James W. Thomson
James W. Thomson, born at Berryville in 1843, rose from second lieutenant of Chew's Battery of horse artillery to major commanding a battalion of horse artillery in Rosser's Cavalry Division, according to the VMI Memorial of 1875. The sketch, signed by Col. R. Preston Chew, says he was wounded in the arm on April 5, 1865, and killed the next day near Farmville. No second record of him has been read, so the identification is probable, not proven.
Civil War as the cited records state it
- 1 record cited
- 3 statements
- 2 images shown
Is this the same man?
IDENTITY Likely One memorial sketch only; the hosted Gold and the other held books name no Thomson, so nothing second-source confirms him.
What distinguishes him: Name, rank and arm as printed in one memorial sketch (James W. Thomson, Major, Horse Artillery, Rosser's Division), signed by Colonel R. Preston Chew. Gold's 1914 inscription list has "G. Thompson," a different initial and spelling that is not tied to him.
Clarke connection: Qualified: a birth statement in a memorial sketch. The VMI Memorial (1875, printed p. 518) heads the sketch "OF CLARKE COUNTY, VIRGINIA" and says he was born at Berryville, Clarke County, on October 28, 1843; that is a statement in a retrospective sketch, not a birth record. This is the only source for him; no residence record has been read.
This page rests on one record.
Evidence depth: Recorded
Service summary
Only the fields a record supplies, in the record's own words. The full statement is under What the records say.
| Field | As the record prints it | Source | RECORD | IDENTITY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | MAJOR | Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the States The statement | RECORD Likely | IDENTITY Likely |
| Unit | 'Chew's Battery' of Horse Artillery | Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the States The statement | RECORD Likely | IDENTITY Likely |
What the records say
Each line is a statement from a cited source, in the source's own terms, with the three questions asked of it. Same man as the one on this page?
| When | What the record shows | RECORD | IDENTITY | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date not established | The Virginia Military Institute Memorial (Walker, 1875), printed p. 518, opens its sketch with the heading "JAMES W. THOMSON, OF CLARKE COUNTY, VIRGINIA; MAJOR, HORSE ARTILLERY, ROSSER'S DIVISION, A. N. V." and says that "James W. Thomson was born at Berryville, Clarke County, Virginia, on the 28th of October, 1843." | RECORD Likely | IDENTITY LikelyOne memorial sketch only; no second source names him. | See the source and its limits✓ LikelyAn account exists
The Virginia Military Institute Memorial (Walker, 1875), printed p. 518, opens its sketch with the heading "JAMES W. THOMSON, OF CLARKE COUNTY, VIRGINIA; MAJOR, HORSE ARTILLERY, ROSSER'S DIVISION, A. N. V." and says that "James W. Thomson was born at Berryville, Clarke County, Virginia, on the 28th of October, 1843." What the source supportsWhat the VMI Memorial prints at the head of its sketch of James W. Thomson: his rank and arm, a Clarke County birth place and a date. UncertaintyA memorial sketch written for the 1875 book from the writer's knowledge and the accounts of comrades and family, a decade after the events: a retrospective account, not a service or death record, and not checked here against any other record. The heading "OF CLARKE COUNTY, VIRGINIA" and the birth sentence are the book's own statements; a birth statement in a memorial sketch is not a birth record, so the Clarke basis is qualified. This is the only source for this man: the hosted Gold 1914 prints no Thomson (its monument list has "G. Thompson," a different initial and spelling that is not tied to him), and no other held book returned a hit; no Clarke Cavalry or Chew's Battery roll was read. The spelling is Thomson throughout. Each cited passage was read twice, the second time independently: first as a rendered page image of a digital reproduction (a 200 dpi render of the stated PDF page of the hosted copy), then on a cropped image of the same page. Both readings support the claim; neither was of the paper itself. The crop is held privately and is not shown on this site. Nothing beyond the quoted passage was read from the page. No human historian has reviewed this claim. SourceEvidence role: supports. Supports the claim at the cited book's own level; the underlying record was not read. See limits. Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the StatesWalker, Charles D. · 1875 (publication) Locator: Printed p. 518, PDF p. 519 of the hosted copy, the heading and first sentence of the sketch headed JAMES W. THOMSON Relevant passageJAMES W. THOMSON, OF CLARKE COUNTY, VIRGINIA; MAJOR, HORSE ARTILLERY, ROSSER'S DIVISION, A. N. V. James W. Thomson was born at Berryville, Clarke County, Virginia, on the 28th of October, 1843. Checked: This passage was read on a digital reproduction of the page; no original has been handled. The source's other readings: page text reviewed, original image not independently inspected. Open sourceSource family: vmi-memorial-1875. Multiple passages from one source are not independent witnesses. |
| Date not established | The same sketch says that "In the fall of 1861 he was elected second lieutenant of 'Chew's Battery' of Horse Artillery, and in February, 1864, succeeded to the command of the company," and that "During the[,] same year, he was promoted, and commanded, with the rank of major, a battalion of horse artillery attached to Rosser's Cavalry Division until his death." | RECORD Likely | IDENTITY LikelyThe passage is the same sketch as the heading on p. 518; one source only. | See the source and its limits✓ LikelyAn account exists
The same sketch says that "In the fall of 1861 he was elected second lieutenant of 'Chew's Battery' of Horse Artillery, and in February, 1864, succeeded to the command of the company," and that "During the[,] same year, he was promoted, and commanded, with the rank of major, a battalion of horse artillery attached to Rosser's Cavalry Division until his death." What the source supportsWhat the VMI sketch says of his service: second lieutenant of Chew's Battery in 1861, in command of it in February 1864, and a major commanding a horse-artillery battalion in Rosser's Cavalry Division. UncertaintyA memorial sketch written for the 1875 book from the writer's knowledge and the accounts of comrades and family, a decade after the events: a retrospective account, not a service or death record, and not checked here against any other record. A stray mark after "the" in "During the, same year" is shown as [,]. The sentence says "the same year" without restating which year; it follows the sentence on February 1864. No battery roll or service record was read. The sketch is the only source for this man. Each cited passage was read twice, the second time independently: first as a rendered page image of a digital reproduction (a 200 dpi render of the stated PDF page of the hosted copy), then on a cropped image of the same page. Both readings support the claim; neither was of the paper itself. The crop is held privately and is not shown on this site. Nothing beyond the quoted passage was read from the page. No human historian has reviewed this claim. SourceEvidence role: supports. Supports the claim at the cited book's own level; the underlying record was not read. See limits. Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the StatesWalker, Charles D. · 1875 (publication) Locator: Printed p. 518, PDF p. 519 of the hosted copy, the sentence of the sketch on his election in 1861 and his command in 1864 Relevant passageIn the fall of 1861 he was elected second lieutenant of "Chew's Battery" of Horse Artillery, and in February, 1864, succeeded to the command of the company. Checked: This passage was read on a digital reproduction of the page; no original has been handled. The source's other readings: page text reviewed, original image not independently inspected. Open sourceSource family: vmi-memorial-1875. Multiple passages from one source are not independent witnesses. Evidence role: supports. Supports the claim at the cited book's own level; the underlying record was not read. See limits. Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the StatesWalker, Charles D. · 1875 (publication) Locator: Printed p. 518, PDF p. 519 of the hosted copy, the sentence of the sketch on his promotion to major Relevant passageDuring the[,] same year, he was promoted, and commanded, with the rank of major, a battalion of horse artillery attached to Rosser's Cavalry Division until his death. Checked: This passage was read on a digital reproduction of the page; no original has been handled. The source's other readings: page text reviewed, original image not independently inspected. Open sourceSource family: vmi-memorial-1875. Multiple passages from one source are not independent witnesses. |
| Date not established | At the end of its sketch of James W. Thomson (printed p. 519) the VMI Memorial says that "he was wounded in the arm, on the 5th of April, 1865, and on the day following was killed," in an attack by General Rosser "near Farmville," and the sketch is signed "Colonel R. Preston Chew." | RECORD Likely | IDENTITY LikelyThe page names Major Thomson only by surname; the tie to James W. Thomson of Berryville rests on the sketch heading on p. 518. | See the source and its limits✓ LikelyAn account exists
At the end of its sketch of James W. Thomson (printed p. 519) the VMI Memorial says that "he was wounded in the arm, on the 5th of April, 1865, and on the day following was killed," in an attack by General Rosser "near Farmville," and the sketch is signed "Colonel R. Preston Chew." What the source supportsWhat the signed VMI sketch says of his death: wounded April 5, 1865 and killed the day after, near Farmville. UncertaintyA memorial sketch written for the 1875 book from the writer's knowledge and the accounts of comrades and family, a decade after the events: a retrospective account, not a service or death record, and not checked here against any other record. The page names him only as Major Thomson; that he is James W. Thomson of Berryville rests on the sketch heading on p. 518 (C1390). The signature, "Colonel R. Preston Chew," is the sketch's writer. No casualty list or burial record was read. Each cited passage was read twice, the second time independently: first as a rendered page image of a digital reproduction (a 200 dpi render of the stated PDF page of the hosted copy), then on a cropped image of the same page. Both readings support the claim; neither was of the paper itself. The crop is held privately and is not shown on this site. Nothing beyond the quoted passage was read from the page. No human historian has reviewed this claim. SourceEvidence role: supports. Supports the claim at the cited book's own level; the underlying record was not read. See limits. Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the StatesWalker, Charles D. · 1875 (publication) Locator: Printed p. 519, PDF p. 520 of the hosted copy, the end of the sketch of James W. Thomson, the sentence on the wound and the killing Relevant passageIt was while leading charges of this kind that he was wounded in the arm, on the 5th of April, 1865, and on the day following was killed. Checked: This passage was read on a digital reproduction of the page; no original has been handled. The source's other readings: page text reviewed, original image not independently inspected. Open sourceSource family: vmi-memorial-1875. Multiple passages from one source are not independent witnesses. Evidence role: supports. Supports the claim at the cited book's own level; the underlying record was not read. See limits. Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the StatesWalker, Charles D. · 1875 (publication) Locator: Printed p. 519, PDF p. 520 of the hosted copy, the end of the sketch of James W. Thomson, the sentence on the fight near Farmville Relevant passageA gallant attack was made on this day by General Rosser upon a brigade of Federal infantry, which had succeeded in gaining the front of Lee's army, near Farmville Checked: This passage was read on a digital reproduction of the page; no original has been handled. The source's other readings: page text reviewed, original image not independently inspected. Open sourceSource family: vmi-memorial-1875. Multiple passages from one source are not independent witnesses. Evidence role: supports. Supports the claim at the cited book's own level; the underlying record was not read. See limits. Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the StatesWalker, Charles D. · 1875 (publication) Locator: Printed p. 519, PDF p. 520 of the hosted copy, the end of the sketch of James W. Thomson, the signature Relevant passageColonel R. Preston Chew. Checked: This passage was read on a digital reproduction of the page; no original has been handled. The source's other readings: page text reviewed, original image not independently inspected. Open sourceSource family: vmi-memorial-1875. Multiple passages from one source are not independent witnesses. |
Evidence gallery
Each image is the document itself, cropped from a saved original, and is shown only after a check by a reader who did not choose it found that it supports the passage it is cited for. Open one to read it closely.
The heading and opening of the sketch of James W. Thomson, major, Horse Artillery, Rosser's Division, in the Memorial of the Virginia Military Institute (1875), printed p. 518: born at Berryville, October 28, 1843.
What this image does and does not showA crop of part of one printed page; the rest of the page and the book is not shown. Some print is faint or damaged.
Charles D. Walker, Memorial, Virginia Military Institute (1875), p. 518. Rights Changes: Cropped to the document only (box 100,570 830x915 pixels of the page image); not retouched, enhanced, highlighted or re-encoded.
Source: Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the States Open the full image
What this image is evidence for
Passage it reproduces: Printed p. 518, PDF p. 519 of the hosted copy, the heading and first sentence of the sketch headed JAMES W. THOMSON
Statements on this site that rest on it:
- The Virginia Military Institute Memorial (Walker, 1875), printed p. 518, opens its sketch with the heading "JAMES W. THOMSON, OF CLARKE COUNTY, VIRGINIA; MAJOR, HORSE ARTILLERY, ROSSER'S DIVISION, A. N. V." and says that "James W. Thomson was born at Berryville, Clarke County, Virginia, on the 28th of October, 1843."
People namedJames W. Thomson
Typed transcription
JAMES W. THOMSON, OF CLARKE COUNTY, VIRGINIA; MAJOR, HORSE ARTILLERY, ROSSER'S DIVISION, A. N. V. James W. Thomson was born at Berryville, Clarke County, Virginia, on the 28th of October, 1843. He entered the Virginia Military Institute in 1860, where his education was soon interrupted by the commencement of the late war. He promptly offered his services for the defense of his State, and was employed as drill-master until just prior to the battle of Manassas, in which he acted as volunteer aid-de-camp to General T. J. Jackson. For important service rendered in this action he received a flattering letter of recommendation from that general. In the fall of 1861 he was elected second lieutenant of "Chew's Battery" of Horse Artillery, and in February, 1864, succeeded to the command of the company. During the[,] same year, he was promoted, and commanded, with the rank of major, a battalion of horse artillery attached to Rosser's Cavalry Division until his death. Thomson was, by his early training and disposition, well fitted, even at the age of seventeen, when he entered the service, for the peril and hardships of a soldier's life. He was always devoted to out-door sports, and became, by constant practice, a perfect master of the horse. Tall and athletic, with a nature bold and daring, frank and generous in disposi-[tion, on p. 519].
- Source
- Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the States, Walker, Charles D.
- Date as printed
- 1875 (published)
- Page
- 518 as printed; PDF page 519
- Passage
- Printed p. 518, PDF p. 519 of the hosted copy, the heading and first sentence of the sketch headed JAMES W. THOMSON
- What it supports
- The Virginia Military Institute Memorial (Walker, 1875), printed p. 518, opens its sketch with the heading "JAMES W. THOMSON, OF CLARKE COUNTY, VIRGINIA; MAJOR, HORSE ARTILLERY, ROSSER'S DIVISION, A. N. V." and says that "James W. Thomson was born at Berryville, Clarke County, Virginia, on the 28th of October, 1843."
- Treatment
- Cropped to the document only; no retouch, no highlight.
RECORD Likely IDENTITY Likely
One memorial sketch only; no second source names him.
The end of the sketch of James W. Thomson in the Memorial of the Virginia Military Institute (1875), printed p. 519: the sentences on his wound and death, signed Colonel R. Preston Chew.
What this image does and does not showA crop of part of one printed page; the rest of the page and the book is not shown.
Charles D. Walker, Memorial, Virginia Military Institute (1875), p. 519. Rights Changes: Cropped to the document only (box 40,155 840x820 pixels of the page image); not retouched, enhanced, highlighted or re-encoded.
Source: Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the States Open the full image
What this image is evidence for
Passage it reproduces: Printed p. 519, PDF p. 520 of the hosted copy, the end of the sketch of James W. Thomson, the sentence on the wound and the killing
Statements on this site that rest on it:
- At the end of its sketch of James W. Thomson (printed p. 519) the VMI Memorial says that "he was wounded in the arm, on the 5th of April, 1865, and on the day following was killed," in an attack by General Rosser "near Farmville," and the sketch is signed "Colonel R. Preston Chew."
People namedJames W. Thomson
Typed transcription
[p. 518 ends 'disposi-'] tion,—these qualifications, united to great physical strength and powers of endurance, presented a combination of soldierly traits possessed by few. As a commander of artillery, he was remarkable for the prompt and daring manner of handling his guns. When his guns were not in action, it was frequently a habit with Thomson to join in the cavalry charge, and on such occasions attracted attention by his dash and almost reckless gallantry. It was while leading charges of this kind that he was wounded in the arm, on the 5th of April, 1865, and on the day following was killed. A gallant attack was made on this day by General Rosser upon a brigade of Federal infantry, which had succeeded in gaining the front of Lee's army, near Farmville, and during the fight a charge was made by Dearing's Brigade. A desperate encounter ensued, resulting in the rout of the enemy, but at a great sacrifice of life; and General Dearing, Colonel Boston, and Major Thomson all lost their lives. Major Thomson acted in this fight with conspicuous gallantry, and fell where he was always found when duty called,—at the head of the column. By his fall, his family and numerous friends sustained an irreparable loss, and his State was deprived of one of her most gallant sons. Colonel R. Preston Chew.
- Source
- Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the States, Walker, Charles D.
- Date as printed
- 1875 (published)
- Page
- 519 as printed; PDF page 520
- Passage
- Printed p. 519, PDF p. 520 of the hosted copy, the end of the sketch of James W. Thomson, the sentence on the wound and the killing
- What it supports
- At the end of its sketch of James W. Thomson (printed p. 519) the VMI Memorial says that "he was wounded in the arm, on the 5th of April, 1865, and on the day following was killed," in an attack by General Rosser "near Farmville," and the sketch is signed "Colonel R. Preston Chew."
- Treatment
- Cropped to the document only; no retouch, no highlight.
RECORD Likely IDENTITY Likely
The page names Major Thomson only by surname; the tie to James W. Thomson of Berryville rests on the sketch heading on p. 518.
Cited, with no image here
- Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the States, Printed p. 518, PDF p. 519 of the hosted copy, the sentence of the sketch on his election in 1861 and his command in 1864. The page was read on its image; no crop of it is shown yet.
- Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the States, Printed p. 518, PDF p. 519 of the hosted copy, the sentence of the sketch on his promotion to major. The page was read on its image; no crop of it is shown yet.
- Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the States, Printed p. 519, PDF p. 520 of the hosted copy, the end of the sketch of James W. Thomson, the sentence on the fight near Farmville. The page was read on its image; no crop of it is shown yet.
- Memorial, Virginia Military Institute: Biographical Sketches of the Graduates and Elèves of the Virginia Military Institute Who Fell During the War Between the States, Printed p. 519, PDF p. 520 of the hosted copy, the end of the sketch of James W. Thomson, the signature. The page was read on its image; no crop of it is shown yet.
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