I'm sorry Joe, I meant to post his birth and death dates. This comes from the family and matches the information compiled on our gravesites listings page. Evidently he was a teenager when the war started. I need to see if I can get to his service records soon.

Ford, William James Pvt.
Company D
Born: 03/04/1843 Marion County, Ms.
Died: 02/17/1917 Marion County, Ms.
Buried: John Ford Cemetery, Marion County, Mississippi

Our notes on him from the William Hadskey report state the following...

Ford, William J. (enlisted age)18, discharged; (age) nineteen due to club foot on 6-15-62. Married Emma E. Fern April 5, 1871.

(Notes; George Purvis) William James Ford is found in the 1850 Marion Co. Census at the age of 7, living with his father John W. ford from South Carolina and his mother E. L. from Mississippi. Listed as farmers.

How sad and yet how inspiring. This young man evidently had some health issues to deal with yet he answered the call of duty as God gave him the light to see that duty. How many teenagers today would do the same? I need to find out what he did or where he was during the Shiloh campaign.