Civil War Union Officer. Born in New York, he lived in Cincinnati before the start of the Civil War. He answered President Lincoln's call and volunteered to serve in the Union Army during the Civil War. Lathrop was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant with the 39th Ohio Volunteer Infantry and was eventually promoted to Major. He was later assigned to the 3rd Alabama U.S. Colored Infantry as a white field officer. The unit was consolidated into the 111th U.S. Colored Infantry. Lathrop attained the rank of Colonel when the 111th U.S.C.I. was formed in June of 1864. The regiment was involved in action at Pulaski, Tennessee and then ordered to defend captured territory near a railroad line at Athens, Alabama. They were joined by the 106th and 110th U.S.C.T. regiments. The soldiers built an earthworks fort that they were forced to defend when attacked by Confederate General Nathan B. Forrest. A sharp fight erupted on September 24th that carried into the following morning. The black soldiers feared capture to Forrest knowing that he and his men ruthlessly murdered the black soldiers who surrendered at Fort Pillow in April in what was labled as a massacre. Colonel Lathrop was killed in the battle trying to defend the garrison and save his men from slaughter. Despite his courageous attempts the fort was eventually surrendered the following day and most of the Union defenders were captured. Lathrop was initially buried near the scene of the battle but was removed and brought back to his home in Cincinnati where he was buried at Spring Grove Cemetery in March of 1865. He is honored for his service on the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington D.C. in section D, number 109.
Civil War Union Officer. Born in New York, he lived in Cincinnati before the start of the Civil War. He answered President Lincoln's call and volunteered to serve in the Union Army during the Civil War. Lathrop was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant with the 39th Ohio Volunteer Infantry and was eventually promoted to Major. He was later assigned to the 3rd Alabama U.S. Colored Infantry as a white field officer. The unit was consolidated into the 111th U.S. Colored Infantry. Lathrop attained the rank of Colonel when the 111th U.S.C.I. was formed in June of 1864. The regiment was involved in action at Pulaski, Tennessee and then ordered to defend captured territory near a railroad line at Athens, Alabama. They were joined by the 106th and 110th U.S.C.T. regiments. The soldiers built an earthworks fort that they were forced to defend when attacked by Confederate General Nathan B. Forrest. A sharp fight erupted on September 24th that carried into the following morning. The black soldiers feared capture to Forrest knowing that he and his men ruthlessly murdered the black soldiers who surrendered at Fort Pillow in April in what was labled as a massacre. Colonel Lathrop was killed in the battle trying to defend the garrison and save his men from slaughter. Despite his courageous attempts the fort was eventually surrendered the following day and most of the Union defenders were captured. Lathrop was initially buried near the scene of the battle but was removed and brought back to his home in Cincinnati where he was buried at Spring Grove Cemetery in March of 1865. He is honored for his service on the African American Civil War Memorial in Washington D.C. in section D, number 109.
Inscription
Col. William H. Lathrop died in the service of his country, Sept. 25, 1864, aged 31 years
Family Members
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