The influence of William Wainwright
By KEVIN YANEY
History Right Here
Veterans Day is coming up soon, when we honor those who have served in the armed services of our country.
One of the earliest attempts to recognize local veterans happened right after the American Civil War in Crownland Cemetery in Noblesville. If you were to walk through Crownland, you would likely come across the 28.5-foot marble Civil War Monument that sits in the front of the cemetery along Monument Street. On it are etched 2,400 names, listing the heroes of Hamilton County who volunteered to fight to keep our nation from breaking apart.
At the top of the monument, you would discover the names of several Hamilton County men who were officers of regiments. Among those is William Wainwright. His influence is still being felt.
(LEFT) The Hamilton County Civil War Monument is located on the highest point in Crownland Cemetery. It contains the names of the 2,400 men who served in the war. (RIGHT) Major William A. Wainwright served in three Indiana regiments formed in Noblesville during the Civil War. (Photos provided)
William Alonzo Wainwright was born in New Hampshire. He moved to Noblesville when he was 21 years old and became a merchant – operating a hardware, tin, and stove store for several years.
After Abraham Lincoln was elected president in November 1860, seven southern states declared their independence from the United States over the issue of slavery. Locally, several young men began to train as a militia-in-waiting in the event war broke out between the free states and slave-holding states. These men called themselves the Hamilton Continentals and William Wainwright was counted among their numbers.
On April 12, 1861, the federal Fort Sumter was fired upon by a South Carolina militia group in Charleston harbor. Three days later, President Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for 75,000 volunteers to step forward for three months service to put down the rebellion. This proclamation caused four more states to leave the Union and join the Confederacy (Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas).
The Hamilton Continentals quickly left Noblesville for Indianapolis and were mustered in as Company I of the Indiana 6th Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Wainwright and his friends were sent to the western part of Virginia to put down a group of about 800 secessionists who were mobilizing there. In an early morning raid, 3,000 Union volunteers surprised these 800 rebels at a town called Philippi, West Virginia, and chased them out of the area. No Union casualties were reported.
After three months of service, the Hamilton Continentals returned to Noblesville.
Most of the Hamilton Continentals volunteered for a new regiment that was being formed. In August 1861, Wainwright enlisted as the leader of the band in the Indiana 39th. He had been a musician in a local band in Noblesville. However, as they were set to go to war in February 1861, he was discharged. Later that summer, he volunteered for his third regiment, the Indiana 75th.
It was here that he called upon his previous experience as a shopkeeper and became the regiment’s quartermaster. During the Civil War, much of the goods needed to meet the needs of the army were left to the states to supply. Especially early in the war, having someone who had a good business head and connections with suppliers was very important.
Wainwright excelled in his role as a quartermaster. He was promoted several times, working his way up to Assistant Quartermaster for the Army of the Cumberland.
After the war, he remained in the army and was given the gruesome task of overseeing the disinterment of the bodies of fallen soldiers and laying them to rest in new national cemeteries. He helped establish the soldiers’ cemeteries in Atlanta, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.
In 1870, Major William Wainwright retired from the military and moved back to Noblesville. He went back to his hardware business. Later in life he formed an abstract and trust company. After his death, that became the Wainwright Bank.
He was also asked to provide oversight for Crownland Cemetery, the place where the Civil War Monument was erected in 1868. During his time on the board of directors, a Soldiers’ Lot was established where veterans were laid to rest, much like they had been in National Cemeteries. There was also an Unknown Soldier Monument dedicated in 1901. As he had helped secure the memory of so many soldiers who died in Tennessee and Georgia, he did the same for his friends from Hamilton County.
Crownland Cemetery in Noblesville is the final resting place of 292 Civil War veterans. One of those veterans is Major William Wainwright. If you would like to learn more, Kevin Yaney is leading a Civil War Veterans Walking Tour at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 8. The event is free, but you need to register to attend. You can register at CivilWarVeteransWalkingTour.com.
