Robert S. Williamson
Encyclopedia
Robert Stockton Williamson (January 21, 1825–November 10, 1882) was an American soldier and engineer, noted for conducting surveys
for the transcontinental railroad in California
and Oregon
.
and lived in Elizabeth, New Jersey
. He was named after Commodore Robert F. Stockton
, a family friend. He joined the Navy in 1843 as a master's mate
under Stockton on the USS Princeton
, the first screw-driven steam ship in the Navy. Williamson was detached from the ship 10 days before one of its guns exploded, killing several people.
It was through Stockton's influence that Williamson was appointed to the United States Military Academy
. He graduated fifth in his class in 1848 and appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the Corps of Topographical Engineers. He was assigned to conduct surveys
for proposed routes for the transcontinental railroad in California and Oregon. He was then assigned to the staff of the commanding general of the Department of the Pacific
, and was the engineer in charge of the military roads in southern Oregon.
, Williamson was the Chief Topographical Engineer in North Carolina and was brevetted Major for service at the Battle of New Bern
, and brevetted a Lieutenant Colonel at the Battle of Fort Macon
. He was then assigned as Chief Topographical Engineer for the Army of the Potomac
. Williamson returned to California as the Chief Topographical Engineer of the Department of the Pacific.
In 1863, Williamson transferred to the Corps of Engineers and served as lighthouse engineer for the Pacific Coast. He also worked on defenses and harbors along the coast.
in San Francisco, California
. He was buried at the Masonic Cemetery in San Francisco. Mount Williamson
in California, and Williamson Mountain
and the Williamson River
in Oregon are named in his honor.
Pacific Railroad Surveys
The Pacific Railroad Surveys -A series of explorations of the American West to explore possible routes for a transcontinental railroad across North America. The expeditions included surveyors, scientists, and artists and resulted in an immense body of data covering at least on the American West....
for the transcontinental railroad in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
Early life and career
Williamson was born in Oxford, New YorkOxford, New York
Oxford is a town in Chenango County, New York, United States. The town contains a village named Oxford. Oxford is an interior town in the south-central part of the county, southwest of the City of Norwich. At the 2000 census the town population was 3,992...
and lived in Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
. He was named after Commodore Robert F. Stockton
Robert F. Stockton
Robert Field Stockton was a United States naval commodore, notable in the capture of California during the Mexican-American War. He was a naval innovator and an early advocate for a propeller-driven, steam-powered navy. Stockton was from a notable political family and also served as a U.S...
, a family friend. He joined the Navy in 1843 as a master's mate
Master's mate
Master's mate is an obsolete rating which was used by the Royal Navy, United States Navy and merchant services in both countries for a senior petty officer who assisted the master...
under Stockton on the USS Princeton
USS Princeton (1843)
The first Princeton was the first screw steam warship in the United States Navy. She was launched in 1843, decommissioned in 1847, and broken up in 1849....
, the first screw-driven steam ship in the Navy. Williamson was detached from the ship 10 days before one of its guns exploded, killing several people.
It was through Stockton's influence that Williamson was appointed to the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
. He graduated fifth in his class in 1848 and appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the Corps of Topographical Engineers. He was assigned to conduct surveys
Pacific Railroad Surveys
The Pacific Railroad Surveys -A series of explorations of the American West to explore possible routes for a transcontinental railroad across North America. The expeditions included surveyors, scientists, and artists and resulted in an immense body of data covering at least on the American West....
for proposed routes for the transcontinental railroad in California and Oregon. He was then assigned to the staff of the commanding general of the Department of the Pacific
Department of the Pacific
The Department of the Pacific was a major command of the United States Army during the 19th century.-Formation:The Department of the Pacific was first organized on October 31, 1853, at San Francisco, California, taking over from the previous Pacific Division. The department reported directly to...
, and was the engineer in charge of the military roads in southern Oregon.
Civil War
At the outbreak of the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Williamson was the Chief Topographical Engineer in North Carolina and was brevetted Major for service at the Battle of New Bern
Battle of New Bern
The Battle of New Bern was fought on 14 March 1862, near the city of New Bern, North Carolina, as part of the Burnside Expedition of the American Civil War. The US Army's Coast Division, led by Brigadier General Ambrose E...
, and brevetted a Lieutenant Colonel at the Battle of Fort Macon
Battle of Fort Macon
The Siege of Fort Macon took place from March 23 to April 26, 1862, on the Outer Banks of Carteret County, North Carolina. It was part of Union Army General Ambrose E...
. He was then assigned as Chief Topographical Engineer for the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
. Williamson returned to California as the Chief Topographical Engineer of the Department of the Pacific.
In 1863, Williamson transferred to the Corps of Engineers and served as lighthouse engineer for the Pacific Coast. He also worked on defenses and harbors along the coast.
Postbellum
He retired from the Army due to illness as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1882. Williamson had suffered from bad health for the last 20 years of his life and died of tuberculosisTuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. He was buried at the Masonic Cemetery in San Francisco. Mount Williamson
Mount Williamson
Mount Williamson, at , is the second highest mountain in both the Sierra Nevada range and the state of California. It is the sixth highest peak in the contiguous United States.- Geography :...
in California, and Williamson Mountain
Williamson Mountain
Williamson Mountain, elevation ,, is a peak in the Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is named after Lt. Robert S. Williamson, who with Lt. Philip Sheridan took part in the Pacific Railroad Surveys in central Oregon in 1855. The United States Board on Geographic Names approved the name...
and the Williamson River
Williamson River (Oregon)
The Williamson River of south-central Oregon in the United States is about long. It drains about east of the Cascade Range. Together with its principal tributary, the Sprague River, it provides over half the inflow to Upper Klamath Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Oregon...
in Oregon are named in his honor.