Georgia: Coweta County: Biography of Franklin Madaris 1828-1865 ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store this file permanently for free access. This file was contributed by: Brian “Kelly” Madaris kellcin@mindspring.com ==================================================================== Franklin Madaris 1828 - 1865 A biography by Brian K. Madaris, 3rd Great Grand nephew, 1999 Franklin Madaris was born in 1828 in Carroll County, Georgia near the city of Whitesburg. He was the son of Thomas and Sarah Jane Preddy Madaris. Franklin was born shortly after his family moved to Georgia from Guilford County, North Carolina. His siblings were: William Fletcher born 1820, Haywood born about 1821, John born about 1822, Jefferson born 1832, Delona Jane born 1834, Elizabeth M. born 1835, Jackson born 1838 and Thomas P. born 1840. In 1840, the Madaris family operated a lumber mill in Coweta County just across the Chattahoochee River from the McIntosh Indian Reserve. Franklin worked on the farm and in the mills operated by his father and brothers. Franklin married Margaret Davis, daughter of William and Sarah Davis of Carroll County, in 1850. They apparently had no children and Margaret is not found in any further census records. It is unclear if she died before or remarried after the War. Franklin and his wife were living with Margaret's parents, William Davis and family in the 1850 census. When war broke out in the nation, Franklin took an oath of allegiance to the Confederacy and joined the Confederate Army on March 04, 1861 at Newnan, Georgia. He enlisted for a period of 3 years, as a Private in Company E, First Regiment Georgia Regulars. After enlistment he traveled with his regiment until it completed its organization at Macon, Georgia in April 1861. On March 07, 1861 they left Macon on the Southwestern Railroad at 9:00 p.m. on their way to Savannah. The newly organized regiment was assigned duty in Savannah, Georgia where they received training as soldiers. Before seeing action, this regiment was sent to Fort Polaski aboard the Steamship Ida. Their duty was to place the guns in position and ready the Fort for action. On May 31, 1861, they were ordered to Tybee Island where they camped near the Light House and the Spanish Tower. There they placed two 32 pounder cannons at the Tower and awaited further orders. On July 20, 1861 Franklin and his regiment of Georgia Regulars was ordered to Virginia. They left Savannah enroute to Charleston on board a freight train. They passed through Petersburg, Virginia and ended their journey in Richmond. Finally they were ordered to Manassas Junction. Franklin arrived at Hannover Junction at the end of battle of the First Bull Run. In his tour with the First Georgia Regulars, Franklin participated in the following assignments, battles and skirmishes. Sept. 15, 1861 assigned Toombs' Brigade, Second Division, Potomac District, Department of Northern Virginia. Moved to Pine Creek, towards Centreville on the 16th. Sept. 17, 1861 The Regulars are assigned picket duty at Munson's Hill. Dec. 26, 1861 The First Georgia Regulars are assigned to camps for winter quarters. The camp is located between Manassas Junction and the stone bridge on the Bull Run River, near the Manassas Battlefield from the First Bull Run. April 05, 1862 Siege, Yorktown, Virginia May 05, 1862 Battle at Williamsburg, Virginia May 31 - Battle of Seven Pines and Fair Oaks, Virginia June 1, 1862 June 27, 1862 The battle at Gaines Mill and Cold Harbor June 30, 1862 In a busy day of battle, the Regulars participate in battle at Glendale, Nelson's Farm, Frazier's Farm, Charles City Cross Roads, New Market Road and Willis Church, Virginia. July 01, 1862 Battle at Malvern Hill, Crew's Farm, Poindexter's Farm, Virginia. Aug. 16 The Second Bull Run Campaign Sept. 22, 1862 Sept. 14, 1862 Battle at South Mountain, Maryland Sept. 16 Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), Maryland 17, 1862 Sept. 20, 1862 Action at Shepardstown, West Virginia Dec. 12 - Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia 15, 1862 March 13, 1863 The First Georgia Regulars were re-assigned to the District of Middle Florida, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida July 09 - 20, 1863 The records show Franklin on furlough in Chattahoochee, Florida. He was paid .33 cents per day. His payroll receipt is for $6.60. He signed the receipt by a (+) mark. His name was written beside the mark by S. S. Wiley, who was a witness. February 11, 1864 Skirmish at Lake City, Florida. February 14, 1864 Evacuation, Gainesville, Florida February 20, 1864 Battle at Olustee (Ocean Pond), Florida March 01, 1864 Skirmish at McGort's Creek, Florida After this skirmish the First Georgia Regulars found themselves at Lake Seminole in Chattahoochee, Florida. This is where the Chattahoochee River enters into Florida from Georgia into Lake Seminole. When the River exits the lake on the south end, it becomes the Apalachicola River. On May 03, 1864, the coast was being blocaded near the Apalachicola Bay by the US Steamers Somerset and Adela. Lt. G. W. Gift, in command of the CSS Chattahoochee, decided on a plan to capture one of the Union ships blockading the Apalachicola. The plan was to use small boats to overtake one of the Union blockade ships and then use that ship to overtake the other. They planned to enter the Apalachicola Bay in small launches and paddle from St. George's Sound toward the East Point. The expedition arrived in Chattahoochee, Florida at 7:30 am on May 04, 1864. The expidition seeking volunteers took on 1 officer and 16 men from the First Georgia Regulars. One of these volunteers was Franklin Madaris. His name is mispelled Medavis on the register where he is listed as a landsman. That morning Franklin transferred to the Confederate States Navy where he was assigned to the CSS Chattahoochee as a landsman and shows as boarding on May 04, 1864 in Chattahoochee, Florida. The expedition left Chattahoochee at 10:40 am, enroute to Appalachicola Bay, St. George's Sound to meet the Union Army. A party of seventy men from the Chattahoochee and twenty volunteers from Company F, Bouneau's Battalion of Confederate soldiers, manned seven boats. The accounts of the expedition state they "Took with us 2 launches, pulling 14 oars each; 2 yawls, pulling 4 oars each; 2 cutters, 4 oars each; and 1 metallic boat, 4 oars. In all 7 boats." The boats were outfitted with "muffled oars, grapnels, incendiary materials, signal flags, lanterns, compasses, medical stores", and other provisions. The men were armed with "rifles, muskets and shot-guns"; the officers with "revolvers and cutlasses". In all they had over 1,000 rounds of ammunition. Trying to sneak up on a ship in a calm moonlit night cause wakes in the water that are easily seen, therefore they would await a dark or stormy night to approach the unsuspecting ship and overtake it. They reached their position at East Point near the east pass of St. George's Sound where they waited for their moonless night. This positioned them near the blockading Adela. As their luck would have it the weather was perfect, calm and bright night after night. The wait lasted nearly a week until they eventually exhausted all their supplies hoping for the weather to deteriorate. Finally they were forced to send scouts into town for supplies but they returned with disappointing news. Spies in Apalachicola had warned the Union ships of the mission. They knew of their presence and their intent. They remained until the 10th of May and as the scouts returned the storm they had been waiting for developed. They decided it was too dangerous to attack a ship that was forewarned of their plans so the mission was called off. As the storm intensified they used the cover to retreat back to the safe side of the bay. The first two boats attempted the crossing; one contained officers and the other contained the soldiers. Struggling in the waves they were caught in the fury of the storm and pushed out to sea.. The soldiers' boat became swamped in the storm and they had to be rescued by the other boat under the command of Lt. Gift. The rescue boat, now overweight with men, arms and supplies, became troubled itself. With the soldiers clinging on the outside of the boat they quickly threw their supplies overboard to bring the exhausted men into the safety of the boat. Finally, by lightening their load, they stayed afloat but were blown further out to sea. After deciding to head into the storm they eventually landed on deserted St. George Island. Already in a starved state and losing all their supplies in the storm, the men "ate palmetto cabbage, alligators and oysters". They would remain marooned for two days before being rescued by local citizens of Apalachicola. The remainder of the boats did not attempt the crossing most likely after witnessing the struggle of the first two boats. But they were about to have their own problems. Now knowing the presence of the Confederates, light boats from the USS Schooner Chambers and the USS Somerset, detached troops below the town of Apalachicola with intent of confronting the Confederates. A detachment landed and quietly marched along the shore towards town with the launches following out of sight. They encountered the confederates at the wharves as they were preparing to embark. One of the small boats approached too quickly and the approaching party was spotted. As the Confederates scattered to safety they were fired upon by a howitzer from one of the boats. The Union officers determined that Gift and some of his men were on the island and they sent a detachment to try and capture them. They arrived at the island but reported that they were unable to pursue them due to the extensive undergrowth and many paths found there. During the two raids all of the expeditions boats were captured along with the supplies, with the exception of the one boat that had previously sunk in the Bay. On the 13th, the stranded men were rescued from St. George Island by three men from Apalachicola who were working with the Confederates as scouts and spies. On their way back to Apalachicola they were confronted by the awaiting Union troops from the Chambers. Although most of the Confederates managed to escape, 7 of the group were taken prisoner. The three rescuers Thomas McClean, Anthony Murray and James Anderson were arrested and held as spies. Of the 4 soldiers captured one was Joseph Sire, captain afterguard of the CSS Chattahoochee. The crew of the Chattahoochee regrouped and eventually made their way to Columbus, Georgia along the Chattahoochee River. It appears that they remained in Columbus until July 08, 1864, when a dispatch was sent to Lt. Gift to draft men from Columbus and "a good and trusty boat's crew" and report to Captain John McGrady. This group is to be trained in placing torpedoes in the Savannah, Georgia's waterways. Knowing he could trust the men of the CSS Chattahoochee, for this specialized and secret mission Lt. Gift had no problem making his selection. They arrived and was listed as in quarters at Savannah on July 22, 1864, ready for orders. July 29, 1864, the former crew of the Chattahoochee was given orders to board the CSS Isondiga which was being used to place torpedoes upon which they would begin their training. They were listed as the only crew in Georgia trained in the placement of torpedoes. They would perform this important task for several months. Franklin was later reassigned to the CSS Floating Battery Georgia, based in Savannah, Georgia on October 01, 1864. The CSS Georgia was poorly designed making it un-stearable and needing to be towed wherever it moved. Because of it's immobility the Georgia was re-designated as a Floating Battery. Franklin served on this ship for 76 days until December 15, 1864 when he was transferred to the CSS Isondiga, this time as a crew member. As Sherman's forces attacked Savannah, the Georgia being unable to flee had her guns plugged and was abandoned and burned on December 20, 1864. After defending the city of Savannah, and being overpowered, the Isondiga and her crew headed upriver towards Augusta fleeing Sherman's forces. However, the river was shallow and the Isondiga became grounded in the Back River near a pontoon bridge. Franklin and the rest of the crew were forced to abandon ship and set her afire. The crew, carrying their supplies and wounded, marched northwards to Hardeeville where they would regroup with the other crews escaping Savannah. On December 25, 1864 they arrived at Charleston, South Carolina where the crews of the Isondiga and Georgia were placed under the command of Lieutenant Dalton. The able bodied men from the Isondiga and Georgia along with the marines of the CSS Savannah were sent to reinforce Fort Johnson, which was being threatened by the Union Forces. The men who were injured in the battles that took place defending Savannah were sent to the Naval Hospital located at Fort Johnson, in Charleston. It is unknown if Franklin died from wounds received in Savannah or was later killed in battle near Charleston, South Carolina. He was, however, buried alongside his brother, Jefferson Madaris, in the Port Society's Cemetery on the Ashley River in Charleston. On Dec. 20, 1922 the Ladies Memorial Association of Charleston placed a monument at their graves in honor of the men of the Confederate Navy who died at that spot. Franklin and Jefferson's name is spelled Medaris on the memorial. When the Johnson-Hagood Stadium was built in Charleston, South Carolina, in the 1940's, it was built on the site of the Port Society Cemetery. Before construction the builder was suppose to move the graves to the Magnolia Cemetery. In what is claimed to be a clerical error only the headstones were moved and the graves were left behind to be paved over. During the summer of 1999, under the direction of the Confederate Heritage Trust, The South Carolina Department of Archeology and the South Carolina Hunley Commission, the remains of 22 Confederate seamen and marines were removed from underneath the stadium parking lot and walls. Over 100 volunteers worked 12 hour days to recover the remains. Among these remains were those of Franklin and Jefferson Madaris. The remains of a 3 year old child were also discovered. The identity of the child is unknown and is suspected to be a child or brother of one of the soldiers who were buried alongside him. The skeletal remains were placed in small 1 foot by 2 foot caskets. Dirt from the original grave was placed in the box on which the bones were placed. The box was then filled with more of the original dirt. Buried along with the remains were any items found with the soldiers including buttons, buckles and a prayer book. On top of each was placed a handmade wooden cross before the lid was sealed. On Nov. 11, 1999, a memorial service was held at the St. Johannes Lutheran Church in Charleston. On Friday, Nov. 12, 1999, a funeral procession made up of over 300 re-enactors followed eight horse drawn caissons carrying the 23 caskets from the Battery insight of Forts Sumter and Johnson northward along E. Bay Street and Morrison Street to the Magnolia Cemetery. The family members of Franklin and Jefferson Madaris walked in honor directly behind the caissons. At 2:00 pm the 22 Confederate heroes and the child were laid to rest in a proper service alongside their comrades who fought and died in the War Between the States in Charleston, South Carolina. Capt. Randy Burbage, President of the Confederate Heritage Trust, presented a flag in honor of Franklin Madaris, "for the sacrifices he made for his country and a cause he so deeply believed in" to the Madaris family. It was presented to Brian Madaris, a 3rd great grand nephew of Franklin's. Brian is a descendant of William Fletcher Madaris, the eldest brother to Franklin. Fletcher was a member of the Phillip's Legion Cavalry Battalion, Army of Northern Virginia, also known as Anderson's Brigade of JEB Stuarts Cavlary, Co. K. The men re-interred to Magnolia Cemetery were: Georgia: J. Bell William P. Brooks Franklin Madaris Jefferson Madaris J. C. Shea William H. Sladd J. Spear G. W. Summers North Carolina, Navy: M. Burgess John Cabel J. Caswell John Dobson T. G. Hatch J. Howell J. Rainey B. W. Shields North Carolina, Army: J. L. Gariton, 22nd NC J. L. Jacobs, Co. A, 22nd NC L. P. Shultz, Co. A, 22nd NC William Yates Florida Navy: Carthgeen Lewis John Housen ???? Scott, Surgeon Sources: * "History of the Confederate States Navy-from its organization to the surrender of its last vessel" J. Thomas Sharf. * Georgia Census Records * Records found in storage at the Newnan, Georgia Court House * Records found in storage at the Campbell County, Court House * Records found in storage at the Carrollton, Georgia Court House * Microfilm records at the Georgia State Archives * Units of the Confederate States Army, Joseph Crute * FootPrints of a Regiment, A recollection of the 1st Georgia Regulars 1861 - 1865 by 1st Sgt. W. H. Andrews, Co. M. * The "Index to Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers who served in Organizations from the State of Georgia" Federal Archives, Atlanta, Ga. * "The Civil War Almanac" Executive Editor: John S. Bowman, Ivan V. Hogg and Antony Preson, technical consultants. * The Confederate Heritage Trust Inc., Charleston, South Carolina