Draft:William Lee Apthorp

William Apthorp should link here

William Lee Apthorp (August 31, 1837 - Hanuary 24, 1879) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War who commanded African American soldiers. He remained in Florida after the war and served as a Register of Deeds, a Hillsborough County judge, and Surveyor General of Florida (1876-1878) before moving to New Jersey and operating a dairy farm until his death in 1879.

Florida Governor Ossian B. Hart chose to be his private secretary. He wrote the manuscript Montgomery’s Raids in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina about the men serving under James Montgomery and Thomas W. Higginson from personal experience. It was donated to the Historical Museum of Southern Florida.

Early life
He was born in Lee County, Georgia and moved with his family to Iowa as a child. He graduated drom Dartmouth College in 1859.

Civil War
In the Union Army he served as a captain of Company B, Second South Carolina Loyal Volunteers commanding African American soldiers. He was promoted to Lt. Colonel of what became the 34th United States Colored Infantry Regiment in 1863.