Capt. William W. Townsend (CSA)

Captain William Wallace Townsend

William Wallace Townsend was born January 16, 1833 in Madison County, Florida and died May 29, 1915 in Alpine, Texas. He is buried in Elm Grove Cemetery in Alpine, Texas.

He was married twice...first to Addie Woolsey in 1864 and she died; second to Margaret Jimmerson Phillips in 1870. Only one child was born to William and Addie-Web. Children were born to Margaret and William: Everett Ewing , William H., Annie Leah, Joe B., Olive E., and Margaret.

Excerpts from an article published in the Confederate Veteran Magazine, volume XXIII, January 1915 provide much detail into the life of Captain W. W. Townsend as follows:

Capt. W. W. Townsend died at his home in Alpine, Texas on May 29, 1915. The burial was by the Masonic Fraternity, of which order he had been a loved and honored member since attaining his majority in 1854. He was a noble man, true and generous to his friends and fair to his foes. Broadminded and big-hearted, he did not strive for personal gain, and all honors that came his way were unsolicited.

Left an orphan at an early age, he was reared by his Grandmother Ewing, a member of the old Conway Manor, and Stafford families of South Carolina. He spent his boyhood days on the Indian Frontier of Florida and experienced all the hardships of those trying times. In 1857, he was elected first lieutenant of a company of the United States volunteers and fought the Seminole Indians of the State. In 1859, he went to Texas, settling in Colorado County, and was one of the leaders of civilization in its westward march across that 'State. He was a true type of the American empire builders, caring for nothing more thana competency for himself and family. A man of peace, but quick to uphold the law and order and right against wrong, he frequently came into active and strenuous oppostition to lawless hordes that for so long dominated the frontiers of Texas. Opposed to secession, but true to the South, he was among the first to go to the front. He enlised and was made Sergeant in a troop of Cavalry raised by Capt. J. W. Whitfield. They left Hallettsville, Texas, in August 1861. went to Missouri, and participated in most of the campaigning and fighting in that State and in Aarkansas, including one expedition into the Indian Territory where they whipped a large band of Indians at Testenala on Christmas Day, 1861. After service faithfully and gallantly in numerous campaigns, Townsend was promoted several times until he was in 1862 promoted to the captaincy of his company. On October 7, he was badly wounded at the Fis Trap on Hatchie River. He never fully recovered from this wound although he continued to serve in Missouri, Arkansas and Mississippi. When the war ended, he was at Millican,Texas.

He married in 1864 to Maddie Woolsey of Colorado County and they moved to Mexico. She died there in 1867, leaving an infant son, who father brought him back to Texas, riding horseback almost the entire distance of one thousand miles with the baby in the saddle in front of him.

Source: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/26599362/person/1877537647/media/2?p...|pgNum

U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles about William W Townsend

Name: William W Townsend

Residence: Colorado County, Texas

Age at enlistment: 28

Enlistment Date: 15 Aug 1861

Rank at enlistment: Sergeant

Enlistment Place: Hallettsville, TX

State Served: Texas

Survived the War?: Yes

Service Record: Enlisted in Company D, Texas 27th Cavalry Regiment on 15 Aug 1861.

Promoted to Full 2nd Lieutenant.

Promoted to Full 1st Lieutenant.

Promoted to Full Captain on 06 Sep 1862.

Birth Date: 16 Jan 1833

Death Date: 29 May 1915

Death Place: Alpine, TX

Sources: Index to Compiled Confederate Military Service Records

Confederate Veteran Magazine

Photo from Confederate Veteran Magazine