The following was published in the Union Daily Times:
Thomas W. (Bunker) Fowler was the son of Mrs. Katherine Fowler and was born near Jonesville on May 21, 1834. During his childhood he attended the public schools taught on the outskirts of the present town limits of Jonesville and near Gilead Church, with William Meng his principle instructor.
He was the first soldier from the Union District to fall in the War Between the States, being killed at First Manassas.
Shortly after the secession of the state, he was employed in the store of D.B. Beardon as a clerk.
With the slow means of communication in those days, the climax came when it was learned on April 14, 1861 of the siege of Fort Sumter. On that afternoon Capt. Clark, the conductor of the Southern train from Charleston to Spartanburg got off his train, waving a South Carolina flag and scattering circulars telling of Fort Sumter being fired upon and calling for volunteers.
“Bunk” Fowler was one of the first to determine to answer the call of his state and left the next day to join the Pea Ridge Company, 5th Regiment in Charleston. This command remained on the coast for defense until the latter part of May when they returned home. Upon arriving home, the group enlisted in the army of Virginia and were ordered to Virginia in June arriving at Manassas on the 20th of July.
On the morning of the 21st of July, 1861, he approached a cousin of his, John D. Long and told him that he had a presentment that he would be killed on that day and that he wished to give him his knife and the $30 in money he had brought with him in order that it might be returned to his mother. So to satisfy the young man, Mr. Long took the possessions and on that day — July 21, 1861 — Thomas Fowler was killed in the First Battle of Manassas true to his presentment. He died in the arms of Dr. Jim Long, who was a private in the same command.
“Bunk” came from a family long renown for bravery, being a great nephew of the famous Sergeant Jasper of Revolutionary fame.
The military records of Thomas W. Fowler began with his enlistment into Captain Glenn’s 5th Regiment Company E at the Union Court House on April 13, 1861, and ended with payment of $22.10 to his mother Caty Fowler after his death.
He was buried temporarily on the battlefield by members of his company. Later his remains were brought home and on November 30, 1861, the funeral was conducted at his mother’s home in Jonesville by Rev. A.A. James. He was buried in Gilead Cemetery, in the presence of an old comrade who had assisted in his first burial — Elias Mitchell. Although on crutches he again assisted in the burial.
After the war a stone was erected over his grave by members of his company with the following inscription:
“Thomas Fowler, 27 years old Killed July 21, 1861 at Manassas Member Pea Ridge Company, 5th Regiment This is a tribute to his bravery and soldiery qualities from his comrades in battle”
To read my in-depth research on Thomas W. Fowler, please click on the link below:
THE FOWLER FAMILIES OF UNION COUNTY, SC 