Lamar-Pike County GaArchives News.....War Record of Capt. B.M. Turner February 3 1910 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Lynn Cunningham http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002535 November 13, 2004, 1:14 am The Barnesville News-Gazette The Barnesville News Gazette February 3, 1910 War Record of Capt. B.M. Turner Capt. Benjamin Milner Turner enlisted in the Barnesville Blues as a sergeant in May, 1861. The company was ordered to Big Shanty, and left Barnesville for camp on the twenty-fifth of June. On June 29th, 1861 they were mustered into the Confederate service with the 3rd Georgia Battalion, Mr. Turner being made Color sergeant. On the tenth of August the command was ordered to Virginia, and was in camp at Lynchburg about two months. Here Mr. Turner was made Sergeant Major of the Battalion. About the first of October they were ordered to Richmond; a little later they went to Goldsboro, N.C., and still a little later they returned to Richmond. In a short time they were sent into East Tennessee. In January, 1862, the command went to Cumberland Gap, and remained there four or five months. Then by a flank movement, the enemy caused them to fall back to Beans Station and Tate Springs, Tennessee where they remained for a month or two. Advancing from here they met the enemy at Tazewell, Tennessee, and defeated them causing them to retreat to Cumberland Gap. This was the first fight in which Sergeant Major Turner was engaged and he conducted himself bravely. The command then went with General E. Kirby Smith in his Kentucky campaign. They were not actively engaged at Perryville, being held in reserve all day. When the army retired into Tennessee, Mr Turner was promoted and became a Lieutenant. At the battle of Murfreesboro he was Adjutant of the Battalion, and displayed great coolness and bravery in leading the men in fight. While the force was in camp at Shelbyville, Tennessee, the command was reorganized, and a Battalion of Sharpshooters was formed. This new battalion was composed of the Barnesville Blues under Capt. Carter, a company under Capt. Kendall and a new company which was formed with Capt. Turner in command. Soon after this the Battle of Hoovers Gap was fought, and as was expected, Capt. Turner led his company in the thickest of the fight. Here, in what was for them the hottest fight in which they were ever engaged, the company lost more than half it number in killed, wounded, and prisoners. After this battle, Capt. Turner was idolized by his men, who loved him not alone for his brave leadership, but because of his care and thoughtfulness for thier comfort and welfare. After the command was retired to Chattanooga in July, 1863, Capt. Turner was granted his first brief furlough to go home and recruit his company’s depleted ranks. Returning with a goodly number, he reached camp a short time before the Battle of Chickamauga. In this battle he displayed great courage and bravery, always leading, not following, his command. On that awful Saturday afternoon, in charging a battery he received a grape-shot wound, the charge passing through the lower part of his body. He fell on the bloody field, and his comrades thought him mortally wounded. But, when his men faltered, his voice rang out “Don’t stop men! Charge, charge! I’m all right.” When the enemy had been driven back, and there was a lull in the battle, tenderly and lovingly has was borne from the field. He was taken home, nursed back to life and strength by his devoted mother. As soon as he was able he returned to his command and took part in the campaign between Dalton and Atlanta. After the fall of Atlanta, he marched with Hood into Tennessee. On that trying march through cold, rain and snow, by his courage and fortitude, he cheered his men to renewed efforts for the cause they loved. At Nashville in December, 1864, the for crept upon the line thro[ugh] a blinding snow storm, and leading his men against them, Capt. Turner was captured. Thus his career as a gallant soldier was ended. He was carried to Johnsons Island in Lake Erie, and remained there until after the close of the War. When he received his discharge in June, 1864, he came home and took up the battle of life, fighting as bravely in this struggle as he had for the Cause he loved so much. [Transcribed 11/12/04 Lynn Cunningham] Note: Born 1 April 1838, Benjamin Milner Turner died 3 April 1900. He is buried at Zebulon Road Cemetery, Lamar County, Georgia Additional Comments: From copy obtained at Old Jail Museum and Archives, Barnesville, Georgia. Compiled by Shanna English. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/lamar/newspapers/nw1690warrecor.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 5.0 Kb