Thomas Parker Thompson

Age 35, from Gates County, he enrolled on 20 June 1861 and mustered as First Lieutenant of Company B, 5th North Carolina Infantry on 15 July (to date from 15 May) 1861. He was promoted to Captain of Company G on 17 August 1861.

He led his company in Maryland and was in action with them at Fox's Gap on South Mountain on 14 September 1862. On 17 September, at Sharpsburg,

The regiment, following the movements of the brigade, which were vacillating and unsteady, obliquing to the right and left, came upon a ledge of rock and earth, forming a fine natural breastwork. Under the cover of this the regiment, following the example of those on the left, fell down and sought shelter. Seeing a regiment of the enemy coming up in the open field in our front and somewhat on the flank, and the breastwork turning where the right of the regiment rested in such a manner as to expose a few files of men of my regiment, I ordered these to deploy as flankers to the right and take shelter behind the trees. At this moment, and while directing this movement, Captain Thomson, Company G, came up to me, and in a very excited manner and tone cried out to me, "They are flanking us! See, yonder's a whole brigade!" I ordered him to keep silence and return to his place. The men before this were far from being cool, but, when this act of indiscretion occurred, a panic ensued, and, despite the efforts of file-closers and officers, they began to break and run. I have employed this language in regard to Captain Thomson's conduct because he remained upon the ground and exerted himself to rally the men, and, while it manifests clearly a want of capacity to command, my observation of him did not produce a conviction that it proceeded from a cowardly temper ...

He resigned his commission on medical grounds on 4 October at Winchester, VA and his resignation was accepted on 20 October 1862.

In 1870 he was a farm hand at Williamston in Martin County, NC but by 1880 was superintendent of the poor house there.

His service from the Roster 1 and his Compiled Service Records,2 online from fold3. The battle quote from Captain Garrett's after-action report. Personal details from family genealogists and the US Census of 1870 & 1880.

He married Mary Elizabeth Jolly (1850-1936) and they had 8 children between 1866 and 1890.

c. 1825; Camden, NJ

Date not known; Robersonville, NC