At the outbreak of the war William Franklin Slaton held the office of 1st Lieutenant of the Auburn Guards and with this command went to Pensacola, Florida, to assist in the defense of Ft. Barrancas.

On April 6, 1862 his company formally entered the Confederate service at Auburn as Company D, 37th Alabama Infantry; William was elected Captain on that same date.

He participated in the battles of Corinth, Iuka, Shilo, and in all the engagements down to the siege of Vicksburg.

Captain Slaton was promoted to Major of the Regiment on September 1, 1862 for conspicuous bravery at the Battle of Corinth. He was wounded at Corinth, but within a few weeks was able to resume his command, under General Pemberton at the siege of Vicksburg.

William Franklin Slaton and the 37th Alabama

He was captured July 4, 1863, at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and paroled at same place July 9, 1863.

This is part of an article written for the Alabama Heritage Book series. Copyright 1999 Elizabeth DuBois All rights reserved.

Major Slaton was among the 5000 of the Vicksburg CSA troops who were returned to the field of battle due to a prisoner exchange in which an equal number of Union soldiers captured at Harper's Ferry were released.

However, the formal paperwork had not yet been completed at the time of Major Slaton's return to battle, so that when he was again captured at November 24, 1863 at Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, he was accused by General Grant of having violated his parole, was tried by General Burbridge without being allowed to appear in his own defense, and was sentenced to be shot.

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