William
James Lathan |
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William James Lathan was a farmer and served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He was a Sgt. in Company D, 17th South Carolina Infantry. He and his wife Amelia Beam (click text to go to her bio.) had eight children. ******************************************** To see a more detailed description of Sgt. William James Lathan's part of the Battle of South Mountain, the Battle of Antietam/Sharpsburg, Maryland and the Battle of Second Manassas, including photos, a map and text click on the following text. Lathans and the 17th S.C. Infantry Regiment. During the period, December 13 & 14, 1862, his company was in the Battle of Kinston, N.C. Even though there is no specific mention in his records, it is safe to assume he was with his company through all of the campaigning described so far due to the location of his outfit as mentioned in the following entry. In January of 1863, he is listed as being sick with Typhoid Fever and apparently did not return to his company until October of 1863. During this illness he was in the C.S.A. General Military Hospital, No.4, in Wilmington, N.C. During part of this time he was on a list of those "Disabled". It seems logical that he was in the Battle of Kinston, N.C. due to his being put into this particular hospital. Interestingly his brother, Samuel Boston Lathan was listed as being in this same hospital during part of the same period due to his wound at Antietam/South Mountain, Maryland. It is also logical the, Sgt. W. J. Lathan, missed the fighting that his regiment was involved in at Jackson, MS in support of the Confederate troops retreating from Vicksburg, MS. This campaign occurred during the period of May-July of 1863 which was while Sgt. W. J. Lathan was sick. Beginning, October
of 1863, he was again with his company through December of 1864 except
for two short illnesses. The first time was for an illness that can
not be read from the microfilm record, but lasted only from May 16,
1864 until May 23, 1864. During this period he was again hospitalized
in the C.S.A. General Military Hospital, No.4, at Wilmington, N.C. He
is shown to have returned to his company at Petersburg, VA. on the 23
of May 1864. During the second of these illnesses he was hospitalized
in the Jackson Hospital at Richmond, VA. This second illness was listed
as, "Jaundice", and lasted from October 4, 1864 until October
21, 1864. The Battle of the Crater at Petersburg, VA occurred at the
end of July 1864. Since this battle was between the two illnesses and
his company was assigned to the fort that was blown up, he should have
been in the thick of it. *********************************************************
Date of Bi-Monthly
Return January 15, 1862 A Muster Roll for
this company at Camp Hampton near Columbia, S.C. Company was at
Camp Kershaw. This company left camp near Winchester, VA. on 30 Oct.,
marched to Culpeper, Va. in four days, a distance of 70 miles, got aboard
the cars (train) and left Culpeper on 7 Nov., arrived at Weldon, N.C.
Nov. 8, remained there two days. Marched seven miles to Halifax, N.C.
Went from Halifax to Tarboro to Kinston, N.C. Encamped 5 miles east
of Kinston. This company was in the engagement near Kinston on Saturday
& Sunday, 13 & 14 Dec. No one was killed or wounded. On 17 Dec.
marched from Falling Creek to Goldsboro, remained there four days &
then came back to Kinston, N.C. where it is at present encamped. Our
man (Corps) Wm. Ritchie has been missing since the fight on Sunday,
14 Dec. & has not been heard from since. This company received
orders to leave Kinston, N.C. on 6 Feb., 1863 at which place they got
aboard the cars (train) & went to Wilmington, arriving at this place
on 7 Feb.1863 where we remained until the evening of the 8th. Marched
that evening some three miles from the city & bivouacked for the
night, marched in morning of the 9th, again took up train of march &
proceeded some ten miles where we encamped being on or near Topsail
Sound, N.C. here we remained until 25 Feb.1863 when we again struck
tents & took up line of march going about 15 miles & arriving
at our destination, pitched tents on Marlboro Road about 4 miles from
Wilmington, N.C. At Secessionville.
About the last of September the company left Mt. Pleasant where it had
camped after its return from Savannah and marched to Camp Nelson near
the line of entrenchments, a distance of 5 or 6 miles. On the 10th of
Oct. the Reg't. was ordered to Secessionville. Marched to Mount Pleasant
embarked on the boat about 4 o'clock A.M., marched 3 or 4 miles in the
direction of Secessionville, remained there until Monday evening when
it proceeded to Secessionville where it is at present camped. This company was
last mustered at Secessionville and was relieved from that post on or
about the first day of December, 1863 and was ordered to Sulivans Island
to which place we came by boat landing at Mt. Pleasant and marched across
the bridge and took position near the center of the island on the right
of the Brigade and has since been doing picket duty on the beach and
in front of the Batteries & Rifle pits. This company was
last mustered Jan. 1st on Sulivans Island where they remained doing
picket & guard duty until the 12th day of Feb. when we received
orders late in the evening to march at 8 o'clock, were taken by boat
and landed at pontoon bridge on James Island. Remained one day and returned
the next night to Sulivans Island. On the next night we received orders
to take up a line of march, we landed at the depot of the Savannah R.R.,
taken by train for Green Bend Station, at 7 o'clock A.M. a distance
from R.R. about 40 miles. We then encamped one day, then moved to winter
quarters, joined by the 5th Reg't. of Ga. (Cav.). This company was then
detailed to move the guns of Battery Stock _______(unreadable) which
place we arrived on _______(unreadable) the 21st day of Feb., 1864. This company together
with Regiment left Green Bend, on 16 April, was being ordered to proceed
by R.R. to Wilmington, N.C. arrived at Wilmington, N.C. on 19 April
being a distance of 255 miles on ___________nd April. Ordered then to
Charlotte, N.C. This company together with Cos.E & G had charge
of prisoners which we carried through with out one missing. After delivering
the prisoners in (Wilmington, N.C.?) _________(unreadable) the company
was ordered to the (camp we had ?) (barely readable.) occupied before
spring to Tarboro, N.C., arriving there the morning of the 1st of May,
1864. Petersburg, Va.
This company has been on the front line for the last two months near
the (Boater?) (unreadable) Rd. Has had heavy skirmishing most of the
time, had an engagement on the 30th of July, held the enemy in check
at the crater from 5 o'clock A.M. till 9 o'clock A.M., 4 hours. Assisted
the home division in the charge to retake the works in the engagement,
29 enlisted (men?) & one officer were captured, three privates severely
wounded two of whom have since died. Petersburg, Va.
Since last muster this company has been in the trenches in front of
Petersburg, Va. all the time with the exception of one day only. One
man viz. Private Johnston has been wounded during that time. This company at
last muster was in reserve on the Jerusalem Plank, Rd. in rear of what
is known as the "Crater". While here we worked every other
night on Batteries Harris & Dalgan near the Appomattox River. Here
was killed private G. S. McElduff when returning from a working party.
November 31, we went into the trenches occupying a portion of the line
near the Wilcox(?) House. (On) Dec. 8th, we moved to the right, near
the Weldon? R.R. relieving a portion of Wilcox's(?) Division. We remained
here until the evening of 13 Dec. when Wilcox's(?) Division returned.
We came back & occupied nearly the same fortification we did before
this move. Since last muster
this company has been in the trenches in front of Petersburg near the
Wilcox Barn. Had no casualties. Lost four men by desertion. Transcriber's Notes: The next two months of the war are not covered by captured "returns". These months ended in a mad scramble westward in an effort to escape the Union Army. It failed. For more detail about the last days of this company and the 17th Inf. Reg't. S.C. see the article in Vol.22., pp. 22-25, Southern Historical Society Papers, published by the Southern Historical Society at Richmond, VA. Reading these "Returns" was a very difficult job and without the help of my son's young and able eyes I might never have completed it. Thanks, Brad! William C. Lathan, Jr. Source: Photocopies of a card file made from captured Confederate documents owned by the National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C. Note: William James Lathan's Inmate Record, an outline of his general health at the time he entered the Confederate Home in Columbia, S.C., where he died, states the following: He had had a stroke, was without support (?), had a skin cancer on one hand, had very high blood pressure and was "Feeble". Furthermore, he stated that he had been wounded. Nowhere in his Service Records does a wound or treatment show up. Research and general knowledge has shown that this was frequently the case. What would today be recorded in a soldier's medical record as a "Minor Flesh Wound", e.g. a "graze" or " low level soft tissue pass through" were treated by the soldier himself due to the lack of availability of medical care or FEAR of the available medical care. Source: Occupation and locations-U. S. Census records ******************************************************************* Where from: Chester Co. Date of birth: April 18, 1840 Age: 86 Single Married Widowed: Yes (under "Married" check block on form) Name of father: S. M. Lathan Birthplace of father: Fairfield Co. SC Maiden name of mother: Martha Patterson Birthplace of mother: Fairfield Co. When did you enter C. S. service? April 9, 1861 Company: "D" Regiment: 17th S.C. Brigade: blank Were you wounded in service? Yes ___________________________________________________________________________________ Name: T. A. Lathan (Toy Alanzo Lathan - a son who lived in Columbia, S.C. at the time) Post office (spelling on form): Columbia Telephone office: Does not know Telegraph office: ditto marks indicating same answer as previous question Admitted in Home: August 24, 1926 From: Chester County Discharged from home: blank Cause of Discharge: some notes spilled over from next question (see below) Died in Home: April 4, 1927 at 3:30 P.M. Cause of death: blank (another column
to the right of this was on the original) Personal history: Very Good - Family history: Relatives living are all in good health. No deaths in family from contagious diseases. Previous history: Negative Present history: Shows after effects of a stroke of Paralysis. Cancer on left Hand- Special examination of urin (spelling on form): Negative Special examination of lungs: Lungs - normal, Heart - enlarged, General Condition - Feeble Subsequent history: Blood Pressure - S. 180, D. 110 Discharged from home: blank Death in home: blank Cause: blank (signed) Geo. K Nelson, M. D.
Re: Estate of: W. J. Latham (an error) Deceased To W. L. Holley Probate Judge for said county. The Petition of the undersigned, respectfully represents: 1. That W. J. Latham (an error), who last dwelt in said County of Fairfield, State aforesaid, died intestate on the _____(blank) day of ______(blank) in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and 26, possessed of goods and estate remaining to be administer, leaving as his only heirs at law and next of kin, the persons whose names, residence, age and relationship to the deceased are are (repeated on printed form (an error) follows. viz: (Show by subdivision into family groups the names of persons taking through any predeceased heir at law. Bracket off each group and show opposite each bracket the name of the predeceased heir through whom they take.) (no brackets were added, no ages, whom they take through in the case of deceased heirs was done in writing not by brackets) Mrs. W. J. Lathan
Columbia, S.C. - Widow Eugene Robinson
Corsicana, Tex - Grandson (HERE BEGINS A PIECE OF PLEADING PAPER GLUED ONTO FORM) Milburn Lathan
- Grandson Children of S. J. Lathan, a predeceased son of the in testate. (PLEADING PAPER GLUED ONTO FORM ENDS HERE LEAVING WHAT'S BELOW) (i) Mules, horses,
cattle, hogs, she, etc. none $_______________ DESCRIPTION OF
REAL ESTATE AND APPROXIMATE VALUES. No. of Acres or
Value of No. of Value of Total value of Exact Location None
*************************************************************************************************** Personally appears
R. E. Arnette, who being duly sworn says that the foregoing constitutes
a just and Sworn to and subscribed
(signed R. E. Arnette, C. C. P. ******************************************************************************* ******************************************************************************* ******************************************************************************** May 18, 1928 Honorable W. L.
Holley, My dear Judge: RE: Estate of W. L. (a mistake on original) Lathan. I am handing you
herewith formal objection in the claim of W.W. Lathan, With kind personal
regards, I am (signed R. K. Wise) RKW:LLS. ENCLS: -3 ************************************************************************************** 14. Did you or
your husband convey any other land to any ofyour other children in Cross Examination by Mr. Mc Donald I am 76 years old at present time. Mr. Lathan was 87 when he died. He was paralyzed 18 of Feb. 1926. Never walked any more after being paralyzed. Dr. Lews (sp.? hard to read) of Blackstock treated him first and Dr. Brawley next. Mr. Lathan was
in real good health before being paralyzed. No children Mrs. Foster and
Mrs. Waid both lived in Virginia. Had son W. S. Lathan living in Mr. Lathan required service to lift him after being paralyzed. (line lost in copy process by State Archives) He did not work
very much before he was paralyzed. He was at Walter's Question by R. N. Wise: Did Walter Lathan
ever do anything for Mr. Lathan without charge? (Signed Mrs. W.
J. Lathan- in her shaky handwritting) (signed U. L. Rast)
(L.S.) This is to certify
that the foregoing is the deposition and
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