Willis Loundes Whitaker, III

He enlisted in Company A, First Texas Infantry at Jefferson, TX in May 1861. He was on recruiting duty in Texas February - April 1862.

He was slightly wounded in action at Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862.

On 9 March 1863 he transferred and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, Company A, 37th North Carolina Infantry. He was severely wounded and captured at Gettysburg, PA on 3 July 1863 and lost his right arm to amputation. He was in a Baltimore hospital in October 1863 and sent to the prison at Fort McHenry on 10 April 1864. He transferred to Fort Delaware on 15 June, was paroled there on 14 September and was exchanged to return to duty at Varina, VA on 22 September 1864. He was commissioned in the Veteran Reserve Corps in January 1865.

He married in North Carolina then returned home to Jefferson in 1865. He was among the earliest residents of Texarkana, TX and was postmaster there at his death at age 52 in 1886.

Texas service information from Davis1 and Simpson,2 who says Whitaker lost his arm at Sharpsburg. North Carolina service from the Roster.3 Details from family genealogists and the General Catalogue of Princeton University (1906). His gravesite is on Findagrave.

He married Charlotte Ann June (1845-1916) and they had 4 children together. Son Willis IV (c. 1866-1937) and daughter Mary Jane Whitaker Vincent (1873-1924) survived to adulthood.

07/25/1834; Fairfield County, SC

09/06/1886; Texarkana, TX; burial in Rose Hill Cemetery, Texarkana, TX