Meriwether-Pike-Spalding County GaArchives Obituaries.....Ben Garrett  August 17 1888
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Lynn Cunningham lcunnin1@bellsouth.net December 27, 2002, 11:31 pm

The Griffin Daily News. Griffin, Georgia, Friday Morning, August 24, 1888

An Old Citizen of Meriwether Dead
Meriwether Vindicator

Mr. Ben Garrett died at his home at South Bend on [the] Flint river in the first

district last Friday morning at 11 o'clock and was buried at Antioch church, 
Woodbury, Saturday morning.

Uncle Ben, as he was generally known, was 80 years of age and was one of the old

settlers of our county. He was well known, was an honest man, harmless and 
kindhearted, For several years he had been quite feeble and has become nearly 
blind.

When the Confederate war broke out Uncle Ben, then 57 years old was among the 
first volunteers and left Greenville on the 18th day of May, 1861, with the 
Echola Guards; the first company that left Meriwether. The Guards formed company

D of the famous 8th Georgia regiment. The company participated in the first 
great fight at Manassas Junction, Uncle Ben going all through that bloody day's 
engagement. He used to describe the balls as flying round his head thick as 
gnats. The hardship and exposures of camp life and his extreme age induced Dr. 
H.V.M. Miller, surgeon of the brigade, to send Uncle Ben home after a term of 
honorable service. The old man was always at his post and never shirked any 
duty. He was a general favorite and his quaint expressions were quoted all 
through the army of Virginia. Indeed his saying that the campaign would only be 
a "Rat killing" found its way into the Northern army.

A few weeks ago the old man started to Newnan to the old soldier's reunion, but 
was compelled to turn back on account of extreme feebleness. He took his bed on 
reaching home, from which he never arose. In his later years he became a member 
of the Methodist church at Concord and died in hope of a blessed immortality.

(Transcribed 12/27/02 Lynn Cunningham)
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