William Thomas Knotts

Son of wealthy planter William Knotts (1804-1871), in 1860 he was an 18 year old farm manager living with his parents, 5 siblings, and more than 50 slaves on the family plantation at Bull Swamp in the Lexington District, SC. He enlisted at Charleston, SC, on 13 May 1862 and mustered as a Private in Company K, First South Carolina Infantry.

He was wounded in action at Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862, by a gunshot near his right shoulder.

He was home on furlough to the end of 1862 and was appointed Corporal on 4 April 1863. He was promoted to 5th Sergeant on 1 February 1865 and was surrendered and paroled with his company at Appomattox Court House, VA on 9 April 1865.

By 1880 he was a farmer in Elizabeth Township, Orangeburg County, SC. By 1900 he was living with his widowed sister Lizzy and farming at Woodford, SC, and in 1910 he was retired and living with his oldest son William and his family, back in Elizabeth, SC.

His service from his Compiled Service Records,1 online from fold3, with Sharpsburg detail from the Memoirs.2 Personal details from family genealogists and the US Census of 1860, 1880-1910. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

He married Maggie C. Perryclear (1848-1888) in February 1871 and they had 5 children.

His brother Joseph was Captain of his company at Sharpsburg.

02/16/1842; Lexington District, SC

11/20/1910; burial in Bull Swamp Cemetery, North, SC