Felix M. Witkoski
Encyclopedia
Felix M. Witkoski is a spurious candidate for the last surviving Confederate Veteran. He claimed that in 1862 he was turned back as too young by a Texas regiment, but walked to Montgomery, Alabama
and successfully enlisted as a water boy in the 53rd Alabama Infantry. He was supposedly wounded in his stomach in the Battle of Atlanta
and fought through the rest of the war. It is possible he went to the Klondike
in search of gold in 1897, although this was only a story he told in later life. Around that time he moved to California, at first to Oakland
, then San Francisco, and later Glendale
. A chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy presented Witkoski with a Southern Cross of Honor in 1943. He was afflicted with heart disease for the last four years of his life. He died on February 3, 1952, in Burbank, California
. He is buried with full military honors in an Inglewood, California
cemetery.
However, the 1870 census of Texas indicates that his six-year-old brother was born in Poland, which precludes the family immigrating to the US before 1864. The 1900 census of California documents Witkoski's birth as October 1854, rather than 1850, and indicates that he came to the US in 1864. There is no evidence to document his service, and his subsequent, arbitrary backdating of his birth fits the mold of deliberate fabrication.
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
and successfully enlisted as a water boy in the 53rd Alabama Infantry. He was supposedly wounded in his stomach in the Battle of Atlanta
Battle of Atlanta
The Battle of Atlanta was a battle of the Atlanta Campaign fought during the American Civil War on July 22, 1864, just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Continuing their summer campaign to seize the important rail and supply center of Atlanta, Union forces commanded by William T. Sherman overwhelmed...
and fought through the rest of the war. It is possible he went to the Klondike
Klondike, Yukon
The Klondike is a region of the Yukon in northwest Canada, east of the Alaska border. It lies around the Klondike River, a small river that enters the Yukon from the east at Dawson....
in search of gold in 1897, although this was only a story he told in later life. Around that time he moved to California, at first to Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, then San Francisco, and later Glendale
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
. A chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy presented Witkoski with a Southern Cross of Honor in 1943. He was afflicted with heart disease for the last four years of his life. He died on February 3, 1952, in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
. He is buried with full military honors in an Inglewood, California
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
cemetery.
However, the 1870 census of Texas indicates that his six-year-old brother was born in Poland, which precludes the family immigrating to the US before 1864. The 1900 census of California documents Witkoski's birth as October 1854, rather than 1850, and indicates that he came to the US in 1864. There is no evidence to document his service, and his subsequent, arbitrary backdating of his birth fits the mold of deliberate fabrication.