William Henry Thomson

A graduate of the University of North Carolina from New Hanover County, he enlisted 11 June 1861 as Sergeant Major of Company C, 1st North Carolina Infantry. He was appointed 2nd Lieutenant on 1 October 1861, and First Lieutenant, date not given.

He was promoted to Captain on 15 September 1862, and was wounded in action at Sharpsburg on 17 September.

He was wounded again, in action at Spotsylvania Court House, VA in May 1864, was back with his unit by the end of the month, and was in command as senior officer present with the depleted Regiment for much of the rest of that year. He surrendered with his Company at Appomattox Court House on 9 April 1865; his Regiment surrendered 10 officers and 61 enlisted, Company C had six men present.

He returned home to North Carolina and was a farmer and storekeeper. He moved to Decatur, GA in 1900 on the recommendation of his friend John B. Gordon.

Service information from Moore1. Further details and the picture here - from a photograph of William and his wife Mary Beamon Thomson (1862) - are thanks to great-grandson Will Thomson. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

11/24/1829; near Turkey, Sampson County, NC

09/12/1924; Decatur, GA; burial in Decatur Cemetery, Decatur, GA