William S. Renfroe – Lieutenant, Confederate States of America Army

Thank you so much for your work on the database of Confederate graves at Arlington Cemetery.

As you can see by my signature below I am preparing a manuscript for publication on gravesites of the officers of the 12th Georgia.

Your photograph of the grave marker of Lieutenant William S. Reneral of the 12th Georgia is in error, not made by you.  The proper name is William S. Renfroe, Second Lieutenant, Company H, “Central City Blues”, 12th Georgia Infantry.  I am attaching two documents to support my claim. The Soldiers and Sailor’s Index has no soldier in the Confederate army by the name of William S. Reneral.

Lieutenant Renfroe was wounded in the left arm by a minie ball during the Battle of Fort Stevens, (sometimes referred to as the Battle at Silver Springs, Maryland) Washington D. C. on July 13, 1864, and was left on the battlefield.  He was taken to Lincoln General Hospital where his injured arm was amputated on July 14th. He died on August 11, 1864 while in Lincoln General Hospital due to “exhaustion from the amputation of the left arm.” According to a report of prisoners of war who died at Lincoln General Hospital, dated August 15, 1864, the location of Lieutenant Renfroe’s burial is given as the “Soldiers Burial Ground.” The mispelling of the last name began in Lincoln General Hospital as the surgeon spelled it “Renfral.”

Lieutenant William S. Renfroe was born in Jones County, Georgia in 1840.  His mother died between 1856 and 1859.  I do not have her name as of yet. His father was James T. Renfroe, a farmer in Jones County, Georgia according to the 1850 U. S. Census, and had 5 siblings. The Lieutenant joined the company in Macon which is in the next county to Jones.  He enlisted as a 2nd Corporal, appointed as a 4th Sergeant less than a year later.  Renfroe was elected to the rank of Second Lieutenant in September 1862.

I would like to use your photograph of Lt. Renfroe’s grave marker in my manuscript, if you give me permission to do so.  It will save me a trip to Washington D. C. which is a long way from Georgia.  If you have passed ownership to the U. S. Government, please refer me to the proper authority.

Thanks again for an excellent project
L. Harris Churchwell
Author of the manuscript:
“Captains at Rest – Biographical Sketches and Gravesites of the Officers who served with the 12th Ga. Regiment”

RENERAL, WM S

• LT 12 GA CIVL
• DATE OF DEATH: 08/12/1864
• BURIED AT: SECTION CONF  SITE 76

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard