Henry Walton Wessells (1809-1889) was born in Litchfield, CT. Connecticut. After he graduated West Point in 1833 he took part in the Second Seminole War, first as a second lieutenant of infantry and then as first lieutenant, being promoted on July 7, 1838. In Gen. Scott's Mexican campaign he was promoted captain and received the brevet of major for gallantry at Contreras and Churubusco. On his return from the war the state of Connecticut voted him a jeweled sword, which was presented to him with military ceremonies. Capt. Wessells was on the Pacific coast in 1849–54, and was in the Sioux expedition of 1855, after which he served in the Northwest until the Civil war. On June 6, 1861, he was promoted major of the 6th US Infantry, and on Aug. 22 of that year he received the colonelcy of the 8th Kansas Infantry. After serving on the Missouri border, he resumed his commission in the regular army Feb. 15, 1862, and in March was transferred to the Army of the Potomac. He was made a brigadier-general of volunteers April 25 and served in the Peninsula, receiving the regular army brevet of lieutenant-colonel for gallantry at the Battle of Fair Oaks, where he was wounded. In Gen. George B. McClellan's change of base he commanded the rear guard, and then engaged in the defense of Suffolk, Virginia, afterward serving in North Carolina. After serving at Kinston, Goldsboro, and New Berne, he was placed over the sub-district of the Albemarle, taking command May 3, 1863. On April 17, 1864, he was attacked at Plymouth, North Carolina, where he had a garrison of about 3,000 men, by Gen. Robert F. Hoke with about 15,000 Confederate troops and the ironclad CSS Albemarle After a defense which lasted three days, Wessells surrendered the town. He was taken to Libby Prison, whence he was transferred successively to Danville, Macon and Charleston. On August 3, 1864, he was exchanged, and on November 11 he became commissary of prisoners, which post he held until the close of the war. He was also placed in charge of a conscription center in New York. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel February 16, 1865, and brevetted colonel to date from April 20, 1864, "for gallant and meritorious services during the rebel attack on Plymouth, N. C." On March 13 he was given the regular army brevet of brigadier general.

In November 1864, construction of a prisoner-of-war camp on Hart Island with room for 5,000 prisoners started. The camp was used for four months in 1865 during the American Civil War with Wessells serving as commandant. The island housed 3,413 captured Confederate Army soldiers. Wessells appears to be stationed on the island 1864-1866.

After the Civil War, Wessells served on the northwestern frontier as lieutenant-colonel of the 18th US Infantry until Jan. 1, 1871, when he retired to Litchfield. He died in 1889.