George Lamb Willard

George Willard was the first Colonel of the 125th Regiment. According to Willard Genealogy, he was born in New York City in 1827, the son of John Moses and Susan Lamb Willard. Following the death of his father, Willard enlisted in the U.S. Army and fought in the Mexican War. He was cited for gallantry at Chapultepec and promoted to Lieutenant. In 1854 George married Mary Gould Plum, the daughter of banker and businessman Elias Plum from Troy, NY.  

By the time the Civil War began, George was a Major in the 19th U.S. Infantry. When what became the 2nd NY Infantry Regiment began recruiting at the start of the war, the organizers tried to get Willard as its Colonel. At that point, the Regular Army refused to release him. By the time the 125th began recruiting in July of 1862, the Army had realized that these volunteer regiments needed qualified Colonels, and they did release Willard.

In August, Willard became colonel of the 125th New York. His regiment was attached to a brigade of other New York units—the 39th, 111th, and 126th—that weeks later was captured at Harpers Ferry, Va. Upon their parole, some of the men in the regiment earned the nickname “Harpers Ferry Cowards” within the Army of the Potomac.

At the battle of Gettysburg, George was put in charge of a brigade. He was shot and killed on the evening of July 2, 1863, falling in a Mississippian regiment’s charge toward a gap in the Army of the Potomac’s Cemetery Ridge defenses. With the war cry of “Remember Harpers Ferry!” to motivate them, Willard’s men fixed bayonets and launched a counterattack

Willard had little time to enjoy his success. As he returned to Cemetery Ridge, he was struck in the head by an enemy shell and killed instantly. Willard’s body was returned home to Troy for burial. His body lay in state at his wife’s home; a funeral procession accompanied his body to Oakwood Cemetery, where he was interred on July 9.

1827-1863 * Section B-2, Lot 1