William H. Nash

William H. Nash (22 June 1834 – 2 December 1902) was a career officer in the United States Army. A Union Army veteran of the American Civil War, he served from 1862 to 1898 and attained the rank of brigadier general. Nash specialized in providing food for the army's soldiers and animals, and his career culminated with appointment as its Commissary General of Subsistence.

A native of Gallipolis, Ohio, Nash was raised and educated in Gallipolis and graduated from Gallia Academy. He attended Marietta College from 1850 to 1852, then began a business career. After several years working in a Cincinnati bookstore, he started his own store in Gallipolis, which he developed into a successful wholesale and retail enterprise. He later sold his business, and he taught school in the Empire Furnace area of Powellsville, Ohio from 1860 to 1861.

In June 1861, Nash became manager of the federal government's telegraph office in Parkersburg, Virginia (now West Virginia), which included duty as a confidential telegraph operator for George B. McClellan, commander of the Department of the Ohio. In November 1862, he joined the joined the Union Army and was commissioned as a captain of United States Volunteers. Posted to the subsistence department, his assignments included the Army of the Cumberland during the Chickamauga campaign, after which he was again posted to West Virginia.

Following his wartime service, Nash was commissioned as a captain of subsistence in the regular army. He held this rank until 1890, and served in Texas, New Mexico, Ohio, Nebraska, Louisiana, Wyoming, Massachusetts, Washington state, and Missouri. He was promoted to major in 1890 and lieutenant colonel in 1896. In February 1898, Nash was promoted to colonel and appointed as the army's assistant commissary general. He was promoted to brigadier general on 21 April 1898 and assigned as the army's commissary general. With the Spanish–American War having commenced on the same day, Nash anticipated serving during the conflict even though he was scheduled for mandatory retirement upon reaching age 64 in June. However, declining health caused him to instead request retirement for disability, which was approved on 2 May.

In retirement, Nash was a resident of Columbus, Ohio. He died in Columbus on 2 December 1902. Nash was buried at Pine Street Cemetery in Gallipolis.

Early life William H. Nash was born in Gallipolis, Ohio on 22 June 1834, a son of attorney, legislator, and judge Simeon Nash and Cynthia (Smith) Nash. He was raised and educated in Gallipolis, and was a graduate of Gallia Academy. In November 1862, Nash joined the Union Army and was commissioned as a captain of United States Volunteers. After the end of the Civil War in 1865, Nash was commissioned as a captain of subsistence in the regular army.

From 1867 to 1869, Nash served in the office of the army's commissary general, and from 1869 to 1870 he performed commissary duties in Cincinnati. In 1870, he was assigned as chief commissary for the Department of the Missouri. From 1871 to 1873, he was chief commissary of the Department of New Mexico. While serving in Louisville, Kentucky in 1874, Nash was court-martialed on charges of attempting to rig bids for government contracts and receive kickbacks, non-payment of rent, and public drunkenness. He was acquitted of most charges but was convicted of conduct becoming an officer for having been intoxicated in public.

Continued career After his suspension was over, Nash returned to duty in November 1875, and his first assignment was to inspect recently purchased food and supplies stored at Columbus Barracks, Ohio. While serving in Cheyenne, Wyoming in early 1876, Nash was the commissary of subsistence for the forces led by George Crook when they took part in the Big Horn Expedition as part of the American Indian Wars. In 1877, his duties included planning and awarding contracts for rail and wagon routes used to deliver good and supplies to American Indian reservations in Utah, Colorado, Idaho, and Wyoming.

Nash performed commissary of subsistence duties in Washington, D.C. from 1882 to 1883, after which he was assigned as chief commissary for the Department of the Ohio in Cincinnati. From 1883 to 1884, he performed commissary of subsistence duties in Baltimore. From 1885 to 1888, he was posted to New Orleans. He remained at Vancouver Barracks until April 1897, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in June 1896.

Dates of rank Nash's dates of rank were:

Captain (United States Volunteers), 25 November 1862 Major (United States Volunteers) (Brevet), 31 March 1865 Captain (Regular Army), 17 November 1865 Major (Regular Army) (Brevet), 17 November 1865 Major (Regular Army), 14 July 1890 Lieutenant Colonel (Regular Army), 10 June 1896 Colonel (Regular Army), 4 February 1898 Brigadier General (Regular Army), 21 April 1898 Brigadier General (Retired), 2 May 1898