William Herbert Withington

He initially entered service with the 1st Michigan, a three-month regiment, on 1 May 1861. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at 1st Bull Run (July 1861) while Captain, Co. B of the First. He was wounded and taken prisoner there, and exchanged in January 1862. He helped raise and organize, and was appointed Colonel of, the 17th Michigan Infantry in August 1862.

He commanded his regiment on the Maryland Campaign.

He resigned (or was discharged) in March 1863 and was later cited by brevet (Brigadier General, U.S. Volunteers), for "conspicuous gallantry at the Battle of South Mountain, Md., September 14, 1862."

He is listed as proprietor of "Withington, Cooley & Co, (William H Withington, Elihu Cooley, Enos Hopkins and John W J Culton), manufacturers of agricultural implements, State Prison, wareroom on Main street, near M C R R depot." in the 1863 Jackson, MI business directory.

Well after the war, apparently successful in business, Withington personally sponsored a monumental sculpture to the soldiers of the First and 17th Regiments in a park now bearing his name in Jackson, Michigan [more].

Sources: Heitman, Francis Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army 1789-1903, Washington, US Government Printing Office, 1903; and
An online summary of the collection of his papers at the University of Michigan

2/1/1835; Dorchester, MA

6/27/1903; burial in Mount Evergreen Cemetery, Jackson, MI