William Atherton Johnston

Age 27, he enrolled at Littleton, NC on 31 March 1861 and mustered on 3 June as Captain of the Roanoke Minute Men - Company A of the 4th North Carolina Infantry. They were redesignated as the 14th North Carolina in November 1861. When Colonel Roberts became ill in May 1862 Johnston led the regiment at the Seven Days battles near Richmond - he was wounded at Malvern Hill, VA on 1 July and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 6 or 8 July.

He commanded the regiment at Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862 after Colonel Bennett took command of the Brigade from the wounded General Anderson, but was wounded in the arm in the Sunken Road, and was himself relieved by Captain Griffith, Company G.

He was wounded again, in the arm, with 3 inches of shattered bone removed, at Chancellorsville, VA on 3 May 1863. In March 1864 he was still absent and noted that his arm was "useless," and he remained absent to at least October 1864. He was in command of the regiment when they were surrendered and paroled at Appomattox Court House on 9 April 1865.

By 1870 he was a prosperous merchant back at Littleton in Halifax County, NC.

His service from his Compiled Service Records,1 online from fold3. Personal details from family genealogists and the US Census of 1870. His gravesite is on Findagrave. His picture from a composite photograph in Clark.2

He married Mollie James Miles (1853-1896) in February 1877, and they had 8 children.

12/08/1833; Warren County, NC

11/03/1898; Littleton, NC; burial in Sunset Hill Cemetery, Littleton, NC