William A. Winder

Captain William A. Winder (born September 1823) was a U.S. Army Commanding Officer of Fort Alcatraz (1861–64). A native of Maryland, he served in the Army for eighteen years, having been promoted to lieutenant in the Mexican–American War, serving continuously until 1866. He was appointed second lieutenant, Third Artillery, March 24, 1848; first lieutenant, Third Artillery, August 22, 1853; and captain, Third Artillery, May 14, 1861. Windner was on duty at Newport Barracks, Kentucky, from April 30 to September 28, 1848; joined regiment October 14, 1848; served at Fort Constitution, New Hampshire, to September 24, 1849; and in Florida to August 24, 1850. He was on sick leave to January 28, 1851; with company at Fort Constitution to September 21, 1852; at Jefferson Barracks Military Post, Missouri, to May 24, 1853; at Fort Preble, Maine; to October, 1853; en route to California, until wrecked on steamer at San Francisco, in January, 1854; at Fort Wood, New York, to April 15, 1854; en route to California to May 29, 1854; at San Diego, California, to November 4, 1857, at Fort Yuma, California to June 28, 1858. He was on recruiting service to June, 1860; awaiting orders to February 21, 1861; en route to March 22, 1861; with company at Presidio, California, to May 30, 1861; at Alcatraz Island, California, to October 21, 1861; at Washington, D.C., to January, 1862; at Alcatraz Island, to August 2, 1864; at Point San Jose', California, to August, 1865; at San Diego, California, to October 6, 1865; en route to the East to November 21, 1865; on recruiting service in New York to January 18, 1866, and on leave until he resigned, October 18, 1866. In October 1866, he tendered his resignation, believing that the "Secretary of War was unfriendly to him." In January 1867, he applied to the President for reinstatement, stating, "My resignation was tendered while under the impression that the honorable Secretary of War was unfriendly toward me." The vacancy made by his resignation had been filled and it was beyond the legal power of the President to reappoint him in his former grade. In 1829, he married Abby Rice Goodwin (February 1829 - May 9, 1906) of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.