John Williams was born in Otago, New Zealand in 1842 and after migrating to the United States enlisted at 21 years of age at Lisbon, New Hampshire as a Private into the 2nd New Hampshire Infantry on December 2, 1863. His residence at that time was listed as Boston, Massachusetts. Immediately upon enlisting Williams was mustered into Company "I". The 2nd New Hampshire was organized in early 1861 and commanded by Gilman Marston of Exeter, a 49-year-old Republican layer and a member of Congress; never before having had any military experience.

The 2nd New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry was organized at Portsmouth, New Hampshire between May 31st and June 8, 1861; after which the regiment was moved to Washington, D.C., from June 20th through the 23rd, and did duty there until July 16th; attached to Burnside's Brigade. The 2nd was involved in a total of 22 engagements with their highest casualties coming at the Battle of Gettysburg; numbering 47, followed by the Battle of the Second Bull Run with 36 and at Williamsburg with 21.

The 2nd Regiment participated at the First Bull Run, Seven Days, Second Bull Run and during the Battle of Gettysburg, where it was placed along with other regiments of the Third Corps in the Peach Orchard. Out of 354 officers and men, 193 were reportedly wounded, missing or killed. The regiment, after Williams' enlistment, continued until May 1864 when it became a part of Butler's Army of the James.

On April 30, 1864 Williams was transferred to the U.S. Navy, as a seaman, and served on the U.S.S. "State of Georgia" and the U.S.S. "Dictator".

The “State of Georgia” was a 1204-ton side-wheel steamship built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1851-52 for commercial use by the Vaughn & Lynn Company. She was later purchased by the U.S. Navy, on September 25, 1861 from the Philadelphia and Savannah Steamship Co., commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on November 20, 1861 with Comdr. James F. Armstrong in command; as the USS “State of Georgia”. Assigned to the blockade of the North Carolina and Virginia coasts, the “State of Georgia” began her duty on November 26, 1861. In April 1862 she was one of a number of ships that bombarded and captured Fort Macon, North Carolina and on May 22nd off Wilmington, North Carolina she assisted in the capture of the steamer “Constitution” out of Albany, New York; and six days later assisted in the capture of the steamer “Nassau”, the former notorious Confederate blockade runner “Gordon“, near Fort Casswell, North Carolina.

On September 26, the “State of Georgia” and the “Mystic” chased an unidentified schooner ashore at New Inlet, North Carolina and burnt her. Two days later they again cooperated in seizing English steamer “Sunbeam” as it tried to run the Union blockade off Wilmington. Unfortunately, the two Union ships were becoming so accustomed to working so close together that they collided in the dark and the “State of Georgia” was forced to sail to the Washington Navy Yard in early October for repairs; which kept her out of action until late in December. She then towed the Union monitor “Passaic” from Hampton Roads to Beaufort, North Carolina and returned to Norfolk on January 3, 1863; resuming blockade duty off Wilmington.

In February, she towed the Union ironclad “Nahant” to Port Royal, South Carolina, returning to New Inlet, North Carolina where, she took possession of the abandoned English schooner “Annie” of Nassau, which was laden with salt and medicine. On March 24th the “State of Georgia” and “Mount Vernon” pursued the schooner “Mary Jane” ashore where she was abandoned by her crew. Boat parties from the two Union ships boarded the schooner and the steamer towed her out to deep water. The next day, they also seized the blockade-running schooner “Rising Dawn”, with a large cargo of salt.

Late in July, the “State of Georgia” returned to Philadelphia for extensive repairs and was decommissioned there on August 10th and recommissioned on November 27, 1863. The steamer then returned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron and served blockade duty off Wilmington until she sailed north again, in late summer of 1864, for yard work. She was decommissioned at the New York Navy Yard on September 10, 1864.

The “State of Georgia” was again recommissioned on January 5, 1865 and assigned to the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron for the remaining months of the Civil War. She proceeded to the coast of South Carolina to join in naval operations, clearing the way and supporting General William T. Sherman's path as he began his march north from Savannah, Georgia. On 24 January, the “State of Georgia” was at Georgetown, South Carolina to prevent the installation of Southern batteries. In February, she participated in Union operations which took Bull's Bay, South Carolina; moved to Port Royal, South Carolina in March and remained in that area throughout the remaining days of the Confederacy.

On 11 April, the “State of Georgia” got underway from Port Boyal and proceeded to Aspinwall, New Granada, to deliver dispatches to the American minister at Bogota and to be made aware of conditions on the isthmus and to protect the interests of the United States. On June 9th, the “State of Georgia” and the “Huntsville” departed from Aspinwall and proceeded to a position near Boncador Reef to rescue the survivors of the wrecked ship the “Golden Rule”.

After returning home in late summer, “State of Georgia” was decommissioned at New York on September 9, 1865 and sold at public auction on October 25, 1865 to Capt. G. Wright and redocumented as the “Andrew Johnson”; on May 9, 1866. Unfortunately, on October 5, 1866, she was blown ashore at Currituck Inlet North Carolina during a fierce hurricane; a total loss.

The USS Dictator, Williams’s last ship, was a 4438-ton single-turret seagoing monitor built at New York City and commissioned in November 1864. Construction problems with her power plant, however, kept her initial service relatively brief and inactive. Williams was discharged from the “Dictator” on July 15, 1865, reportedly due to a reduction in numbers, and the “Dictator” was decommissioned in September 1865 at the League Island Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.   After the war Williams was said to have again returned to New Zealand, but at this time information relating to his death and burial remain unknown.

Dyer, Frederick H., “A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion”, Vol. 1

“Register of Soldiers and Sailors of New Hampshire 1861-65”

2nd New Hampshire Regimental Histories

2nd New Hampshire, Company "I" Roster

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