William Neil Dennison

William Neil Dennison (December 10, 1841 – December 31, 1904) was a United States Army artillery officer during the American Civil War and an attorney and business speculator during his postbellum career. Early life Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dennison was the son of future Governor of Ohio and Postmaster General of the United States William Dennison, Jr. and Anne (Neil) Dennison. Civil War At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Dennison's father was serving as the Governor of Ohio (1860–1862) and likely influenced Dennison's direct commission into the U.S. Regular Army on August 5, 1861. He was assigned to the 2nd U.S. Artillery, a regiment whose officer corps had produced Chiefs of Artillery for the Union Army of the Potomac and formed the backbone of the famed U.S. Horse Artillery Brigade. Promoted to first lieutenant on November 12, 1861, Dennison served with the 2nd U.S. Artillery throughout the Civil War, almost entirely with the Horse Artillery Brigade. He gained most of his experience while serving as a section chief with Battery A, 2nd U.S. Artillery under the command of Captain John C. Tidball. During the Peninsula Campaign of 1862, Dennison commanded the rear (left) section of Tidball's "flying battery."