JONES COUNTY GA Griswoldville File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Wayne Bowden Governor Joe Brown, for the first time, called all those aged 16-50 into 45 day service in November that year. (Remember the Joe Brown Census?) He even cancelled the exempt status on most of the county officials. About the only ones not called up were those working on the railroads, telegraphers, engineers, etc. The Battle at Griswoldville Nov 22 1864 With Sherman nearing Milledgeville mid November 1864, Union General Kilpatrick was in running fights with Wheeler’s Cavalry near Macon, and General Walcutt’s brigade was near the village of Griswoldville. * There were 3 brigades of Georgia Militia then in Griswoldville, composed largely of the very young or the very old. Their own commander, General Gustavus W. Smith had been detained at Macon, and they were under the temporary leadership of General Pleasant Phillips. Smith’s orders to Phillips had been to avoid any engagement with Union forces. * The Militia had previously had seen some limited action on the battlefields at Atlanta, but were still very green and inexperienced, but anxious to prove their mettle. The stage was set for one of the most appalling virtual massacres of the Georgia Campaign. * At about 1 p.m., just as the Walcutt’s men were finishing their dinner, the Georgia Militia attacked. Moving in three lines across the open field, men shouting, rifles blazing. The troops got to within 50 yards of the Union line before the attack stalled. Most of the survivors moved into a ravine perhaps 100 yards in front of the Union line. * >From this shelter, they made at least 3 sallies, perhaps more, into the withering fire from the Union line. * Those of the militia that could, finally withdrew at dusk. Of approximately 2000 militia that took the field, there were left only about 600, while Walcutt lost fewer than 100 men. ===== "Miriam M. Brown" About the battle of Griswoldville, my great grand father William Green Lewis was there and he was not quite 15, his uniform sleeves hang over his hands as how it was so big, we have his picture in it, it is in a book Michael Grissom did,"When the South Was Southern" =====personal experience=== t3r3sa@bellsouth.net http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ga/Jones?read=804 Surname: Caswell, Hawkins, Paschal, Golden, Ward, Myrick, Parham, Bagley ------------------------- My g-g-g-grandfather, William Carroll Caswell, died at the Battle of Griswoldville, November 11,1864. There were hundreds of wounded left on the battlefield when the Generals had to make the decision to withdraw to protect Macon, leaving the injured behind. As the temperature dropped below freezing at night, many men froze to death on the battlefield before morning. I do not have his regimental or company info, but if anyone out there can help, I will appreciate it. ============ Pension application which contains more information about this battle, can be seen at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/schley/military/civilwar/pensions/mt198ucok11thr.txt ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.