JOHN ALPHEUS WILLSON
John Alpheus Willson was born on October 22nd, 1838, to John and Jane Willson in Rockbridge County, Virginia. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was working in Lexington as a clerk in a dry goods store. One month after the outbreak of hostilities John enlisted in the 25th Virginia Infantry as a Private, was promoted to Corporal one month later and accepted a commission as a Lieutenant seven months after that. The 25th Virginia first saw action at the battle of Rich Mountain in July of 1861, and participated in Stonewall Jackson’s famous Shenandoah Valley campaign in early 1862. During the Seven Days battles around Richmond in the summer of 1862, Lt. Willson and the 25th were involved in heavy fighting at both the battle of Gaines Mill and the battle of Malvern Hill. A Private from the 25th wrote home after Malvern Hill: "The last battle was fought after dark and was not over until midnight. The enemy at one time played on us with 30 pieces of artillery. I drew my cap down tight to keep the balls from blowing it off." The 25th also saw much action at the battle of 2nd Manassas, a smashing Confederate victory fought during the last days of August.
In early September of 1862, General Robert E. Lee put his army in motion for a bold campaign into the state of Maryland. Maryland was a border state, acting as a buffer between Virginia in the Confederacy and Pennsylvania in the Union. Though the state was under Union control, it was known to have many inhabitants who were sympathetic to the Southern cause. Lee surmised that an invasion would bring many of Maryland’s citizens to take up arms for the Confederacy, weakening Union control and possibly also bringing some of the European powers to formally recognize the legitimacy of the Confederate government. Lt. Willson and the 25th Virginia crossed the Potomac River at Whites Ford on September 5th, and the Regimental surgeon remembered: "Our troops were delighted when they crossed the Potomac. It looked delightful to see the boys crossing with their pants rolled up. I think our men are the best in the service." General Lee gambled by dividing his forces on enemy soil, sending Stonewall Jackson and his corps, including the 25th Virginia, to encircle the Union garrison with 12,000 troops at Harpers Ferry. This venture was successful, and Lee sent word for Jackson and his men to hurry back to the small town of Sharpsburg, on the Antietam Creek, where they arrived on September 16th. The Union and Confederate forces sat watching each other that day, separated by only a few miles, and both sides knew that a big battle was inevitable. It began early on the 17th, with Union General George McClellan’s first divisions falling on the Confederate left, which was held by Stonewall Jackson’s tough veterans, including Lt. Willson and the 25th Virginia. The battle swayed back and forth all day in some of the most brutal fighting ever witnessed by either side, and by nightfall over 20,000 soldiers were killed or wounded, making the battle of Antietam the bloodiest day in American military history. During the course of this struggle Lt. Willson, commanding Company H, was shot in the hip, one of 36 casualties from the 25th Virginia that day. The battle ended in a draw, with both sides exhausted. Unable to continue the campaign with his army battered, Lee returned to Virginia two days later. McClellan and the Union Army were too battered themselves to pursue.
After a brief convalescence, John resigned his commission in the 25th Virginia and transferred as a Private to the 14th Virginia Cavalry. He stayed with this unit until the end of the war, eventually being assigned to the staff of General John McCausland as an orderly. He served in this capacity during General Jubal Early’s drive toward Washington in 1864 and during the climatic battles against Union General Phil Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley. Private Willson surrendered with McCausland and his staff at Appomattox in April of 1865.
After the war John married Miss Lavina Wallace and had four children, two boys and two girls. He moved from Virginia to Sherman, Texas, were he resumed his pre-war occupation as a merchant of dry goods. He moved with his family to Santa Ana in 1887, hoping the climate would help Lavina, who was in failing health. She died shortly thereafter, and John married Henrietta Jackson. In 1898 he was elected Justice of the Peace, and he also served as the Secretary of the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce. At the time of his death in 1916 at age 78 he was the City Recorder as well as Commander of the Hi Bledsoe Camp 1201, United Confederate Veterans. He was also the last surviving pallbearer of General Robert E. Lee, his family having been close friends with the General’s family in Virginia.