William West

William T. West (about 1843 – Aug. 2, 1864) was a Union soldier who died during the Civil War. He is listed in Paul Roy’s Scott County in the Civil War, but there’s no record of him actually being from Scott County.

See Also: Scott Countians killed in war

Background

Roy’s book, published in 2001, reveals that William T. West was a private in Co. H, 2nd Tennessee Infantry; that he was 18 years old when he enlisted on Dec. 31, 1861, and that he died of anasarca at a prisoner of war camp in Andersonville, Ga. on Aug. 2, 1864.

With much of the rest of the 2nd Tennessee, West was captured by rebel forces at the Battle of Rogersville in Hawkins County, Tenn. on Nov. 6, 1863. He was originally confined at Belle Isle in Richmond, Va. before being transferred to Andersonville.

West is buried at Andersonville National Cemetery in Grave No. 4554. His stone reads “W.T. West, Tenn.” He is one of two William Wests buried at Andersonville. The other was from New York and died one week earlier, on July 25, 1864.

Many soldiers in the 2nd Tennessee enlisted from Scott County, but some came from other areas, as well.

There were a number of William Wests from East Tennessee in the 1860 census, including some that fit the general age of William T. West. Among them is a William Thomas West from Roane County born in 1844; however, he is not the William T. West buried at Andersonville, as he can be traced after the Civil War.

The only William Wests in Scott County in 1860 were born in 1852 and 1857. Both of them can be traced after the war.

There is a record of a William T. West who enlisted on Oct. 1, 1863 in Knoxville, Tenn. and mustered into Co. A, 2nd Mounted Infantry at North Carolina.