William Henry Christian

He served during the Mexican War as a Private, Corporal, Sergeant, and First Sergeant in Company K, 7th NY Volunteers from 5 August 1846 to 15 August 1848, though they spent the war at San Francisco, CA and saw no combat. Afterward, he remained in California, probably for the gold, and was a teacher there to 1856. He then returned East and was then a surveyor, civil engineer, and a member of the local militia at Utica, NY.

Then age 36, he enrolled on 17 May 1861 in Elmira, NY and mustered as Colonel of the 26th NY Infantry on 21 May.

He was at the head of his brigade as senior officer present at the opening of the battle of Anteitam on 17 September 1862, but he broke down under fire and abandoned his command and went to the rear. He resigned his commission 2 days later.

He was honored by brevet to Brigadier General of Volunetters for "gallant and meritorious" war service to date from 13 March 1865.

He returned to Utica and his engineering career, but his mental health deteriorated and he was finally committed to the State Lunatic Asylum at Utica in 1886. He died there in May 1887 at age 62.

His service basics from Heitman1 and the State of New York.2 His gravesite is on Findagrave.

04/09/1825; Utica, NY

05/08/1887; Utica, NY; burial in Forest Hill Cemetery, Utica, NY