Private Archibald McPherson was born on June 26th, 1810 at Chapel Hill, Orange County, North Carolina. Archibald relocated to Barbour County, Alabama prior to 1842; he married Kitty Ann (née Tew) at Barbour County, Alabama on December 19th, 1842.

They had 6 children together; Kitty died ca. 1856 at Barbour County, Alabama. Archibald relocated his family to Marianna, Jackson County, Florida ca. 1857.

He married Deborah Ann (née Edinfield) on September 21st, 1859 at Marianna, Jackson County, Florida. In 1860, he was living near Marianna, Jackson County, Florida. He, along with sons James and Alexander, enlisted in Captain Davidson’s Company on March 20th, 1862 at Chattahoochee, Gadsden County, Florida.

He was reported to have contracted measles in May[1], but was accounted present with the company when it departed the state, and was promoted to 1st Corporal early in 1863. He is recorded as being present with the company from the time it left the state until May 6th, 1863 when he died in a hospital at Knoxville, Tennessee due to pneumonia.[2]

Archibald is interred at Bethel Confederate Cemetery, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee. Deborah applied for and was awarded a Florida Confederate Pension for Hamilton’s service.

[1] To date, this is the only occurrence I have found that specifies the “sickness” reported by General J.J. Finley in his Regimental Return for May, 1862 to have been rampant at Chattahoochee and Rico’s Bluff during the organization of the 6th Florida. See State Library and Archives, Florida Memory, Collections/Confederate Pension Applications, https://www.floridamemory.com/solr-search/results/?q=%28A00670%20OR%20tt%3AA00670%5E10%29&query=A00670, and “National Archives and Records Service (1957). Microcopy No. 251: Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Florida. General Services Administration, Washington, D.C.; Fold3, https://www.fold3.com/image/271/119068340

[2] Apparently, Deborah was with child when Archibald departed the state; their daughter Louisiana was born in 1863.