William Gaston Lewis transferred as Lieutenant colonel from the 33rd North Carolina Infantry on April 25, 1862, and appointed acting commander on July 3, 1863.

It fought in the Seven Days' Battles and saw action at Goldsboro, Gettysburg, Plymouth, Drewry's Bluff, and Cold Harbor.

From the public monument at Gettysburg: Forty-third North Carolina Regiment, Daniel's Brigade Rodes's Division, Ewell's Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.

As they approached the field of battle on the morning of July 1, the 43rd North Carolina, along with the rest of Daniel's Brigade, heard the distant booming of cannon.

Their steady progress was checked by the deep railroad cut, but subsequent assaults were successful in breaking the Union line.

Before daybreak on July 3, the 43d moved to the extreme left of the Confederate line to take part in an assault on Culp's Hill.

Attempting to push beyond the works, the regiment was exposed to a most severe fire of canister, shrapnel and shell at short range.

The Regiment retired to this point and remained exposed and under fire until ordered to recross Rock Creek in the early evening.

"All that men could do, was done nobly"[3] In the spring of 1864, the 43rd Infantry took part in the Battle of Plymouth (1864), where the regiment helped take the town, with the Union garrison and a great deal of supplies were captured.

The 43rd North Carolina Infantry was part of the Valley Campaigns of 1864, which included Battle of Cool Spring or Snicker's Gap.

As Jubal Early's Confederate troops were leaving the area around Washington, DC, pursuing Federal forces caused a battle in a small gap in the Blue Ridge mountains.

On the afternoon of that day Rodes's Division attacked the enemy at Snicker's Gap, driving them into the Shenandoah River, where the loss in killed and drowned was very heavy.

"[4] Another soldier recorded the costs of the battle in his diary: "We succeeded in driving the enemy back across the river and to that instant the victory remained with us but I doubt whether we won an advantage by the fight.

The color bearer was wounded through the arm..."[5] The 43rd Regiment, North Carolina State Troops, participated in the Battle of Appomattox Court House, and surrendered on April 9, 1865, with 9 officers and 164 men.

722 muskets among 1,659 men represents the fighting strength of Grimes’ division at Appomattox Court House at the time of the surrender.

Many were recent immigrants, married into local families, purchased land or had occupations that would take them from another place into North Carolina.