William Henry Harman

William Henry Harman (February 17, 1828 – March 2, 1865) was a brigadier general in the Virginia militia and colonel in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War (Civil War). Prior to the war, Harman had served as a second lieutenant in the 1st Virginia Infantry Regiment during the Mexican-American War, after which he had become a lawyer. He was commonwealth's attorney for Augusta County, Virginia from 1851 until the beginning of the Civil War, when he was appointed a brigadier general in the state militia.

As a brigadier general, Harman commanded part of the militia force that seized the Harper's Ferry Armory and Arsenal near the beginning of the war on April 18, 1861. He served as lieutenant colonel of the 5th Virginia Infantry Regiment of the Stonewall Brigade from May 7, 1861 to April 1862, when he failed to be appointed colonel in the April 1862 reorganization of the Confederate Army. Harmon next served briefly as an aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Edward Johnson in Jackson's Valley Campaign, after which he was appointed an assistant adjutant general on February 19, 1864. He commanded a regiment of reservists at the Battle of Piedmont on June 5, 1864.

Harman was killed in action while commanding a regiment of reservists during the Battle of Waynesboro, Virginia, the town where he was born, on March 2, 1865.

Early life
William Henry Harman was born in Waynesboro, Virginia on February 17, 1828. His parents were Lewis and Sally (Garber) Harman.

William H. Harman served as a second lieutenant in the 1st Virginia Infantry Regiment during the Mexican-American War. After the war, he studied law and became a lawyer at Staunton, Virginia. He was commonwealth's attorney for Augusta County, Virginia from 1851 until the beginning of the Civil War.

Harman's wife was the former Margaret Singleton Garver. They had eight children: Kenton, Fannie, Arthur C., Albert Garver, Ellen, Augusta, Louis and Edward Valentine.

American Civil War service
William Henry Harman was appointed brigadier general of the 13th Brigade of Virginia militia on April 10, 1861. He commanded part of a militia force under the overall command of Virginia militia Major General Kenton Harper, which seized the Harper's Ferry Armory and Arsenal near the beginning of the war on April 18, 1861.

The Virginia forces at Harper's Ferry were relieved by Stonewall Jackson's men on April 28, 1861. On May 7, 1861, the 5th Virginia Infantry Regiment, with Kenton Harper as colonel and William Henry Harman as lieutenant colonel was formed at Harper's Ferry. The regiment was assigned to Stonewall Jackson's brigade. The regiment fought at the First Battle of Bull Run where Jackson received his famous nickname on July 21, 1861. Harman succeeded Harper as colonel of the regiment on September 11, 1861 when Harper resigned. Harman led the regiment at the First Battle of Kernstown on March 23, 1862. He failed to be re-elected colonel of the regiment during the reorganization of the Confederate Army in April 1862. Thereafter, Harman briefly served as aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Edward "Allegheny" Johnson in Jackson's Valley Campaign in April 1862.

Harman was appointed an assistant adjutant general on February 19, 1864. He commanded a regiment of reservists at the Battle of Piedmont, a Confederate defeat in the Shenandoah Valley on June 5, 1864 during the Valley Campaigns of 1864.

Harman commanded a regiment of reservists when he was killed in action while attempting to rally his troops during the Confederate rout at the Battle of Waynesboro, Virginia, the town where he was born, on March 2, 1865.

Aftermath
At the time of his death, Harman was serving his second term as Grand Master Mason of Virginia.

William Henry Harmon is buried in Thornrose Cemetery, Staunton, Virginia.