Theophilus Yates

In 1860 he was a 21 year old farm laborer living with Robert T Sheppard and family on their farm near Sandersville in Washington County, GA. He enlisted in Griffin , GA on 10 September 1861 and mustered as a Private in Company B, 28th Georgia Infantry.

He was captured in action at Turner's Gap on South Mountain on 14 September 1862.

He was held at Fort Delaware to 2 October, then paroled and sent to Aikens' Landing for exchange, arriving on 6 October. He was admitted to a hospital in Richmond, VA on 25 October and listed as a deserter from the hospital on 2 November. He was absent without leave to at least the end of December 1862, but back on duty in 1863. He was wounded by a gunshot to his right eye in action at Petersburg, VA on 23 August 1864, losing the use of the eye, and was discharged for disability in 1864.

By 1870 and to at least 1900 he was a farmer on his own place near Warthen Store/Warthen in Washington County, GA. He began receiving a pension of $30 per month in February 1889 for the loss of his eye.

His service from his Compiled Service Records,1 online from fold3, and Henderson.2 His capture in Maryland from a letter by Sergeant Salter noted in the Sandersville Central Georgian of 15 October 1862; thanks to Laura Elliot for that reference. Personal details from family genealogists, at least one of whom gives him the middle initial "W," his 1889 and later pension documents, and the US Census of 1860-1900. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

He married Nancey Johnson (1840-1903) in April 1856 and they had 8 children.

03/1839; Washington County, GA

1918; Warthen, GA; burial in Union Baptist Church Cemetery, Warthen, GA