William Smith Clark

A chemistry professor at Amherst, he had graduated there in 1848 then received a PhD in Chemistry in Gottingen, Germany in 1852. He enrolled in the 21st Massachusetts Infantry, mustering as Major of the Regiment 23 August 1861, was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 28 February 1862, and to Colonel 16 May 1862.

He commanded the regiment at Antietam, where they assaulted the Lower - now Burnside's - Bridge on 17 September.

He was again in action at Fredericksburg in December, but resigned his commission on 22 April 1863 and returned to Amherst.

He was a founder of what's now the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in about 1867, and helped organize the Sapporo Agricultural College (now Hokkaido University) in Japan in 1876. He left teaching in 1879, and was in the mining business afterward but was ruined by a dishonest business partner.

Life dates and places from the finding aid (pdf) to his papers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and A Yankee in Hokkaido1. Photograph here from the US Army Military History Institute (USAMHI), MOLLUS-Massachusetts Collection2, and service data from Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines3.

See two excellent posts about Colonel Clark here and here, and a piece about his connection with Captain Newton Manross of the 16th Connecticut, KIA at Antietam. All from Patrick Browne at his Historical Digression blog.

07/31/1826; Ashfield, MA

03/09/1886; Amherst, MA; burial in West Cemetery, Amherst, MA