Simpson, Avington Wayne, 1834-

Avington Wayne Simpson (b. 1834) was a soldier from June 1861 until May 1865. He began with the Missouri State Guard and then served with the 5th Missouri Infantry Regiment of the Confederate Army. In 1863, Simpson was sent west of the Mississippi as a recruiting officer. Simpson was captured in April 1865 by the Union army, along with the entire garrison at Spanish Fort, Ala. He was paroled on 9 May 1865 in Meridian, Miss.

According to his diary, Avington Wayne Simpson was born on 28 November 1834 in Wayne County, Ky., and, in 1841, moved to Polk County, Mo., where he lived until enlisting in the Missouri State Guard in June 1861.

Simpson served six months in the Missouri State Guard and was elected as a third and later second lieutenant in Bradford's Company under the command of General Sterling Price. With the Missouri State Guard, he fought in battles at Oak Hills, Dry Wood, and Lexington, Mo. After the Missouri State Guard was merged into the Army of the West in March 1862, Simpson participated with the 5th Missouri Infantry Regiment in the battles of Farmington, Miss., in May 1862, and Iuka, Miss., in September 1862. At Iuka, he was slightly wounded in the arm.

On 8 March 1863, Simpson was detailed and sent west of the Mississippi as a recruiting officer. He returned to command duty in July 1863, having been promoted to first lieutenant on 15 May 1863, and served as such during the campaign in Georgia. He saw action in the battles at Allatoona, Ga., and Franklin, Tenn., in 1864. In April 1865, Simpson was captured by the Union army, along with the entire garrison at Spanish Fort, Ala. He was paroled on 9 May 1865 in Meridian, Miss.