-Chapter III- SLAVERY, WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION (1850-1900)
A Sketch of My War Reccord as a Confederate Soldier
I voleteered as a private solier for 12 months under Capt. N.A. Mcghee in Co. A 3rd Ga. Battallion. on May the 10 1861 from Spring Place Murray Co., GA. From Spring Place I went to BigShatyGa.at that time we could not be mustered in for 12 months. So we were given 2 weeks to raise our Co to one hundred men for 3 years or during the war. Mcghee resinded. We then elected R.E. Wilson Captain & in 2 weeks we had our Co. up to the standard of one hundred. We remained in Cobb Co about 2 months drilling. We ware then called Stovealls 3d Ga Battallion 7 company. M.H. Stoveall Lieutenant Col Commanding. We left Ga for Va the 7 day of August 1861 arriveing in Linchburg Va We were ordered to gotn to camps as we were too late for the first Manasses Batle. I remained in Linchburg nea 2 months then was ordered to Richmon Va, remaining 4 days there. Our command was ordered to goldsbarrow NC there we remained until Nov 1861 From there we were ordered back to Richmon From there our Battallion was detached from the regular Army & sent to East Tenn, We were stationed a long the railroad from Moss Creek to Greenville where we taken up deserters & Bridge Burners until Feby 62 when we were ordered to Cumberland Gap where we were stationed until! 1863 when we were ordered to fall back We moved back some 20 miles The Federals then advanced a cross the Cumberland Mountain to Taswell We then advance on them & drove them to the Cumberland Mountain with but little loss. We then were attacked to the renolds Brigade and went to Lexing-ton Kentucky on arriving in Lexington we the 3rd Ga Battallion was detailed to Lenores Station there my Battalion was a gain detached and ordered back to garrison the citty there we remained untill the army fell back to East Tenn, Cumberland Gap There we petitioned the war department to be released from that station so we were ordered back to the regular army on arriving at Lenores Station we were attached to General Rains Brigade it was com posed of the second 20 & 27 Tenn & the 4 Ky and the 3rd. Ga Battallion we went from Lenores Station to Murfress Burrer Tenn there on the 30 & 31 days of Dec 1863 we had our first hand faught batle. General Rains was killed Wm. B. Bates of Tenn was promoted to Brigadier General in this batle My Co only lost two men Dead W. Gladden & Abe Kindry Severile were woonded in our brigad and especially our 3rd Ga Battallion gained a glorrious victory driving the Federals 3 ½ miles. our 3d Ga Battallion was in good trim we capture on the first line severile peaces of arttilery & a nice Brass band from Crown Gardens and Archives
Charles F. Durham, son of veteran Charles D. Durham, though not an actual participant, was as true a Rebel as any who were soldiers. A merchant and farmer near Ball Ground for many years, he wrote the following to his Oklahoma relatives in July, 1913:
I suppose . . . you nave been keeping up with (the) . . . reunion at Gettysburg, Pa. This old county gave some of its most gallant sons for the Southern Cause at this great Battlefield. On Cemetery Ridge where Gen. Meade had his artilery, Hills Brigade of Georgians . . • made just famous a charge as did Picket with his Virginians. Hills Brigade charged the Federal Infantry . . . and . . . artilery . , , The Rebs held the Ridge 4 hours In this was a Murray co(untian) L.F. Peeples ... a 1st Sargant (and A.K. Ramsey ... a Capt. . . .thenext day . . . the Yankees had them surrounded 6000 to 400 . . , Mose Holland killed a Yankee Capt to keep the Capt from putting him through with his sword. This is just a little side history that you cannot get from the books- (Letter provided by Mrs. Jackie Gray,
San Luis Obispo, CA)
Records in the Murray County Courthouse reveal the following:
March 19,1863
Certification exam of Achley? Martin. Found sound in every particular, in every way qualified to perform alt duties of a soldier.
Signed J.A. Stewart Asst Surgeon 37th(?) Confederate Cavalry
Carnp near Shelbyville, Tenn.
Deed Book L, page 157
Also in 1863, records contain a lengthy description regarding the case of Private James Ellard. He had lost his left arm at Manassas, August 30, 1862 and his superior officers were trying to procure work for him.
Murray County Heritage