William & John C. Badham
(Chowan County)
Featured Characters – 1861-1862
William Badham
Courtesy of Samuel B. Dixon
William Badham was born in Chowan County and began as an Edenton lawyer. When he was 26 years old, on February 24, 1862, he enlisted in the Confederate service in the 3rd Battalion of Company B, North Carolina Light Artillery, where he was elected captain. The company was also known as "Edenton Bell Battery" and as "Badham's Battery". Badham engaged in battle around Richmond, Virginia and Wilmington, North Carolina before he was paroled at Greensboro on May 1, 1865. He then married Louisa Jones of Chowan County and had at least two children.
His brother, John C. Badham of Chowan County, enlisted in the Confederate Army and was appointed major in May 1861. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in March 1862, he was one of the leaders of his regiment at the Battle of Williamsburg on May 5, 1862, where he died along with 68 percent of the men from that regiment.