Shelton Fowler was born circa 1818, a son of Stephen Fowler (1800-1866), son of Ephraim Fowler (1765-1822), son of Henry Ellis Fowler (1746-1808).

Census records indicate that Shelton Fowler may have married twice: first to Mary (b. 1820) and second to Huldie (b.1826). No children.

Shelton Fowler enlisted in the Holcome Legion Company D Calvary on December 14, 1861 at Camp Hampton, and he was mustered into service on December 17, 1861. He was paid $125 for the use of his horse, and $30 for the use of his equipment.

During the 1862 January/February Muster Roll Call, he was noted as absent due to service as a courier for Lt. Colonel James.

Perhaps because of his advanced age — Shelton Fowler was 43 years old in 1861 — he was honorably discharged on October 9, 1862. The reason was given as “being of no conscript age” and he was sent home with $10.58 for travel expenses on November 15, 1862.

Shelton Fowler traveled home and could have spent the remaining years of the war far from bullets and disease and misery. Instead, he answered the call of his president, Jefferson Davis, who asked for men to sign up for “local defense and special services”.

The 5th Regiment South Carolina State Troops were created in the summer of 1863. Shelton Fowler enlisted on August 1, 1863 at the Union Court House. He was in Company M … comprised mostly of men from Union County.

Shelton Fowler was “absent, sick” from his State Troop regiment January 28-February 6, 1864.

There are records for a Shelton Fowler who enlisted in both Captain Senn’s Company Post Guard on April 26, 1864 in Columbia, SC , and the Third Battalion Reserves, Company A Third State Troops on October 7, 1864 in Florence, SC.

I find n0 other Shelton Fowler near military age, leading me to believe that this man, this soldier, had an intense dedication to the cause for which he fought. Even though his age may have prevented him from serving on faraway battlefields, he was determined to do his part and he did so with more heart than we can imagine.

In spite of his determination to put himself in the path of bullets whizzing through the air around him, Shelton Fowler returned home and died an old man.