The National tribune., 1892-07-07
NEW ADJUTA MTG EN- ERAL.
Gen. Robert Williams Appointed to Succeed
Gen. j. C.. kelton.

Gen. Robert Williams Appointed to Succeed
Gen. j. G. kelten.
| Robert Williams, the senior Colonel of the
| Adjutant- Generals Department of the United
| States Army has been promoted Brigadier-
| General and Adintant- General of the Army,
vice Gen. John c. Kelton, recently retired
from active service by operation of law.
Gen. Williams was born in Culpeper County,
Va, Nov. 6, 1929 and received his early educa-
tion in the schools of that State. He entered
the Military Academy, July /, 1S47, graduating
in 1851, and was appointed brevet Second Lieu
tenant, Cd U. S. Dragons. He was promoted
Second-Leutenant in July, 1853, and First
Lieutenant in 1855. At the breaking out of
the war he was promoted Assistant Adjutant-
General with the rank of Captain, which
position he filed until Oct Z, 1861, when he
was appointed Colonel of the 1st Mass. Cav.
taking this gallant regiment to South Carolina
where he performed gallant service. The regi-
ment was ordered North, and reported to Nc
Clellan at Fort Monroe, in July, 1862, and took
part in the campaign of South Mountain and
Antietam.
Col Williams resigned his commission rs
Colonel of the LIST Mass Cav, in October, 1862,
and was assigned TO duty in the Adjutant-
Generals Office at the War Department In
Washington, where he served until the close of
to Gen. Candy at Richmond, Va, as Adj
jutant- General. He was also Adiutant-General
under Gen. John Pope at Leavenworth, and at
Headquarters Department of the Platte. In
1881 he was ordered to Chicago, and under
Gen. Sheridan served as Adjutant- General,
Military Division of the Missouri. He then
came to Washington, and at the time Of his
promotion was in charge of the newly organ
lied Bureau Of Military Information.
Col. Williams came from a family of soldiers,
his grandfather, James Williams, being a
Revolutionary soldier, aud also serving in the
war of 1872
Gen. Sam Jones, of the rebel army, who was
Captain in the 1st L. s. Art. before the war,
and resigned and became a Major General in
the Confederacy, tells story regarding the
early days of 1861. He says that when he re-
signed his Captaiucy in the Regular Army he
crossed the Potomac the same day and in COM
pany with Gen. Robert +. Lee, who had also
resigned, and was guest of Lees for several
days at Arlington. He finally started for his
own home in Virginia, and on the journey
stopped over night with a rich uncle of Gen.
Robert Williams, who lived near the Kappa
hammock. In the morning, before breakfast,
Gen. Jones went with Mr.. Williams about the
plantation to see its beauties, and was finally
taken to the stables, where the owner had
number of booded horses. Among them was
handsome black mare, of which Mr.. Williams
was very proud. He pointed out the many good
qualities of this animal, and wound up by stat
ing that man should ever back her until
"Our Bob" (meaning the subject OF this sketch)
rode her as a commander OF the Black Horse
Cavalry in defense of Virginia soil"
Gen. Jones says Mr.. Willams's heart was
almost broken when he heard that Our Bob "
had been made Col. of the LIST Mass. Cav. and
was coming to invade the sacred soil of old
Virginny."