William Pitt Richardson

William Pitt Richardson. . Side A , Richardson was born on May 25, 1824 in Washington County, PA. He graduated from Washington College in 1844 and moved to Ohio to be a teacher. In 1846 he enlisted In the Third Ohio Infantry and served in the Mexican War. He was admitted to the Ohio Bar in August 1852 and practiced law in Woodsfield, OH. In 1855 he was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Monroe County, OH. He also served as Brigadier General in the Ohio Militia at the start of the Civil War. After the attack on Fort Sumter Richardson raised two companies that were assigned to the 25th OVI where he rose to the rank of Colonel. On May 2, 1863 he was severely wounded in the right shoulder at the Battle of Chancellorsville. , (Continued on other side) , , Side B , (Continued from other side) The wound permanently deprived Richardson use of his right arm and he was not on duty again until January 1864 when assigned court-martial duty at Camp Chase, OH. He was later placed in command there until August 1865. In October 1864 he was elected Attorney General of the State of Ohio but resigned at the request of Governor Brough who urged him to remain in the Army. In December 1864 he was brevetted Brig. Gen. and in September 1865 was assigned duty in South Carolina where he subsequently commanded the District of East South Carolina. In 1866 he resigned from the Army and was appointed Collector of Internal Revenue with his office at Marietta. Richardson died on August 4, 1886 in New Castle, IN and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery with his wife, Sarah Elizabeth Smith Richardson.