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Battle of Chickamauga
Cost County Dearly
Eight Butts Countians Died On Sept.
19, 1863 On Banks of Chickamauga
The musty records are
incomplete, poorly organized
and replete with repetitions
of names of men serving
simultaneously in different
companies of different regi
ments. But they are suffi
cient to give a gleaning of the
bravery and sacrifice of
Butts County’s men in Gray.
The first companies were
organized in late 1861 and
early 1862. Capt. J. M. D.
Bond led Cos. “I”, 53rd.
Regiment, Ga. Volunteer
Infantry, Army of Tennes
see. Caph John L. Barnett
led Cos. “I”, 30th Regiment;
Capt. L. J. Dupree led Cos.
“I”, 45th Regiment, and
Major Henry Hendricks led
Cos. “B”, 30th Regiment.
The several hundred Butts
County men who composed
these companies gave their
lives and spilled their blood
in famous fire fighters at
Cold Harbor, Gettysburg,
Petersburg, Spottsyl vania,
and the Wildnerness, and in
smaller fights at Frazier’s
Farm, Ashby’s Gap, and
Bell’s Grove.
CIVIL WAR PHYSICIAN This picture of Dr. Troy
Saunders, beloved Butts County physician of the Civil War
era was furnished by Miss Viola Slaughter.
Dr. Troy Saunders, promi
nent and greatly beloved
Butts County physician, was
the son of Thomas Jefferson
Saunders and Elizabeth
Patterson Saunders of Indian
Springs, Ga. The Saunders
family came to Georgia from
South Hampton County,
Virginia. The Patterson
family came from Seneca,
South Carolina.
Dr. Saunders served in the
War between the States. At
the close of the war he
entered Vanderbilt Univer
sity where he graduated in
medicine in 1867.
Dr. Saunders cared
On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere, warned by a light in
a church steeple that the British were coming, set out
on his famous ride alerting his countrymen.
Jinks Cash Store
But at Chickamauga, eight
of them died in one day on
September 19, 1863.
The Indians had named a
small stream outside Chatta
nooga as Chickamauga
which, in their language,
meant the “River of Death.”
Never was a stream more
aptly named.
The Union General Rosen
crans had marched into
Chattanooga on September
ninth to take it without a fight
as Gen. Bragg pulled the
Confederate forces back to
Lafayette, about 30 miles
south of the city. Rosencrans
mininterpreted the retreat as
a rout and pursued Bragg to
the banks of the Chicka
mauga, before realizing that
Bragg had been reinforced
and was spoiling for a fight.
Goldenrod dotted the weed
patches at the edge of the
small cultivated fields,
whose harvest was already
spilling forth. The sumac had
turned scarlet and the
red-leafed sassafras bright
ened the forest floor. The
death of the seasons was
nothing for worldly fame. To
the writer (Viola Slaughter)
he had been pictured as being
gentle, self sacrificing, a
lover of all who were in need
of him.
Dr. Saunders never mar
ried. He lived in the ancestral
home with his elderly mother
and father caring for and
comforting them in their
declining years.
He shortened his days by
going night and day refusing
to care for himself whether
those who needed him would
or could pay for his services.
He died at only forty seven
years of age.
THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARGUS, JACKSON, GEORGIA
near. The death of thousands
was even more close at
hand.
Early on the morning of the
nineteenth, Bragg’s army
began to cross the Chick
amauga on the rude county
bridges, fording the stream
in the shallows, to engage
Rosencrans’ army in the
bloodiest two days of the war.
It was a soldier’s battle,
man against man, no grand
charges such as Gettysburg,
but a slow, purposeful,
magnificent advance by the
Confederates against a well
equipped, veteran army of
brave men.
The fight lasted three days.
It ened with Rosencrans’
precipitate retreat to Chatta
nooga where the siege of that
city began and eventually led
to his replacement as
commander of the Union
Army of the Cumberland.
The most fearful fighting
occurred on the first day. It
was then that the well-en
trenched Union troops cut
down rows of brave men in
Legion Post Is
Organized Here
The Jim Finley post of the
American Legion was organi
zed in Jackson at a meeting
held Thursday afternoon of the
past week. The meeting was
held in the Jackson Army
Stores building and was
attended by about a dozen
former service men, Mr. A. W.
Newton being the chairman of
the meeting. The state com
mander, Major James A. Fort,
of Americus, and Perry Cocke,
of Dawson, were present and
assisted in the orginization.
Major G. E. Mallet was
elected as post commander
and Mr. W. M. Redman as
adjutant. The other officers
will be named at a meeting to
be held at an early date.
The local post was named in
honor of Mr. James W. Finley
who was killed in action at the
battle of the Marne on July 24,
1918. In thus honoring the
memory of a brave Butts
county soldier the former
service men will have the
approval of the people of the
county. Mr. Finley was one of
the few white soldiers from
Butts county killed in action.
The American Legion is
organized in every state of the
union and in almost every
county. The work to be done is
that of promoting the interest
of former service men,
perpetuating the deeds and
valor and heroism performed
by soldiers of the United States
and in working for any cause
that means the good of the
common country. It is hoped
and believed that the local post
of the American Legion will
perform a service distinctly
worthwhile to the entire
county. - The Jackson Pro
gress-Argus, May 22, 1922.
gray as they crossed the
Chickamauga and stormed
their positions on the other
side.
The roll call of those from
Butts County who sacrificed
their lives on September 19,
1863, includes these eight,
and perhaps others:
Thomas L. Carter, Ist.
Corporal
William Chancelly, Pvt.
William Clements, Pvt.
George S. Ethridge, 4th
Sergeant
Aaron Goodman, 2nd.
Sergeant
Andrew R. Hall, Pvt.
Riley B. Moore, Pvt.
William W. Still, Pvt.
In addition to those who
gave their all at Chicka
mauga, many Butts County
soldiers were wounded.
Chickamauga was de
clared a great, but hollow,
Confederate victory. Nearly
16,000 Confederates were
killed or wounded; Union
losses were about the same,
but the advance of Rosen
crans had bben stopped,
precious time had been
bought.
Chickamauga—speak the •
name softly and reverently
when you use it in Butts
County.
Autobiography
j* j* j* OF A VENERABLE j jt .*
- ' T^p la-tfr 4er* cc. A r *-
lam a Carmichael Jackson Buggy. July 6, 1887 —almost 14 years ago—l left Carmichael’s
carriage shops to do service on the road. I served my first master faithfully and well for about
four years, when my dimensions,* became too small lor his rapidly increasing family. I was then
traded back to Carmichael for a vehicle more pretensious in dimentions. I was soon sold, without
repairs, to my present owner for $40.00. Since which time I have been climbing for him the his
toric hills of old Jasper county, and though somewhat the worse for wear and tear I am still in the
ring, and able to attend the Jackson Carnival, carrying my master and a 500 pound bale of cotton,
and he thinks lam yet almost worth a bale of cotton. What do you think? During all this service*
I have cost him only about $5.00 for repairs.
Friends, listen, at least I think 1 should be heard, for “age is not without its claim, nor rank
without its station.” If you want anything in the buggy line go to J. R. Carmichael’s
Carriage Shops and buy his Celebrated Jackson Buggy, “The Best and Cheapest Kind.”
None made any where in the South to equal it.
Now, friends, again at the close of this parade I will stop for a short rest at Mr. Carmichael’s
Carriage Repository, where I will be pleased to finish my story, and show all of his latter day styles,
including Rubber Tire Buggies, Bike Wagons with Pnoumatic Tires, etc. They are more comely
than I, and more up-to-date. See them and buy them, as I will guarantee them to please you and
be just as Mr. Carmichael recommends them. Most respectfully,
THE CARHICHAEL JACKSON BUGGY,
After fourteen years of service.
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NEW' CHURCH Pictured in the early 1900’s is the newly completed First Baptist Church of Jackson, now
the Assembly of God Church. The old church ouilding is shown on the left. J. R. Carmichael, who submitted this
photo, can’t identify the driver of the buggy but he could identify the vehicle as a Carmichael buggy, built in his
father’s Jackson buggy plant.
The Home of the Carmichael IMifKlu comixinu. Jochson, On..
THURSDAY, JULY 1, 1876