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Home » Civil War

William Allen Facts and Biography

Published: Aug 19, 2018 · Modified: Nov 8, 2023 by Russell Yost · This post may contain affiliate links ·

William Allen was an officer in the Civil War for the Confederate States of America. He returned home to Alabama after the war to resume his duties as a farmer.

William Allen
Jump to:
  • Early Life
  • The Civil War
  • Later Years
  • Online Resources

Early Life

  • William Allen was born in New York City, New York, to Wade Hampton Allen and Eliza Sayre Allen.
  • His father was a business tycoon who had agricultural interests in the South, which resulted in the family moving to Montgomery, Alabama.
  • He was accepted into Princeton College, where he studied law.
  • After graduation, he continued his study of law but learned that he preferred plantation life.
  • He met his wife, Susan Ball, and the two were married on August 13, 1857. The two had eleven children together.

The Civil War

  • Once Alabama seceded from the Union and Fort Sumter was fired on, Allen joined the Confederate Army and was made lieutenant of Company A, Montgomery Mounted Rifles.
  • Allen became the first major of the 1st Alabama Cavalry.
  • He saw some action at the Battle of Shiloh and was promoted to colonel of the regiment.
  • During the Kentucky Campaign, he led the Cavalry.
  • He saw action at the Battle of Perryville, where he was wounded. Later in the year, he was severely wounded in the Battle of Murfreesboro.
  • The surgery to repair his wound left his right hand of little use. Even without the full use of his hand, he returned to the field in 1864.
  • He saw more action in the Atlanta Campaign and even contested William Sherman during his March to the Sea.
  • In early 1865, Allen's division fought in the Carolinas Campaign and would surrender at Concord, North Carolina.

Later Years

  • William Allen returned to Alabama after the war to continue farming.
  • He became involved in the railroad industry and served as the state's Adjutant General during the administration of Grover Cleveland.
  • He became a United States Marshal in Alabama and helped organize the Confederate Survivors Association.
  • His bullet-hole uniform coat and his battle flag are buried in the cornerstone of the Confederate monument in Montgomery.
  • In 1893, William Allen moved to Sheffield, Alabama
  • In 1894, he died of heart disease.

Online Resources

  • Wikipedia - William W. Allen
  • List of Civil War Generals in the Confederate Army
  • The History Junkie’s Guide to the Civil War
  • The History Junkie’s Timeline of the Civil War
  • The History Junkie’s Timeline of American History
  • The History Junkie’s Guide to Civil War Genealogy

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