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Civil War Soldiers - Powell
| Powell, William H., brigadier-general,
U.S. Army, was born in Monmouthshire, South Wales, May 10, 1825. He
came to the United States with his parents in 1830, received a common
school education in Nashville, Tenn., afterwards engaged in the
erection of manufacturing works, and was from 1857 to 1861 manager of
the Lawrence iron works at fronton, Ohio. He entered the Federal army
in Aug., 1861, recruited a company of cavalry in southern Ohio, and
became captain in the 2nd W. Va. cavalry on Nov. 8. He became major
and then lieutenant-colonel of this regiment in 1862, was commissioned
its colonel, May 18, 1863, and on July 18 was wounded while leading
his regiment in a charge at Wytheville, Va., being left on the field
and taken prisoner. He was exchanged in Feb., 1864, commanded a
division in Sheridan's cavalry corps in the Shenanodah valley, and was
commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers on Oct. 19, while on
March 13, 1865, he was brevetted major-general of volunteers for
gallant and meritorious services in the campaign of 1864 in West
Virginia, and "particularly at the battle of Front Royal, Va." In 1890
he was awarded a Congressional medal of honor "for distinguished
services in a raid where, with only 20 men he charged and captured the
enemy's camp, 500 strong, without the loss of a man or gun at Sinking
creek, Va., Nov. 26, 1862." Gen. Powell resigned, Jan. 5, 1866,
declined a Republican nomination for Congress offered him in 1866 and
again in 1868, and was a Grant and Colfax elector in the latter year.
He superintended the building and was general manager of the Clifton
nail works in Mason county, W. Va., 1867-70, was general manager of
the Belleville nail company of Belleville, Ill., 1876-80, and in 1882
organized the Western nail company at Belleville, of which he was made
president and general manager. He was department commander of the G.
A. R. in Illinois, 1895-96, and was appointed internal revenue
collecter for the 13th district of Illinois in 1898. Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal
States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
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