Born: October 10, 1790 in Pennsylvania.
Died: August 14, 1814 in the Battle of Fort Erie.
Denton 1964, p. 76. Eustice had been obstructing the Academy, "Hence, by the
end of May, 1811, there were only six cadets left at West Point, and no
instruction was being given." A footnote reads "Jonathan Williams to Marianne
Williams, 27, May 1811. MS Yale University. Williams took his son Alexander our
of the Academy and sent him to Dartmouth while the Academy was dormant." I
wonder if Denton has identified the correct son?
On the following morning
[August 16, 1860.]
I rode out with Captain Champlin to a beautiful depository of the dead in the
suburbs of Buffalo, called Forest Lawn Cemetery. The ground is pleasantly
undulating, is much covered with trees of the primeval forest, and is really a
delightful resort during the heats of summer for those who are not saddened by
the sight of graves.
SOLDIERS’ MONUMENT.
There, in an elevated open space, within ground one hundred feet square,
slightly inclosed, stands a fine monument of marble, twenty-two feet in
height, which was erected by the corporate authorities of Buffalo in the
autumn of 1852 in commemoration of several officers of the United States Army
who were engaged in the War of 1812; also of a celebrated Indian chief, and to
mark the spot where the remains of over one thousand persons, which were
removed from the city, lie buried.
67 Near the monument (and seen in the foreground
on the right) is a tomb of brick, bearing a recumbent slab of marble, over the
grave of Captain Williams, who lost his life at Fort Erie. The inscription on
it is historical and briefly biographical.
68
----
68 The following is a copy of the
inscription: "Sacred to the memory of Captain Alexander John Williams, of the
Twenty-first Regiment United States Artillery, son of General Jonathan
* and
Marianne Williams, of the city of Philadelphia, who was killed in the night
attack by the British on Fort Erie, August 14-15, 1814. In the midst of the
conflict, a lighted port-fire in front of the enemy enabled them to direct
their fire with great precision upon his company.He sprang forward, cut it
off with his sword, and fell mortally wounded by a musket-ball. He sacrificed
himself to save his men. Born October 10, 1790. Died August 15, 1814. Fratri
Dilecto."
* He was long at the head of the Engineer Department of
the United States Army, and was one of the founders of the Military Academy at
West Point.
See page 235.
He superintended the construction of many fortifications.
http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~wcarr1/Lossing2/Chap36.html