A Brief Battle History
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Carroll County Infantry Units
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Co "H" 41st Ga Vol Inf "Wool Hat Boys"
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Co "B" Bowdon Volunteers, Cobb's Legion
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Heard County Calvary Units
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Troop "E" 10th Calvary Regiment (Heard County)
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The Battle of First Manassas with the Army of Northern
Virginia 1861
Having been informed that McDowell was on the march to attack Beauregard at Manassas, Gen. J. E. Johnston, leaving part of his force to watch and impede the progress of Patterson in the Shenandoah valley, skillfully eluded the Federal commander and led 8,000 men to Manassas. Johnston himself, with Bee's brigade, joined Beauregard on the morning of July 20th. Stonewall Jackson's brigade also came up and was placed in position. Col. Francis Bartow with two regiments of his brigade, the Seventh Georgia under Col. Lucius J. Gartrell, and the Eighth under Lieut.-Col. William M. Gardner, reached the field on the evening of July 20th, and early on the morning of the 21st was stationed between McLean's and Blackburn's fords. Later in the morning he was sent along with Bee's brigade to the support of Cocke at the Stone bridge, where the Federal main attack seemed about to be made. About the same time Col. N. G. Evans made his movement to the rear, and facing north met the unexpected attack of the Federal column by way of the Sudley road. When Evans was about to be overwhelmed by this attack, Bee and Bartow went to his assistance. "As Bee advanced under a severe fire, " General Beauregard reported, "he placed the Seventh and Eighth Georgia regiments, under the chivalrous Bartow, at about 11 a. m. , in a wood of second-growth pines, to the right and front of and nearly perpendicular to Evans' line of battle. A fierce and destructive conflict now ensued. The fire was withering on both sides, while the enemy swept our short, thin lines with their numerous artillery, which, according to their official reports, at this time consisted of at least ten rifled guns and four howitzers. For an hour did these stouthearted men of the blended commands of Bee, Evans and Bartow breast an unintermitting battle-storm, animated surely by something more than the ordinary courage of even the bravest men under fire. It must have been indeed the inspiration of the cause and consciousness of the great stake at issue which thus nerved and animated one and all to stand unawed and unshrinking in such an extremity. . . . The Eighth Georgia regiment had suffered heavily, being exposed, as it took and maintained its position, to a fire from the enemy already posted within 100 yards of their front and right, sheltered by fences and other cover. It was at this time that Lieutenant-Colonel Gardner (commanding the Eighth) was severely wounded, as were also several other valuable officers. The adjutant of the regiment, Lieutenant Branch, was killed, and the horse of the regretted Bartow was shot under him. " Finally Sherman's and Keyes' Federal brigades, having found a passage of Bull Run above the Stone bridge, threatened the rear of these gallant and stubborn fighters, and General Bee was compelled to order them back. But valuable time had been gained, during which Jackson had brought his brigade up to an advantageous position, and the disorganized troops had been rallied on the new one formed by Beauregard and Johnston. The Georgians now joined in the impetuous charges which swept the enemy before them in the struggle for possession of the hills, also in the final assault under which the Federal army broke and fled in disorder and panic. "The victory," said the general commanding on the field won by Confederate gallantry, "was fraught with the loss to the service of the country of lives of inestimable preciousness at this juncture. In the open field near the Henry house, and a few yards distant from where Bee fell, the promising life of Bartow, while leading the Seventh Georgia regiment, was quenched in blood." His death ceased great sorrow in the State, but no soldier could have died more gloriously. His name was coupled with that of Bee, and was heard in every home of the South, as well as at every camp-fire. His dying utterance, as he fell, caught in the arms of the gallant Colonel Gartrell-"They have killed me, but never give up the fight' '-was a bugle call to valorous deeds that found an echo in the hearts of the thousands of Southern patriots ready to do or die in the cause of their native land. Nor did less honor belong to the gallant Gardner, who, desperately wounded, lingered for months between life and death. Neither should the just meed of praise be withheld from the many heroes of Manassas, both living and dead, of whom not a name has been recorded on the scroll of fame.
Lt. E.F. Glover of Company "G" 7th Ga Vol Inf of Franklin was killed in the opening engagement at Manassas. His friend Giles Featherstone was severely wounded and later had an arm amputated. Giles would return to Franklin to teach school.
The Invasion of Kentucky and the Battle of Perryville with the Army of Tennessee
October 8th 1862
The following Georgia commands went into Kentucky in Heth's division: Smith's legion, Fifty-fifth Georgia and Newnan artillery (from the Twelfth battalion). In Stevenson's division, which recaptured Cumberland gap and then advanced into Kentucky, were the Thirty-fourth, Thirty-sixth, Thirty-ninth, Fortieth, Forty-second, Fifty-second and Fifty-seventh Georgia regiments, the Third and Ninth Georgia battalions, and the Cherokee artillery. In McCown's division was the Forty-third Georgia. The foregoing troops were all in Gen. Kirby Smith's army. In Polk's wing of Bragg's army in Kentucky there were other Georgia commands. In Withers' division the Fifth Georgia shared in what was to the infantry the bloodless victory at Munfordville, Ky. ; while at Perryville the Forty-first Georgia was in Cheatham's division in the thickest of the fight, its gallant colonel, Charles A. McDaniel, being mortally wounded, and Maj. John Knight leading it through the rest of the battle. The regiment lost in this engagement 6 color-bearers, 2 killed and 4 wounded. General Maney, commanding the brigade of four Tennessee regiments and the Forty-first Georgia, said in his report : " The Southern army lost neither a truer soldier nor more amiable and admirable a gentleman on that field (Perryville) than Col. Charles A. McDaniel. . . . It would be a profound gratification to me to be allowed the privilege of inscribing the name of Colonel McDaniel on one of the guns captured by my brigade at the battle of Murfreesboro, the gun to be presented to some Georgia battery. " The Southern Rights battery, from Perry, as well as the Southern Rights Guards (Company C) of Ramsey's First Georgia, was also at the battle of Perryville.
The Army Of Northern Virginia
After the abandonment of Yorktown and the gallant fight at
Williamsburg, there was an attempt on the part of the Federals to land troops near West
Point, Va., which brought on an engagement May 7th, in which the Eighteenth Georgia, Col.
W. T. Wofford, of Hood's brigade, and the Nineteenth, of Hampton's brigade,
participated. General Hampton reported that the Nineteenth came up at a run when needed,
under heavy fire. This regiment took a number of prisoners, and the conduct of Col. Thomas
C. Johnson and Maj. A. J. Hutchins was particularly commended.
The Battle of the Seven Pines, Virginia 1862
Other Georgia regiments, the Third, Sixth, Fourteenth and Nineteenth, were more or less engaged.
In Magruder's corps were more Georgia regiments than of any other State. D. R. Jones' division had two brigades, the first commanded by Gen. Robert Tombs, composed of the Second, Fifteenth, Seventeenth and Twentieth Georgia regiments, and the second, under Col. George T. Anderson, made up of the First regulars, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Eleventh Georgia, the old Manassas brigade. Gen. Paul J. Semmes' brigade of McLaws' division included the Tenth and Fifty-third, and Gen. Howell Cobb's brigade had for its main strength the Sixteenth and Twenty-fourth regiments and Cobb's legion. Ambrose R. Wright, former colonel of the Third Georgia, promoted to brigadier-general, commanded a brigade of Huger's division, which included the Third, Fourth and Twenty-second regiments. Still another Georgia brigade was found in A. P. Hill's light division-Joseph R. Anderson's,. made up of the Fourteenth, Thirty-fifth, Forty-fifth and Forty-ninth regiments; and in the same division the Nineteenth was attached to Archer's Tennessee brigade.
The Battle of Mechanicsville, Virginia 1862
The battle of Mechanicsville followed, in which J. R. Anderson's brigade was particularly distinguished. "Anderson, with the Thirty-fifth Georgia, Col. E. L. Thomas leading, " as stated in the report of General Hill, "had moved as heretofore directed, and encountering the enemy drove them back, and Colonel Thomas with his regiment crossed Beaver Dam creek and gained an admirable position for charging the enemy's batteries. The Fourteenth Georgia, Lieut.-Col. Robert W. Folsom, pushed forward to his support, but Folsom was stricken down, the regiment lost his gallant leading and but few crossed." Colonel Thomas held his own until the battle closed, when he withdrew and joined his brigade on the south side of the creek. The Forty-ninth and Forty-fifth Georgia were effective in the same fight. General Anderson also made special mention of the Georgians in this affair, saying: " I would especially notice the conduct of Col. E. L. Thomas, commanding Thirty-fifth Georgia, who evinced fearlessness and good judgment not only in this affair, but throughout the expedition. He was wounded on this occasion, but remained always on duty at the head of his regiment. His adjutant, too, Lieutenant Ware, was con- spicuous for gallantry, and sealed with his life his devotion to the cause of his country, as did other valuable officers. I have also as the result of this action to regret the loss from the service, at least for a time, of Col. A. J. Lane, commanding Forty-ninth Georgia, who received a painful and serious wound in the arm, and of Lieut.-Col. Thomas J. Simmons, of the Forty-fifth regiment ; nor can I omit to call special attention to the gallant conduct of Capt. L. P. Thomas, quartermaster of the Thirty-fifth, who volunteered his services for the occasion in the field, seeing his regiment deficient in field officers. He rendered valuable service until he was seriously wounded. Lieut.-Col. Robert W. Folsom, Fourteenth Georgia, also deserves special mention. This officer was confined to his sick bed, but as soon as the order to move forward was given he got up and gallantly led his regiment, though laboring under the effects of disease." Capt. D. B. Henry and Lieut. H. H. Roberts were among the killed. In the same battle the Nineteenth Georgia, of Archer s brigade, lost its gallant commander, Lieut.-Col. Thomas C. Johnson, who fell cheering his men in action ; Lieut. Joseph Dunlap was also killed in the midst of the conflict. Ripley's brigade, of D. H. Hill's division, joined A. P. Hill before the close of this fight, bringing into action the Forty-fourth and Forty-eighth Georgia. Just before dark they advanced over very difficult ground under a heavy fire, and suffered great loss. " Of the Forty-fourth Georgia, " General Ripley reported, " Col. Robert A. Smith and Lieut.-Col. John B. Estes fell wounded, the former mortally, besides 2 captains and 10 lieutenants killed and wounded. The Forty-eighth Georgia, Colonel Gibson, had a more advantageous position and suffered less severely. . . . The loss of non-commissioned officers and privates was heavy in the extreme. " In the Forty-fourth Georgia there were 335 killed and wounded, including every field officer, either killed or wounded. Next morning, as the Confederates advanced, the enemy fell back to Gaines' Mill and Cold Harbor, where A. P. Hill followed and made desperate efforts to break the Federal line. " The Thirty-fifth Georgia drove through the enemy's lines like a wedge, but it was all of no avail." Hardeman's Forty-fifth was also in the fight, and the Nineteenth Georgia lost all its field officers. Lieutenant-Colonel Shackelford, killed in the gallant discharge of duty, and Sergt.-Maj. J. W. Williams were especially commended by General Archer. The heroic fragment of the Forty-fourth, 179 strong, under Capts. J. W. Beck and Samuel P. Lumpkin, were still at the front in this as in subsequent battles.
The Battle of Sharpsburg, Maryland 1862
Meanwhile several Georgia commands had the great honor of being with Stonewall Jackson in the investment and capture of Harper's Ferry, where the rich spoil consisted, according to the Official Records, of 12,520 prisoners, 13,000 arms, 73 pieces of artillery and several hundred wagons. These commands were : In Lawton's brigade, the Thirteenth, Twenty-sixth, Thirty-first, Thirty-eighth, Sixtieth and Sixty-first Georgia; in Trimble's brigade, the Twelfth Georgia; in Archer's brigade, the Nineteenth Georgia ; in Thomas' brigade, the Thirty-fifth, Forty-fifth and Forty-ninth Georgia. This great victory, which cost so little loss of life, was greatly enjoyed by Jackson's gallant soldiers, who began at once the march to Sharpsburg to join Lee in the great battle pending against the overwhelming army of McClellan. The blood shed at South Mountain by Georgians and other Southern troops not only saved the trains of Lee's army, but also made possible Jackson's triumph at Harper's Ferry. In the bloody battle of September 17th, at Sharpsburg and along Antietam creek, there were forty Georgia regiments, including the cavalry of Cobb's legion with Stuart, and six batteries ; but the number of men engaged in the entire Confederate army was less than would have been brought into action by the Georgia commands alone, if in approximately full strength. Brigades were reduced to the dimensions of regiments, regiments to companies ; but the remnant, footsore, weary and deprived of sleep, held at bay nearly three times their number, and inflicted such tremendous losses that they were permitted to return to Virginia without molestation. The slaughter was terrible among the Confederates as well as among their opponents. Nearly one-fourth of the Southerners who went into battle were killed or wounded. After the artillery fighting, the battle of Sharpsburg was opened by Hood's brigade, under command of Col. W. T. Wofford, Eighteenth Georgia, in front of the Dunker church, on the evening of the 16th. About midnight the Eighteenth and the rest of the brigade, having had no regular issue of rations for three days, retired to devote the rest of the night to cooking, and their place was taken by Lawton's brigade. Just after daylight the Eighteenth lay down in line of battle under a storm of shell from the enemy's batteries, and at 7 o'clock charged under fire and drove the Federals from the cornfield in their front, but suffered such terrible losses that their part of the work ended there. But 75 men were left fit for duty out of 176. Lieuts. T. C. Underwood and J. M. D. Cleveland were killed, and among the wounded were Capts. J. A. Crawford and G. W. Maddox, and Lieuts. M. J. Crawford, J. F. Maddox, O. W. Putnam, W. G. Calahan, J. Grant and D. B. Williams. At this famous point of the field (the Dunker church), Ewell's division, under command of General Lawton, fought with great heroism through the morning of the 17th. The Thirty-first, under Lieut.-Col. J. T. Crowder, was on picket duty during the previous night. Lawton's brigade, under Col. Marcellus Douglass, and Trimble's under Colonel Walker, of Virginia, sustained a destructive artillery attack at daybreak, followed by an assault of infantry, and after a short time General Lawton received a severe wound which compelled his withdrawal from the field. Gen. Jubal A. Early then for the first time assumed command of the division. The latter reported of the fight :Colonel Walker, by moving two of his regiments, the Twenty-first Georgia and Twenty-first North Carolina, and concentrating their fire and that of the Twelfth Georgia upon a part of the enemy's line in front of the latter, succeeded in breaking it; and as a brigade of fresh troops came up to the support of Lawton's and Hays' brigades just at this time, Walker ordered an advance, but the brigade which came up having fallen back, he was compelled to halt, and finally to fall back to his first position. His brigade (Trimble's) had suffered terribly. . . . Colonel Douglass, whose brigade had been hotly engaged during the whole time, was killed, and about half of the men had been killed, wounded and captured. . The terrible nature of the conflict in which these brigades had been engaged, and the steadiness with which they maintained their position, are shown by the losses they sustained. Lawton's brigade suffered a loss of 554 killed and wounded out of 1,150, and five regimental commanders out of six. Hays' and Walker's brigades, together hardly equal in numbers to Lawton's, suffered the same loss, including all of the regimental commanders but one. " In the death of Colonel Douglass, " said Early, " the country sustained a serious loss. He was talented, courageous and devoted to his duty. " Maj. J. H. Lowe, Thirty-first Georgia, succeeded to the command of Lawton's brigade, being the senior officer present not disabled. He reported the gallant conduct of Corp. Curtis A. Lowe, Company F, Sixty-first Georgia, who, after the color-bearer and four of the color guard were shot down, seized the colors and pressed forward, calling on his comrades to follow their standard. A similar tribute was paid to Private M. V. Hawes, Company E, Thirty-first Georgia, who, after two of the color-bearers had been shot down, took the colors and carried them, leading in the charge, until the regiment was withdrawn. Lieuts. J. D. Hill, J. A. Adair, E. S. Bass and Edwin Dallas were among the killed of the Thirteenth, Lieut. D. P. Rice of the Twenty-sixth, Capt. W. H. Battey of the Thirty-eighth, Maj. A. P. Macrae and Capt. W. J. Mathews of the Sixty-first. Capt. James G. Rodgers, commanding the Twelfth, was killed, and Lieut. A. Henderson wounded, and Major Glover, commanding the Twenty-first, was dangerously wounded. The aggregate loss of the Thirteenth was 216, of the Twenty-sixth 61, Thirty-first 53, Thirty-eighth 71, Sixtieth 60, Sixty-first 104, Twelfth 59, Twenty-first 67.
The Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia 1862
It was the Nineteenth Georgia, of Archer's brigade, Lieut.-Col. A. J. Hutchins commanding, that after gallantly foiling the direct assault of the Federals on the right of Lee's army, was pushed from position by the enemy moving to their rear through a gap unfortunately left between Archer's and Lane's brigades, and it was Gen. Edward L. Thomas who, in the words of A. P. Hill, " responding to the call of General Lane, rapidly threw forward his brigade of Georgians by the flank, and deploying by successive formations, squarely met the enemy, charged them, and, joined by the Seventh and part of the Eighteenth North Carolina, drove them back, with tremendous losses, to their original position. " At the close of the struggle in this quarter, General Hill reported, " The enemy having been repulsed at all points, my brigades remained in their original positions, save General Thomas' (Fourteenth, Thirty-fifth, Forty-fifth and Forty-ninth Georgia), which was not recalled from the position it had so gallantly won in the front line. " The loss in killed and wounded was for the Nineteenth 54, Fourteenth 132, Thirty-fifth 89, Forty-fifth 48, Forty-ninth 61. Among the killed were Lieuts. W. H. Putnam, C. Johnson, and W. J. Solomon. Another column of the enemy encountered Hill's reserve, and Gen. Marcy Gregg was mortally wounded while rallying his men. To the relief of this gallant, command Lawton s old brigade went forward, now 2,000 strong, under the command of Col. E. N. Atkinson, who, being severely wounded in the midst of the battle, was succeeded by Colonel Evans, of the Thirty-first. The brigade had been in line under fire during the morning, the Thirteenth regiment, Col. J. M. Smith, on the right; and thence to the left the Sixtieth, Col. W. H. Stiles; Sixty-first, Col. J. H. Lamar; Thirty-eighth, Capt. William L. McLeod; Thirty-first, Col. C. A. Evans, and the Twenty-sixth, Capt. B. F. Grace. The brigade gallantly swept the enemy back, driving them at the point of the bayonet from the railroad cut and into the wood beyond, where the pursuit was carried with such energy by the regiments of Stiles, Lamar, McLeod and Evans, that both parties entered the ditches beyond almost together. At the railroad and in the ditches a large number of prisoners were captured and sent to the rear, among them one colonel and several officers of minor grade. A battery on a hill 200 yards distant tempted the Georgians still further, but after they had caused the guns to be abandoned and were about to take possession, a strong flank movement against them made it necessary to withdraw from a dangerously exposed position. Among the officers commended by Colonel Evans in his report were Colonel Lamar, wounded; Maj. C. W. McArthur, Capt. Peter Brenan, Col. W. H. Stiles, and Capt. Edward P. Lawton, adjutant-general of the brigade, distinguished for heroic activity at the close of the fight, when he received a dangerous wound, and was unavoidably left on the open plain. This brave staff officer died a few days later. The Twelfth Georgia, Col. Z. T. Conner, and Twenty-first, Col. J. T. Mercer, also participated in this movement. Lieut.-Col. T. B. Scott, of the Twelfth, was killed while nobly doing his duty, and Lieut. Thomas J. Verdery, of the Twenty-first, was also among the slain. But the most famous incident of this battle, as often quoted among the glorious defenses of military history as is the charge at Cemetery hill among the assaults, was the performance of Cobb's brigade at Marye's hill. His heroic command was now composed of the Sixteenth regiment, Col. Goode Bryan; Eighteenth, Col. W. T. Wofford; Twenty-fourth, Col. Robert McMillan; Cobb's legion, Lieut.-Col. L. J. Glenn, and Phillips' legion, Col. W. Phillips, under the command of Brig.-Gen. Thomas R. R. Cobb, who had succeeded Gen. Howell Cobb. On the night of December 11th, the brigade had taken its position in the Telegraph road, a sunken highway at the base of Marye s hill, on the side of which, next the town, was a stone wall, shoulder high, against which the earth was banked, making an almost impregnable defense. When on the morning of the 13th the Federals in great masses of troops advanced from the town of Fredericksburg, they could not see the fatal sunken road, nor know that any Confederate troops were nearer than the summits of the hills. Marching in double-quick time, the United States troops swarmed up in the field in front of Cobb's brigade until the space was packed. The Confederate artillery poured shot and shell into these devoted masses, causing great carnage, but they pressed forward steadily until they came within range of the Georgians behind the stone wall, when a storm of lead was poured into their advancing ranks and they were swept from the field like chaff before the wind. Another blue line was formed and sent forward to the carnival of death. It fell back shattered. Yet another; and when the fourth came, the ground was covered so closely with the dead and wounded that it impeded the advance of the later aspirants for glory or death. In this fourth charge a gallant Federal officer came within 100 feet of Cobb's line before he fell, but the great mass of the dead was piled at about 100 yards distance, beyond which no organized body was permitted to approach. In spite of these terrible reverses, a fifth and a sixth charge were made before night came to end the terrible slaughter. The musketry alone killed and wounded about 5,000, to which the artillery added enough to make 7,000 maimed, dead and dying, lying on that horrible field of destruction. General McLaws has written that about I p. m. General Cobb reported that he was short of ammunition. " I sent his own very intelligent and brave courier, little Johnny Clark, from Augusta, Ga. , to bring up his ordnance supplies, and directed General Kershaw to reinforce General Cobb with two of his South Carolina regiments, and I also sent the Sixteenth Georgia, which had been detached, to report to General Cobb. " General McLaws also tells how a Georgia boy, William Crumley, an orderly of General Kershaw, seeing his chief's horse in a very dangerous position, rode the animal up a slope, exposed to the hottest fire of the enemy, left him in a safe place, and returning by the same way with an inferior horse, rejoined the general, who, until Crumley's return, was ignorant of his daring feat. While Kershaw was moving forward, General Cobb fell mortally wounded during the third assault upon his line, and Kershaw took command of the line and Colonel McMillan of the brigade. General Cobb's wound was by a musket ball in the calf of the leg. He was carried to the field hospital in the rear and given every attention, but he died soon afterward. Gen. R. E. Lee alluded to him as one of the South's noblest citizens and the army's bravest and most distinguished officers, and the whole nation joined with unaffected sympathy in the sorrow which overwhelmed his native State. As General McLaws has said, every one esteemed him warmly who knew his great intellect and good heart. The losses of Cobb's brigade were as follows: Staff, 3 wounded; Sixteenth regiment, 4 killed, 6 wounded, 4 missing ; Eighteenth, 11 killed, 47 wounded ; Twenty-fourth, 5 killed, 31 wounded; Phillips' legion, 13 killed, 55 wounded; aggregate, 235. Among the killed were Lieut. J. S. Bowring, Capt. Walter S. Brewster and Lieut..Col. R. T. Cook. Capt. John P. W. Read's battery (Pulaski artillery), Capt. Henry H. Carlton's battery (Troup artillery), Capt. H. N. Ells' battery (Macon artillery), and Capts. H. M. Ross' and John Lane's batteries (Companies A and E of Cutts' Sumter battalion), were on the crest of the hills occupied by the division of General McLaws. One of Carlton's guns on this occasion was commanded by Lieut. W. F. Anderson of Ells' battery. These, with batteries from other States, 48 guns in all, were under command of Col. Henry Goalter Cabell. The fire of these guns upon the charging columns of the enemy was, according to the reports of the officers commanding on both sides, very destructive to the Federals, as was also that of the guns on Marye's heights, under command of Lieut.-Col. E. P. Alexander, of Georgia. Capt. John Milledge's battery of eight rifled guns was sent to the support of Jackson's wing, and according to the report of Gen. W. N. Pendleton, "was useful on the river, and with Major Pelham in his successful dash upon the enemy when. menacing our right flank. " Of the batteries of Captains Lane and Ross, General Pendleton says that theirs, "as of best guns, were most in requisition and rendered most service. " Capt. G. M. Patterson's battery (B of the Sumter battalion), with one section of Ross', under Maj. T. Jefferson Page, Jr., shared in the defense of General Hood's front.During the fighting at Fredericksburg the cavalry of Cobb's Georgia legion accompanied Gen. Wade Hampton on an expedition to Dumfries, which was completely successful. In his report General Hampton spoke in the highest terms of the conduct of all his officers and men. " They bore the privation and fatigue of the march-three nights in the snow-without complaint, and were always prompt and ready to carry out my orders. "
The Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia 1863
......the Fifty-third and Fiftieth Ga Vol Inf, were hard pressed but held their ground without flinching. General Semmes said: "This battle was one of the most severely contested of the war. Every regiment of the brigade came up to its full measure of duty. The brunt of the battle fell upon this brigade. Beyond my left there was only desultory firing, and beyond my right much firing did not extend far beyond and to the right of the road, whilst the roar of musketry raged furiously along my front......
The Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Army of Northern
Virginia 1863
When Longstreet's corps took position on the field to the south of A. P. Hill, on the second day of the battle, four more Georgia brigades were brought into action. In McLaws' division were the brigade of Gen. P. J. Semmes-Tenth regiment, Col. John B. Weems; Fiftieth, Col. W. R. Manning ; Fifty-first, Col. E. Ball ; and the brigade of Gen. W. T. Wofford-Sixteenth regiment, Col. Goode Bryan ; Eighteenth, Lieut. -Col. S. Z. Ruff ; Twenty-fourth, Col. Robert McMillan; Cobb's legion, Lieut.-Col. Luther J. Glenn; Phillips' legion, Lieut. E. S. Barclay. In Hood's division were the brigade of Gen. George T. Anderson-Seventh Georgia, Col. W. W. White ; Eighth, Col. John R. Towers ; Ninth, Lieut. - Col. John C. Mounger; Eleventh, Col. F. H. Little, and Fifty-ninth, Col. Jack Brown; and the brigade of Gen. Henry L. Benning-Second regiment, Lieut.-Col. William T. Harris ; Fifteenth, Col. D. M. DuBose ; Seventeenth, Col. W. G. Hodges, and Twentieth, Col. John A. Jones.
The Battle of Champion's Hill/Siege of Vicksburg,
Mississippi with the Army of Mississippi and the Army of Tennessee in 1863
In the battle of Champion's Hill, May 16th, 1863 the Georgia brigades of Barton and Cumming fought with General Stevenson, where the combat was hottest. Barton on the right, Cumming in the center, and Stephen D. Lee on the left bore alone for some time the Federal assaults, and when they were forced to yield ground the battle was lost. The Georgia regiments engaged were the Fifty-sixth, Col. E. P. Watkins; Fifty-seventh, Col. William Barkaloo ; Thirty-sixth, Col. Jesse A. Glenn ; Thirty-fourth, Col. J. A. W. Johnson; Thirty-ninth, Col. J. T. McConnell-all of Gen. Alfred Cumming's brigade ; the Fortieth, Col. Abda Johnson; Forty-first, Col. William E. Curtiss ; Forty-second, Col. R. J. Henderson ; Forty-third, Col. Skidmore Harris, and the Fifty-second, Col. C. D. Phillips-all of Gen. Seth Barton's brigade. These ten Georgia regiments, with Lee's four Alabama regiments, practically fought the battle against what General Stevenson reported was an army of four divisions, "numbering from their own statements, about 25,000 men. " Cumming and Lee gallantly repulsed for some time the enemy's assaults, and being pushed back finally rallied on the line of the Fifty-sixth and Fifty-seventh Georgia. Soon afterward the blow fell upon Barton, and despite his gallant endeavors he was forced back and cut off from the division. But he kept up the fight and held a position near Edward's depot until night. Corput's Georgia battery (the Cherokee artillery) was splendidly served. It was impossible to save the guns, but the gunners fought to the last. Barton's brigade lost heavily, 58 killed, 106 wounded and 737 captured. General Barton reported Col. Skidmore Harris among the captured and wounded. In a report of a later date, General Stevenson states that Colonel Harris was killed at the head of his regiment. Others commended for gallantry were Cols. Curtiss, Phillips, Henderson and Abda Johnson. The latter, though sick, was present and cheering his men, who were commanded by Lieut.-Col. Robert M. Young. Majs. Raleigh S. Camp, William H. Hulsey and M. S. Nall; Capts. Max Van D. Corput and J. W. Johnston, and Lieutenant Sharkey, of the artillery; and the staff officers, Capt. A. C. Thom, Lieut. T. B. Lyons, R. F. Patterson, W. Norcum and G. L. Thompson, were specially mentioned. Cumming's brigade was about 2,500 strong, and lost in killed 142, wounded 314, missing 539, total 995. Of the missing, General Cumming estimated that about 200 were killed or wounded. As they fell back fighting desperately against the flanking attacks of the enemy, Colonels McConnell and Watkins were severely wounded. Colonel Watkins had left his sick room at Vicksburg to command his regiment in this fight. Capt. Henry P. Osborne, the youngest officer of his rank in the Thirty-ninth Georgia, not yet twenty-one years old, was particularly distinguished by the courage and skill displayed in holding his company together and securing their orderly withdrawal, for which he was complimented by General Cumming on the field. During the subsequent siege he showed remarkable skill in the construction of the part of the line under his supervision. This promising young officer died soon after the fall of Vicksburg at his home in Augusta, Ga., and at his funeral a great outpouring of citizens honored his memory.
During the siege of Vicksburg, soon afterward begun, and continued until the surrender July 4, 1863, the remnants of the ten Georgia regiments shared the heroic services and uncomplaining endurance of Pemberton's little army. There was not much opportunity for those sallies which enliven the history of famous sieges in romance. The only ones mentioned by General Stevenson were made by Georgians. Lieut.-Col. C. S. Guyton, of the Fifty-seventh Georgia, went out one night with portions of that regiment and of the Forty-third Tennessee. Guyton was successful in driving the enemy from three fortified points on the Hall's Ferry road, inflicting considerable loss. The other event worthy of record was the reconnoissance (sic) made on the Warrenton road under Colonel Curtiss, Forty-first Georgia, resulting in the capture of 107 of the enemy's pickets. General Stevenson complimented this officer with the following special mention : "The reconnoissance (sic) was conducted in a manner which reflects credit upon that able officer. "
The Fifty-Sixth, Forty-First and Thirty-Fourth Georgia Vol Inf Reg and the others, would miss the Battle of Chickamauga, but would arrive back in Georgia in time for the Battle of Missionary Ridge and would participate in all the fighting in North Georgia.
Concerning The Battle of Chickamauga:
Note :The 53rd Ga Vol Inf Reg and Cobb's Legion were present at Chickamauga in Sep 1863 but they did not participate in the battle. They were still under strength from their fights at Chancellorsville (53rd Ga Vol Inf Reg) and Gettysburg (Cobb's Legion). By the time they arrived on the battlefield the fight was over anyway.
The Battle of Battle of Missionary Ridge / North Georgia
with the Army of Tennessee in 1863
Meanwhile events of great importance had occurred at Chattanooga. On the 20th, General Bragg had notified the President that Sherman had reinforced Grant, "and a movement on our left is indicated. The same game may have to be played over. Our fate may be decided here, and the enemy is at least double our strength. " It was soon apparent, however, that the former Federal movement would not be repeated, as Sherman moved, according to observations from the heights, into Chattanooga. This first disposition preceded and partly covered the march of Sherman's main body in a circuit northward behind the hills, prepared to bridge the river and attack Bragg's right at the northern extremity of Missionary ridge. On the 23d of November an advance was made in front in which Grant pushed his lines nearer to the rampart of Missionary ridge. On the 24th Lookout was taken, exposing the Confederate left, while Sherman suddenly appeared on the right, crossing the river and making a resolute assault. Hooker crossed Lookout and forced the gap at Rossville. From either flank there came to the Confederate lines the news of overwhelming numbers, and when the brave but weary veterans on Missionary ridge, November 25th, saw yet other strong columns drawn up in their view and moving upon their front, they gave way before an assault they were unable to resist. Yet it should not be concluded that the Federal charge up the slope of Missionary ridge, or that Hooker's fight on Lookout mountain, or Sherman's assault on the Confederate right, was unattended by losses. As an example of Federal casualties, it may be noted that one Indiana regiment in Thomas' charge lost 202 killed and wounded out of a total of 337, in forty-five minutes. It was General Grant's estimate : " In this battle the Union army numbered in round figures about 60,000 men ; we lost 752 killed, and 4,713 wounded, and 350 captured and missing. " The records show that General Grant had in and around Chattanooga, 80,822 effectives present for duty.
Gen. Alfred Cumming's brigade, Stevenson's division, was distinguished for gallantry in the fight against Sherman at the tunnel. After the Federal skirmishers appeared at the base of the ridge, the Thirty-ninth Georgia, Col. J. T. McConnell, and Fifty-sixth, Lieut.-Col. J. T. Slaughter, went down the hill and briskly engaged them. About the same time Col. J. A. W. Johnson, of the Thirty-fourth, and Lieutenant-Colonel Wallace, of the Thirty-sixth, were seriously wounded. The Thirty-ninth made a second advance to the foot of the hill and burned some buildings which the Federals were occupying. The remainder of the service of Cumming's brigade on the 25th is well described by General Cleburne, the hero of the fight on the right, about the railroad tunnel near the northern extremity of Missionary ridge. He had on the previous day gallantly held his position, and was now assailed again by the divisions of Jeff. C. Davis, Sherman's corps from Vicksburg, and Howard's corps from Virginia, all under command of Sherman. Smith's Texas brigade, supported by part of Govan's Arkansans and Swett's and Key's batteries, were struggling desperately to hold their position, even rolling down heavy stones where artillery was ineffective.
The Battle of Knoxville, Tennessee, Army of Tennessee,
1863
The four Georgia brigades were conspicuous in every important
encounter of this ill-fated campaign, and sustained the heaviest brigade losses. Gen.
Goode Bryan's brigade-the Tenth Georgia, Col. John B. Weems; Fiftieth, Col. Peter
McGlashan ; Fifty-first, Col. Edward Ball ; Fifty-third, Col. James P. Simms -was
selected for duty on the picket line of Hood's division on the 27th, Lieutenant-Colonel
Holt, of the Tenth, having expressed the opinion that he could take the works. The final
orders for the assault directed that a regiment from Wofford's brigade (Phillips' Georgia
legion) and one from Humphreys' Mississippians should lead the assaulting columns, one of
which should be composed of Wofford's brigade and the other of two regiments of Humphreys'
and three of Bryan's. The assault was gallantly made and persisted in as long as there was
any hope of success. Wofford's brigade did not fall back until Colonel Ruff and Colonel
Thomas had both been killed and the next in command wounded, and they rallied within 400
yards of the fort. " Adjt. T. W. Cumming, of the Sixteenth Georgia, " said
General Longstreet in his report, " with great gallantry marched up to the fort with
10 or 12 of his men and made his way through an embrasure to the interior, where the party
was finally captured. " General Mc Laws reported concerning this fight : The conduct
of General Bryan during the siege and afterward, and especially at the assault, is worthy
of all praise. He led his brigade to the work, and after seeing that all was done that
could be done, was the very last to retire. Col. E. Ball, of the Fifty-first Georgia, and
Colonel Simms, of the Fifty-third, who was wounded in the assault ; Lieut. -Col. W.
C. Holt, Major McBride, Adjutant Strickland and Lieut. J. T. Stovall, of the Tenth, were
distinguished for gallantry and good conduct during the siege. Captain Ellis,
adjutant-general of the brigade, who was wounded during the assault, . . . I recommend for
promotion ; Major Hartsfield and Captain Vandegriff, Fifty-third. . . and Captain
Norris, Phillips' legion, deserve especial mention. Captain Dortch, of the Twenty-fourth
Georgia, drove in the enemy's pickets with his regiment on the night of the 28th ;
Lieutenant-Colonel Hutchins, commanded the sharpshooters on that occasion, and afterward
the brigade; Major Hamilton, who commanded Phillips' legion and led the assault on the
left of the line against the northwest bastion of Fort Loudon, and who was wounded in his
efforts to get his men into the work, is an officer of great gallantry, fine intelligence
and a good disciplinarian. . . . Colonel Ruff, of the Eighteenth Georgia, who commanded
Wofford's brigade and led it to the assault, was shot while cheering on his men. He was a
gallant and accomplished officer, whose merit was concealed by his modest and unobtrusive
manner, but who was fast becoming known as occasions forced a display of his zeal and
worth. I knew of no one whose career promised to be more useful. Colonel Thomas, of the
Sixteenth Georgia, a brave and determined officer, was also killed while leading his
regiment and attempting to scale the work. He was found sitting in the corner of the ditch
facing the enemy. The report by Lieutenant-Colonel Hutchins indicates that Wofford's
brigade advanced in column of regiments, and in the following order : Phillips' legion,
Maj. Joseph Hamilton; Eighteenth regiment, Capt. John A. Crawford ; Sixteenth, Lieut.
-Col. Henry P. Thomas ; Cobb's legion, Maj. William D. Conyers. The brigade moved
forward with enthusiasm through fallen timber and tangled bushes, while the Third
battalion of sharpshooters kept the enemy under cover at the start; but when the fort was
reached, it was found that the ditch had been underestimated in depth, that the parapet
was eighteen feet from the bottom of the ditch to the summit, the berm was narrow and soon
worn away in the effort to obtain a foothold, and the surface of the earth was slippery
with ice. Some men succeeded in getting on the slope, but not in sufficient force to
venture over the parapet into the fort. The loss of the brigade was 246 wounded and
missing. Col. Edward Ball, commanding Bryan's brigade, reported that the Tenth Georgia
volunteers, commanded by Lieut.-Col. W. C. Holt, drove the enemy from his rifle pits to
the works on the night before the assault. The three other regiments, Fifty-third,
Fifty-first and Fiftieth, took part in the assault, and suffered a loss of 21 men. In
Hood's division, under Jenkins, the only brigades participating in the assault were those
of Anderson. and Benning, Anderson leading and taking the main part. The experience of
these Georgians was the same as has been briefly related. Their loss was 187. More than
three-fourths of the loss of November 29th was borne by the brigades of Wofford, Bryan and
Anderson.
At the close of the year 1863, according to the statement published by authority of the Confederate government at Richmond, Virginia, Georgia had lost a greater number of soldiers than any other State of the Confederacy. The list as published is: Georgia, 9,504; Alabama, 8,987; North Carolina, 8,361; Texas, 6,377; Virginia, 5,943; Mississippi, 6,367; South Carolina, 4,511 ; Louisiana, 3,039 ; Tennessee, 2,849 ; Arkansas, 1,948 ; Florida, 1,119.
The Battle's of North Georgia and Atlanta, Georgia with the Army of Tennessee, Winter and Spring 1864
During the siege of Atlanta the following commands of Georgia State troops participated: First brigade, Brig.-Gen. R. W. Carswell- First regiment, Col. E. H. Pottle ; Second regiment, Col. C. D. Anderson ; Fifth regiment, Col. S. S. Stafford ; First battalion, Lieut. -Col. H. K. McCoy. Second brigade, Brig.-Gen. P. J. Phillips -Third regiment, Col. Q. M. Hill; Fourth regiment, Col. R. McMillan ; Sixth regiment, Col. J. W. Burney ; artillery battalion, Col. C. W. Styles. Third brigade, Brig. -Gen. C. D. Anderson ; Fourth brigade, Brig. -Gen. H. K. McKay. The regiments composing the last two brigades are not given in the official records. The fight here, one of the most famous incidents of the Atlanta campaign, was maintained on the Confederate side by Stovall's brigade, commanded by Col. Abda Johnson, consisting of the Forty-second Georgia, Lieut.Col. L. P. Thomas; First State troops, Col. John Brown (mortally wounded), Lieut. -Col. Albert Howell ; Forty-third, Colonel Kellogg; Fifty-second, Capt. R. R. Asbury ; Forty-first, Maj. M. S. Nall ; Fortieth, Captain Dobbs. The Forty-second regiment had the honor of capturing a number of guns supposed to be part of the DeGress battery; the First regiment captured the line in its front with two guns, and the remaining regiments took the Federal lines up to a point near Bald hill. In the same fight Manigault's South Carolina brigade bravely participated, capturing the guns of DeGress' battery on the north side of the Georgia railroad. At the time of Cheatham's advance the Georgia State troops under General Smith moved from their works more than a mile against the enemy's works, and supporting Anderson's battery took position 400 yards from the Federals, silencing the effective fire from an embrasure battery in their front.
Note: The Forty-First, Thirty-Fourth and Fifty-Sixth had fought in several battles all around North Georgia prior to the Battle of Atlanta. Afterwards the Fifty-Sixth would garrison at Macon with General McLaws and would go up to Virginia to fight at Cold Harbour. After the fall of Atlanta, General Hood took the rest of the Army of Tennessee into Alabama, and shortly before the Battle of Franklin, the Fifty-Sixth would re-join the army.
Several citizens from Heard County also served in the 1st Regiment Georgia State Troops and others during the Georgia Campaigns.
During the Battle's of North Georgia, Atlanta and Sherman's march to the sea there were more Georgia state citizens under arms at that time, than any other time during the war. More Georgia citizens picked up weapons to defend their homeland than the citizens in any other state in the Confederacy. Most of them had been old men, children and veterans whom had been discharged as disabled. This is a matter of record and a documented fact.
The Battle at Cold Harbor, Virginia, July 1864
On the 20th of April, General Gordon was put in command of a division composed of his own brigade, under Evans, and the remnant of the Stonewall division. In the desperate attempt of Grant to break the Confederate lines at Cold Harbor, July 1st and 2d, the Georgians of Longstreet's corps took a prominent and valiant part. Assault after assault was repulsed at Kershaw's salient, with terrible loss to the enemy.
The Sumter Eleventh artillery battalion, under Colonel Cutts and Major Lane, consisting of Ross', Patterson's and Wingfield's batteries, did excellent service during this Overland campaign. On the 10th of May, in conjunction with Pegram's battalion of artillery, it repulsed an infantry attack upon the Confederate right at Spottsylvania. Again at Cold Harbor, June 3d, the Sumter battalion with others materially assisted in checking the enemy's advance. Cabell's battalion, embracing among other batteries the Pulaski and the Troup artillery, also bore a gallant part in all these battles.
At Hawe's shop the Georgia brigade of Gen. P. M. B. Young fought with great credit. Again at Trevilian Station Young's brigade made a splendid record. The loss in Hampton's division was 612, of whom 59 were killed. Among the killed, Hampton greatly regretted the loss of Lieutenant-Colonel McAllister of the Seventh Georgia, and Capt. Whiteford D. Russell of the same regiment, who at the time was acting major. Captain Russell had been in service from the beginning of the war, having, been a lieutenant of the Walker light infantry of Augusta, Company 1, of Ramsey's First Georgia.
Early in May 1864, Gen. A. H. Colquitt had been ordered to Richmond, and on May 15th the Fifty-sixth regiment was ordered up from Macon, and the Twelfth battalion and Forty-seventh and Fifty-fifth regiments from Savannah. Colquitt's Georgia brigade and Ransom's North Carolina brigade formed a division under General Colquitt, in Beauregard's forces for the defense of Petersburg. The brigade bore a creditable part in the battle near Drewry's Bluff, May 16th, which resulted in the bottling up of General Butler. Its loss was 11 killed and 146 wounded. In the June battles before Petersburg, Colquitt's brigade fought in Hoke's division. Throughout the long siege which followed, the Georgians did their whole duty on the Petersburg lines and before Richmond.
Toward the last of June, Hampton's cavalry utterly defeated the expedition of Wilson and Kautz to the south and west of Petersburg. Again the Georgians of Young's brigade, under Col. G. J. Wright, had their full share of hardships and glory. Hampton in his report says:
The pursuit of the enemy which ended near Peters' bridge closed the active operations which began on June 8th, when the movement against Sheridan commenced.
During that time, a period of twenty-two days, the command had no rest, was badly supplied with rations and forage, marched upward of 400 miles, fought the greater portion of six days, and one entire night, captured upward of 2,000 prisoners, many guns, small-arms, wagons, horses and other materials of war, and was completely successful in defeating two of the most formidable and well-organized expeditions of the enemy. This was accomplished at a cost in my division of 719 killed, wounded and missing.
After Grant's disastrous repulse at Cold Harbor, the Second corps under Early was detached to strike Hunter, who was moving upon Lynchburg; then to move down the valley, cross the Potomac and threaten Washington. Maj.-Gen. John B. Gordon commanded one of the divisions of this corps. His old brigade was now commanded by Brig.-Gen. Clement A. Evans. It embraced the Thirteenth, Twenty-sixth, Thirty--first, Thirty--eighth, Sixtieth and Sixty-first Georgia regiments and the Twelfth Georgia battalion. In Phil Cook's brigade of Rodes' division were the Fourth, Twelfth, Twenty-first and Forty-fourth Georgia regiments. Hastening to Lynchburg, Early chased Hunter for more than sixty miles, capturing prisoners and artillery. Then Early moved rapidly northward, crossed the Potomac and marched toward Washington. In the brilliant victory at the Monocacy, Gordon made a gallant charge which broke the Federal lines. In this charge Gen. C. A. Evans, who commanded the leading brigade, fell from his horse severely wounded through the body. The Georgians also shared in Early's victory at Kernstown, July 24th. These movements of Early had caused Grant to send two corps to Washington city and to keep them in that vicinity, and McCausland's cavalry expedition to Chambersburg caused him to send additional troops to Washington. In the battle of Winchester, September 19th, the Georgians maintained a good reputation.
In addition to the Georgia commands already mentioned as being with Early, there were at the battle of Cedar Creek: in Kershaw's division, Wofford's brigade, consisting of the Sixteenth, Eighteenth and Twenty-fourth Georgia regiments, and Third Georgia battalion, also Cobb's Georgia legion and Phillips' legion; in Bryan's brigade, commanded by Col. James P. Simms, the Tenth Georgia, Col. W. C. Holt; Fiftieth Georgia, Col. P. McGlashan; Fifty-first Georgia, Col. E. Ball, and the Fifty-third Georgia. The division which included Gen. Phil Cook's brigade was now commanded by General Ramseur, General Rodes having been killed at Winchester.
The Battle of Franklin/Nashville Tennessee, Army of Tennessee
December 15 & 16 1864
We will now describe the gallant but fruitless effort of General Hood to restore the fortunes of the Confederacy in the West. In the ill-fated army that marched into Tennessee under General Hood, there were four brigades of Georgians, and parts of two others. In S. D. Lee's corps were Cumming's brigade -the Thirty-sixth, Thirty-fourth, Thirty-ninth and Fifty-sixth regiments -of Stevenson's division; and Stovall's brigade -the Fortieth, Forty-first, Forty-second, Forty-third and Fifty-second regiments-of Clayton's division. In Cheatham's corps were Gist's brigade-the Forty-sixth, Sixty-fifth, Eighth battalion, Second sharpshooters, and two South Carolina regiments-of Brown's division; and J. A. Smith's brigade-First volunteers, Fifty-fourth, Fifty-seventh and Sixty-third regiments-of Cleburne's division; and in Bate's division, Tyler's brigade under Brig.-Gen. Thomas B. Smith, partly composed of the Thirty-seventh Georgia regiment and the Fourth sharpshooters ; and Brig.Gen. H. R. Jackson's brigade, the First Georgia Confederate, Sixty-sixth, Twenty-fifth, Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth, and First sharpshooters. Corput's and the Stephens batteries were in the artillery.
The Georgians of Cheatham's corps were full participants in the terrific fighting at Franklin, Tenn. , November 30th. Brown's division gained the ditch and part of the Federal works, and fought on the crest, but lost terribly. At the close of the battle Captain Gillis, Forty-sixth Georgia, was the senior officer of Gist's bri. gade. Gist was killed and Capt. H. A. Garden alone remained of his staff. The front line of Bate's division was Jackson's and Tyler's brigades, and Major Caswell, Georgia sharpshooters, had charge of the skirmish line. Jackson's brigade gained the second line of Federal works, and remained there until after the Federal retreat. Among the killed was Colonel Smith, First Georgia Confederate, who fell while most gallantly putting his regiment into the interior works of the enemy. After the death of Cleburne, who was succeeded temporarily by Gen. James A. Smith, Col. C. H. Olmstead took command of the brigade of that officer (formerly Mercer's). When the army moved from Florence, Smith's brigade was detached and left behind for the purpose of guarding a supply train. It did not rejoin the army until December 6th, in front of Nashville.
The 41st, 56th and 34th Ga Volunteer Infantry Regiments along with the rest of the Army of Tennessee had been shot to pieces. After the Battle of Franklin the surviving remnants of the 41st, 56th and 34th Ga Volunteer Infantry Regiments were reformed into the 40th Ga Volunteer Infantry Regiment and had marched across Tennessee, and had reported to General Joseph Johnston in South Carolina and stayed under his command until their surrender 26 April 1865.
The list of Georgia Confederate Units surrendering
with Lee and Johnston that concern Heard County
With Lee in Virginia at Appomattox, Virginia in April
1865
In C. W. Fields' division: Brigade of Gen. George T. Anderson-Seventh regiment, Col. George H. Carmical ; Eighth, Col. John R. Towers ; Ninth, Maj. John W. Arnold ; Eleventh, Capt. W. H. Ramsey ; Fifty-ninth, Col. Jack Brown. Brigade of Gen. Henry L. Benning -Second regiment, Capt. Thomas Chaffin, Jr. ; Fifteenth, Maj. Peter J. Shannon; Seventeenth, Maj. James B. Moore; Twentieth. . .
In J. B. Kershaw's division: Brigade of Gen. Dudley M. DuBose-Sixteenth regiment, Lieut. W. W. Montgomery ; Eighteenth, Capt. J. F. Espy ; Twenty-fourth, Capt. J. A. Garrard ; Third sharpshooters ; Cobb's legion, Lieut. W. G. Steed; Phillips' legion, Lieut. A. J. Reese; last commander of brigade, Capt. J. F. Espy. Brigade of Gen. James P. Simms-Tenth regiment, Lieut. John B. Evans ; Fiftieth, Capt. George W. Waldron ;
Fifty-first, Capt. H. R. Thomas; Fifty-third, Capt. R. H. Woods ; last commander of brigade, Capt. Waldron.
In C. M. Wilcox's division: Brigade of Gen. E. L.
Thomas-Fourteenth regiment, Col. Richard P. Lester; Thirty-fifth, Col. Bolling H.
Holt; Forty-fifth, Col. Thomas J. Simmons; Forty-ninth, Maj. James B. Duggan.
One in six men in Lee's Army of Virginia at
Appomattox was a Georgian.
At Appomattox, the following numbers of officers and men were
paroled in the Georgia brigades: In Anderson's 987, Benning's 809, DuBose's 347, Simms'
190, Cook's 350, Evans' 841, Sorrel's 1,033, Thomas' 513, a total of 5,070 out of the
22,349 paroled infantry of the army, or nearly one-fourth.
With Johnston in Greenville, South Carolina in April 1865
Early in February, General Sherman began his march northward from Savannah. He moved in two columns, one threatening Augusta and the other Charleston. On the day that he entered Columbia, Hardee evacuated Charleston, retiring toward North Carolina.
On February 22d, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston was again called upon to take command of the army of Tennessee, transferred to the Carolinas, Hardee's command, Hoke's division, Hampton's cavalry, and such other forces as could be gathered to resist the advance of Sherman, who was reinforced by Schofield's corps at Wilmington.
In the organization of the army under Johnston (as reported after April 9th), the following Georgia commands were included :
In Brig. -Gen. James A. Smith's brigade, Cleburne's old division-First Georgia (consolidated First, Fifty-seventh and Sixty-third), Col. C. H. Olmstead; Fifty-fourth (consolidated Thirty-seventh, Fifty-fourth and Fourth battalion sharpshooters), Col. Theodore D. Caswell.
In Brig. -Gen. A. H. Colquitt's brigade, Hoke's division -Sixth regiment, Maj. James M. Culpeper; Nineteenth, Lieut. -Col. Ridgeway B. Hogan ; Twenty-third, Col. Marcus R. Ballenger ; Twenty-seventh, Lieut. -Col. Hezekiah Bussey; Twenty-eighth, Capt. George W. Warthen.
Brig.-Gen. Robert J. Henderson's brigade, Stevenson's division, S. D. Lee's corps-First Georgia Confederate battalion (consolidated with First sharpshooters and Twenty-fifth, Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth and Sixty-sixth regiments), Capt. W. J. Whitsitt ; Thirty-ninth regiment (consolidated with Thirty-fourth and part of Fifty-sixth), Lieut. -Col. W. P. Milton, Col. C. H. Phinizy ; Fortieth battalion (consolidated with Forty-first and Forty-third), Lieut. W. H. Darnall, Capt. James E. Stallings; Forty-second Georgia (consolidated with Thirty-sixth and parts of Thirty-fourth and Fifty-sixth), Lieut.-Col. Lovick P. Thomas. The Tenth Ga Calvary also surrendered with Johnston's command.
Georgia had invested millions of dollars and thousands of lives in the Confederacy and therefore it's treatment after the surrender was both severe and some say, less than honorable. The State of Georgia would be the last Confederate state to be allowed to re-join the Union in the year 1870.
Because of Georgia's treatment several former soldiers and citizens of the Confederacy refused to take the Oath of Allegiance to the United States and today they lie in their graves as Citizens of the Confederate States of America. At that time they were referred to by the Federal Government as "unreconstructed" rebels. They could not vote in any local, state or federal election. They could hold no federal nor state or local government office. They could do no business with the state or federal government. Until the Federal Constabulatory Troops left Georgia in 1870, these people had no rights, (such as the right of privacy) and they could be arrested and held without warrant and Federal Troops could enter their home or business at any time without a search warrant. These rules were relaxed after the State of Georgia re-joined the Union. Several Heard County Citizens refused to take the Oath of Allegiance. The total number is unknown.
The loss of Heard County citizens has been estimated at between 125 to 220 who were either killed in action or whom had died while on active duty. Heard County had nine-hundred plus, citizens, to fight in the War Between the States as members of the Volunteer Infantry and Calvary Regiments. Several hundred more were believed to have fought as Militia or Reserves during the Invasion of Georgia.
During the War Between the States three percent of the population of the United States of America died as a result of battle wounds and disease related to the war.
Heard County Pensioners
Below are listed a sampling of the names of Civil War Veterans who applied for pensions while residing in Heard County, Georgia. The pensions were paid to veterans and/or their widows between1879 and 1960.
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Jackson Adams Co "C" 34th Ga |
J S. H. Adamson Co "I" 41st Ga |
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W.S.H. Alexander Co "G" 41st Ga |
Henry C Allen Co "B" 60th Ga |
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William J Almon Co "G" 7th Ga |
M.T. Almon Co "G" 7th Ga |
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William T. Almon Co "G" 7th Ga |
S.H. Anderson Co "I" 41st Ga |
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J.I. Armstrong Co "D" 42nd Ga |
J.T. Armstrong Co "D" 42nd Ga |
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Charles H. Arrington Co "B" 10th Ga (Inf) |
S.A. Arrington Co "G" Bell's Bn |
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J.P. Atkinson Co "K" 34th Ga |
T.M. Awbry Co "F" 37th Ga Mil. (Militia) |
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Mansafield Bailey Co "D" 35th Ga |
John T. Baird Co "I" 41st Ga |
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J.B. Banks Co"F" 21st Ga |
G.T. Barber Co "K" 60th Al |
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Thomas Barber Co "K" 60th Al |
J.F. Barker Co "K" 16th Ga & Co "C" 35th Ga |
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T.M. Barrett Co "I" 41st Ga |
John T. Bass Co "E" 2nd GST (Ga State Troops) |
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John Bell Co "K" 34th Ga |
James J. Bell Co "K" 34th Ga |
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J.M. Bevis Co "A" 12th Ga Bn (Battallion) |
John B. Bird Co "D" 1st SC |
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John H. Blanks Co "E" 34th Al |
W.S. Bond(s) Co "C" 53rd Ga |
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F.M. Bonner Co "C" Bell's Bn |
G.W. Bottoms Co "I" 10th Ga (Inf) |
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Charles Boyd Co "K" 56th Ga |
John W. Brady 9th Bn Ga Arty (Artillery) |
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B.F. Brannan Co "A" 12th Ga Bn |
W.F. Braswell Co "I" 2nd Ga |
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O.C. Brittain Co "G" 7th Ga |
W.B.C. Brittain Co "C" 14th Bn Ga Arty |
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W.V. Brook Co "C" 34th Ga |
J.M. Brooks Co "C" 34th Ga |
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B.L. Brown Co "F" 30th Ga |
J.M. Brown Co "C" 2nd Ga |
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James Brown Co "C" 1st Ga Res (Reserves) |
L.H. Brown Co "K" 34th Ga |
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Robert Brown Co "K" 56th Ga |
W.A.D. Brown Co "K" 38th Ga |
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W.C. Brown Co "G" 4th Ga |
John Bryan Co "K" 34th Ga |
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A.J. Bryant Co "B" 1st Ga |
W.L. Bryant Co "E" 2nd Ga |
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W.M. Buchanan Co "B" 10th Ga (Cav) |
John Burgess Co "E" 4th Ga (Cav) |
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James S. Burk Co "E" 17th Al |
J.S. Burk Co "D" 17th AL |
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Samuel Thomas Burns Co "F" 1st Ga Res |
E.W. Burson Co "G" Beall's Bn |
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H.S. Burson Co "G" Beall's Bn |
Isaac H. Busbin Co "K" 34th Ga |
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William J. Callaway Co "B" 2nd Ga Res |
Tom Calo Co "E" 19th Ga |
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W.J. Cater Co "G" 44th Ga |
W.F. Cato Co "E" 19th Ga |
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A.J. Chatman Co "B" 32nd Ga |
J.D. Chatman Co "B" 30th Ga |
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Milton Chatman Co "I" 41st Ga |
Marcus A. Chivers Texas Infantry |
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H.F. Christian Co "C" 1st Ga |
Upson H. Clark Co "F" Cato's Regiment GST |
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Charles Close Co "D" 2nd Missouri Inf |
W.W. Cobb Co "K" 56th Ga |
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Thomas Cole Co "K" 56th Ga |
John Combs Co "K" 56th Ga |
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M. Cook Co "G" 7th Ga |
G.D. Cosby Co "F" 7th Ga |
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Green B. Crews Co "K" 34th Ga |
J.R. Crews Co "K" 13th Al |
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Peter Curran Co "I" 41st Ga |
Andrew Daniel Co "K" 56th Ga |
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Edwin Daniel Co "K" 56th Ga |
Isham Daniel Co "K"56th Ga |
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John A. Daniel Co "K" 34th Ga |
John T. Daniel Co "K" 34th Ga |
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William F. Daniel Co "K" 34th Ga |
Willis S. Darrington Co "E" 7th Ga |
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James H. Davis Co "K" 55th Ga |
Samuel Davis Co "B" 1st Ga Cav |
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W.J. Davis Co "K" 34th Ga |
William T. Davis Co "F" 59th Al |
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Fed Dean Co "F" 19th Ga |
W.F. Dean Co "G" 22nd Al |
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James A. Denny Co "D" 35th Ga |
John A. Dollar Co "A" 10th Ga Cav |
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Joshua Drummond Co "A" 10th Ga Inf |
S.S. Duffey Co "G" 7th Ga |
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W.W. Duke Co "K" 34th Ga |
Elkane Eady Co "K" 56th Ga |
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Jackson Eady Co "K" 56th Ga |
E.G. Echols Nitre & Mining Corp AL |
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William Echols Co "A" 1st Ga & 12th Bn Ga Light Arty |
S.E. Eley Co "G" 7th Ga |
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I.N. Farmer Co "G" 7th Ga |
W.A. Faver Co "G" 7th Ga |
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J.A Ferrell Co "E" 19th Ga |
G.M. Forbus 37th Bn Ga Mil |
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W.T. Formby Co "D" 35th Ga |
Thomas H. Frederick Co "B" 24th Ark |
|
E.J. Freeman Co "F" 59th Al |
J.J. Furlow Co "G" Wilcox Reg Ga |
|
William H. Gable Co "F" Cobb's Legion |
W.A. Gentry Co "I" 2nd Ga |
|
John B. Gibson Co "D" 41st Ga |
M.C. Gillespie Co "G" 7th Ga |
|
J.M. Gillispie Co "G" 7th Ga |
L.M. Gladney Co "F" 19th Ga |
|
George W. Glenn Co "F" 21st Ga |
F.M. Glover Co "K" 56th Ga |
|
W.W. Gordon Co "K" 56th Ga |
E.B. Gore Falkner's Alabama Bn |
|
G.A. Grass Co "F" 37th Al |
William I. Green Co "I" 13th Al |
|
Arch E. Hammond Co "E" 41st Ga |
A.B. Hannah Co "C" 6th Al |
|
J.T. Hardin Co "B" Beall's Bn |
Z. Hardigree Co "I" 41st Ga |
|
H.L. Harris Co "D" 35th Ga |
James H. Harris Co "C" 26th Ga |
|
J.M. Harry Co "I" 19th Miss Cav |
J.R. Hawk Co "K" 56th Ga |
|
T.J. Heard Co "H" 17th Al |
J.T. Hearn Co "K" 56th Ga |
|
Carl Heiman Co "F" 43rd Ga |
F.M. Hendley Co "D" 3rd Ga Cav |
|
Reuben H. Henry Co "H" 44th Ga |
Allen (M.R.) Hester Co "B" 10th Al Cav |
|
Pleasent Hester Co "F" 25th Al |
Joshua Hill Co "C" 14th Ga Lt Arty |
|
T.M. Hogan Co "A" 1st Al |
William Hogan Co "B" 4th Ga |
|
Levi Hollingsworth Co "G" Wilcox Reg & Co "B" Gilmer's Cav Bn |
L.A. Houston Co "E" 10th Ga Cav |
|
William Howze Co "F" 14th Al |
Frank Huckaba Co "B" Bell's Bn |
|
Henry Huffman Co "F" Phillip's Legion |
Henry Hunt Co "F" 21st Ga |
|
A.S. Hutchins Co "D" 41st Ga |
B.F. Hyatt Co "A" 1st Ga Res |
|
William A. Hyatt Co "K" 34th Ga |
George Hyde Co "K"
1st Ga Cav |
|
J.T. Jackson Co "E" 19th Ga |
Jessie J. Jackson Co "I" 10th Ga |
|
W.W. Jackson Co "F" 21st Ga |
J. H. James Co "I" 41st Ga |
|
Jefferson Jennings Co "G" 9th GST |
W.T. Jennings Co "C" 14th Ga Lt Arty |
|
John J. Johnson Co "C" 14th Ga Lt Arty |
William J. Johnson Beall's Bn |
|
W. J. Johnson Co "D" 35th Ga |
A.N. Jones Co "B" Beall's Bn |
|
J.H. Jones Co "I" 41st Ga |
I.M. Jordan Co "B" 10th Ga Cav |
|
J.T. Kendrick Co "B" 19th Ga |
Joel W. Kent Co "B" 10th Ga |
|
H.J. Kitchens Co "E" 42nd Ga |
H.Z. Kitchens Co "E" 42nd Ga |
|
Caswell B. Knight Co "I" 41st Ga |
J.W.B. Lancaster 2nd Ga Res |
|
J.H. Lane Co "K" 56th Ga |
J.M. Lane Co "I" 41st Ga |
|
William Langley Co "C" 12th Ga Bn |
N.D. Lee Co "I" 41st Ga |
|
H.J. Lester Co "B" 7th Ga |
Oliver Lester Co "B" 7th Ga |
|
William F. Levens Co "K" 34th Ga |
R.M. Lipford Co "I" 41st Ga |
|
Frank S. Loftin Co "B" Ga Cadets & Co "F" 4th Ga |
L.S. Long Co "K" 30th Ga |
|
J.M. McCullough Co "B" 7th Ga Cav |
Daniel D. McDowell Co "F" 25th Al |
|
John McIntosh Co "I" Ga GST |
Hiram McSwain Co "A" 27th Ga |
|
Frank McWaters Co "E" 41st Ga |
Franklin McWhorter Co "K" 34th Ga |
|
F.M. Mashburn Co "B" 1st Ga Cav |
E.Z. Mathews Co "I" 41st Ga |
|
J.W. Mathews Co "G" Wilcox Reg GST |
Benjamin May Co "K" 34th Ga |
|
James W. Meacham Co "F" 37th Ga |
Robert Merrill Co "B" 10th Ga Cav |
|
I.F. Middlebrooks Co "H" 17th Ga |
W.H. Middlebrooks Co "H" 17th Ga |
|
Rufus Miller Co "K" 56th Ga |
Thomas Miller Co "K" 56th Ga |
|
J.M. Mobley Co "F" 37th Ga |
M.D. Monk Co "E" 19th Ga |
|
C.B. Montgomery Co "K" 55th Ga |
J.A. Moore Co "E" 41st Ga |
|
T.C. Moore Co "K" 56th Ga |
J.E. Mooty Co "G" Beall's Bn |
|
Edward Moseley Co "K" 34th Ga |
John W. Mulkey Co "F" 59th Al |
|
John T. Nutt Co "I" 41st Ga |
A. J. O'Neal Co "I" 41st Ga |
|
Nathan O'Neal Co "F" 14th Al |
R.E. O'Neal Co "F" 14th Al |
|
Henry Orr Co "G" Floyd's Bn GST |
Walter G. Orr Co "G" 16th Ga |
|
J.W. Owens Co "A" 13th Al |
S.E. Owensby Co "I" 41st Ga |
|
James Paschal Co "K" 56th Ga |
L.D. Paschal 7th Nitre & Mining Corp |
|
James H. Phillips Co "F" 21st Ga |
T.S. Phillips Co "I" 13th Al |
|
Stephen J. Pike Co "E" 19th Ga |
James W. Pope Co "K" 56th Ga |
|
John Pope Co "G" 7th Ga |
T.J. Porter Co "D" 19th Ga |
|
W.W. Potts Co "E" 19th Ga |
Bartley M. Prince Co "F" 59th Al |
|
H.J. Pritchett Co "G" 7th Ga |
R.B. Purgason Co "C" 34th Ga |
|
James S. Ray Nitre & Mining Corp |
C.A. Ridley Co "D" 35th Ga |
|
William Roberts Co "F" 55th Ga |
A.J. Rooks Co "G" 7th Ga |
|
John T. Rucker Co
"K" 7th Ga & Co "A" 9th Bn Ga Arty |
David S. Satterwhite Co "G" 7th Ga |
|
W.E. Satterwhite Co "K" 56th Ga |
John Saul Co "D" 1st Ga |
|
I.J. Schober Co "F" 43rd Ga |
J.B. Scoggins Co "K" 56th Ga |
|
Mordekai Shackleford Co "G" Wilcox Bn GST |
J.P. Shellnut Co "G" 40th Ga |
|
James H. Shellnut Co "G" 40th ga |
W.C. Shira Co "F" 59th Al |
|
James Simelton Co "I" 41st Ga |
A.J. Smith Co "K" 56th Ga |
|
Andrew J. Smith Co "C" Caper's Ga Arty |
E.M. Smith Co "K" 34th Ga |
|
Enoch W. Smith Co "C" 26th Ga |
Van Buren Smith Co "C" 56th Ga |
|
J.B. Snellings Co "G" Cobb's Legion |
J.L. South Co "F" 59th Al |
|
J.L. Spradlin Co "D" 44th Ga |
Josiah Spradlin Co "I" 13th Al |
|
Thomas Spradlin Co "G" 2nd Ga GST |
A.M. Staley Co "B" 15th Al |
|
Duke W. Stallings Co "C" 56th Ga |
R.E. Stamps Co "B" 7th Ga |
|
I.J. Stephens Co "K" 56th Ga |
J.N.G. Stephens Co "F" 16th Ga |
|
J.M. Stewart Co "B" 13th Ga |
J.M. Stowers Co "H" 7th Ga |
|
Wilson Strickland Co "D" 35th Ga |
O.A. Talley Co "E" 19th Ga |
|
Joseph Tanner Co "I" 2nd Ga Regt GST |
W.D. Taylor Co "G" 7th Ga |
|
Isham L. Teal Co "I" 41st Ga |
C.G. Thaxton Co "G" 2nd Ga Cav |
|
John B. Thomas Co "F" 55th Ga |
William C. Thomas Co "B" 24th Ark |
|
Abe Thompson Co "G" 53rd Ga |
F.A. Thompson Co "K" 38th Al |
|
F.M. Thompson Co "E" 41st Ga |
Allen Thompson Co "H" 4th Al |
|
S.M. Thompson Co "E" 13th Al |
William P. Thompson Co "A" 1st Ga GST |
|
G.W. Thornton Co "I" 5th Al |
William Thornton Co "I" 41st Ga |
|
B.F. Tollerson Co "C" 12th Ga GST |
George M. Tomlin Co "E" 10th Ga |
|
H.J. Toney Co "E" 19th Ga |
J.M. Trylor Co "B" 10th Ga |
|
J.J. Turner Co "K" 56th Ga |
Robert M. Turner Co "H" 41st Ga |
|
A.J. Vaughan Co "E" 10th Ga |
R.M. Vaughan (Vaughn) Co "G" 7th Ga |
|
E.N. Walker Co "K" 34th Ga |
M.S. Wallace Co "I" 41st Ga |
|
J.D. Waters Co "B" 5th Al |
E.T. Watson Co "K" 44th Ga |
|
William H. Wells Co "F" 36th Ga |
P.H. Whitaker Co "F" 7th Ga |
|
William M. Wilder Co "E" 10th Ga Cav |
J.W.S. Williams Co "D" 35th Ga |
|
W.H. Williamson Co "K" 56th Ga |
W.T. Williamson Co "F" 1st Ga Res |
|
E.M. Wilson Co "F" 16th Ga |
G.J. Wilson Co "F" 59th Al |
|
T.C. Wingo Co "K" 56th Ga |
W.H. Wright Co "B" 1st Ga |
|
W.J. Wright Co "I" 53rd Ga |
Isaac S. Yarbrough Co "B" 8th Ga Cav |
|
D.L. Yates Co "K" 56th Ga |
J.B. Yates Co "A" 46th Ga |
|
G.T. Yearta Co "K" 9th Al |
J.N. York Co "B" 1st Ga Cav |
|
John L. Young Co "F" 21st Ga |
Unit Histories
The Tenth regiment of Georgia cavalry was formed in July, 1864, from seven Georgia companies of the Seventh Confederate regiment and three companies of Millen's Twentieth battalion of cavalry, under Col. V. H. Taliaferro, Lieut. -Col. F. D. Claiborne, Maj. Jesse H. Sikes ; Capts. (A) E. W. Moise, (B) L. J. Smith, (C) J. H. Sikes, (D) F. E. Burke, (E) F. A. Beasley, (K) F. G. Pitt, (L) J. B. Bonner, and later S. T. Kingsbury. The Tenth regiment continued to serve in Virginia during 1864. In the spring of 1865 it took part in the campaign of the Carolinas, which ended with the capitulation of General Johnston.
A lot of the soldiers serving in the 10th Calvary were made
up of soldiers with disabilities and who could no longer walk well enough to keep up with
the fast paced infantrymen. One of those soldiers had been my Great-Grandfather R.B.
Purgason. He had been discharged in late 1862 for either wounds or injury. He had
volunteered to ride with the 10th Calvary in late 1863 and he had been discharged in
mid-1864, when they had replaced him and others with healthy troops.
Seventh regiment Georgia volunteers: Col.
Lucius J. Gartrell ; Lieut. -Col. John Dunwoody ; Maj. L. B. Anderson ; Adjt. E. W. Hoyle
; Commissary W. J. Wilson ; Quartermaster R. R. Holliday; Capts. G. H. Carmichael (A), G.
J. Foreacre (B), C. S. Jenkins (C), J. B. Lindley (D), John W. Fowler (E), Eli Henson (F),
C. N. Featherston (G), Thomas E. King (H), Wm. W. White (I), W. J. Ballard (K). This
regiment served throughout the war in the army of Northern Virginia, being at First
Manassas and surrendering at Appomattox. The following changes in organization occurred:
Colonel Gartrell was promoted to brigadier-general and succeeded by W. T. Wilson, W. W.
White and George H. Carmichael. Lieut.-Col. John Dunwoody was followed by W. W. White,
George H. Carmichael and M. T. Allman. Maj. L. B. Anderson was followed by E. W. Hoyle,
George H. Carmichael, H. H. Wiet, John Kiser, T. J. Hartridge and M. T. Allman. Adjt. E.
W. Hoyle was succeeded by J. E. Shaw ; Quartermaster R. R. Holliday by R. E. Henry. The
following changes among the captains are recorded : Foreacre was followed by H. H. Wiet ;
Jenkins by D. T. Peek (killed) and I. M. Holcombe; Lindley by J. Kiser and T. J.
Hartridge; Fowler by W. W. Bradberry ; Benson by J. C. Wadkins ; Featherston by M. T.
Allman ; King by R. B. Hicks ; Ballard by John McLendon.
The Nineteenth regiment Georgia volunteers
was organized with W. W. Boyd, colonel ; Thomas C. Johnson, lieutenant-colonel; A. J.
Hutchins, major, and James P. Perkins, adjutant. The captains were F. M. Johnston (A),
John Keely (B), J. J. Beall (C), James D. Hunter (D), Charles W. Mabry (E), Wm. E. Curtis
(F), Tillman W. Flynt (G), John B. Beall (H), John T. Chambers (I), John W. Hooper (K).
The greater part of the service of this regiment was in the army of Northern Virginia. At
the time of the battle of Gettysburg it was in North Carolina. It went with the other
regiments of Colquitt's brigade to Florida and shared in the victory at Olustee in
February, 1864, and returned to Virginia in time for the defense of Petersburg. In 1865 it
participated in the campaign of the Carolinas, surrendering with Johnston, April 26, 1865.
Colonel Boyd was succeeded by Andrew J. Hutchins and J. H. Neal; Lieutenant-Colonel
Johnson by A. J. Hutchins, James H. Neal, T. W. Flynt and R. B. Hogan ; Major Hutchins by
J. H. Neal, J. W. Hooper, C. W. Mabry and William Hamilton; Adjutant Perkins by S. G.
Turner. Of the captains, Johnston was followed by John Morrison ; Neal by Denis S. Myers ;
Beall by R. B. Hogan and A. J. Richardson; Mabry by D. H. Sims; Curtis by A. H. Black and
William Hamilton. Flynt on promotion was succeeded by Captain Elliott, who was killed in
action ; J. B. Beall had for his successor J. W. Neally; Chambers was succeeded by T. W.
Abercrombie, and he by Captain Lester; and Hooper on his promotion to major was succeeded
by A. J. Rowe.
The Thirty-fourth regiment Georgia volunteers
was officered as follows : Col. J. S. W. Johnson, Lieut. -Col. J. W. Bradley, Maj. Thomas
T. Donough and later John M. Jackson, Adjt. I. G. McLendon; Capts. Caleb Ghitwood (A),
Thomas A. Veal (B), R. A. Jones (C), William E. Broch (D), Jordan Rowland (E), W. A.
Walker (F), G. M. Blackwell (G), John M. Jackson (H), A. T. Bennett (I), A. P. Daniel (K).
The regiment was sent into east Tennessee; served in the Kentucky campaign, afterward in
the department of East Tennessee, in the Vicksburg campaign and at Missionary Ridge ; went
all through the Atlanta campaign, then participated in Hood's gallant but unsuccessful
attempt to recover Tennessee for the Confederacy. Finally, after all the hardships and
perils of the arduous service rendered to the Confederacy, being consolidated with the
Thirty--ninth and part of the Fifty-sixth Georgia, it participated in the campaign of the
Carolinas that closed with the capitulation at Durham's Station, April 26, 1865. Of
changes in this organization we have not been able to obtain any record.
The Thirty-fifth regiment Georgia volunteers
at its organization had the following officers: Col. Edward L. Thomas, Lieut.-Col.
Gustavus A. Bull, Maj. B. H. Holt, Adjt. J. H. Ware; Capts. (A) William I. Head, (B) L. M.
White, (C) D. B. Henry, (D) L. A. J. Williams, (E) E. R. Whitley, (F) R. M. Rawlings, (G)
William S. Barrett, (H) A. K. Richardson, (I) W. L. Groves, (K) W. H. McCulloch. The
Thirty-fifth was assigned to the army of Northern Virginia, and participated in all the
campaigns of that magnificent body of infantry from Seven Pines to Appomattox. Its
colonel, Edward L. Thomas, became brigadier-general, and commanded with gallantry and
skill on every field. Exclusive of the officers already mentioned, it had during its
honorable career : Col. Bolling H. Holt, Lieut. -Callose. B. H. Holt and W. H. McCulloch,
Majs. W. H. McCulloch, W. L. Groves, L. A. Williams, J. T. McElvany; Adjt. S. W. Thomas,
whose predecessor, Ware, was killed in battle. Captain Henry was killed in battle, and J.
M. Mitchell and I. P. Johnston succeeded Captain Williams. Upon the death of R. M.
Rawlings, J. T. McElvany became captain and was afterward promoted major. Captain Groves,
promoted major, was succeeded by S. T. Irvine.
At the organization of the Forty-first Georgia,
Charles A. McDaniel was made colonel; William E. Curtis, lieutenant-colonel; John Knight,
major; E. Elless, adjut. ant, and A. D. Abraham, quartermaster. The captains were: J. E.
Stallings (A), George N. Lester (B), George S. Avery (C), John W. Powell (D), J. C.
Cartwright (E), S. D. Clements (F), Washington Henibree (G), Newton J. Ross (H), W. B.
Thomason (I), J. J. Bowen (K). This regiment was assigned to the army of Tennessee ; was
for a time in north Mississippi ; went with Bragg into Kentucky, and was especially
distinguished at Perryville, where it had two color-bearers killed and four wounded, and
where its gallant colonel, McDaniel, fell late in the evening mortally wounded. It went
with Stevenson's division to Mississippi, where it participated in the battles of the
Vicksburg campaign, and was included in the surrender of that important post. It was
exchanged in time to take part in the battle of Missionary Ridge ; was in the Atlanta and
Tennessee campaigns of 1864, and in 1865, being consolidated with the Fortieth and
Forty-third Georgia, participated in the campaign of the Carolinas and in General
Johnston's surrender. Some of the changes in officers were as follows : William E. Curtis
became colonel ; Major Knight, lieutenant-colonel ; W. S. Nall, major ; D. McClesky and
Thomas L. Dobbs became captains of Company B, S. D. Clements of Company F, R. A. Wood of
Company G.
The Fifty-third regiment Georgia volunteers
had at organization the following officers: Col. L. T. Doyal, Lieut.-Col. Thomas Sloan,
Maj. J. P. Simms, Adjt. John F. Hanson; Capts. (A) T. W. Atkins, (B) Thomas W. Simms, (C)
Samuel W. Marshbone, (D) J. W. Hance (killed), (E) S. W. Glass, (F) Thomas Sloan, (G) R.
P. Taylor, (H) W. B. Baker, (I) J. M. D. Bonds, (K) J. M. Ponder. The Fifty-third was part
of the splendid brigade of General Semmes, in Virginia, serving under that gallant officer
until his death at Gettysburg ; then under General Bryan during the Chattanooga and
Knoxville campaign of Longstreet, with whom, returning to Virginia, it served through the
Overland campaign and around Richmond. During its long and honorable career its losses in
officers and men were severe. Maj. James P. Simms became colonel ; was promoted to
brigadier-general, and during the Appomattox campaign commanded the brigade. The records
are incomplete, and silent as to other changes.
At the organization of the Fifty-sixth regiment
Georgia volunteers the field officers were: Col. E. P. Watkins, Lieut.-Col.
J. T. Slaughter, Maj. M. L. Poole, Adjt. James N. Bass. The captains were : (A) J. P.
Brewster, (B) J. M. Martin, (C) J. A. Grice, (D) W. S. Monroe, (E) J. F. Albert, (F) P. H.
Prather (killed), (G) E. M. Streetman, (H) J. M. Parish, (I) J. M. Cobb, (K) B. T.
Sherman. In the spring of 1862 the regiment was sent to east Tennessee, where it served in
Stevenson's division in the recapture of Cumberland Gap and the advance into Kentucky. In
the fall of that year it was sent to Mississippi, sharing with other regiments of the
division in the battles and privations of the campaign which ended with the surrender of
Vicksburg. After being exchanged it participated in the battle of Missionary Ridge and the
Atlanta and Tennessee campaigns of 1864.. In the spring of 1865 part of it was
consolidated with the Thirty--fourth and Thirty--ninth under the name of the latter, and
part with the Thirty--sixth and Forty-second as the Forty-second Georgia. It served in the
campaign of the Carolinas, which closed with the surrender near Goldsboro. During its
service Captain Brewster became major, and J. H. Harrison, captain of Company K.
The Georgia legion or "Cobb's Legion",
composed of infantry, cavalry and artillery, was organized before the battle of First
Manassas, with Thomas R. R. Cobb as colonel, P. M. B. Young, lieutenant-colonel, Ben C.
Yancey�, major, J. C. Rutherford, adjutant. The infantry captains were W. D. Conyers (A),
C. A. McDaniel (B), L. J. Glenn (C), Thomas Camak (D), W. S. Morris (E), W. F. S.
Powell (F), G. B. Knight (G). The cavalry captains were T. P. Stovall (A), Z. A. Rice (B),
W. G. Deloney (C), W. J. Lawton (D). The artillery company was commanded by Capt. M.
Stanley. The legion served through most of the war with the army of Northern Virginia, and
was with Longstreet at Chattanooga and in east Tennessee, fought at Gettysburg, and
participated in all the other major battles concerning the Army of Northern Virginia and
General Lee until its surrender at Appomattox.
Compiled by Jack Davis
Historian, Camp 1996, Heard County Rangers
Sons of Confederate Veterans
Camp 1996 the "Heard County Rangers" is dedicated to Co "I" 41st Ga Vol Inf Reg, the original Heard County Rangers.