History of the Civil War

1833

Robert S. (Samuel?) born to David and Martha.

1843

David moved to Illinois staying there until 1846, when he moved to Covington, Kentucky, and appears to spent much of his life in the Covington area.

1850

D. R. in charge of the Licking Iron Works. While there, he designed a belt driven trip hammer said to be the first of its kind.

1851

He is mentioned in the Covington Journal of February 1, 1851, as going to a fair where products of the Licking Iron works were displayed. In August of 1851 in the Covington Journal there is mention that D. R. Williams has “laid" new machinery at the Licking Iron Works. He was involved with machinery most of his life. August 16, 1851 he is mentioned as having “laid” new machinery at the Licking Iron Works that worked so well “that without a screw giving way or “occurring to stay the proceedings".

1855

December 22, 1855, page 2 of the Covington Journal. Mr. R. S. Williams, lately of the Winchester Chronicle, proposes to publish a paper entitled “Bracken County Chronicle" at Augusta, Ky. The Chronicle will be independent and conservative. Price will be $2 a year. We trust the undertaking will be entirely successful. In the same column “ Our young friend Mr. John A Williams [brother of R. S. Williams] has purchased the Winchester “Chronicle" establishment and will hereafter control the paper. He has the talent and energy requisite to succeed in the undertaking and the people of Clarke [County] will stand in their own light if they do not give him a generous support. The machine is mentioned again in the Covington Journal of April 7, 1860.

1859

D. R. Williams mentioned in the Covington Journal of April 9,1859, page 2 as exhibiting a wood working machine he invented at his establishment.

1860

The machine is mentioned again in the Covington Journal of April 7, 1860. This time it is noted as being a steam powered machine that will process 14,000 to 16,000 feet of shutter slats per day. (see the full letter in appendix)

1861

30 April Proceedings of the Advisory Council of the State of Virginia, the Governor submitted a letter from John B. Floyd that he has had constructed a breech loading cannon which in his opinion is a great improvement over the ordinary field gun and that experiments made with it have been satisfactory and competent officers have pronounced it the most superior gun of the sort yet constructed, decidedly superior to the Armstrong gun. He proposes, if the Ordnance Department will bear the expense , to have one or more made for the State. (Floyd is thought to be referring to the Williams’ Gun)

1861

19 July G.W. Williams. Joined for duty and enrolled at Camp Boone by Lt. McCall for the war.

1861

17 August Muster-in Roll of Co H, 2nd Regt. (Mounted) Kentucky Infantry 1st Sgt. George W. Williams age 23. Roll dated Camp Boone Tennessee

1861

The Tredegar records for September of 1861 show that R.S. Williams was there to oversee the construction of a cannon. Not knowing that R.S. Williams was the son of David R. Williams I made the same mistake in an earlier article on the Williams’ Gun that many others have, thinking that R.S. Williams was the inventor of the Williams Gun because he is mentioned as being at the Tredegar Works to oversee the construction of the gun. This may be the gun mentioned in the Advisory Council Proceedings.

1862

16 April is the first mention I have found for the battle at Dam No. 1/Burnt Chimneys. April 29,1862, David R. wrote to the Secretary of War that a Williams’ Gun was taken to Gen. Magruder on April 19, 1862. 17 April, 1862 Lt. Orlando G. Wagner USA was killed by a shot that D. R. Williams thought came from his Williams Gun. (the Union account says a percussion shell exploded destroying the survey equipment, killed Lt. Wagner and Pvt. Jerry Luther, Second Rhode Island Regiment. (It is possible that one of the men was killed by a shot from the Williams’ gun but I think the odds are better it was a shot from a larger cannon shooting exploding shell.) 24 April Gen. MaGruder at Lee’s Farm wrote:

“Sir: I take pleasure in testifying my approval of your new gun which I have placed in position to meet the enemy. Hoping the gun may everywhere meet with the merit it so richly deserves.

I am sir respl’y your obt. svt.

J.Bankhead Magruder,

Maj. Gen. Com’g.

(The action at Dam No. 1 is the earliest reference to the Williams’ Gun in action that I have seen.)

20 May letter to the Hon. G. W. Randolph from D. R. Williams inviting him or representative to a demonstration of the Williams Mounted Rifle at 4 PM at the Tredegar Works.

27 May the Richmond Daily Exchange mentions that Gen. Floyd was there for the demonstrations. A letter from H. T. Owens, a Civil War Veteran, published in the Confederate Veteran in response to an earlier letter mentions seeing a Williams’ Gun being taken into action at the Battle of Seven Pines/Fair Oaks. He described the gun as follows:

“a small cannon halted in front of us for some time and we got a good look at it. It was drawn by one horse in shafts, the axle was short, the wheels very low and the barrel was a bout as big as a man’s coat sleeve. It carried a round ball about the size of a hen’s egg and was loaded at the breech."

June 1 Sgt. G. W. Williams is listed as a prisoner of war at Camp Morton, Indiana.

21 August 1862. Tredegar Contract with D. R. Williams Co. for 20 Williams iron breech loading guns similar to the one made in September 1861. Price $325 each. Tredegar cast 16 guns from January 23, 1863 to March 11, 1863.

24 August 1862 Roll of Prisoners of War to be exchanged sent from Camp Morton to Vicksburg, Miss. 1st Sgt. G.W. Williams was exchanged at Aikens Landing, VA.

September 12, 1862 reduced to ranks in General Floyds command. Is noted as being AWOL.

1862

October 15, 1862. Adjutant and Inspector Generals Office Special Orders No 241. Private G. W. Williams of Company H, 2nd Regt., Kentucky Volunteers is detailed to take charge of the “Williams Guns” and deliver them to Major General S. B. Buckner. By Command of the Sec’y of War. Jno. Withers, Asst. Adj. Genl.

November 1, 1862 G. W. Williams appointed an Officer of Volunteer Army by the Secretary of War.

November 5th or 8th, 1862 D. R. Williams receives Confederate Patent No. 121 for a breech loading cannon.

Richmond, Nov. 6th, 1862. Letter from D. R.Williams to Jefferson Davis stating he has presented the government with two of his breech loading gun and requesting that his son George W. Williams be commissioned or authorized to take charge of a full battery of these guns. Endorsement by GWR saying “ Inform him that the authority will be given to raise a company of Kentuckians and order it. (this became the Buckner Batteries).

Roll 1578864 Letters from the Secretary of War Sept. 1862-January 1863

Page 131

C.S.A. War Department

Richmond, Nov. 8 1862

George W. Williams, Esq.

Co. H, 2nd Kentucky Regiment

Care D. R. Williams, Esq.

Box 438, Richmond, VA

Sir:

You are authorized to enlist Kentuckians for three years or the war, and to organize them into a company of Light Artillery of not less than 70 privates. The muster-roll must be forwarded to the Adjutant General.

Respectfully,

/s/ George W. Randolph

Sec. of War

November and December absent with leave at Richmond, VA., by order of Sec. of War.

1863

17 January

Hdqrs., District of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona

Maj. H.H. Haynie

Sir:

The general commanding directs that you write to Colonel Gorgas for arms for this district. You will represent that the insurrection by the Germans in several counties, the transporting of troops by the enemy to the Rio Grande, and the large number of unarmed troops in the district render it indispensably necessary to the defense of the State that arms should be furnished by the Government with out delay. You will telegraph to Colonel Gorgas to send some guns (artillery) of the Williams pattern. With the cavalry they can be used to great advantage on the prairies. You will proceed to Monroe, ascertain whether the arms held subject to General Magruder’s order are on this side or the other side of the Mississippi. You will impress all teams necessary to for the transportation of these arms, obtaining the authority from Lieutenant General Holmes. You will proceed to Richmond if necessary to procure arms.

J. B. Eustis,

Major and Assistant Adjutant General

The Williams Gun at Dam No. 1 apparently did impress General MacGruder and he ordered Major Eustis to request the guns. (So far I have seen no record of Williams Guns sent to Texas )

February 1. The Cincinnati Enquirer says D. R. Williams is in Richmond, having left Covington, Kentucky, some eighteen months previously and has made a fortune with the invention of a breech loading cannon now being manufactured at the Tredegar Works in Richmond, Virginia. (There is no record of D. R. Williams ever being paid for any Williams Gun that I have seen. His son Robert S. was a reporter for various newspapers and appears to have written this.)

1863.

6 January R.S. Williams applied for authority to raise a company of light artillery to be equipped with Williams’ Guns

14 January XI.

“Special Orders No. 11,

Adjt. and Insp. General’s Office,

Richmond, Va.

Authority is hereby granted R.S. Williams to raise a light artillery company, to be equipped with Williams’ breech- loading guns to consist of Kentuckians, under the call of the President and existing law.

By Command of the Secretary of War.

Signed by John Withers, Assistant Adjutant General. "

(This battery first known as the Williams Battery later became Schoolfields Battery, Chapter 18, Kentucky Cavaliers in Dixie, Reminiscences of a Confederate Cavalryman by George Dallas Musgrove gives the best history of the battery that I’ve seen. It also lists the names of the men in the battery and describes the end of the battery.)

14 February “Rob’t Williams of “Williams Gun" fame came Wytheville his evening." Bluegrass Confederate Gurrant, page 217 .

21 March “ Col. Johnson’s little Williams’ Gun was stolen by last night" (Reuben Patrick sneaked into the Confederate Camp, there was no guard and he carried off the barrel to the gun. The Confederates abandoned the carriage. When Captain Patrick came to the Confederate camp the next day he found the carriage and remounted the barrel. This Williams Gun is in the xxxxxx Kentucky Museum.

August Requisition signed by R. S. Williams, Capt. Kentucky Battery J.J. Schoolfield, 1st Lt. Comdg, Kentucky Battery.

12 October

Headquarters Sixty Six Indiana Infantry Volunteers

Sir:

On Sunday morning, the 11th instant, at 10 o’clock my force of 240 men at this post was attacked by the enemy’s statement, 3000 mounted infantry and cavalry, with eight pieces of artillery, 5 11/2” bore Williams rifled guns, two 6-pounder smooth-bores, and one 10-pounder steel rifled gun. The enemy made a rapid charge.

I have the honor to be, respectfully, you obedient servant,

/s/ D.C. Anthony

Colonel, Commanding

1863

Capt. Charles C. Smith 13 Infantry ( he arrived after the battle started) “the enemy opened up on me with a battery of five pieces with grape and solid shot. (The sixth gun of the battery was in Captain Patrick’s possession. This gun is now at the Kentucky Military Museum in Frankfort, Kentucky.)

28 November Saltville, VA.

Gen’l S. Cooper

Dear Sir:

Enclosed you will find authority from the Sec. of War for you to issue a Commission to recruit. You will please issue the proper papers and forward them to me at this place at your earliest convenience as I am very anxious to be at work.

Very respectfully, your ob’t serv’t

/s/ D. R. Williams

Capt. Lieut. Artillery

28 Nov. Official Orders War of Rebellion. List of light batteries in the Army of the Mississippi. shows the Holt Battery, Chalmers Brigade stationed at Wyatt, MS. Four Williams’ Guns, 10 0z, smoothbored artillery. (thought to be one of the Buckner Batteries)

1863

7 December Granted D. R. Williams, Capt., Arti’ly. Sec. of War directs that authority be granted to him to recruit his co. to the maximum within the State of Kentucky.

Adj. Genr’l

Capt. J. A. Williams (over written as D. R. Williams) having already as represented thirty men enrolled and requisite for an artillery company is authorized to recruit to the full number within the State of Kentucky for the War.

/s/ J. A. Sneddon

Sec’y of War

1864

August 24, 1864

Camp Laurel, E. T. (East Tennessee)

Hon. Sec. of War

Sir:

I have the honor of reporting to you a company of mounted men who are exempt from the service being under and over age, and I, being adverse to reporting to Brig. Jno H. Morgan, I respectfully request that I be assigned to Maj. Gen. Jno S. Williams’s command and as an especial favor I would ask the privilege of be ordered to report to Lt. Col. Oliver A. Patton, comdg Batt Ky Cav, who gallantly fought the enemies of the Confederate States upon Kentucky soil during all last summer, was wounded and captured & recently exchanged at Charleston. He now having six companies and is anxious to organize a regiment of Ky troops under Genl. Williams. I will report the company rolls as soon as assigned. I will be recognized as once being in command of a “Ky Battery".

Very respectfully,

Your ob’’t serv’t,

D. R. Williams

Address

Wytheville, Va.

(No record that I have seen of the unit being used)

1865

March 2nd, 1865

Lee Co. VA.

Col. H. L. Giltner

Comdg. Dist. SW. Va.

Colonel:

I have received an order from Lt. H. B. Anderson, A.I.G. dated 28 Feb’y 1865, requiring me to furnish Hd Qrs a copy of the order assigning me to duty with this command and a statement showing my position in the Confederate Army. In obedience to this order, I would respectfully state that I was ordered to report to Col. Prentice and took command of a piece of artillery , which was captured by the enemy at Gladville, Va., during the first Saltville raid. I was elected Captain of the “Buckner Battery” Lt. Artillery, at Mobile, Ala., in November 1862. In May of 1863 I came to Knoxville, Tenn., with Gen’l Buckner and staff, and desiring to remain in this department, I applied for and received orders to report to Maj. McAfee who informed me he was organizing a battalion. I enclose this order herewith. There was some difficulty between Major McAfee and Captain Jesee as to who should command the battalion , and, not wishing to be drawn into it myself , I applied for and rec’d orders to report to Col. Prentice with whom I have since been serving.

I am, Colonel, Very Resptly, Your Obdt. Servnt,

/s/ G. W. Williams P. A.C. S (Provisional Army of the Confederate States)

1875

23 January. Covington Journal Last evening there was no improvement in the condition of Mr. D. R. Williams and his immediate friends entertained the gravest apprehensions as to the result. Previous announcements of the dangerous illness of Mr. David R. Williams had prepared the public to hear of his death, which occurred last Saturday morning. (This obituary mentions his patents in wood working machinery but does not mention the Williams Gun.)