William Alexander McQueen facts for kids
William Alexander McQueen was an officer in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He was born and grew up in Sumterville, South Carolina, which is now known as Sumter. His father, The Reverend Dr. Archebald Alexander McQueen, was a well-known pastor at the First Presbyterian Church in Sumterville for many years.
Military Service in the Civil War
William Alexander McQueen became a lieutenant in the Confederate Army. He was a brave and experienced officer who fought in many important battles in Virginia. One of these was the famous Battle of Gettysburg. He was part of a special artillery unit called Garden's Battery of the Palmetto Artillery. Artillery units use large guns, like cannons, in battles.
During the Battle of Gettysburg, Lieutenant McQueen's bronze 12-pound field howitzer was one of five Confederate cannons that supported a major attack called Pickett's Charge. A field howitzer is a type of cannon that can fire shells over long distances. Pickett's Charge was a very large and risky attack by Confederate soldiers.
The Last Battle: Dingle's Mill
Lieutenant McQueen was also involved in the defense of the Battle of Dingle's Mill in South Carolina. At this time, he was at home recovering from a serious injury he got in another battle, the Battle of Darbytown Road, near Richmond, Virginia, on October 7, 1864.
For the defense of Dingle's Mill, Lieutenant McQueen helped set up two "Quaker Cannons" along with two real 12-pound cannons. Quaker Cannons were fake cannons, often made of logs painted black, used to trick the enemy into thinking there were more real cannons than there actually were.
Sadly, Lieutenant McQueen was killed by cannon fire during the Battle of Dingle's Mill. He was hit in the shoulder. What makes this battle especially tragic is that no one fighting there, or in the nearby town, knew that the official surrender of the Confederate forces had already happened in Virginia that very morning. All the telegraph lines, which were used to send messages quickly, were down. Because of this, both the Union and Confederate soldiers fighting at Dingle's Mill were unaware the war was over, and many lives were lost. This battle became the very last one of the Civil War fought in South Carolina.
Honored for Bravery
Because of his brave and selfless actions while serving in Garden's Battery, Palmetto Light Artillery, Lieutenant William Alexander McQueen was honored many years later. In 1977, he was given the Confederate Medal of Honor after his death. This award was given to him by the Sons of Confederate Veterans, a group that honors Confederate soldiers.
