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WILLIAM HENRY MAY, WAS MY GRANDFATHER'S OLDEST BROTHER, AND WAS ASSIGNED TO AND FOUGHT WITH THE 47TH REGIMENT, NC TROOPS, COMPANY D, DURING THE WAR OF SOUTHERN SECESSION. MY GRANDFATHER, ROBERT LEE MAY, WAS BORN IN 1863 AND WAS NAMED AFTER GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE.
WILLIAM HENRY MAY WAS WOUNDED IN THE BATTLE OF BRISTO STATION, VA. AND IT IS DOCUMENTED AT THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY, THAT HE WAS PLACED ON HIS REGIMENT'S, ROLL OF HONOR, FOR HIS ACTIONS DURING THIS BATTLE. HE WAS LATER CAPTURED AT PETERSBURG, VA. NEAR THE END OF THE WAR.
HE WAS RELEASED FROM PRISON AT POINT LOOKOUT MD. AND RETURNED HOME TO CASTALIA, NC, AROUND THE FIRST OF MAY, 1865.
HE LEFT HOME WHEN HE WAS SIXTEEN AND RETURNED FOUR YEARS LATER TO FIND A NEW BROTHER, ROBERT LEE MAY (MY GRANDFATHER) WHO HAD BEEN BORN DURING HIS ABSENCE. RECORDS SHOW THAT HE GREW THREE INCHES DURING THE WAR. DOCK T. MAY, MY FATHER, REMEMBERED HEARING FROM OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS THAT UNCLE BILLY'S MOTHER DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM WHEN HE RETURNED, MAYBE DUE TO A NEW BEARD SINCE LATER PICTURES SHOW HIM WITH A FULL BEARD. ALSO DOCK MAY TOLD ME THAT HIS FAMILY BUILT A LARGE FIRE, BURNED THE CLOTHES THAT HE WAS WEARING AND CELEBRATED HIS RETURN AND THAT ALL OF THEIR NEIGHBORS CAME AND JOINED IN THE CELEBRATION.
OUR FAMILY SHOULD BE PROUD OF UNCLE BILLY'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS. HE WAS A BRAVE MAN THAT HONORED HIS DUTY TO HIS COUNTRY AS A SOLDIER IN THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA'S ARMY. HE JOINED HIS COUNTRY'S ARMY WITH A GROUP OF LOCAL FRIENDS AND THEY CALLED THEMSELVES THE "CASTALIA INVINCIBLES".
HE IS BURIED NEAR CASTALIA, NC IN THE OLD BELFORD METHODIST CHURCH CEMETERY AND HIS TOMBSTONE IS CLEARLY MARKED. THE CHURCH IS NO LONGER THERE.
SINCERELY,