TALBOT COUNTY, GA - MILITARY CIVIL WAR Co A 4th Newspaper Accounts Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: volunteers Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Newspaper Accounts of Co A 4th Regiment Southern Rifles (Originally called Scotts Rifles) SCOTT RIFLES (see also newspaper account of Scott Rifles) =========== May 4, 1861 Southern Rifles. This company was chartered as the "Scott Rifles", but their name has been properly changed. They are from Talbotton, Talbot county, and to show the liberality of the citizens of the county, we would state, that between three and four thousand dollards was raised among them for this fine corps and others in process of organization. The majority of the men range in height from 5 ft 10 inces to 5 ft. Their uniform is Georgia Gray, trimmed with black velvet. Officers: Captain, B. Curley 1st Lieut W.C. Wimberly 2nd Lieut W.A. Daniel 3rd Lieut J.P. Strickland Surgeon W.H. Philpot 1st Serg E.L. Callier 2nd Serg J.D. Cottinghan 3rd Serg L.B. Mund 4th Serg Jas Gardner 1st Corp Jack Blount 2nd Corp B.A. Lockhart 3rd Corp John McGurty 4th Corp D.C. Renfrow Privates: W.S. Adams R.E. Arnold H. Ammons L. Adams F. Archer F.C. Ballou A.C. Bryant A.C. Boyton J.A. Blanton L.A. Baldwin H.P. Baskin J.M. Childs J.D. Daniel T.H. Daniel M. Dickson J.T. Ellis J.W. Ford T.A. Green R.C. Green J.B. Gorman A.D. Gorman W.C. Goslin John Goodwin W.P. Green T Hagan M. Hogg Lewis Hogg J. Hartman C.C Holt W.H. Harvey J.D. Jamison Jas Johnson W.W. Wilson T.H. Stallings W.N. Bacon N. Burge A.B. Barnes B. Burge Geo Boswell T Beach JA S Baisden W W Cook J W Conner H Carnes H P Corley J Kaufman JP Keating Lewis Lesser E.E. Love S.N. Layfield G A Miller I.R. Miller O.B. Mulkey R.A. Mizzell W B Mitchell W B McLean Wm Nixon J S Parker W T Persons Sam'l Pugh D. Roach D W Ray B A Richards J O A Sparks J W Stevenson J W Story J P Willis S A Sutton Jas Watley Jas H. Weeks =========== The Upson Pilot June 1, 1861 TO THE LADIES OF TALBOTTON. Gosport Navy Yard Portmouth VA May 16, 1861 We the committee appointed by the "Southern Rifles" to return the thanks of the company to you for two packages of eatables received by Express, do hereby declare: 1st That the members of said corps indicative of their high appreciation of your kindness, tender you sincere thanks, with the pledge that with gratitude they will ever be mindful of the hospitalities of which they have been the recipients. 2nd That should the conflict that now threatens engage us, we will never prove recreant to the trust imposed in us, nor show ourselves unworthy the confidence of ladies so noble and patriotic as those of which Talbotton has the honor to boast. Jas. O.A. Sparks, Chap; Ossian D. Gorman, James H. Weeks (Committee) Note: Ossian was captured at Gettysburg (exchanged 1864) James Hampton Weeks - Killed at Wilderness, Va May 5, 1864 "Rev. J.O.A. Sparks was a student at Emory University when he joined the company in 1861 and served until 1862 when he returned to Talbotton. He became a member of the Georgia Methodist Conference and was a prominent and influential member of that body for a njmber of years." There Was A Land ============ contributed by Carla Miles The Talbotton New Era Thursday, April 12, 1906 Page Two Personal Items Judge Atkinson of Evergreen, Ala., was in Talbotton for several days last week. He is a prominent attorney of that city and was born and raised near Talbotton. He has written an article, which appears elsewhere in this issue, which will no doubt prove very interesting to New Era readers. *Note - The article written by Judge Atkinson did not appear until the following week in The New Era. This article is interesting and informative as the Judge recalls his youth in Talbotton during the early 1860s and the citizens he fondly remembers. The Talbotton New Era Thursday, April 19, 1906 Page Two (Note: The following was written before the recent visit of Mr. Atkinson to Talbotton) A spirit of garrulity dominates me, and I am in a reminiscent mood. Two pictures are in my mind; one is the home of my boyhood, three miles east, and the other four miles south of Talbotton, Ga. Were I again to visit those scenes, I would find few I once knew. Most of them have gone as voyagers over that sea, upon the crest of the waves a homeward bound sail has never seen. Some perished amid the red glare of battle; others fell asleep surrounded by the weeping ones they loved. It is now April, and how vividly is pictured Friday, the 26th day of that month in 1861, when Capt. B. Curley led from anguished mothers, sisters and friends, the Southern Rifles, the first company to leave home in defense of all our people held dear. Dinner was served at the side of the Methodist church. My father led in fervent prayer, and Judge E.H. Worrill in a patriotic speech. First Augusta, then to Norfolk, and for the first battle array, the Fourth Georgia with Company A on the right, faced a hostile foe at seven pines. Of the more than eighty who left, less than twenty returned, not bearing the trophies of victory, but bronze to a Spartan mother's breast, on as many glory shields. W.D. Atkinson Evergreen, Ala. April, 1906 (The rest of the letter pertains to other citizens of Talbot and can be viewed http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/talbot/newspapers/atkinson.txt ============ The Talbotton New Era Thursday, April 22, 1909 Page Seven The Last Roll Call (By Ossian D. Gorman) We were mustered in the morning Of an April far away, Three and eighty strong, and eager As we started for the fray. And no whisper broke the daydream Of that brave and hopeful band, That Story would embalm their deeds In the epic of their land. Sad were we, and sad the parting On that morning steeped in tears; Little recked we of the ending Hid within the coming years. Eager eyes were looking forward, Seeing visions far afield; Each one dreaming of a hero, Bearing Victory on his shield. Oft had thought we of the battle, Where the clashing lines should meet, Of charge and daring counter-charge, Of the vanquished foe's retreat. Oft dreamed we of the bugle call, Oft lived our dreams of glory, And took our lessons from the page, Of History's brightest story. We saw historic Richmond loom, Across our field of dreaming, And years on years of battle stress, Great even in their seeming - Saw march and struggle by the "James" And heard its limpid flowing, Through erstwhile peaceful vales and hills, Sweet with the South wind's blowing. Saw we names for song and story, Names writ large in tragic lines - There is Bartow at Manassas, And stern Lomax at "Seven Pines". There is Jackson, strong in battle, Peerless Gordon, grandly brave, Noble Hampton, dashing Stewart - These be heroes that we gave. As we "look adown the vistas" Reaching to those days far back, We can see the legions thronging In an unreturning track. We can see the "lonely muster" On a field of grief and tears, And shall read the tragic story Through the coming years. Yes, we mustered in the morning Of an April far away, When the call to War was sounded, Three and eighty strong that day. But, when came to us the gloaming, And the South's last hope was dead, There were few to answer "Roll Call", For the dreaming days had fled. The foregoing refers to "The Southern Rifles" (Company A, 4th Georgia Regiment, C.S.A.), which left Talbotton, April 26, 1861. The words, "lonely muster", etc. refer to Appomattox. ======== The Talbotton New Era Thursday, April 22, 1909 Page Six Of the eighty-three men comprising the list of the Southern Rifles printed elsewhere, only eight returned after the four years' siege during the Civil War. For those who have been buried here or elsewhere, the heart breathes out sweetest benediction and praise. =============== The Talbotton New Era Thursday, April 22, 1909 Page Five Roll of Southern Rifles of Talbotton When They Departed for the Civil War in 1861 The following muster roll was found in the back of a picture of William Nixon, sent home by him during the war. His brother, J. N. Nixon, had this picture enlarged last summer and the muster roll was found there, having been in its resting place since the war. William Nixon died at Petersburg, Va. during the war. Captain ­ B. Curley 1st Lieut. ­ W.C. Wimberly 2nd Lieut. ­ W.A. Daniel 3rd Lieut. ­ J.P. Strickland Surgeon ­ W.H. Philpot 1st Serg. ­ E.L. Callier 2nd ­ Jas. D. Cottingham 3rd ­ L.B. Maund 4th ­ James Gardner 1st Corporal ­ Jack Blount 2nd ­ B.A. Lockheart 3rd ­ John McGurty 4th ­ D.T. Renfrow Privates W.A. Adams Louis Hogg R.E. Arnold John Hartman L. Adams C.C. Holt P. Archer W.H. Harvey T.D. Belveu T. Harvey A.C. Bryant M.H. Harvey A.C. Boynton J.D. Jameson J.A. Blanton James Johnson S.A. Baldwin J. Kaupman H. Baskin J.B. Keeting W.N. Bacon Lemi S. Lesser Nick Burge E.E. Love N.B. Barnes S.M. Sayfield* B. Burge G.A. Miller Geo. Boswell J.R. Miller Jas. Baisden O.B. Mulkey Thomas Beach R.A. Mizell M.W. Cook W.B. Mitchell J.W. Connor W.B. McClaine H. Carnes Wm. Nixon H.P. Corley J.S. Parker J.M. Childs W.T. Persons J.D. Daniel David Roache T.H. Daniel D.W. Ray M. Dickson B.A. Richards J.T. Ellis J.O.A. Sparks J.W. Ford J.W. Stephenson T.A. Greer J.W. Story R.C. Greer S.A. Sutton J.B. Gorman James Watley O.D. Gorman J.P. Willis W.C. Goslin J.H. Weeks John Goodwin W.W. Wilson W.P. Green H. Amons T. Hagan Samuel Pou Wm Hogg and four servants *Note from the transcriber - The last name should probably be Layfield instead of Sayfield. ============ The Butler Herald Jan 15, 1901 (The Taylor Tracer Jan. 2001) Relic of the Civil War We were shown Tuesday by Mr. Hiram P. Corley of Geneva district a gruesome relic of the civil war. It was a ball which had been taken from his thigh last November by Dr. Boynton. This ball was almost completely flattened, it appearing on one side as if it had been strucky by a sledge-hammer. Mr. Corley was wounded at the battle of Cedar Run, VA, on the 12th Oct 1861. Gen John A. Early being in command of the Confederate forces. Mr. Corley is now an infirm and crippled old veteran. He was a member of the Southern Rifles of Talbotton, being Company A, of the Fourth Georgia Regiment of the Army of Northern Virginia.