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It’s not
every day you get to meet a real son of a Civil War veteran, and if you do
you know it will be an unforgettable moment in your life. That day for me was Memorial Day weekend
at the Battle of Lewisburg Living History and Civil War Reenactment of 2002
in Lewisburg West Virginia.
I have
been a civilian Civil War reenactor for the past twelve years and my interest
in Civil War history goes back to nearly thirty years. I never thought I would ever meet someone
tied so directly to that era. I feel quite honored to have this experience
and to have an opportunity to share this with others.
Mr. William Dysard is 96 years
old and lives in Lewisburg,WV. He was
born on a farm on the outskirts of town and has remained in the area his
entire life. The two story house
where he has lived for the past 70 some years sits on a hill at the edge of
town along Rt. 60 and right across the street from the Community College,
site of camp grounds both for the
Battle of Lewisburg in 1862 and for the reenactments of the past few
years. The view from his porch is a
picturesque one, looking down the main street of the historical town of
Lewisburg. I visited with him this
year on a beautiful October afternoon and we sat on the porch. He commented
that the swing I was sitting in was made by his uncle from hickory on the
farm where he grew up over 85 years ago.
He spoke about the endless changes he had witnessed throughout his
life, though to him the hardest thing about living so long was the fact that
everyone he had known and shared his life with were now gone, and he wondered
if maybe the good Lord had forgotten he was still down here. He said this with a chuckle. He has a wonderful since of humor and is a
true gentleman.
Recalling the day of our first
meeting Mr. Dysard says he still can’t understand why people have made such a
fuss over him. That particular day of
2002 during the Lewisburg Reenactment he had walked down to see what was
going on and was very excited by all the men in uniforms, the women in their
fancy dresses and all the tents set up.
He walked up to me to ask what every one was doing and once I told him
what it was about, he commented that his father was in the Civil War. I thought he meant to say his grandfather,
not his father. Having asked him again he replied oh no my father. Needless to say I was completely shocked
and he continued on to say that his father had joined the Confederate Army
and had fought in the Battle of Lewisburg.
At that point I called upon a nearby soldier to please find the
Commanding Officer of the 26th Battalion of the Virginia Infantry
– The White Sulphur Rifles the host unit of the event and also the unit in
which his father A.K. Dysard had served. From that point Mr. Dysard was swept
away into a sea of Blue and Gray. A
ceremony was given in his honor that weekend and ever since he has received
much attention for being a real son of a Confederate veteran. The recognition of his position in our
history has given Mr. Dysard an entirely new aspect to his life.
Asbury Kincaid Daysard was 65years old
when Willliam was born, and died when William was 14. A.K. Dysard was born near White Sulphur
Springs in 1843. He joined the
Confederate Army at the age of 18, and served with the 26th
Battalion of the Virginia Infantry from 1862-65.
Mr. Dysard said his father never spoke
much about the war; however he did say that he had been injured in either his
hip or leg. He said he thought one of
the reasons his father didn’t speak about the war was the fact that he had to
take an oath in his parole agreement “to do nothing to the detriment of, or
in opposition to, the U. S. government.”
He had been inducted at the beginning of the war as a Corporal and
when he was discharged at the end he was a Sergeant.
Another reason Mr. Dysard thinks his father did not speak of the
war is the fact that the second husband of his mother, Bettie Susan Echard
who had been widowed twice, was a Union Army soldier, John Hunter. She had three children from that
marriage. A.K. Dysard was 27 years
older than Bettie when they met and a widower with two children. They married in 1908; William was born a year
later and a sister Helen three years later.
A.K was a school teacher in Pocahontas
County north of Lewisburg and sold tombstones in the surrounding areas. Mr. Dysard thinks his father most likely
met his mother by selling her the tombstone for her deceased husband, John
Hunter, who is buried in the cemetery of the Old Stone Presbyterian Church in
Lewisburg.
Not speaking about the war in no way meant A. K. was not proud
of his service for the Confederacy.
He attended Confederate soldiers reunions on numerous occasions and
received many medals at these events.
Mr. Dysard still has his collection of medals and is proud of his
Father’s service and of his own heritage as a real son of a Confederate
Veteran. He has the remains of his
Father’s musket – an 1863 Tower. He
said it had been placed in the corner of the barn and had gone unnoticed for
many years and unfortunately had deteriorated to the point that most of the
stock is gone and only the barrel remains.
When asked if he would ever have it repaired he quickly said “oh no,
I’ve thought about it but it just wouldn’t be the same. I think I like it just the way it is.”
Mr. Dysard is proud of the legacy left
to him by his father and the incredible place he now holds in our
history. He has a framed certificate
proclaiming him a “Real Son” on display in the foyer of his home, which he
eagerly likes to show those who come to visit.
Mr. Dysard is truly a fine gentleman
and has lived a life that would make his father proud. He still works hard around his home,
drives to the grocery store and is an honest and caring man. I feel honored to call him my friend and
will always be grateful for the day we met.
The Battle of Lewisburg Living History
& Reenactment, May 21-22, 2005, will be held in honor of Mr. Dysard and I
hope you will take this opportunity to come and meet him. He sometimes chuckles and says he just
doesn’t understand what all the fuss over him is about. To understand the tie
he is between such distinct eras makes him a treasure like none other. On behalf of the Battle of Lewisburg Committee
and Mr. Dysard, I invite you to come and help us celebrate. I am….
Your Most Humble Servant,
Angela Beavers
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