William F. Rozzell, a 20-year old merchant who in 1860 resided in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina enlisted on 16 April 1861 in the "Hornets Nest Rifles", designated Co. B, 1st North Carolina Infantry when the regiment was organized at Raleigh that May. After participating in the Battle of Big Bethel, Virginia on 10 June, Rozzell was mustered out on 12 November 1861. The regiment was reorganized as the 11th North Carolina State Troops and Rozzell reenlisted on 24 February 1862 as Orderly Sergeant in Company E. He was subsequently elected 2nd Lieutenant on 12 July 1862 during the 11th's campaigns in defense of eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia. After reporting to R. E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia in early 1863, the 11th North Carolina fought in every campaign of that famous organization until its surrender at Appomattox on 9 April 1865. But William Rozzell would not survive to see his regiment surrendered. On the afternoon of 1 July 1863 west of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania the 11th, led by Colonel Collett Leventhorpe, was engaged in the center of Pettigrew's Brigade, Heth's Division, Third Army Corps in a fierce battle on the banks of Willoughby Run and at McPherson Ridge. Their opponents were the 19th Indiana, 24th Michigan, 121st and 142nd Pennsylvania and the 20th New York Militia. In breaking three enemy lines of battle, the 11th suffered 209 casualties. At some point during these actions Lieutenant William F. Rozzell was critically wounded. When the Army of Northern Virginia withdrew from the Gettysburg battlefield on 3 July 1863, Federal cavalry seized part of the Confederate ambulance train and Rozzell was captured. On 10 July he died while still in enemy hands. William Rozzell's remains were originally buried near Gettysburg but in 1873 were reburied at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. William F. Rozzell's name appears on the Roll of Honor of the 11th Regiment, North Carolina Troops. The period image shows McPherson Woods on the Gettysburg battlefield, near the area where the 11th North Carolina fought.