William Henry Powell (soldier)
| William Henry Powell | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
May 10, 1825 Pontypool, Wales |
| Died | December 26, 1904 (aged 79) Belleville, Illinois |
| Buried | Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861 - 1865 |
| Rank |
 Brigadier General Brevet Major General
|
| Commands held |
2nd WVA Cavalry Regiment Brigade, Army of West Virginia Division, Army of West Virginia |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
 Medal of Honor
|
William Henry Powell (May 10, 1825 – December 26, 1904) was an American soldier who fought for the Union in the American Civil War. He began as a captain, and quickly ascended to higher roles in the cavalry, including commanding a regiment, brigade, and division. Powell was awarded his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for heroism at Sinking Creek, Virginia, when, as leader of a group of 22 men, he captured a 500-man enemy camp, without a single loss of life, on November 26, 1862. He was honored with the award on July 22, 1890.
In July 1863, Powell was shot while leading cavalry in Wytheville, Virginia. Although surgeons on both sides of the conflict believed his wound was fatal, Powell survived—and became a prisoner of war. He was later exchanged, and returned to his command of the 2nd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. In 1864, Powell commanded brigades while fighting mostly in the Shenandoah Valley under the direct supervision of General William W. Averell in an army commanded by General Philip Sheridan. Eventually, Powell replaced Averell as division commander. Powell led cavalry in numerous battles, including Moorefield, Opequon, and Fisher's Hill. He resigned as a brigadier general in January 1865 to tend to family health issues. He was later brevetted to major general. Powell returned to his original profession working in the iron making industry, and was active in the Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal organization of Union veterans of the American Civil War.
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