{⋆★⋆} BG Kirkland, William W.

William Whedbee Kirkland​

Born: February 13, 1833

Birthplace: Hillsboro, North Carolina

Father: John Ulmstead Kirkland 1802 – 1879

Mother: Elizabeth Ann Simpson 1809 – 1881

Wife: Susan Ann Hardee 1841 – 1905

Children:

Elizabeth Lee Kirkland (Odette Taylor) 1869 – 1936​

(Buried: Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, California)​

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Education:

1852 – 1855: Attended West Point Military Academy​

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Occupation before War:

1855 – 1860: Served in United States Marine Corps rising to 2nd​ Lt.​

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Civil War Career:

1861 – 1863: Colonel of 21st​ North Carolina Infantry Regiment​

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1861: Regimental Commander First Battle of Manassas, Virginia​

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1862: Participated in Jackson's Shenandoah, Virginia Valley Campaign​

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1862: Wounded in both thighs during First Battle of Winchester, Virginia​

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1862: Chief of Staff to Cleburne during the Murfreesboro, Tenneessee Campaign​

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1863: Regimental Commander Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania​

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1863 – 1865: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry​

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1863: Wounded during the Battle of Bristoe Station, Virginia​

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1864: Participated in the Battle of the Wilderness, Virginia​

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1864: Participated in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court, House Virginia​

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1864: Wounded during the Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia​

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1864: Participated in the Attack on Fort Harrison, Virginia​

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1864 – 1865: Assisted in the Defense of Fort Fisher, North Carolina​

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1865: Participated in the Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina​

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1865: Surrendered on April 26th​ at Durham Station, North Carolina​

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Occupation after War:

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Commission Service Businessman in Savannah, Georgia​

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Worked for United States Postal Service in New York City, New York

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Lived in the Soldier's Home in Washington, D.C.​

Died: May 12, 1915

Place of Death: Soldier's Home, Washington, D.C.

Cause of Death: Kidney Disease

Age at time of Death: 82 years old

Burial Place: Elmwood Cemetery, Shepherdstown, West Virginia

 

[dlavin]

I'm curious how an individual born in NC, died in DC ends up buried in Shepardstown?

I know Shep and DC aren't far away, but this is not uncommon from what I've seen where final resting places are not where I would expect.

 

[John Wolf Smith]

Kirkland was not the colonel of the 21st North Carolina as in April 1862, he was not reelected but the person elected as colonel did not accept so Kirkland was made acting colonel till May 1862 when he was wounded and Saunders F. Fulton was made colonel. Fulton was colonel till his death at 2nd Bull Run at which point Robert F. Hoke was appointed as the colonel. When Hoke was promoted to brigadier general, Kirkland was appointed as Hoke's replacement with a rank of April 21st, 1863 just 5 days before when he was not reelected as colonel.

This explains to me why he did not replace Isaac E. Avery as commander of Hoke's brigade at Gettysburg as Godwin outranked Kirkland.
I do not know if Fulton was a colonel in rank or an acting colonel like Kirkland.

Source Information:

North Carolina Officers Assigned to the CSA - The Colonels

 

[ErnieMac]

The first obituary from the 13 May 1915 edition of the Washington (DC) Post. The second from the 25 May 1915 edition of the Winston Salem (NC) Western Sentinel.

 

[Pollaco]

After Kirkland's wounding at Cold Harbor command of his brigade was given to temporary Brigadier General William MacRae.