William Frederick Niemeyer

He resigned as a Cadet at the US Military Academy at West Point and enlisted as a Private in an unknown unit in May 1861. On 3 June he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Virginia Provisional Army and assigned as an instructor to the 16th Virginia Infantry. He was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the 7th Virginia Infantry Battalion on 15 June 1862 and was promoted to Colonel when the Battalion was expanded to become the 61st Virginia Infantry Regiment on 8 August 1862.

He commanded the regiment during the period of the Maryland Campaign.

He was wounded at Bristoe Station, VA on 14 October 1863 but was back on duty about the end of that month. He was killed by a sharpshooter at Spotsylvania Court House, VA on 12 May 1864, his 24th birthday. He was reported to have been appointed Brigadier General at the time of his death.

His service from Benjamin H. Trask's 61st Virginia Infantry (1999). Personal details from family genealogists. His gravesite at Hollywood Cemetery is on Findagrave. He also has a stone in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Portsmouth.

He married Sarah Campbell Smith (1840-1901) in January 1862 and they had a son, John (1864-1930).

05/12/1840; Portsmouth, VA

05/12/1864; Spotsylvania Court House, VA; burial in Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, VA