Otho Holland Williams (1748 - 1794)

Born 1 Mar 1748 in Prince George's Co, Maryland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 15 May 1794 at age 46 in Woodstock, Virginia

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Gen Otho Williams served with 6th Maryland Regiment (1776), Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Biography

Otho Holland WILLIAMS was the son of Joseph WILLIAMS, born: 1730 in Greensburg, Westmorland, Pennsylvania, and wife, Prudence HOLLAND, born September 07, 1719 in St. Barnabas Church, Prince George's, Maryland, died 1764 in Washington, Maryland. He married Mary Smith (Selby) in 1786 daughter of William Smith with whom he had four children.

In 1775 he was appointed a lieutenant in a rifle corps and advanced to command the group. He participated in the siege of Boston in 1776. He was a major when Fort Washington was attacked where he was injured and taken prisoner. It was rumored that he shared a cell with Ethan Allen. He was promoted to command the 6th regiment of the Maryland line and eventually was traded for British prisoners. He became a Colonel under Nathaniel Greene. During Greene's retreat at Battle of Eutaw Springs he led the light corps that acted as a rear-guard. At a critical moment in the battle of Eutaw, General Greene issued the order " Let Williams advance and sweep the field with his bayonets." He led a charge that gained him the highest honors of the day. He was promoted by congress to the rank of brigadier general near the end of the war. General Williams assisted in the layout of Williamsport, MD named in his honor. He was offered an appointment as Brigadier General of the American Army by the Secretary of War in 1792 but declined due to poor health and lack of interest. Later that year he did accept a position as Associate Justice for Baltimore County from the Maryland Legislature.

Interred in Riverview Cemetery Williamsport, MD.

Sources

• Wikipedia: Otho Holland Williams
• Otho Holland Williams in the American Revolution John Beakes

The American Monthly Magazine, Volume 31 History of Western Maryland: Being a History of Frederick ..., Volume 1 By John Thomas Scharf Biographical Sketches of Distinguished Marylanders By Esmeralda Boyle, Frederick Pinkney

• 39.5978 -77.8245