William W. McCarty
American military officer (1817–1889)
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William Washington McCarty (March 18, 1817 – June 5, 1889) of McConnelsville, Ohio was a captain in Company E of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry in the American Civil War. He enlisted as a 1st lieutenant and was promoted to captain on February 14, 1863; he served from December 23, 1861 to May 25, 1865.[1] He was responsible for the formation of Co. E, and recruited many of the men who joined the company.[2]
William Washington McCarty | |
|---|---|
-1.jpg) Capt. W. W. McCarty, Co. E, 78 Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry | |
| Born | March 18, 1817 |
| Died | June 5, 1889 (aged 72) |
| Allegiance | United States |
Branch | Union Army 78th Ohio Infantry Regiment |
Service years | 1861–65 (Army) |
Rank | Captain (Army) |
| Unit | 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry |
Conflicts | |
| Spouse | Sarah Edmunds Wood (1821-1904) |
| Children | 4 |
| Other work | Mayor of McConnelsville, 1871 & '72
Morgan County Recorder, 1872-76 Co-publisher, Morgan County Herald |
His experiences as a prisoner of war as chronicled in his essay, History of Prison Life, and Southern Prisons, which appears in the regimental history,[3] is extremely insightful about race relations in the South at that time, and the reaction of slaves to the presence of Union troops.[4]
During one escape attempt when he and his fellow escapees were at large for about a week, they had several encounters with slaves. Whenever they found a black, not accompanied by any whites, they would approach him or her and identify themselves as Yankee POWs. They would then be given shelter, food and otherwise helped along their journey.[5] This narrative has been termed a "reverse underground railroad."[4] McCarty in his essay cites several examples of how he and his colleagues were aided by blacks in this manner during their escape from Camp Sorghum in Columbia, South Carolina. The essay is in the form of two letters sent to Chaplain Thomas M. Stevenson, the author of the regimental history.[3]
In addition to being a POW from July 22, 1864 to Nov. 8, 1864,[6] he was listed as wounded at Missionary Ridge Aug. 9, 1862.[2]
After the war McCarty served as mayor of McConnelsville in 1870 and 1871,[2][7] and as county recorder from 1872 to 1876.[2]
McCarty was born 18 March 1817, in Loudoun County, Virginia. Shortly thereafter his family moved to Morgan County, Ohio. In addition to his political activities, he was for some years a partner with James Adair in publishing the Morgan County Herald and served several consecutive terms as a justice of the peace. He died in 1889.[8]