Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-05-14

Sketch Of his Life and Military Services
From

Following il . very full abstract of the
eloquent and interesting lecture on the life
and military services of Gen. Seth Williams,
delivered BY Hon. Benz. A. G. Fuller of
Boston, in Granite Hall, Monday evening:
Mr.. Commander and Comrades of the Seth
Williams Post. scr
LADIES' AND GEsTLEAzx 1T 10 with pleas
ure that l embrace this opportunity offered.
to again greet you, or 1t least very many of
you q fellow citizens Of yore, wards whom
. twenty y ears absence has not diminished
my interest or regard.
By your kind invitation, am to read be-
fore you paper prepsr ed for and recently
read before the n. 8. Historical Genealogical
Society in Boston, having relation to the
accomplished soldier, whose name has been
nftingly chosen by you to designate the Post
of the G. A. K. in his native place.
Gen. Seth Williams sprung from good old
stock. His earliest ancestor in this country
vas Richard Williams, who came from Wales
and as early as 1887 settled in that part of
Massachusetts now known as Taunton, of
which territory he was one of the first pur-
chasers from the Indians, and was for many
wears its principal inhabitant and its repre-.
sentative in 1915, '4S and so, and in some
him was Capt. Seth Williams, grandfather
Of the general who bore his name) who re-
moved from Easton TO Fort Western (now
Augusta, Me- 10 1779, and in 1871 married
Zilpha Ingraham, whose mother was a sister
of the wife of Roger Sherman, and also
mother of Benz. Bupey of Roxbury, Mass.
Gen Williams was the son of Hon. Daniel
Williams and May, (Savtelle) his wife, and
was born At Augusta, Me-, March "a, 1922.
The days of his childhood we're
spent in that pleasant town upon
the banks Of the beautiful Kennebec
river. with its green fields and shady groves
which Afforded ample scope for rural sports
in which he wss ever ready to indulge. Here,
too, were excellent schools, for those days,
which he duly attended but there was moth
ing aside from the ordinary life Of youth to
indicate his future career, unless that ''in his
boyho0d he vas always truthful, manly, and
remarkably thoughtful of the comfort and
happiness Of oshefs, finding his own in con-
tributing to theirs;" traits Of character which
attended him through life.
Entering the Academy at West Point, July
1888, At the ses Of Is yesrs. he found new
and strange life opening befor him. sud one.
in some respects, sorely trying and arduous.
cd 80 arbitrary mode or discipline, coming
from the quiet shades of then rural village,
snd not s6pecially fond ef study for il 4o~u
Aake, tbs change w. - great that youth
| of 1sss drmness, reso1utioa and courage might
we'll have shruAk from the task Get before
him, and hsve retired to . lsSs labofioss and
severe occupation in other hslds. even If less
honorable; bat not 20 with him! He hsd
entersd upon hia life service the position
| hsd bssn soasht and obtained for him; his
friends expecsed him to all it, and duty re-
CURED that his best efforts should be put
forth In achieving that education which
vice his cosntfy might in the future demand
at his hands. He was, therefore, faithful.
diligent, and active in all the coufss at the
academy, aud the various drawings there
made by him (now in my possession) evince
! q care for neataess, skill and accuracy which
clearly indicate potent, indefatigable deter
mination to do to his utmost power the work,
and the whole work. given him to perform.
| Among Lis fellow cadets he was q general
favorits His vscations at home were his
| happiest hours at this period, as there, free
| from restraint, he could bound over the fields
| in all the freshness and buoyancy of his
spirit. Here he loved to climb
'.Thy noble hills. o, Mainei
| And watch their torrents eaping wildly free;
! And tread the lovely vale. ana tread the plain,
| Where hastes the shining river to the sea-"
! After the usual four wears of study and
/ discipline he was honorably graduated from
! West Point in July ls42. and promoted in the
army to Brevet I'd Lieutenant, I'd artillery,
| serving in garrison at Fort Adams, r L.,
/ la42-43, aud at Fort Hamilton, New York
| Harbor 1884. and at Hancock barracks,
/ Houlton, Maine, 1s44-45, having been pro-
motel August 3lst, 1874 to I'd Lieutenant, lst
artillery. In the latter place, at the extreme
of his native State, he made many friends,
who have long and warmly cherished the re-
membrance of his manly qualities and genial
companionship. In ls45 he was for a short
time at Fort Winthrop, Boston Harbor. from
whence he was ordered to Texas. and left for
his destination Aug 29th. In family letter
dated Aug. 2Sth he writes Il am not un-
willing to leave. Indeed. l should much
dislike to remain behind. Perhaps we may
have to fight, perhaps not. If, however, we
are called into action. trust we shall acquit
ourselves honorably." This of course was
the first time the solemn responsibilities Of
his avoction had actually thrust themselves
upon his mind in all their force. But there
was neither shrinking nor shirking. In
pursuance Of this order he was with the
army in the military occupation of
| Texas, and Was actively engaged in the war
with Mexico in 1916 7-s. He served with
Gen. Taylor and was in the heat Of the terri
BILE conflict OF tAl0 Alto. May 3, 1870, ana oI
Resaca de In Palma on the succeeding day,
doing valiant service in both with coolness
and courage, eiiciting the commendation of
his superior officers. and resulting shortly
afterw ards in his appointment on the stan OF
Mai. Gen. Patterson, with whom he served
until the close of that var. II was about the
time of these battles that the rumor of his
death upon the field spread for the time
deep gloom over his native town. 1t had for
| its foundation the unfortunate death of the
gallant Capt. williams of the Typographical
| Engineers. g,
March 80. 1S47. he was further promoted
to lst 1t. LIST Artillery, and was at the siege
of Vera Cruz during the same month, and on
the 18th and 18th Of April vas at the battle
of Cerro Gordo. achieving all that opportuni-
| ty and unfiuching bravery rendered possible
for him. For this "gallant and meritorious
conduct in the battle of Cerro Gordo" he Was
made Brevet Captain, his commission dating
A April lsts, the last day Of the csnnict. Hav-
ing been granted . furlough, he visited his
home in Augusta for . short time ia the sum-
mer Of lS47, but his stAy was cut short by an
order for his return to Mexico. which ne
instantly obeyed. While 1t home, however,
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