James Monroe Williams

James Monroe Williams (September 12, 1833 – February 15, 1907) was an American lawyer, soldier, and merchant. He served both as a cavalry and as an infantry officer in the Union Army within the Trans-Mississippi Theater during the American Civil War, and was breveted a brigadier general near the end of the conflict.

Williams also helped organize and was the initial commander of the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry Regiment, the first unit of USCT soldiers to see combat. Following the war, Williams remained a soldier until resigning in 1871 to become a rancher, then re-entered the service briefly about twenty years later, and afterwards became a merchant.

Early life James M. Williams was born in 1833 in Lowville, New York, and later became a lawyer in that state.

Civil War service On July 12, 1861, Williams entered the Union Army as a captain in the 5th Kansas Cavalry Regiment, and was appointed commander of Company F. Williams also fought at the Battle of Fort Smith in western Arkansas on July 31, 1864.

Postbellum On October 1, 1865, Williams was mustered out of the volunteer service. He was commissioned a captain in the new 8th U.S. Cavalry Regiment of the regular army on July 28, 1866, commanding Company I. The 8th Cavalry was at first based out of Fort Whipple in the Arizona Territory, but later stationed at Fort Selden and Fort Bayard, both in the New Mexico Territory. Williams was brevetted a major on July 9, 1867, for his service during the Indian Wars. He resigned his commission on March 29, 1873, and took up work in the Colorado Territory as a rancher.