Leonard Fowler was born in 1831 in Union County, South Carolina, a son of William G. Fowler of the Israel Fowler family line with earliest known origins from Wight Island, Virginia.

Although a few stayed in Union County, many of the Israel Fowler family line moved into nearby counties, and by 1850, the William G. Fowler family were found in York County, South Carolina. Less than a decade later, Rutherford County, North Carolina became the home place for William G. Fowler, and sons Leonard Fowler and Daniel Wallace Fowler.

In 1856, Leonard Fowler married Jane Louise Henson (1837–1895) in Rutherford. County, North Carolina.

Their children:

• Benjamin Franklin Fowler 1859–1933
• Charles Wallace Fowler 1861–1900
• Deidamia J. Fowler 1863–1949
• Humphrey Miller Fowler 1866–1937
• William Oscar Fowler 1869–1938
• Edward Govan Fowler 1875–1934
• Mary Fowler 1878–

Although he took an Oath of Allegiance to the state of North Carolina in 1861, Leonard Fowler was a son of Union County, South Carolina; hence, his inclusion in this series of Union County Confederate soldiers.

Along with his elderly father William G. Fowler, and his younger brother Daniel Wallace Fowler, thirty-year old Leonard Fowler enlisted in the 34th Regiment North Carolina Infantry, Company I on October 6, 1861 in Rutherford County. He was mustered into service at Camp Fisher on October 25.

Alive, well, and present at all recorded regiment roll calls until the spring of 1864, Leonard Fowler was reported “absent, sick” in the May/June, July/August, and September/October 1864 reports.

There are missing regiment roll call reports during the years of 1862-1864 that would have shed more light on the military life of Leonard Fowler had those reports been found…….

His name was for being “wounded at 2nd Manassas and Gettysburg” was on Roll of Honor. The Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28-30, 1862, and the battle at Gettysburg was waged July 1-3, 1863.

On August 16, 1864, Leonard Fowler was sent from the General Hospital at Fort Winder in Richmond, Virginia — where he had been admitted on June 14, 1864 — to Cherryville, NC.

On February 22, 1865, Sergeant Leonard Fowler was issued a Certificate of Disability effectively retiring him from military service. He had suffered a gun shot wound to his right leg, and amputation of the limb was required.

In spite of a medical board of no less than three surgeons declaring that Leonard Fowler was completely and permanently disabled from his right leg amputation and unfit for military service, it appears that the Confederate Army was so desperate for living, breathing soldiers –no matter if maimed, crippled, or missing limbs.

There was back-and-forth correspondence: the Confederate army declaring that one-legged Leonard Fowler would be able to serve his country in some form or another; Leonard responding in kind that an Act of Congress allowed him to go home and live out the rest of his days … knowing that he had given his country more than a few years of his life and his right leg.

The Confederacy asking for more service…….

….. and the reply from Leonard Fowler:

I do not know if Leonard Fowler served past his retirement from the Confederate army. I can find no records that he remained. He was paid $211.13 on February, 25, 1865. It is certain that he more than deserved an honorable discharge.

It is known that he finally returned home to Rutherford County from the war and lived the rest of his life surrounded by his family.

His beloved wife Jane died in 1895. Leonard Fowler lived his remaining years in the home with his youngest sons, William and Edward.

Leonard Fowler died in 1903. He was laid to rest in his family graveyard, finally rejoining his dear Jane in eternal sleep.

Who was Leonard Fowler, really? Standing at 5 foot 11 inches, a tall, dark haired farmer, a son of William, a husband of Jane, a father to sons and daughters, a soldier, a leader of men.

Captain W.T. R. Bell, orator of the Confederate Memorial Day in Wilmington, NC in May of 1899 summed up the life of Leonard Fowler far better than I could ever aspire to do.

The following is an except from the speech that Captain Bell gave on that glorious day of remembering and honoring the Southern men who served, who were wounded, and who died on battlefields across our great land. It was printed in The Wilmington Messenger on May 11, 1899.

In the words of Captain Bell:

“Pardon me for one more illustration taken from my own county of Rutherford. When one week after that call a band of young men in my own town had asked me to come down and organize and lead them to the front, the first man who met me at the recruiting office was a one legged confederate soldier, Leonard Fowler of Jenkins’ company (I) Thirty-fourth North Carolina regiment. In addition to the loss of his leg, Leonard Fowler bore on his person four other wounds received in battle. With an eye full of patriotic spirit, though moistened by the tear which tells, often, of the daring soul, he said: ‘Captain Bell, I have come to bring you my two sons, and my only regret is that I am too old and crippled to go with you and them.’“