Born in New York City, William O. Coleman ran away from home and volun-teered for service in the Mexican American War, enlisting in the 2d Mississippi Volunteers. Coleman was wounded in the leg during the Battle of Churubusco. In 1855, Coleman joined a migration of pro-slavery men to Kansas Territory but settled in Missouri when Kansas became a free state. Coleman commanded a regiment in the 7th Division of the Missouri State Guard. In June 1862, Coleman was commissioned a colonel in the Confederate States Army and authorized to raise a regiment but failed to recruit enough men. In 1863, Coleman was relieved from command when he refused to take his partial regiment out of Missouri. So, Coleman raised a battalion of men and waging a guerrilla war in Missouri, cooperating at times with William C. Quantrill. In 1864, General Kirby Smith authorized Coleman to raise a regiment of Arkansas troops and was appointed colonel of the 46th Arkansas Mounted Infantry, which fought as an unattached regiment in Shelby’s Division.
“Valiant Coleman, Veteran of Two Wars.” Confederate Veteran 17, no. 5 (March 1909): 212-213.
McGhee, Guide to Missouri Confederate Units, 1861-1865, 168.
Monnett, Action Before Westport, 1864, 141.