11/11/1836 - Born, Halifax Co., VA [Father: John Barksdale, M.D. (1811-1865); Mother: Hannah Cary Watkins (1804-1858)]
09/05/1850 - Lived with his parents and sibs, Southern District, Halifax Co., VA (indexed in the 1850 U. S. Census as William L. Barksdale)
- Attended, Samuel Davis Institute, Halifax Co., VA
1856-1857 - Attended, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (from: Halifax Co. VA; Schools attended: Chemistry, Medicine, Physiology & Surgery, Anatomy, Botany)
02/08/1858 - Mother, Hannah, died (buried: Saint Johns Episcopal Church Cemetery, Halifax, Halifax Co., VA; FindAGrave #146099722)
1858 - M.D. degree, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA (from: Halifax Court House, Halifax Co., VA; thesis: "Dysentery")
06/02/1860 - Practiced medicine, Lewisburg, Greenbrier Co., VA (lived in a hotel; indexed in the 1860 U. S. Census as Wm. L. Barksdale)
05/23/1861 - Enlisted as Pvt., Capt. R. B. Moorman's Co., VA Cavalry (Greenbrier Cavalry), Lewisburg, Greenbrier Co., VA
08/31/1861 - Pvt., Capt. R. B. Moorman's Co., VA Cavalry
11/22/1861 - As Pvt., Capt. R. B. Moorman's Co., VA Cavalry, absent with leave,
03/31/1862 - "Be it known that I, Dr. Wm. L. Barksdale of the County of Greenbrier and State of Virginia, do hereby constitute and appoint Georg W. Williams of the City of Richmond and State aforesaid my true and lawful attorney to collect all monies due me from the State of Virginia and in my name. I do further authorize my said attorney to sign for me and in my name all receipts and vouchers that the law would require me to sign if present in person. Given under my hand and seal this 31st day of March, 1862 [signed] Doct W. Leigh Barksdale]
08/01/1862 - Signed a contract with John A. Hunter, Medical Director of the Army of Western Virginia, Confederate States Army, at Salt Sulphur Springs, Monroe County, Virginia [now West Virginia] to serve as an Acting Asst. Surgeon, Confederate States, for $50/mo. [Note: This contract also required Dr. Barksdale to "abandon his own business" & devote "his entire time to the public service."]
08/01/1862-10/01/1862 - Served as an Acting Asst. Surgeon, Confederate States Hospital, Pearisburg, VA, at $50/mo.
10/10/1862 - "The following Medical Officers will report to Surgeon Jno A. Hunter, Medical Director of General Loring's Army for assignment to duty . . . . Asst. Surgeon W. L. Barksdale" [S.O. 237/25]
10/14/1862 - Appointed Asst. Surgeon, Provisional Army of the Confederate States, to rank from 10/10/1862
~1862 - Capt., & Asst Surgeon, 3rd VA State Line
04/04/1863 - Confirmed as Asst. Surgeon from VA by the Confederate States Senate
05/09/1863 - Appointed Surgeon, Provisional Army of the Confederate States
05/09/1863 - "The following named Medical Officers will report to the Colonel of the 19th Regiment Va Cavalry, for assignment to duty: Surgeon Wm. L. Barksdale, Asst. Surgn Chas. W. Eagin (sic - Eagon])" [S.O. 112/4]
10/31/1863 - Surgeon, 19th VA Cavalry, Camp Miller
12/31/1863 - As Surgeon, 19th VA Cavalry, absent with leave
03/30/1864 - Surgeon, 19th VA Cavalry, near Warm Springs, VA
04/12/1864 - Surgeon, 19th VA Cavalry, near Warm Springs, VA
05/23/1864 - Received "a tent for my medicines" from a quartermaster at Jackson's River Depot, VA
07/05/1864 - Surgeon, 19th VA Cavalry
09/19/1864 - Surgeon, 22nd Virginia Infantry
11/28/1864 - As Surgeon, 1st Brigade, Gen. Wharton's Division commanded by Lt. Col. Jas. C. McDonald, attending the sick, camp near New Market, VA
02/12/1865 - In a letter written from the headquarters of the 23rd VA Battalion Infantry, near Saltville, VA to Maj. J. Stoddard Johnson, "Maj. I respectfully ask a leave of absence for Thirty Days to visit my friends in Halifax County Virginia. I leave an able Surg. with the Comd. I am very respt, W. Leigh Barksdale, Surg 28 Bat Va. Inf."
02/20/1865 - As Surgeon, 23rd VA Battalion Infantry, allowed 20 days furlough
00/00/1865 - Father, John, died in Halifax Co., VA (buried: Saint Johns Episcopal Church Cemetery, Halifax, Halifax Co., VA; FindAGrave #142224470)
06/27/1870 - Resided in the subdivision north of the Dan River, Pittsylvania Co., VA (lived with the Thomas W. Anderson family; indexed in the 1870 U. S. Census as "Wm L Barksdal")
10/29/1872 (or 10/23/1872) - Married, Mary Margaret Holt (1853-1934), at Col. H. E. Coleman's, Pittsylvania Co., Virginia
1874 - Moved to Alderson, Greenbrier Co., WV to practice medicine
06/02/1880 - Practiced medicine, Wolf Creek, Monroe Co., WV (lived with wife, Mary M., two daughters, and one son; indexed in the 1880 U.S. Census as "William L. Barkesdale")
1892 - Moved to Hinton, Summers Co., WV, to practice medicine
06/19/1900 - Practiced medicine, Hinton, Summers Co., WV (lived with his wife, Mary M., four daughters, and two sons; indexed in the 1909 U. S. Census as William Leigh Barksdale)
09/09/1907 - Elected President, Hinton County [WV] Medical Society [Note: This society was newly formed and Dr. Barksdale was a co-founder.]
04/20/1910 - Practiced medicine, Ward 2, Hinton, Summers Co., WV (lived with his wife, Mary M, and three daughters; indexed in the 1910 U. S. Census as William L. Barksdale)
- Mayor, Hinton, Summers Co., WV
- Active in the lumber business
12/18/1913 - Died suddenly in his home on Temple St., Hinton, Summers Co., WV (buried: Hilltop Cemetery, Hinton, WV; FindAGrave #106581345; obituary: The Independent Herald, Hinton, WV, Dec. 25, 1914, p. 2.)
1918 - Widow, Mary Barksdale, lived in Charleston, WV
02/25/1934 - Widow, Mary, died of pernicious anemia at her home in Charleston, Summers Co. WV (buried, Sunset Memorial Park, South Charleston, Kanawha Co., WV; FindAGrave #210843317)
Note: Dr. Barksdale may also have served with the 15th VA Infantry and the 35th VA Infantry, Confederate States Army, but no details could be found.
Michael Angelo & Bob Krick provided input to this biography.

This biographical sketch is from:
Hambrecht, F. T. & Koste, J. L., Biographical
register of physicians who served the
Confederacy in a medical capacity.
01/29/2022. Updated 03/19/2023.
Unpublished database.