Clay County Georgia - Military - Fort Gaines Guards

**********************************************************************************************
USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit 
or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use 
this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative 
of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The 
submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free 
access.
http://www.usgwarchives.net
**********************************************************************************************
This file contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by 
Donna Eldridge <DonnaEldrid@aol.com> Oct 2002 


                                    FORT GAINES GUARDS

      Following is an extract from News and Sun, dated 1894.

     Over a half a century ago, in 1836 to particularize the date, in the 
town
of Fort Gaines, Clay County, Georgia, a military company was organized, 
known
as the Fort Gaines Guards.  Long before the murmurs of discontent were heard
through the land to finally culminate in the din and carnage of war between
the states, the grandsires of many who today from the rank and file, fired
with patriotic zeal, enlisted; a company was formed and christened with the
name which its successors bear to this day.

      Soon after the company was formed the Indian War broke out and under 
the
command of its first organizer, Col. J. E. Brown it went to fight the red
men.  Returning home after some loss and many hardships, it was not long
afterward enlisted in the war against Mexico and figured prominently and
gallantly in the campaign that resulted in the defeat of the Mexicans.

      Although for years after this no call was made upon this company to go
into active service with commendable pride and zeal the company kept intact,
the Southern states seceeded from the Union in 1861 and the Guards went into
the great and bloody struggle for which the experience with the Indians and
the Mexicans had been a training school.

      On the 11th of June, 1861, with R. A. Turnipseed as their Captain (he
was replaced by J. G. Webb) with full ranks composed of the best young men 
in
every respect that this section afforded, the company rendevoused at Atlanta
and then with one-hundred and twenty-one men marched away to the front and
was mustered into service as Company D, in the 9th Georgia Regiment of Tige
Anderson's Brigade Longstreet's Corps.  There it remained through the war
until at last, the Cause, not lost but the war ceased-for surrender was
necessary.  Banners were furled and the heartsick and footsore, only 
thirteen
of the original one-hundred and twenty-one remained to tell the tale.
Following their colors into the thickest of the fight at the Second Battle 
of
Manassas, enduring the hardships of the Yorktown campaign in the three
battles of Suffolks -- through the Seven Day's fight around Richmond under
iron storm at Malvern Hill -- at the battle of Seven Pines -- through
Maryland campaigns -- at Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Sharpsburg,
Fairfax Gap, on to Winchester, Gettysburg, Funkstown, Hagerstown, Brandy
Station and Culpepper Court House.

      They were in the campaign of East Tennessee, London, Knoxville, Bean
Station: back to Virginia they went and were in the second Battle of the
Wilderness, Spottsvania Court House, Cold Harbor, the charge of Fort
Harrison, Derbytown Road, Bermuda Hundred, New Market Heights, Petersburg,
Farmville and at Appomattox when bravery and endurance could no longer
sustain this immortal regiment the remnant of their once gallance company,
overpowered but not defeated -- laid down arms and returned in sorrow to
their desolate homes, sick and disheartened over the downfall of their
cherished land of liberty.

      (Mrs. B. C. Brown states that T.E.M. Brown, born July 10, 1846, left
with this group before his 15th birthday, was one of the 13 original 121 to
surrender at Appomattox.  After four years of war he returned home before 
his
19th birthday.)

      In 1868 the Fort Gaines Guards were reorganized under the same name 
and
with Col. R. A. Turnipseed as their Captain.  Five years later in 1873, 
Capt.
E. A. Morris commanded and served until his death which occurred in 1874.

      J. G. Webb was then elected and served until 1877, at which time he
resigned and was succeeded by James Mandeville, who after a short term of
office also resigned.  In the spring of 1884 Col. J. D. Rambo was elected to
the Captaincy, resigned and was followed by Dr. C. T. Morris, elected in the
spring of 1885, served until January 1886, when moving to another state he
was succeeded by T. J. Morris, who was elected in Sept. 1886 and served 
until
March 1888.  He moved to another state and was succeeded by G. R. Sutlive.
In 1889 Capt. Sutlive tendered his resignation and was followed by R. M.
Dillard who had in the meantime returned to Fort Gaines.  He is the present
commander and, in point of age and service there is not a more famous record
that that of the Fort Gaines Guards.  The fact that as the years roll on and
time with its changes gives new material to the rank and files, the old name
that it bore during the days that tried men's souls is still held and 
claimed
as a sacred heritage and is strong evidence to prove that the name was never
dishonored by the old Guards and the new are proud to bear it.

      Though the present command and company has had no opportunity of
displaying its valor on the battlefield, and we fervently trust it may never
do so, yet in honorable discharge in competition in camps and at home, it 
has
shown evidence that it has the same spirit as of yore and the sons at the
call of duty would anser as promptly as did their fathers before them.  At
present the company numbers 33 men officered by T. J. Morris, Capt. and Geo.
D. Speight, 1st Lieut. Geo. Brown, 2nd Lt.

      The above copied by Mrs. Kirby-Smith Anderson, Historian Ga. Div.
U.D.C., Madison Ga. from an article dated 1929.

      Following the above period E. A. Greene on his return from college was
elected 1st Lt. and Lewis Cohen, 2nd Lt.  It was decided to organize a
detachment at Bluffton, which was done and Lt. Greene made weekly trips to
train them.

      When the Spanish-American War broke out a detachment of more than 
twenty
volunteers with Lt. Green joined Company A, 1st Ga. Volunteers.  They saw
service at Chickamauga, Part, at Knoxville, Tenn. and were mustered out in
the fall of 1898.

      Captain Morris was promoted to Lt. Col. and was succeeded as Captain 
by
B. T. Castellow, who later resigned and was succeeded by John Burnett who
remained as Captain until 1909 or 1910 when the Guards disbanded.

"History of Clay County, Georgia" - pages 34-35