Ancestors in the Civil War

Will Williams

Augustus H. Williams –

2nd Minnesota, Company D

Military Service: Augustus ( Gus ) enlisted in St. Paul June 17 , 1861 and was mustered out of service in Chattanooga July 4 ,1864, at the end of his enlistment. He was a private in CO. D, 2nd  Minn Infantry Regiment. There are no records of him ever being wounded or ill while in the Army. I have his file from the N. Archives and other than his pay vouchers, he was given a written reprimand by his SGT. in Gallatin, Tenn. for “laughing and joking” while on dress parade.

Engagements, Campaigns, etc:

The 2nd Minn along with the 87th Ind, 9th Ohio and 35th Ohio were personally trained by Gen. Thomas in the fall and winter of 1861 in Kentucky and remained his most trusted units throughout the war – until Sherman took them on the “march.” They were originally assigned to The Army of  The Ohio, 1st Division (Gen. Thomas), 3rd Brigade. In November 1861 the army was reorganized and their assignment became The Army of The Cumberland, 14th Corps, 3rd Div., 3rd Brigade (still Gen. Thomas only now he was the Corps Commander). Augustus took part in the following battles/campaigns:

  • Mill Springs
  • Siege of Corinth
  • Perryville
  • Triune-Tullahoma
  • Chickamauga
  • Chattanooga-Missionary Ridge
  • Atlanta (to Kennesaw Mt.)
Notes:

Augustus was born 1840 in Farmington, Maine.  Levi (his father) moved the family to St. Paul in 1854. I’m not sure what Gus did before the War, but Levi was a cabinet maker so maybe he worked with him. After he was discharged, he is listed in the St. Paul Directory of 1864 and again in 1865 as a saloon keeper in downtown St. Paul. By 1866 he was farming in Burnsville and became quite successful at it. He married a local girl in 1870 and my grandfather was born in 1871.

As an indication of the esteem which these veterans had for some of their war-time leaders, he named his new son George Thomas Williams. According to newspaper reports of his death in 1890, he was very active in the GAR  and his comrades from the Farmington (MN) Post escorted his body on the train to St. Paul for services. He is buried in St. John’s Cemetery in Burnsville.