William Dorsey Pender was born on February 6, 1834 in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, United States. His father, James Pender, was a descendant of Edwin Pender who came from England and settled near Norfolk, Virginia, during the reign of Charles II. His mother was Sarah Routh, daughter of William Routh also of Virginia.
William Dorsey Pender received his preliminary education in the common schools of his county and at the age of fifteen worked as a clerk in his brother's store. At sixteen he was appointed a cadet to the United States Military Academy from which he graduated in 1854, standing nineteenth in a class of forty-six.
Upon graduation Willliam Dorsey Pender was commissioned brevet second lieutenant in the 16t Artillery and during the same year he was made a second lieutenant in the 2nd Artillery. In 1855 he transferred to the 16t Dragoons and in 1858 was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant in that regiment. From 1856 to 1860 he saw active service on the frontier in New Mexico, California, Oregon, and Washington, participating in numerous lively skirmishes with the Indians. In 1860 he was appointed adjutant of the 16t Dragoons with a station at San Francisco, California, but the year following he was ordered to return to the East on recruiting duty.
At the outbreak of the Civil War Willian Dorsey Pender resigned his commission and threw in his lot with the Confederacy. He was commissioned a captain of artillery in the provisional army and placed in charge of Confederate recruiting in Baltimore, Md. In May 1861, he returned to his native state and acted as an instructor for new regiments formed at Raleigh and Garysburg. He was elected colonel of the 3rd North Carolina Volunteers on May 16, 1861, and on August 15 was transferred to command the 6th North Carolina Regiment. His regiment served in Whiting's brigade of Smith's division under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston in the Peninsular campaign. For brilliant leadership at the battle of Seven Pines (Fair Oaks) he was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general and assigned to command a brigade of North Carolina troops in Gen. Ambrose P. Hill's division. Pender led his brigade ably in the battle of the Seven Days in front of Richmond and again under Jackson at the second battle of Bull Run, in the Maryland campaign, at Fredericksburg, and at Chancellorsville. He was wounded three times during these battles but never relinquished his command.
On May 27, 1863, William Dorsey Pender was promoted to the rank of major-general, being then only twenty-nine years of age but considered one of the ablest officers of the Confederacy. He was placed in command of a division and demonstrated his fitness for his new command at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863, when he drove the Union troops from Seminary Ridge. The second day of the battle he was severely wounded in the leg by a fragment of shell. He was evacuated to Staunton, Virginia, where he died on July 18, 1863, following an operation for the amputation of his wounded leg.
Quotations: William Dorsey Pender's last words were "Tell my wife that I do not fear to die. I can confidently resign my soul to God, trusting in the atonement of Jesus Christ. My only regret is to leave her and our two children. I have always tried to do my duty in every sphere in which Providence has placed me. "
On March 3, 1859 William Dorsey Pender married Mary Frances, daughter of the Hon. Augustine H. Shepperd of North Carolina. Three sons were born of this union: Samuel Turner, William D. , and Stephen Lee.
