Life span: 09/29/1810 to 12/21/1878TabsLife SummaryFull name: Alpheus Starkey WilliamsPlace of Birth: Deep River, CTBurial Place: Elmwood Cemetery, Detroit, MIBirth Date Certainty: ExactDeath Date Certainty: ExactGender: MaleRace: WhiteSectional choice: NorthOrigins: Free StateNo. of Spouses: 2No. of Children: 9Family: Ezra Williams (father), Hepzibah Starkey (mother), Jane Larned Pierson (first wife, 1839), Martha Ann Conant Tillman (second wife, 1873)Education: YaleOccupation: PoliticianMilitaryDiplomatAttorney or JudgeJournalistOtherOther Occupation: BankerRelation to Slavery: White non-slaveholderPolitical Parties: DemocraticGovernment: Taylor Administration (1849-50)Fillmore Administration (1850-53)Johnson Administration (1865-69)DiplomatUS House of RepresentativesState judgeLocal governmentMilitary: US military (Pre-Civil War)US military (Post-Civil War) Note Cards Alpheus Starkey Williams (Congressional Biographical Directory) ReferenceWILLIAMS, Alpheus Starkey, a Representative from Michigan; born in Saybrook, Middlesex County, Conn., September 20, 1810; was graduated from Yale College in 1831; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1837 and commenced practice in Detroit, Mich.; judge of probate 1840-1844; editor of the Detroit Daily Advertiser 1843-1847; served in the war with Mexico; commissioned lieutenant colonel of the First Michigan Infantry December 8, 1847; mustered out July 29, 1848; postmaster of Detroit 1849-1853; commissioned brigadier general of Michigan Volunteers April 24, 1861, and of United States Volunteers May 17, 1861; brevetted major general of Volunteers January 12, 1865; mustered out January 15, 1866; unsuccessful nominee for Governor of Michigan in 1866; Minister Resident to San Salvador 1866-1869; elected as a Democrat to the Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth Congresses and served from March 4, 1875, until his death in Washington, D.C., December 21, 1878; chairman, Committee on District of Columbia (Forty-fifth Congress); interment in Elmwood Cemetery, Detroit, Mich."Williams, Alpheus Starkey," Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 to Present, http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=W000487. Alpheus Starkey Williams (American National Biography) ScholarshipWilliams's greatest and most crucial performance as a combat leader took place on 2-3 July 1863 at Gettysburg, where he again was acting commander of the XII Corps. On the afternoon of 2 July, having been ordered to bolster the Union left against a threatened Confederate breakthrough, he pulled his troops from their works on the Union right and successfully accomplished his mission. Then, on returning that night to his former sector, he discovered that a strong enemy force had occupied his empty trenches, putting itself in position to seize Culp's Hill, the loss of which would have led to Union retreat and probable defeat. Wisely refraining from a night attack, Williams waited until daylight, then mounted an assault that Edwin B. Coddington described as "well-conceived" and "efficiently executed," with the result that the Confederates were driven back and the danger to Culp's Hill eliminated. Few northern generals contributed more to the Union victory at Gettysburg than Williams.Albert Castel, "Williams, Alpheus Starkey," American National Biography Online, February 2000, http://www.anb.org/articles/05/05-00839.html. Events Date span begin Life span End Event 04/27/1863 04/30/1863 The Army of the Potomac concentrates on Chancellorsville in preparation for an attack on Lee 05/01/1863 05/01/1863 Union and Confederate armies collide near Chancellorsville in Spotsylvania County, Virginia 05/02/1863 05/02/1863 "Stonewall" Jackson's flanking movement seizes the initiative in the Battle of Chancellorsville 05/03/1863 05/03/1863 Lee's Army of Northern Virginia forces back entrenched Union forces at the Battle of Chancellorsville 05/05/1863 05/06/1863 The beaten Union Army retreats across the Rappahannock, ending the Battle of Chancellorsville 08/30/1866 08/30/1866 Michigan Republicans meet in Detroit and nominate Henry H. Crapo for governor. 09/06/1866 09/06/1866 Michigan Democrats endorse General A.S. Williams' nomination for governor. 11/06/1866 11/06/1866 Michigan Republicans win impressive victories in state elections. Major TopicsSherman's March Documents Images Alpheus S. Williams Alpheus S. Williams, detail Bibliography
Alpheus Starkey Williams (Congressional Biographical Directory) ReferenceWILLIAMS, Alpheus Starkey, a Representative from Michigan; born in Saybrook, Middlesex County, Conn., September 20, 1810; was graduated from Yale College in 1831; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1837 and commenced practice in Detroit, Mich.; judge of probate 1840-1844; editor of the Detroit Daily Advertiser 1843-1847; served in the war with Mexico; commissioned lieutenant colonel of the First Michigan Infantry December 8, 1847; mustered out July 29, 1848; postmaster of Detroit 1849-1853; commissioned brigadier general of Michigan Volunteers April 24, 1861, and of United States Volunteers May 17, 1861; brevetted major general of Volunteers January 12, 1865; mustered out January 15, 1866; unsuccessful nominee for Governor of Michigan in 1866; Minister Resident to San Salvador 1866-1869; elected as a Democrat to the Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth Congresses and served from March 4, 1875, until his death in Washington, D.C., December 21, 1878; chairman, Committee on District of Columbia (Forty-fifth Congress); interment in Elmwood Cemetery, Detroit, Mich."Williams, Alpheus Starkey," Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 to Present, http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=W000487.
Alpheus Starkey Williams (American National Biography) ScholarshipWilliams's greatest and most crucial performance as a combat leader took place on 2-3 July 1863 at Gettysburg, where he again was acting commander of the XII Corps. On the afternoon of 2 July, having been ordered to bolster the Union left against a threatened Confederate breakthrough, he pulled his troops from their works on the Union right and successfully accomplished his mission. Then, on returning that night to his former sector, he discovered that a strong enemy force had occupied his empty trenches, putting itself in position to seize Culp's Hill, the loss of which would have led to Union retreat and probable defeat. Wisely refraining from a night attack, Williams waited until daylight, then mounted an assault that Edwin B. Coddington described as "well-conceived" and "efficiently executed," with the result that the Confederates were driven back and the danger to Culp's Hill eliminated. Few northern generals contributed more to the Union victory at Gettysburg than Williams.Albert Castel, "Williams, Alpheus Starkey," American National Biography Online, February 2000, http://www.anb.org/articles/05/05-00839.html.
