Private William Frew

By: Joshua Love

This is a biography about Confederate Soldier Private William Frew. In 1860, before the start of the American Civil War, Private William Frew was living in Savannah, Georgia. Savannah is still a city in Georgia to this day.

Private William Frew was born during the year 1843 in Savannah, Georgia. Private Frew enlisted into the confederate army in 1861 at the age of 18. Private Frew died on August 9th, 1863 due to wounds from the war. Private William Frew didn’t have an 1860 census.

Private William Frew enlisted in the Georgia Hussars on September 17th, 1861 by Captain J. F. Waring. Shortly after, Captain J. F. Waring’s company was mustered to Richmond, Virginia. From October 1st to November 1st in 1861, Private William Frew appeared on the company muster roll for the Virginia 6th Cavalry. Private Frew fought as a part of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War.

The Virginia 6th Cavalry regiment completed its organization in November 1861 at Manassas, Virginia. The Virginia 6th cavalry fought in Jackson’s Valley Campaign and the second battle of Bull Run. Only 3 men from the Virginia 6th Cavalry surrendered on April 9, 1865, as most of the cavalry cut through the Federal lines and later disbanded. Private William Frew fought in the Second Battle of Bull Run which was fought in Prince William County, Virginia (August 28-30, 1862). This battle was sparked by the offensive campaign by Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia against Union Major General John Pope’s Army of Virginia. This battle, which was a much larger scale battle than the first, resulted in a Confederate victory.

The Confederate States of America were southern states that seceded from the Union. South Carolina was the first of these southern states to secede for the Union. Confederate States of America had an agricultural economy that required slaves to maintain the farm. However, the Union States of America had an industrial economy that did not require the use of slaves. The burning issue that led to the disruption of the union was the debate over the future of slavery. The Confederate States of America’s war aim was to gain independence and establish its own constitution, while the Union States of America’s war aim was to preserve the Union. The Union’s war aim changed to abolishing slavery after the Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln. After a long four years of fighting, the Union was victorious after forcing General Lee to surrender at Appomattox courthouse in Virginia.

Private William Frew was an 18 year old young man from Savannah, Georgia that enlisted in the Confederate States of America Army. Private Frew’s company was transferred to Virginia where he joined the Virginia 6th Cavalry. While apart of the Virginia 6th Cavalry, Private Frew fought in two major battles before dying of wounds at the age of 20. He served two years in the Confederate States of America Army.

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