Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-05-14

there was again called to the place of his
carry education and discipline, but nov a
AdJ't General of the military academy. which
position he faithfully and acceptably filled
rom September, 1850, to September, 1858.
when he was made Asst Adjufant General.
and' after short service vt Troy, N T., vas
occupied in the AdJ't Generals office at
asnlngton. with but slight intermission)
unui December, 1850. when he was assigned
to the department of the West, and for .
short period 70 that of Ohio.
In the fall of 1859, before the war clouds
had darkly gathered, he vas offered through
zen. Burnside, civil position of very con-
siderable emolument, and urged to resign
his military position to accept it. He post
poned his decision - to accepting it, however,
and, the var coming on, cont nued a. an
officer Of the Z. S. Army. On the firing on
Fort Sumrter, he was recalled to Washington
and assigned as Adj't Gen. on Mai Gen.
McCiellan's staf. in which position he served
In the virginia campaign. After which he
vas again occupied in the department At
Washington. where 10 the arduous duties of
the post be labored day and night in collect
ing. eiucidating and sysfemarizing the varied
received by the department, and
preparing himself to give, at all times, relia-
Die information to military officers and others,
upon all subjects within his domain, where
such information was needed and proper.
In this service he remained until March,
1862. having mesnw hile been promot ed MAY
llth, 1861 to Bevet Major, and (Aug. Sd,
ls6l) to Major, and (Sept. 23d, 1861 to
Brig. Gen. of q. S. Volunteers.
During this period Of his service both his
physical and mental pow ers were used to their
utmost. Besides his other vaet duties, he
-.
day in answering the various questions of
numerous applicants for information, which
received his ready and kind response, and
often-times his warm sympathy, and even aid
II the case seemed t. demand it. long line
OF men and WON each day appeared before
him. The writer, who was sitting beside
him one day, well remembers an elderly lady
IN the line, and, as her turn came, trembling
ly asking if her son wss living. and. If 90.
where he was stationed then, giving his regi-
ment, 80 that she could write to him. .Imuedia-
ately she was told that her son was living,
and where he was stationed, with this addi-
ton. "bring your lstter 70 me tomorrow, and
will see that it 10 forwarded" On being
asked if the forwarding OF letters was part of
his duty, he replied. "Oh, no but the moth
er's anxiety will be relieved, and the letter
will be sure to reach her son." After Msrch,
1862, he was in the Aeld q headquartefs ~
Adjt Gen1 of the Army of the Potomac,
serving in the Feninsuh and Maryland cam
psigns vish Gesersl AcClellan; in the Rap
pahannock. Pennsylvania and Rapidan cam
paigns, and Ia operstions IN Central Virginia
with Gem. BurnSide, Hooker and Meade
excessively, having received commissions -
1t. Col. (Jaly II. 1852 and a. Brevst Col.
duly 3, 1869 "for gallant and meritorious
services st the battle Of Gettysburg !" It was
1t this battle that false report went forth
thst be had been killed BY the bursting of
shell.
Upon Gen. Granrs accession to the COM
mand Gen. Williams was msde . member Of
his sta6, acting - Adjatant General for .
time. Afterwards, owing to i'll health, he was
relieved from his long continued service in
this class of duties and appointed - Inspector
General, which position offered relief and
change from severe local duty. 1t was with
the hope that he might be completely restored
to health. He continued on Gen. Grants
stad until nearly the close of his life. Thus
he served daring the entire civil war, and it
may be said that there was not one of the
several commanders but thxt appreciated his
ability and fidelity to the performance of his
duties. In August, 1864. he was commissioned
Brevet Msj Gen of Volunteers, and in the
sprung VI Oo bIcVet DElk' utu- VI TIE u ..
Army, upon which followed Immediately his
commission as Brevet Maj Gen. U. s. Army.
Gen. Williams accompanied Gen. Grant to
Appomattox, and was one of the few officers
on that memorable occasion to witness the
final surrender of Lee, snd it has been narrat-
ed that the first words spoken were between
Gen. Williams and Gen. Lee.
The speaker read a letter from Louis
PHILIPPE DOrleans of France to Gen. Will
liams, written after the assassination of
President Lincoln, congratulating the
General on the honorable part that
he had borne in the war. General
Williams continued upon the staff of the
Commsnder-n-chief as Inspector General to
February 8, 1866, from which time TO March
lst of that year he nominally served as Adj't
General of the Atlantic having his headquar-
ters at Philadelphia. But the head of the
strong man was bowed. and the vigorous
mind gave way from the reaction when the
days of battle were over. and his death oc-
Cured March 23rd, 1866, when he lacke d a
single day of being A years of age His
death was most severely mourned by all his
papers of the country paid due tribute to his
memory.
The speaker read extracts from eloqu
obituaries taken from The Nation, N. Y.
Times and Army and Navy Journal; also an
extract from the official order of Gen. Meade
announcing his death. Gen. Grant had or
dered flags 1t half mast at his quarters and
other military stations. After appropriate
services At the Episcopal church, 10 which
he had as . member been much attached, he
was laid at rest in the family ground by the
side of his mother. at Forest Grove cemetery
in Augusta, with the simplicity he would him
self have desired. without military fisplay,
save only the national token of respect by
the firing Of funeral guns, At the Arsenal at
Augusta. The funeral services at st. Marks
church were conducted by the rector, Rev.
Mr.. johnson. Many were the letters and
teleerams received from his friends.
In referring to his military career, the
speaker said: "Yet in the rebel
lion his great merit lies preeminently in his
remarkable capacity for, and fidelity in the
less famous but not less essential duties Of
his Adjutant Generalship, performed in office
and in camp, rather than in the battlefield.
The lecturer cited feeling expressions of
respect, confidence and affection from Gen.
o. o. Howard, Maj. Gen. Rufus ingalls,, and
Mai. Gen. W. s. Hancock. Between Gen.
williams and Generals Mcclellan, Burnside,
Hooker, Meade and Grant, his commanding
. strong attachment existed.
1t has been said that sin war there are no
SUNDAYS" vet it vas generally understood