TALBOT COUNTY, GA - MILITARY CIVIL WAR Co A 4th Newspaper Accounts
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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.