalry regiment under Confederate General Joseph Wheeler. Williams was later commended by the Confederate Congress for his conduct at the Battle of Saltville in Virginia. After the war, he returned to Kentucky and became a farmer in Winchester. He became a member of the Kentucky Legislature again in 1873 and 1875, and was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor in 1875. He was the presidential elector on the Democratic ticket in 1876, was later elected as a Democrat to represent Kentucky in the United States Senate, and served from 1879 to 1885. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1884. He died in Mount Sterling, Kentucky in 1898 when he was 80 years old.
Bio by: K Guy
Family Members
Advertisement
