Born in Beaufort where he resided as a
merchant. He enlisted at age 21 on April
22, 1861 for 12 months in the First
Regiment NC Artillery, Company K.
Mustered in as Sergeant and a few months
later was transferred to the 61st
Regiment NC Infantry, Company B, known as
the Beaufort Plow Boys. Date of transfer
was October, 1861 and he was elected
2nd Lieutenant. Company B was raised by
Captain Henry Harding. The Company
participated in the battle against General
Ambrose Burnside's Army whenhe set his
sights on the Town of New Bern, NC.
Company B was in a battle with Colonel
Zebulon Vance's 26th North Carolina
Infantry against the 9th New Jersey Volun-
teers known as "The JerseyMuskrats" under
the command of Captain James Steward, Jr.
The 9th New Jersey after an hour of
fighting routed the Confederates and they
retreated. Just prior to their retreat,
2nd Lieutenant William Stevenson "with his
pocket knife, while running up the hill
from the works cut the cord that bound the
Company Flag to its staff and hurriedly
placed it in the folds of his knapsack."
During the retreat, the Plow Boys were
"so hard pressed tht they were compelled to
throw off all encumbrances except guns to
escape alive."
The Flag of the Plow Boys had been lost.
Lieutenant Stevenson was promoted to
Captain with the Beaufort Plow Boys on
September 5, 1862. He was captured at
Ft Harrison, Virginia on Sept 30, 1864.
He was confined in the Old Capital Prison
in Washington,DC and later transferred
to Fort Delaware on Oct 21, 1864 from
which he was released on June 16, 1865
after taking the Oath of Allegiance.
He returned to NC after the War.
The Plow Boy Flag was carried back to
New Jersey where it remained for 40 years.
In 1904, after planning to Honor the
New Jersey Soldiers killed at New Bern,
NC with a monument,it was decided to return
the Flag also. Upon the evening of May 17 at
New Bern,NC, a Public reception was held for
the visitors from New Jersey. There,
dignitaries from New Jersey and North
Carolina were present, and the Flag passed
back to the Beaufort Plow Boys. It turned out
to be a evening of healing and friendship.
Several spoke that night and the opening
address was given by the Honorable William
Stevenson of New Bern, a Confederate Veteran
and Member of the New Bern Camp No. 1162,
U.C.V. Stevenson's speech started.."On the
part of himself, his comrades, and his
townspeople, he warmly welcomed the
representatives of the Great State of New
Jersey, survivors of the 9th New Jersey
Regiment,and their friends. He referred to
the fact that he was present at the Battle of
New Bern when the Town was taken by General
Burnside and his Troops. He stated "the long
period since the war..has changed and softened
feelings."
The Flag was returned and the 9th New Jersey
monument at the New Bern Cemetery was
dedicated. The flag remained for many years
in the New Bern area and about 1970 the flag
was sent to the North Carolina Museum of
History in Raleigh where it remains today.

Thanks to Edward Harding from North Carolina
and Terry W.Tersigni of New Jersey for
sharing their research.