William Dwight
Encyclopedia
William Dwight, Jr. was a general in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
.
. His father was William Dwight of the new England Dwight family
who was born April 5, 1805.
His mother was Elizabeth Amelia White, daughter of Judge Appleton White (1776–1861) and Mary Wilder (1780–1811).
Starting in 1846 he attended a military preparatory school, and was admitted to the United States Military Academy
at West Point, New York
in 1849. However, he resigned January 31, 1853 and moved to Boston
to work in manufacturing. On January 1, 1856 he married Anna Robeson.
broke out. He took a commission of captain on May 14, 1861. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel
on June 29, 1861 under Daniel Sickles
, and full colonel on July 1, 1861.
As commanding officer of 70th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
, Dwight led his regiment during the Battle of Williamsburg
, where he was seriously wounded on May 5, 1862, along with losing half of his command. Left for dead on the battlefield, Dwight was found by Confederate
forces and held as a prisoner of war
until his eventual release in a prisoner exchange November 15, 1862.
In recognition of his gallantry on the field, Dwight was promoted to brigadier general
of volunteers to rank from November 29, 1862, by Presidential nomination on March 4, 1863, and U.S. Senate confirmation on March 9, 1863.
He was transferred to the Western Theater
where, later in 1863, he led his brigade in the attack of Port Hudson, Louisiana
.
He served as chief-of-staff to Maj. Gen.
Nathaniel P. Banks during the Red River Campaign
in early 1864, with service at the Battle of Mansfield
and Battle of Pleasant Hill
in De Soto Parish, Louisiana, Dwight was reassigned to the Eastern Theater
and was attached to the 1st Division of the 19th Army Corps
. Serving under General Philip H. Sheridan, Dwight later participated in the Valley Campaigns of 1864
and saw action at the battles of Winchester
and Fisher's Hill
before the end of the war.
Younger brother Wilder Dwight was born April 23, 1833, became lieutenant colonel the 2nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
, and died September 19, 1862 from wounds at the Battle of Antietam
.
Younger brother Howard Dwight was born October 29, 1837, became captain, and died May 4, 1863 during the Battle of Port Hudson.
Another younger brother Charles Dwight was born May 5, 1842 attended Harvard University
but left to join the army. Charles was lieutenant in the 70th regiment, taken prisoner in Libby Prison
, but lived until March 9, 1884. Distant cousin Colonel Augustus Wade Dwight
(1827–1865) died during the Battle of Fort Stedman
.
Following the war, Dwight went into the railroad business in Cincinnati, Ohio
with another brother Chapman Dwight who was born April 30, 1844. He had one son, William Arthur Dwight, born June 3, 1867.
William Dwight died on April 21, 1888 and was buried in Forest Hills Cemetery
in Boston.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American 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...
.
Early life
William Dwight was born July 14, 1831 in Springfield, MassachusettsSpringfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
. His father was William Dwight of the new England Dwight family
New England Dwight family
The New England Dwight family had many members who were military leaders, educators, jurists, authors, businessmen and clergymen.Around 1634 John Dwight came with his wife Hannah, daughter Hannah, and sons Timothy Dwight and John Dwight, from Dedham, Essex, England to North America where the town...
who was born April 5, 1805.
His mother was Elizabeth Amelia White, daughter of Judge Appleton White (1776–1861) and Mary Wilder (1780–1811).
Starting in 1846 he attended a military preparatory school, and was admitted 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...
at West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
in 1849. However, he resigned January 31, 1853 and moved to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to work in manufacturing. On January 1, 1856 he married Anna Robeson.
Civil War
Dwight was moving to Philadelphia for his business when 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...
broke out. He took a commission of captain on May 14, 1861. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
on June 29, 1861 under Daniel Sickles
Daniel Sickles
Daniel Edgar Sickles was a colorful and controversial American politician, Union general in the American Civil War, and diplomat....
, and full colonel on July 1, 1861.
As commanding officer of 70th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
70th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 70th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of Union Army in the American Civil War. The unit served in the Excelsior Brigade in several battles, including Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and the Overland Campaign.-Service:...
, Dwight led his regiment during the Battle of Williamsburg
Battle of Williamsburg
The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862, in York County, James City County, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War...
, where he was seriously wounded on May 5, 1862, along with losing half of his command. Left for dead on the battlefield, Dwight was found by Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
forces and held as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
until his eventual release in a prisoner exchange November 15, 1862.
In recognition of his gallantry on the field, Dwight was promoted to brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
of volunteers to rank from November 29, 1862, by Presidential nomination on March 4, 1863, and U.S. Senate confirmation on March 9, 1863.
He was transferred to the Western Theater
Western Theater of the American Civil War
This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.-Theater of operations:...
where, later in 1863, he led his brigade in the attack of Port Hudson, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
He served as chief-of-staff to Maj. Gen.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Nathaniel P. Banks during the Red River Campaign
Red River Campaign
The Red River Campaign or Red River Expedition consisted of a series of battles fought along the Red River in Louisiana during the American Civil War from March 10 to May 22, 1864. The campaign was a Union initiative, fought between approximately 30,000 Union troops under the command of Maj. Gen....
in early 1864, with service at the Battle of Mansfield
Battle of Mansfield
The Battle of Mansfield, also known as the Battle of Sabine Crossroads, occurred on April 8, 1864, in De Soto Parish, Louisiana. Confederate forces commanded by Richard Taylor attacked a Union army commanded by Nathaniel Banks a few miles outside the town of Mansfield, near Sabine Crossroads...
and Battle of Pleasant Hill
Battle of Pleasant Hill
The Battle of Pleasant Hill was fought on April 9, 1864, during the Red River Campaign of the American Civil War, near Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, between Union forces led by Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks and Confederate forces, led by Maj. Gen...
in De Soto Parish, Louisiana, Dwight was reassigned to the Eastern Theater
Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
The Eastern Theater of the American Civil War included the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and the coastal fortifications and seaports of North Carolina...
and was attached to the 1st Division of the 19th Army Corps
XIX Corps (ACW)
XIX Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It spent most of its service in Louisiana and the Gulf, though several units fought in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley....
. Serving under General Philip H. Sheridan, Dwight later participated in the Valley Campaigns of 1864
Valley Campaigns of 1864
The Valley Campaigns of 1864 were American Civil War operations and battles that took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia from May to October 1864. Military historians divide this period into three separate campaigns, but it is useful to consider the three together and how they...
and saw action at the battles of Winchester
Battle of Opequon
The Battle of Opequon, more commonly known as the Third Battle of Winchester, was fought in Winchester, Virginia, on September 19, 1864, during the Valley Campaigns of 1864 in the American Civil War....
and Fisher's Hill
Battle of Fisher's Hill
The Battle of Fisher's Hill was fought September 21–22, 1864, as part of the Valley Campaigns of 1864 during the American Civil War. Fisher's Hill is located near Strasburg, Virginia....
before the end of the war.
Younger brother Wilder Dwight was born April 23, 1833, became lieutenant colonel the 2nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
2nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
The 2nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that saw extensive federal service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment saw action at the Battle of Antietam and the Battle of Gettysburg.-History:...
, and died September 19, 1862 from wounds at the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
.
Younger brother Howard Dwight was born October 29, 1837, became captain, and died May 4, 1863 during the Battle of Port Hudson.
Another younger brother Charles Dwight was born May 5, 1842 attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
but left to join the army. Charles was lieutenant in the 70th regiment, taken prisoner in Libby Prison
Libby Prison
Libby Prison was a Confederate Prison at Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. It gained an infamous reputation for the harsh conditions under which prisoners from the Union Army were kept.- Overview :...
, but lived until March 9, 1884. Distant cousin Colonel Augustus Wade Dwight
Augustus Wade Dwight
Augustus Wade Dwight was a lawyer who became an officer in the American Civil War. He served in 21 battles and was wounded three times, the last wound being fatal.-Life:...
(1827–1865) died during the Battle of Fort Stedman
Battle of Fort Stedman
The Battle of Fort Stedman was fought on March 25, 1865, during the final days of the American Civil War. The Union Army fortification in the siege lines around Petersburg, Virginia, was attacked in a pre-dawn Confederate assault by troops led by Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon. The attack was the last...
.
Following the war, Dwight went into the railroad business in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
with another brother Chapman Dwight who was born April 30, 1844. He had one son, William Arthur Dwight, born June 3, 1867.
William Dwight died on April 21, 1888 and was buried in Forest Hills Cemetery
Forest Hills Cemetery
Forest Hills Cemetery is a historic cemetery, greenspace, arboretum and sculpture garden located in the Forest Hills section of the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. The cemetery was designed in 1848.-Overview:...
in Boston.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
- List of Massachusetts generals in the American Civil War
- Massachusetts in the American Civil War
Further reading
- Linedecker, Clifford L., ed. Civil War, A-Z: The Complete Handbook of America's Bloodiest Conflict. New York: Ballentine Books, 2002. ISBN 0-89141-878-4