William Nelson Leach

In 1860 he was an unmarried 24 year old farmer living with his widowed mother Elizabeth and 6 siblings on their small farm at Rockdale, Randolph County, AL. He enlisted there on 26 July 1861 and mustered as a Private in Company K of the 13th Alabama Infantry. He was appointed 5th Sergeant on 20 January 1862.

He was with his company at Turner's Gap on South Mountain on 14 September and was wounded in action at Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862.

He was wounded again, by a gunshot in the bowels, at Chancellorsville, VA on 3 May 1863 and was on wounded furlough to at least November 1863 with no later military record.

In 1870 he was a farm worker living next door to his mother at Brick Store/Starrsville in Newton County, GA but by 1880 and to at least 1900 was a farmer on his own place in the Hays District, Newton County, GA. He had retired there by 1910. In 1920 he was living with his son Pharoh Damascus Leach and family in Hays.

His service from his Compiled Service Records1 online from fold3, and from the Alabama Archives.2 Personal details from family genealogists and the US Census of 1860-1920. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

His brothers Wiley C (1840-1862) and Wesley were also in Company K. Wiley died of disease in July 1862 in Richmond, VA. Wesley was with William at Sharpsburg and was also wounded there.

04/12/1836 in GA

07/123/1920; Newton County, GA; burial in Holly Springs Cemetery, Newton County, GA