Background
His father, Ezekiel S. Woods, moved in 1818 from Kentucky to Ohio, where he engaged in farming and in general merchandising.
His mother was Sarah Judith (Burnham) Woods of Zanesville, Ohio.
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Charles Robert Woods
Edit ProfileEducation
He spent his boyhood on the farm, for a time was apprenticed to a cooper, and received only a common education from a tutor.
In 1848 he was appointed a cadet at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and he was graduated in 1852 as a second lieutenant, 16t Infantry.
Career
He then served three years in Texas, four more in Washington, and was engaged in minor Indian warfare.
This regiment he led at the capture of Fort Donelson in February 1862, and later at Shiloh.
Assigned to command a brigade, he participated in the advance on Corinth, and in expeditions along the Mississippi River.
His attacks at Milliken's Bend and at Island No. 65 resulted in the destruction of much enemy property.
His brigade constructed a bridge over Lookout Creek, and led the assault that captured Lookout Mountain.
He served throughout the Atlanta campaign in 1864 and played a prominent part at Resaca and at Atlanta, where after his flank had been turned he faced about, rolled back the enemy, and retook guns previously lost.
He participated in Sherman's march to the sea and the subsequent advance north through the Carolinas.
For these services he was brevetted major-general.
He rejoined the regular army as a colonel of infantry and served mostly in the West.
He led an expedition against Indians in Kansas in 1870, and in the Kit Carson fight.
[R. H. Burnham, The Burnham Family (1869); G. W. Cullum, Biog.
Reg.
.
U. S. Mil.
Acad.
(1891); War of the Rebellion: Official Records (Army), see index volume; Battles and Leaders of the Civil War (1887 - 88), vols.
I, III, IV; Weekly Advocate (Newark, Ohio), Mar. 5, 9, 1885. ]
