William Joyce Sewell

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William Joyce Sewell (December 6, 1835 – December 27, 1901) was an American Civil War Union Army officer and a postbellum U.S. Senator from New Jersey.

Contents 1 Birth and emigration 2 Civil War 3 Politics 4 Death 5 Legacy 6 External link 7 References

[edit] Birth and emigration

Born in Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland, Sewell immigrated to the United States in 1851. He worked in the merchant industry in Chicago, Illinois before moving to Camden, New Jersey in 1860.

[edit] Civil War

During the Civil War, he served with the 5th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, beginning as a Captain in 1861, and rising in rank to Colonel and commander of the unit. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1896, for having assumed command of a brigade at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia, May 3, 1863. The citation read:

assuming command of the brigade, he rallied around his colors a mass of men from other regiments and fought these troops with great brilliancy through several hours of desperate conflict, remaining in command though wounded and inspiring them by his presence and gallantry of his personal example.

He was the only officer to be awarded the Medal of Honor while in command of a New Jersey regiment. It was awarded to him on March 25, 1896. He was severely wounded at the July 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, while commanding his unit along Emmitsburg Road on the second day of the engagement. The wounds forced him from the field for a significant period of time. When he came back, he was given command as Colonel of the 38th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, but did not hold that command long, as his wounds eventually caused him to resign and end his Civil War field service. On March 13, 1865 he was awarded the brevet promotion to Brigadier General, United States Volunteers for "gallant and meritorious services at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Va." and to Major General, United States Volunteers for "gallant and meritorious services during the war". After the war, Sewell worked in the railroad industry in New Jersey before being elected to the state senate, serving from 1872 until 1881, and as the senate's president in 1876, 1879-1880.

[edit] Politics

Subsequently, he was elected to the United States Senate as a Republican and served from March 4, 1881, to March 3, 1887. During this period he chaired:

• the Committee on Enrolled Bills (Forty-seventh Congress and Forty-eighth Congress),
• the Committee on Military Affairs (Forty-ninth Congress), and
• the Committee on the Library (Forty-ninth Congress).

He also served as of the national commissioners for New Jersey to the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, was in command of the Second Brigade of the National Guard of New Jersey, and was appointed a member of the Board of Managers of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. Sewell was a unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1887, 1889 and 1893 but was again elected to the United States Senate in 1895 and served from March 4, 1895. During this term he chaired the Committee on Enrolled Bills (Fifty-fourth Congress through Fifty-seventh Congress).

[edit] Death

He died on 27 December 1901, at age 66, in Camden, New Jersey. His Senate seat, vacant because of his death, was filled by Prudential Insurance founder John F. Dryden. Sewell was buried in [1] Harleigh Cemetery, in Camden, New Jersey, in the Spring Grove Section, Lot 75. His grave is marked by a cross designed by sculptor Alexander Milne Calder.

[edit] Legacy

In 2005 a government issue Medal of Honor marker was erected on his gravesite. He is one of three Civil War Union Brevet Generals interred in Harleigh, the others being Colonel George C. Burling of the 6th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry and Colonel Timothy C. Moore of the 34th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry.

[edit] External link

• Encyclopedia of New Jersey

[edit] References

• Eicher, John H., & Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
• This article incorporates facts obtained from the public domain Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Preceded by Theodore F. Randolph	U.S. Senator (Class 1) from New Jersey 1881-1887	Succeeded by Rufus Blodgett
Preceded by John R. McPherson	U.S. Senator (Class 2) from New Jersey 1895-1901	Succeeded by John F. Dryden