USA > Georgia > Floyd County > Rome > A history of Rome and Floyd County, State of Georgia, United States of America; including numerous incidents of more than local interest, 1540-1922, Volume I > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
Cass-W. T. Wofford, No; H. F. Price, No; Turner H. Trippe, No.
Chattooga-Wesley Shropshire, No; L. Williams, No.
Floyd-Col. James Word, Yes; Col. Simpson Fouche, Yes; Frank C. Shrop- shire, Yes.
Gordon-Wm. H. Dabney, Yes; Jas. Freeman, No; R. M. Young, Yes.
Polk-W. E. West, Yes; T. W. Du- pree, No.
Walker-G. G. Gordon, No; R. B. Dickerson, No; T. A. Sharpe, No.
A lively glimpse of the inaugu- ration of Jefferson Davis as presi- dent and Alexander H. Stephens as vice-president of the Confeder- acy was given by Judge Augustus R. Wright, one of the organizers of the Government, in a letter of Feb. 21, 1861 from Montgomery, Ala., to his daughter, Mrs. Mary Wright Shropshire, of Rome :
My Dear Daughter :- We had a gay time at the President's inauguration. The President and Vice-President rode in a most superb carriage, glittering all over with silver and drawn by six iron gray horses driven by two coach- men on the same seat. They ** were fiery and impatient and beautifully caparisoned. The military companies with full bands preceded the several committees in fine carriages, and then followed the crowd.
The Zouaves performed most won- derfully their new military exercise of vaulting, lying down and firing, falling on their backs and loading, and divers other most wonderful gymnastics.
The oath taken by the President in the presence of that vast concourse was most solemn. When Mr. Cobb, who administered the oath, said, "So help me God," the President lifted his facc to Heaven in the most solemn and energetic manner and said, "So help me God!" The band then played the Marseillaise hymn, after which the vast crowd gave three cheers for "Jeff Davis and Alexander Stephens," and began to disperse.
"Sic transit gloria mundi !" How the mind turns from those pageants and panoplies of war to that peaceful reign of our King "when the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest."
Affectionately your father, AUGUSTUS R. WRIGHT.
*Georgia's Landmarks, Memorials and Leg- ends, Vol. II, ps. 567-570. ** The horses.
PART III THE CIVIL WAR PERIOD 1861-1865
CHAPTER I. Opening of the Civil War-First Manassas
I T IS manifestly impossible in a work of this size to present more than a glimpse here and there of the wartime activities of Floyd's inilitary companies and life of the people at home. All that can be done is to hit the "high spots" and trust that a historian will come along some day who will devote to the period an entire book.
The principal events of the 1861- 65 period herein treated are the First Battle of Manassas (Va.), July 21, 1861 ; the chase Apr. 12, 1862, after the Confederate engine General, in which a Rome locomo- tive was used at Kingston; the capture of Streight's Federal raid- ers Sunday, May 3, 1863, by an in- ferior force under command of Gen. Forrest : and the defense and occupation of Rome May 18, 1864, by Gen. Sherman.
Rome itself was a concentration point for recruits from Northwest Georgia. Broad Street was a drill and parade ground. The newspa- pers and the churches were used to inflame the war spirit, and we have it on the authority of Hilliard Horry Wimpee,* who was then a boy of ten, that stump speakers sought to dissipate the impression of small numbers in the South by the flamboyant declaration that one "Reb" could whip ten "Yanks." In some of these speech- es the "Reb" could even suffer his left hand to be tied behind him.
More than 2,000 men of Floyd County (including an occasional
*Mr. Wimpee relates how he saw blood-drip- ping freight cars come into Rome with hundreds of wounded soldiers after the fall of Ft. Donel- son.
** Co. G, First Ga. Cavalry. The name was undoubtedly taken from a company which op- erated under Gen. Jas. Hemphill and Maj. Chas. H. Nelson in 1835 and captured Chief Fosach Fixico.
contingent from an adjoining county) went out to protect their homes during the period of 1861- 65. Including the home guard of ten companies (five of which were from Floyd) there was a total of 20 companies of an average of more than 100 men, including re- cruits and replacements. The com- panies went to the front in ap- proximately the following order :
Floyd Infantry, commanded by Capt. Jno. Frederick Cooper, who died at Culpepper Courthouse, Va., several weeks after he had received a serious wound at First Manas- sas ; Rome Light Guards, Capt. Edward Jones Magruder ; Miller Rifles, named after Dr. H. V. M. Miller, Capt. Jno. R. Towers ; Floyd Sharpshooters, Capt. A. S. Hamilton ; Floyd Springs Guards, Capt. M. R. Ballenger ; Co. D, 65th Ga. Infantry, Capt. W. G. Foster ; Berry Infantry, named after Capt. Thos. Berry, Capt. Thos. W. Alex- ander ; Sardis Volunteers, 6th Ga. Cavalry, Capt. Jno. R. Hart ; Fire- side Defenders, Capt. Robt. H. Jones ; Mitchell Guards, named after Danl. R. Mitchell, Capt. Zachariah B. Hargrove; Co. G, 1st Confederate regiment, Ga. Vol- unteers, Capt. Jno. B. Bray ; Co. A, 8th Georgia Battalion, Capt. W. H. H. Lumpkin : Floyd Cavalry, Capt. Wade S. Cothran ; Gartrell's Cavalry (in 1863 a part of Forrest's command), Capt. Henry A. Gar- trell; Cherokee Artillery (later Corput's battery), Capt. Marcellus A. Stovall, Lieuts. Jno. H. Law- rence, Max Van Den Corput, J. G. Yeiser and Thos. W. Hooper , sur- geon, Dr. Robt. Battey, orderly sergeant, T. D. Attaway : High- land Rangers (Cave Spring), Capt. M. H. Haynie ; Highland Rangers **
138
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
(Rome), Capt. J. L. Kerr ; Booten and Harkins' Cavalry Company, Capt. Daniel F. Booten, Lieut. Jno. Harkins. The Rome Volunteers was a company in existence before the war.
When the fighting at Chatta- nooga in 1863 threatened Rome, five home-guard companies were formed, and they were command- ed by Capt. J. H. Lawrence, Jack- son Trout, S. D. Wragg, Marcel- lus L. Troutman and C. Oliver Stillwell.
Few survivors came back from any of the front line companies. and the valor in no war of history exceeded that of the Boys in Gray, who fought with extreme despera- tion against overwhelming odds in men and resources. The Floyd Sharpshooters 3 surrendered ten
men at Appomattox, whereas 110 had gone out. Of 24 Cherokee Artillery members imprisoned at Indianapolis, only eight answered the roll call at Rome just after the war, and most of the others are supposed to have died in prison. Jas. E. Mullen, late cemetery sex- ton, was one of this command.
The Rome Light Guard organi- zations kept going many years, and the Hill City Cadets sprang into existence and was active dur- ing the Spanish-American war dis- turbance.
The Floyd Cavalry was prob- ably the first to offer its services to Gov. Jos. E. Brown. This was done Friday, Nov. 9, 1860, as soon as the members could hold a meeting after the election of Abra- ham Lincoln to the Presidency. Three days before the First Bat- tle of Manassas, the offer having gone by the board, the company met and passed resolutions as fol- lows :
Whereas, the Floyd Cavalry ten- dered its services to His Excellency, Jos. E. Brown, Commander-in-Chief of
the State of Georgia, on Nov. 9, 1860, and
Whereas, the services of the com- pany have not yet been called for, be it
Resolved, That in view of active hos- tilities that the company renew their tender with the assurance that it holds itself in readiness to meet any emer- gencies whenever and wherever they may arise.
The officers at this time were Jno. R. Towers, captain ; E. W. Hull, first lieutenant ; Dunlap Scott, second lieutenant, and J. H. Walker, third lieutenant. Contin- ued inactivity caused the three first named to transfer to the Mil- ler Rifles in the same offices. Arm- istead R. Harper took the place of Lieut. Walker.
The Floyd Infantry left Rome first; it went away May 10, 1861.
The Light Guards left Rome Monday morning, May 27, 1861, after having heard on the day be- fore an inspiring speech at the First Presbyterian church by the pastor, the Rev. John Jones. They marched to North Rome and caught their train, and half the town marched with them, scatter- ing flowers in their way and bid- ding them God-speed with fervent prayers from the women and lusty huzzas from the "home guard." Capt. Magruder, of this company, was the first man in Rome to don the blue cockade of secession. He was among the first to marry, choosing as his bride several days before the departure the beautiful Miss Florence Fouche, daughter of Col. Simpson Fouche. When the Guards left Rome, Mrs. Magruder marched with her husband at the head of the column. appropriately rigged out for the occasion-pistol and dagger in her belt, and a stride full of belligerency. Let Miss Bes- sie Moore (Mrs. Lawrence S Churchill) describe the wedding :
It was a novel and inspiring cere- mony, from all descriptions. The handsome groom was in full dress mili- tary coat, and his trousers were of
139
OPENING OF THE CIVIL WAR-FIRST MANASSAS
PROMINENT IN REMOVAL OF THE INDIANS.
At left is Brig. Gen. Jno. E. Wool, U. S. A., of Troy, N. Y., who had charge of car- rying out government policies prior to the exodus. In the center is Lewis Cass, Secretary of War in Andrew Jackson's cabinet, who was the storm center of the diplomatic negotia- tions. Next is Gen. Winfield Scott, hero of the Mexican War and later adviser of the Union War Department, who gathered up the red-skins in stockades at New Echota and Sixes Town to facilitate removal.
white silk, brought from the Orient by his friend, Col. Chas. I. Graves, in naval cruise. The blushing bride was dressed in snow white, including her veil. They rode up to the First Baptist church (which was located at the same site as today) in a carriage pulled by two spirited white horses.
Descending from their conveyance, they passed through an arch of up- lifted sabres of 80 members of the Guards. As the couple reached the church door, they stood aside a mo- ment; the Guards came in and formed a second column, through which the two again passed to the altar. Rev. Chas. H. Stillwell, pastor of the church, then made them man and wife.
Mrs. Magruder accompanied Capt. Magruder to Orange County, Va., the place of his birth, and took up her residence with his people at "Fres- cati" (the Italian for "Green Fields") , the ancestral home. This mansion was converted into a hospital for sick and wounded Light Guards and other Con- federate soldiers.
Orderly Sergeant Jim Tom Moore, member of the Light Guards and grand-father of Mrs. Churchill, was married shortly be- fore the command left to Miss Le- titia Hutchings. The ceremony
was performed at the old Buena Vista, which for a time was Rome's leading hotel. There were numer- ous other military marriages, and some of the husbands came back to their wives, and some did not.
The Rome Weekly Courier of Friday, April 26, 1861, announced the opening of the Civil War as follows :
Glorious News-Virginia Seceded .- Gen. Scott resigns, and fighting at Harper's Ferry and Norfolk!
The news of the secession of Vir- ginia was received in Rome at 11:30 o'clock on yesterday, together with the announcement that Gen. Scott had re- signed and was in Richmond and that the Virginians had attacked the army at Harper's Ferry and the United States fort and navy yard at Norfolk.
This news caused the greatest ex- citement we have ever seen in our city. Cannons were fired and small arms without number, and all the church bells were rung, and all possible dem- onstrations of extreme joy were every- where to be seen. Not a few eyes were moistened by the joyous overflow of grateful feelings. The eighth star was put upon it and the flag raised.
140
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
On Tuesday morning, May 28, 1861, the Tri-Weekly Courier bade farewell to the Light Guards as follows :
This company left our city yesterday evening at 6 o'clock. The muster roll may be found in another column. Our heart fails us as we attempt to write upon the subject. The company is made up almost entirely of young men -only five married, and, with two ex- ceptions, these quite recently. Most of the members have lived in the city or in the immediate vicinity; they are connected with the best families and of course are greatly beloved.
We are sure there will not be in the army a more gallant company of brave men than compose this corps. They are armed with the Windsor rifle. They have no accoutrements, but in all else they are fully provided. The pro- visions for health and comfort in camp are quite complete. That they may all safely return is the fervent and earn- est prayer of the entire community.
The Courier Thursday morning. May 30, 1861, gave the Miller Ri- fles this send-off :
This company left yesterday at 11 o'clock on a special train for Richmond. It consists of a larger number than either of the other companies that have left .* It is made up of the best kind of fighting men, mostly from the country, and though but little used to drill at present, they are inured to many hardships that will enable them to drop into camp routine with com- parative ease; and Capt. Towers is just the man to make this company one of the most efficient in the serv- ice.
And now the author again steps aside and bows to pens that are more trenchant than his own. The quotations are from The Courier, with the dates as indicated :
Northern Men's Sacrifice .- Those citizens of Northern birth who enlist in our army and who demonstrate on the battlefield their fidelity to our cause are entitled to the lasting grat- itude and remembrance of our people. To the foreman and others in charge of The Courier, it is a source of grati- fication to hear on frequent occasions the name of Mr. Melville Dwinell, now in the army, who participated in the recent glorious achievement at Manas- sas, spoken of in terms of the warmest
respect and regard. He was in the hottest of the column led by the la- mented Bartow. We hope that he escaped death.
We grieve to learn that Frank La- throp, our young friend and fellow citizen, from the house of Sloan, Har- per & Co., is no more. He, too, was a Northern man, and fell at Manassas, battling for our rights.
Floyd Companies' Loss .- As there has been no official report published of the killed and wounded of the Eighth Georgia Regiment in the First Battle of Manassas, we are only enabled to give the following report from a list sent by Rev. John Jones, pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Rome, who has been visiting the companies and is now at Richmond :
Rome Light Guards-Killed: Chas. B. Norton, Geo. T. Stovall, D. Clinton Hargrove, Jas. B. Clark and Dr. J. T. Duane; badly wounded, M. D. McOs- ker, J. H. Anderson (Ringgold), J. A. Stevenson (Jacksonville) ; slightly wounded, Capt. E. J. Magruder, G. L. Aycock, A. J. Bearden, J. Dunwoody Jones, J. F. Shelton, -- Shackleford and Jett Howard; missing, John J. Black, Wm. A. Barron, M. A. Ross and John R. Payne.
Miller Rifles-Killed, Thos. Mobley, Frank Lathrop and Lewis Yarbrough; badly wounded, O. B. Eve, Thos. J. Hills and Wm. A. King; slightly wounded, John M. Berry, B. F. Cornut, W. D. Corput, S. H. Chambers, M. D. Funderburk, N. S. Fain, Maj. John Minton, Jourdan Reese, T. C. Sparks, J. H. Silvey, W. P. Trout, W. W. Ware, the two Easons and D. C. Harper; sick, W. J. Barrett, G. Carroll, R. F. Car- roll, B. F. Price and T. R. Glenn.
Floyd Infantry - Killed, George Martin, W. J. Chastain, A. W. Har- shaw and J. H. Dunn; badly wounded, Capt. Jno. F. Cooper. Full list not re- ported.
Manassas Battleground Camp, Tues- day, July 23, 1861, 8 p. m.
Dear Courier : Since writing this morning I have gathered some particu- lars of the glorious victory of July 21. As the facts are made known, the com- plete rout of the enemy and the utter confusion into which they were thrown becomes more and more evident. In- stead of getting 42 of their cannon, 64 have already been brought in, and there is reason to believe still more
*The Floyd Infantry, under command of Capt. Jno. Frederick Cooper, is referred to here with the Light Guards. It is supposed to have left several days ahead of any other company.
OPENING OF THE CIVIL WAR-FIRST MANASSAS
141
will be found, provided this number does not include all they had. Our troops detailed for that purpose have been finding them all day, run off in concealed places by the roadside. In addition to the cannon, it is reported that the road leading to Alexandria is literally lined with muskets, rifles, etc., etc. This morning 27 of Lincoln's com- missioned officers, including several of the staff, were sent to Richmond as prisoners of war.
The sneaking cunning and perfidious meanness of our enemies was exhibited on the day of battle by their use of a flag, one side of which represented the colors of the Confederate States and the other those of the United States. It was by the use of this that our regi- ments were so badly cut up. The col- umn that flanked us showed the Con- federate flag until they got to the po- sition where they could do us the great- est possible injury, then turned to us the Federal side of the flag. For doing this when they sent a flag of truce to Gen. Beauregard, asking for the privi- lege of gathering up and burying their dead, it was denied them. How can they expect any courtesy when they thus set at defiance all the rules of civilized warfare? The low spirit that governs them and their miscreancy was also exhibited on the 18th, when they made use of the truce in throwing up barricades and breastworks.
A. J. Bearden was taken prisoner and carried some four miles from the battleground. This was after our reg- iment had fallen back. He was car- ried to the headquarters of the ene- my, and there saw a large number of gentlemen from Washington City, New York and other places, drinking and carousing over "their" victory. Not long after, news came that their army was retreating, with our cavalry in hot pursuit. Then ensued a scene of in- describable confusion among this white kid gentry in their efforts to secure their personal safety by flight. When our cavalry came up, Bearden claimed his own freedom, and took captive the captain who had been guarding him. Chas. M. Harper, of the Miller Rifles, was taken prisoner, and with two or three others was guarded by six of the Hessians. After a while, more pris- oners were put in care of the same guard, so that their number exceeded that of the hirelings holding them. Our boys watched their opportunity, snatched their guardians' guns and took them all prisoners. Another in- stance in which the tables were turned occurred with a member of our com-
pany, Robt. DeJournett. He was on the retreat when a mounted officer, supposed to have been a colonel, rode up to within 15 or 20 paces and cried out, "Your life! Your life, you young rebel!" DeJournett turned, raised his gun and shot him through while the officer was attempting to draw his pis- tol. DeJournett made a hasty retreat in safety, though a volley of muskets was fired at him.
It is now certain that John J. Black, Marcus A. Ross and John Payne were taken prisoners and carried off. Mc- Grath came in today, unharmed. This accounts for all the Light Guards. No prisoners were carried off from the Miller Rifles. Seven of the Federal prisoners have told us they expected to be hung as soon as the battle was over. They have been taught to believe that the Southerners are a set of complete barbarians. Geo. Martin, of the Floyd Infantry, died last night. Howard Mc- Osker and Anderson, of our company, have been sent to Gordonsville. They were doing well.
Our regiment has not yet reorgan- ized, and we did not move today, as was anticipated. We were all very glad to see Rev. John Jones when he came into camp today. It is said that the
GEORGE TRIPPE STOVALL, editor and Methodist Sunday School superintendent who was killed at First Manassas.
142
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
Lincolnites have taken Washington City. They certainly hold no place
this side of Alexandria .- Courier, Aug. 1, 1861.
Thos. J. Hills .- History will delight to honor the heroes of Manassas and the bravery of our boys; "in the dead- ly thicket" long will be a fireside theme!
In our exultation over the great vic- tory at Manassas it is well to pay a passing tribute to the memory of those who freely gave their lives to gain it. He whose name heads this article was not among those whose life sped ere victory was won; lingering until Fri- day night, he died peacefully in the full realization of the promises so sweet to the Christian heart.
Of modest, unassuming manner, he was well known only to his intimate friends, who knew him but to love him. As superintendent of the Sabbath School at Running Waters (the Hume place north of Rome), he had re- cently entered upon a life of Christian usefulness, where he was becoming better known and more widely appre- ciated. In him we mourn a devoted son, an affectionate brother and faith- ful friend. Truly, death loves a shin- ing mark, and in the loss of our prom- ising young men we see God's ways are past finding out .- M., Aug. 9, 1861.
Returned .- Gen. Geo. S. Black, Col. W. A. Fort, H. A. Gartrell, N. J. Om- berg, R. S. Norton and G. R. Sandefer returned home a few days ago from Manassas, where they had gone to visit their sons and friends.
Wm. Higginbotham, a well-known free man of color, also returned on Saturday morning. He reached Ma- nassas on the morning of the battle, but was denied the privilege of taking a gun and falling into the ranks. He then assisted in removing the dead and wounded, amid the shower of balls that fell around. Such deeds are highly meritorious and deserve much credit.
Acerdent on Rome Railroad .- On Tuesday evening last, as the down train reached a point about two miles this side of Kingston, it struck a cow on the track, which threw the engine and part of the train off. The engi- neer saw the cow, but too late to stop the train, and fearing the result, jumped off and broke his leg. This is the only serious accident that has oc- curred on this road for several years.
A number of the Cherokee Artillery, who were home on furlough, were
forced to walk from the spot to King- ston, as their train from Rome could not pass. They were going to Camp McDonald, and thence will go to Vir- ginia .- Aug. 9, 1861.
Soldiers Returned .- John M. Berry, of the Miller Rifles, who had two of his fingers shot off at Manassas, and who received an honorable discharge, returned a few days ago. M. A. Ross, of the Light Guards, who received a wound in his arm and hand, was taken prisoner and escaped, arrived Thurs- day on a two months' furlough. L. G. Bradbury belonged to no company, though fought with the rest of the boys. He went out for the purpose of joining the Light Guards, but was not received on account of being a cripple. it .- Aug. 16, 1861.
He went to see the elephant and saw
A survivor's account of the First Battle of Manassas has been gleaned from the records of the United Daughters of the Confed- eracy :*
It was on a bright, beautiful Sun- day morning that one of the world's most remarkable battles was fought. Gens. Gustave T. Beauregard and Jos. E. Johnston were the Confederate leaders, and Gen. Winfield Scott com- mander of the Northern army. Jef- ferson Davis was on the field, cheer- ing the hosts in gray. It was here that Gen. Thos. J. Jackson got his nick- name "Stonewall." Francis S. Bartow, colonel of the Eighth Georgia Regi- ment, had our command, and Gen. Ber- nard E. Bee was also there, with his South Carolina battalions.
Predictions had been made by the Washington contingent that the flag that carried in its folds the love of these hotly patriotic Southerners would be furled forever. A large crowd of spectators came out from Washington in their fine carriages, with nice lunches and plenty to drink in cele- bration of the expected Union victory, and the festivities were to be continued that night in the capital.
The tides of battle surged back and forth. Units of the Southern army were cut to pieces, and the remnants retreated. Seeing some men turning to the rear, the gallant Bee shouted, "Look at Jackson there; he is stand- ing like a stone wall!" The men ral- lied. Reinforcements for us came up,
*Related by Virgil A. Stewart. He and B. J. Franks, of Armuchee, are the only survivors of the Rome Light Guards.
143
OPENING OF THE CIVIL WAR-FIRST MANASSAS
FOUR INTREPID CONFEDERATE LEADERS.
At top, left to right, are Jefferson Davis, president of the Southern Confederacy, who was captured near Irwinville, Ga., in 1865, after a flight from Richmond with Colonel and Mrs. C. I. Graves, of Rome; and Gen. Jos. Eccleston Johnston, famed for his well-ordered retreat from Chattanooga through Rome. At the bottom are Gen. Jno. B. Gordon, who attended Hearn Academy, Cave Spring, and Gen. Jno. B. Hood, commander in the Atlanta campaign, who crossed the Coosa River at Veal's ferry, Coosa Village.
and by 3 o'clock in the afternoon the rout of the Union army was complete. Beauregard and Johnston wanted to push on to Washington in the hope of ending the war, but Davis said no.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.