POLK COUNTY, GA - Military Josiah York Confederate Story ***************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm *********************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Diane Sanfilippo Below is the story of Josiah the next youngest brother - sent to me by his direct descendant, John York Rumble of Lawrenceville, Georgia Josiah Cowan York, Jr., was a Civil War veteran. During the Battle of Peachtree Creek on July 20, 1864, Josiah carried his brother, Capt. William Thomas York, on his shoulders from the battlefield to the hospital and stayed by his side as casualties were being evacuated by rain from Atlanta to Barnesville. He wrote a moving account of his brother's last days. On July 31, 1864, his brigade captured General George Stoneman and 700 of his calvary soldiers at Sunshine Church near Hillsboro before they could destroy the Macon-Atlanta Railroad and free the Union prisoners at Macon and Andersonville. In a family news clipping, Josiah is shown carrying the Confederate flag in a Veteran's parade. On June, 14, 1861, at twenty years of age, Josiah York joined Phillips' Legion of the Georgia Volunteers. Corporal York was in Company D of the Rifle Battalion. From September to December, 1861, he served in Western Virginia in the Army of Kanawha and fought in the battles of Cheat Mountain and Cotton Hill. From December, 1861 to July, 1862, he served in South Carolina in the Sixth and Fourth Military Districts. In July, 1862, Phillips' Legion was transferred to the First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia under the command of Robert E. Lee. Their Corps Commander was James Longstreet. Their division commander was Dr. R. Jones who in October, 1862, was repalced by Lafayette McLaws. They served consecutively in Drayton's, Cobb's, and Wofford's Brigades. Phillips' Legion fought at Second Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. At Fredericksburg, as part of Cobb's Brigade, they defended teh sunken road where T.R.R. Cobb was killed during repeated Union charges. At Chancellorsville, due to Longstreet's absence, they fought for Stonewall Jackson. However, they remained with Lee during Jackson's daring maneuver that routed Hooker's right flank. By the time the Legion fought at Gettysburg, they could muster only 273 soldiers. As part of Wofford's Brigade, they fought in the bloody battle in the Wheat Field that Longstreet called, "the best three hours' fighting ever done by any troops on any battlefield." At Gettysburg, Josiah was seriously wounded and spent several months in Richmond recuperating. Records show that he was at Camp Winder Hospital on July 18 and at Jackson Hospital from August to October, 1863. On January 14, 1864, his company muster roll showed he was "absent, home wounded". But Josiah was not ready to quit. On February 10, 1864, as William Tecumseh Sherman prepared to drive for Atlanta, he joined Joseph Wheeler's Cavalry Corps. His company commander was his brother, Captain Tom York. Their unit was Company A, First Georgia Cavalry Regiment, Crews'-Iverson's Brigade. Their job was to scout the enemy's position and to destroy supply trains, tracks, and bridges. Wheeler drilled his horsemen in the art of charging an Infantry line. He lined up dummies made of old clothes stuffed with straw and then had his troopers charge at full speed, sabers held high, while under fire from blank cartridges. During the Atlanta Campaign, they fought bravely at Tunnell Hill, Resaca, New Hope Church, Pickett's Mill, Dallas, Kennesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek and Bald Hill. As Sherman continued his march through the South, Josiah's unit fought in the Savannah and the Carolina Campaigns. By the time Joseph E. Johnston surrendered at Durham Station, North Carolina on April 26, 1865, the regiment had fewer than 50 officers and men. Josiah Cowan York Jr - Enlisted 6/14/1861, Age 19, WIA (eye) 7/2/1863 at Gettysburg per casualty list in 7/20/1863 Atlanta Southern Confederacy, Admitted to Richmond hospital 7/18/1863, 2nd Corporal on roll dated 1/14/1864, Same roll shows him home wounded, Further research shows that he joined Co A of the 1st Ga Cavalry in February 1864, A roll for Nov/Dec 1864 lists him as AWOL, No further record, Born in 1841 to Josiah Cowan and Sarah Blake York, Married to Lucie Virginia Mason of Henry County after the war, Died in 1922, Buried in Rosehill Cemetery, Rockmart, Ga.