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Boys in Gray from B urkc County—Com
panies and Officers Who Went to Front in
the Ws —Some Interesting Records
THE BURKE SHARPSHOOTERS.
The Complete History of This Gallant
Company.
The tocsin of war had sounded and old
Burke, with that chivalry which has ever
distinguished her from her earliest days, was
ready for the fray.
The Burke Sharpshooters, a company com
l,,of the flower of manhood, had donned
the Confederate grey and were fully equipped
nd awaiting their country’s call. How little
did they think when leaving Waynesboro
\pril I!*'. 1861, amid cheers and tears, of the
long, weary months and disastrous end be
fore them, for war by hearsay and war in
,:ity are two very different things. Expe
rience alone reveals what it is—the horror
the sorrow, the agony and heartache.
'Hie Sharpshooters were commanded by the
Hollowing commissioned officers: Captain
Wm R. Holmes. First Lieutenant J. P. C
Whitehead, Second Lieutenant R. H. Oakman,
I’irst Sergeant H. H. Perry, Color Sergeant
W. I). Whitehead.
From Waynesboro they went to Savannah,
where they were quartered in a warehouse for
three days. From thence they were taken
<m the steamer Habersham to Tybee. After
camping six weeks on the island they were
nrdered to Brunswick.
At this time the Second Georgia Regiment
.-•is organized. The Sharpshooters was the
olor company and known in the Regiment
; s Company D. The officers of the regiment
were Col. Paul .1. Sims, of Columbus; Lieut.-
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THE HOME OF GOOD CHOCOLATE MILKS
Waynesboro, Ga.
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ANDREWS BROTHERS COMPANY
870 Broad St. Augusta, Ga.
Col. Skid Harris, of Cherokee County; Ma
jor E M. Butts. of Marion County.
While here, measles broke out among the
soldiers and Company D lost two men. Enoch
Perkins was sent home and diea. William
Harold dui in camp and was buried with
military honors.
August, 1861, they left Brunswick and went
to Richmond, Va. From Richmond they
marched to Camp Wynder, remaining ten days
before going to Acquia Creek. From here
they continued their march to Manassas,
where they camped ten days. We next find
them at Centerville, where they were assailed
by the maladies of war—the dreadful enemy,
Death, stared them in the face, in the shape
of typhoid and camp fever. Fortunately,
however, Coiqpany D lost hut one man, W. L.
McElmurray.
They were occupied principally while here
in squad and company drills. From here
they went to Pine Creek, two miles south of
Fairfax Courthouse, and were engaged in
picketing at Falls Church —known as Camp
Advance. About this time they were ordered
into winter quarters at Manassas and did
picket duty at Sudley Church.
April, 1862, they were ordered to Rich
mond. From here they went by steamer to
Yorktown, and here for the first time they
were under fire. A North Carolina regiment
was run out of the trenches at Dam No. 1,
and the Second Georgia was ordered to re
inforce them. They were entrenched for 20
days, being relieved every 24 hours. They
fully realized that within the seclusion of
the trenches depended their safety, for the
rapid and continued firing of ths Federal
sharpshooters made it impossible for a man
to raise his heed to view.
In thie encounter Burke County lost its
first blood, caused by a wound received by
Stephen Blount. William Skinner also re
ceived a wound, from which he died at a
Richmond Hospital where he had been Bent.
While at Yorktown, the regiment reorgan
ized for three years of war. Captain Wm. R.
Holmes being made lieutenant-colonel; Wal
ter A. Thompson, captain; W. H. Dickinson,
first lieutenant; J. C. Sapp, second lieutenant;
H. H. Perry, third lieutenant, and J. W. Rey-.
nolds, first sergeant. When Magruder evacu
ated Yorktown. this regiment left for Rich
mond, and on the way to that city Crawford
Lovett was suddenly seized with illness and
had to be left with a family on the roadside.
It was supposed that he died, as nothing
waa ever heard from him. W. M. Rhind was
also taken sick and sent to Richmond, where
he died.
The regiment remained in Richmond until
June 26th, 1862, engaged in picket duty.
Then followed the Seven Days' fight, begin
ning about two hours before sunset on the
26th. In this engagement, the men wounded
were H. H. Perry, S. W. Blount, R. H. Chand
ler, Dred Tarver and Sol Parker.
The next fight occurred at Savage Station.
There were no casualties.
On July Ist, the battle of Malvern Hill
was fought. In this fight. Captain Walter A.
Thompson and W. D. Whitehead were killed.
J. P. Sawtell, Thomas E. Blount and John W.
Reynolds were wounded.
The vacancy caused by the death of Cap
tain Thompson was filled by Lieutenant Dick
inson. J. P. Sapp was made first lieutenant
H. H. Perry, second, and D. W. Packard,
third.
After the battle of Malvern Hill, they were
marched to Richmond and recrutied for 8 or
10 days. Then orders were received to go to
Northern Virginia to reinforce Stonewall
Jackson at Manassas. This march, like many
others, was attended by many deprivations,
hut weary and footsore they reached Thor
oughfare Gap—a point for which a race was
run between the Yankees and the Second and
Sixth Georgia Regiments, in which the Geor
gians came out victorious. Forcing their way
through Thoroughfare Gap, they arrived at
Manassas two days before the battle began
on August 29th, lasting through the 30th, and
resulting in a victory for the Confederates.
In this fight Packard and James A. Wray
were killed. H. Rawls lost a leg; J. V.
Hughes, Tom Miller and W. H. Tompkins
were wounded. After the battle they crossed
the Potomac and entered Maryland—the first
halt being at Frederick City. W T hile here an
election was held to fill the vacancy caused
l>v the death of Lieutenant Packard, which
resulted in the promotion of G. W. Hurst.
From here they proceeded to Hagarstown.
After resting here a few days they marched
on to Sharpsburg. On their arrival., the
Second Georgia Regiment was ordered imme
diately to take their position in line of battle
on the extreme right, with the Twentieth
Georgia Regiment to hold Stone Bridge—
known to the Federals as Burnside Bridge.
At an earlv hour on the morning of Septem
ber D7th the battle was opened by the Fed -
erals, the Corps of Hooker and Mansfield na
vaneing to the attack. A fierce conflict en
sued, in which Company D, the old Burke
Sharpshooters, distiguished themselves for
thejr bravery. For nine weary hours they
fought like demons until their ammunition
gave out. Several attempts were made to
replenish the supply, and failing. Col. W. R.
Holmes set out to get it himself, hut as he
started, he was shot by the enemy and in
stantly killed. Lieut. H. H. Perry J. G.
Burton, W. R. Cox of Company D, and Lieut.
Lewis of Company B. made every effort to
take the body from the battlefield, but the
brave group was fired at and Lieut. Lewis
and J. G. Burton were wounded, rendering it
impossible to move it. So all that was tnor
tal of their gallant comrade was left in the
hands of the enemy. Having no ammunition,
the Second Georgia Regiment was ordered to
the roar. The command was obeyed, but in
falling in line again, it was discovered that
Company D was missing. Owing to the deaf
ening roar of the cannonading and being on
the extreme right, the order was not heard.
Lieut. Perry was sent back to bring the com
pany and in the rush to reach the regiment,
for the firing was rapid and continuous,
Lieut. Hurst was wounded. The wounded in
this encounter were: Lieut. G. V . Hurst,
j G. Burton, J. E. Harper and \V uliam
After the battle, they crossed the Potomac
to Martinsburg, and here small pox made its
appearance in the Second Georgia Regiment,
and necessitated their being quarantined for
ten days. , ,
When the news came that Burnside had
started for Richmond by way of Fredericks
the Second Georgia was sent there. A
ter the battle of Fredericksburg whieb oc
curred December 13th, 1362, and in whoeh
the enemy met with a terrible repulse, this
regiment went into winter quarters at Guinea
TEN— - V
Station. When .the spring campaign -opened,
they were ordered to Petersburg, from thence
to 'Powhattan, to throw up breastworks on
the Potomac. From Powhattan they were or
dered to North Carolina. However, before
going two weeks were spent at Dutch Gap
Canal, between Richmond and Petersburg
and from here they were marched to North
Carolina, where they were engaged in foraging
for two weeks. ,
At Petersburg, Lieut. Perry was promoted
to the rank of captain and placed with Col.
Henning as adjutant and inspector general of
that brigade. ...
At this time, the latter part of April, 1863,
11l TRUE CITIZEN, SATURDAY, JUICE 7TH, 1*24
orders came for them to return to Virginia.
Then followed one of the hardest marches
of the war; thirty miles were covered in eight
hours. This march was made in order to
reach trains at Petersburg. They joined the
army near Culpepper Courthouse, and here
spent a few weeks in recruiting and preparing
for the campaign in Maryland and Pennsyl
vania. At Chambersburg, where they were
quartered for eight or ten days, they awaited
developments. A forced march from Cham
bersburg to Gettysburg began on the night
of July Ist, reaching Gettysburg at sunrise
the next morning. Quietness reigned through
out the march. Not a word was spoken, not
a bayonet touched, and in silence they reached
their destination.
Then followed the mortal combat of the
Confederacy, of which graphic accounts have
been given elsewhere. The wounded in this
battle were: Lieut. Sapp, W. R. Cox, James
Frost and N. H. Lovett. Hamilton Blount, af
ter being wounded, was taken prisoner and
sent to David’s Tsland. where he died A
number of others were slightly wounded.
Those killed were: Lieut. G. W. Hurst. Solo
mon Parker, Raymond Oakman, L. D. Godhee
and Alexander Elliott.
Of the many pieces of artillery which were
captured by the Confederates in the engage
ment, only three Parrot guns were held and
taken from the field, and they were taken by
the Second Georgia Regiment.
The 2lsf Georgia was with the only brigade
that broke into the enemy’s lines on Round
Top. Their flag, pierced with 80 minute
halls, was very much in evidence of what
they had experienced.
After the battle, they fell back, fording the
Potomac River at Falling Water. They ,*e
cruited near Richmond for three or four weeks.
Longstreet’s Corps was then ordered to Geor
gia to reinforce General Bragg at Chicka
mauga. They reached there on September
18th. 1863—the day before the battle. Gen
eral Bragg made an attack on General Thomas
who was in command of the left of General
Rosecrans’ army. The battle was hotly con
tested and battery after battery was taken
and retaken. The day closed without deci
sive advantage to either side. In this fight
a man by the name of McMillen was killed.
JOapt. W. H. Dickinson was shot through the
body with, a ramrod, the ball passing through
his hat. The Federal soldier who shot him
being only ten paces from him. Wm. A.
Blount, who was beside Captain Dickinson
at the time, immediately shot at the Yankee
«nd mortally wounded him. He fell at. Cap
tain Dickinson’s feet and he (Capt. Dickin
son) with that God-given spirit which is horn
in the heart of every true man, ministered
to him in his dying moments by giving him
to drink water from his own canteen. Bailey
Carpenter was shot through the body with
grape shot and died a few days later. W. R.
Cox was seriously wounded by a stray ball
before the battle began. That night was
spent upon the battle field and the fight was
resumed next morning.
By dint of hard fighting and the prompt
action of General Longstreet in leading his
men to a gap made in the Federal lines, the
victory was won by the Confederates. In
the second day's fight, W. A. Blount Was
wounded, and F. C. Bostwick was wounded
and died the next day. Thomas E. Blount,
color sergeant, was wounded and died. He
was wrapped in his blanket and buried in a
horse lot at Ringgold. Ga. His grave was
dug by Jim Brown, a faithful colored servant
of the company. After he was wounded, he
called to his Colonel, saying, “For God’s
sake, Colonel, send some one to take the
colors, or they will bite the dust.’’ Charlie
Jones rushed forward and took the flag.
Lieutenant Rogers, who had been assigned
to command Company A, S. C. Wallace and
W. D. Tompkins were seriously wounded.
Geo. D. Roberts was shot through the foot,
after the battery had been captured. Ben
Lynch and B. G. Dye were also wounded. In
this battle the Eighth Indiana Battery was
captured and eight beautiful Napoleon guns
were taken by Benning’s Brigade.
After the battle, Companies D and H were
*H>nsolidated and commanded by Captain Han
cock of Company H, the officers of Company
D having all been killed or seriously wounded.
After the battle of Chickamauga. Long
street's Corps was detached from Bragg’s
army and sent to Tennessee to besiege Knox
ville. that city being occupied by Burnside
and the Army of Ohio. He would have held
it, for the enemy were on the point of star
vation, but for Sherman, who was sent with
2 500 men to reinforce Burnside. This forced
Longstreet into East Tennessee, where many
hardships were encountered. The winter was
spent at Morristown and Strawberry Plains.
The soldiers were taken to a butcher’s pen
and raw cowhide was sewed on their feet for
shoes.
April, 1861, they were ordered to Virginia.
They went by rail wherever the rails Were
not torn up. Reaching Gordonsville a forced
march was ordered —with all the hardships
imaginable attending it —to the \\ ilderness.
Here from the sth to the Jth of May, one
of the hardest contested battles of the war
was fought, resulting in favor of the Con
federates. In it R. A. Hankerson, Floyd Cox,
and Robert Boyd wore killed. Captain W. H.
Dickinson lost an arm, H. H. Wallace and
W. H. Lovett were wounded.
From here they went to Spotsylvania and
engaged in another battle on the 9th of May.
There wore no casualties. Next was an en
counter at Hanover Junction. Then followed
one fight after another throughout the Bum
mer. In a skirmish at Deephottom. B. >.
Lynch was shot and killed by a Federal sharp
shooter. In front of Petersburg. Thomas
Elliott was shot and killed by a aharpshooter.
That winter was spent below Richmond on
Darbytown Road.
Thev were withdrawn from Richmond April
Ist to join General Lee at Petersburg. Then
on April 31st. 1865, they began the retreat
to Appomattox, fighting and skirmishing every
da On April 9th, 1865, the curtain falls. Gen
eral Lee surrenders to General Grant and
weary and heartsore the few who are left of
that gallant command turn homeward.
All honor to the memory of the Burke
Sharpshooters. They have fought a good
fight, they have kept the faith.
THE BURKE SHARPSHOOTERS
Below will be fopnd a complete roster of
the Burke Sharpshooters at the time they left
for Virginia, on Friday, the 19th of April,
1861: _ ,
Captain, W. R. Holmes.
First Lieutenant, J. P. C. Whitehead.
Second Lieutenant, W. A. Thompson.
Ensign. R. H. Oakman.
First Segeant, H. H. Perry.
Second Sergeant, J. G. Burton.
Third Sergeant, R. A. Walker.
Fourth Sergeant, Thomas A Byne.
Fifth Sergeant, Judson C. Sapp.
First Corporal, ——— ~ •
Second Corporal, D W. Packard.
Third Corporal, W. D. Whitehead.
Fourth Corporal, S. E. A. Lewis.
Markers, Calhoun Carter, Charles Blount.
Privates.
D. Youngblood Robert Boyd
iC. E. Lovett E. A. Carter
,T. W. Hughes Uriah Skinner
David Barton U- B
Robert Tabb Wm Jo*
T. D. Elliott V- F- £ ox .
B F Rogers C. T. Hughes
H.' V. Mills « Toh JJ Fryer
John Cole J- F. Harper
H. Rawls J- P- Tones
F C. Bostick J- C. Reese
C. Modisett E- Perkins
W H. H. Lovett C. A. Green
D. Barton W. O. Walton
A. P. Reese g. H. Cox
H. V. Godbee m a ,! on
N J. Hatcher S. W. Wallace
J. D. Ashton W D Dickinson
Byron A. Fryer J. I Green
G. W. Hurst, Jr. E. Palmer
J. H. Hudson C- A. W. Bostick
F. Z. Hill W- ? loU w
S. W. Blount W. H. b ov % lt a
Thos. E. Blount J. W. Woodward
A. H. Blount J. W. R-eynolds
R. A. Hankinßon J. E. Frost
John B. Miller
John Bates J- P- Lorenz
Wm. Ashton O. H. Arrington
George Sapp K. P McNornll
Wm. Skinner H. S. Barton
W. W. Applewhite D. Carpenter
Raymond Oakman T, J. Dickinson
Wm. L. McElmurray ,
The Burke Sharpshooters was the_first vol
unteer company sent from Burke County to
the war. Its personnel was representative
of thT best citizenship of Old Burke, In this
company there were eight physicians, six
lawyers, three printers and one editor.
On the morning of their departure the
company was formed on the square of_ the
village and escorted to the depot by a detach
ment of the Augusta Hussars and the Burke
Guards. There before a large concourse of
citizens, a pariotic addresa was delivered
by Mr. Robert Reynolds.
POYTHBESS VOLUNTEERS.
A record of the gallant company. A lengthy
sketch and Muster Roll of the company as
organized and passed through the war giving
a list of the killed, wounded and living.
The Poythress Volunteers, named for Col.
•Tno C. Poythress, a prominent citizen of
Burke, was the third company that left the
county, being preceded by the Guards and
Sharpshooters, and was the corps organized
after the commencement of hostilities. iney
left Waynesboro the Ist of August, 1861, and
proceeded to Richmond, "V a., and were mus
tered into Confederate service the 7th of Au
gust and ordered at once to Yorktown, reach
ing McGruder Command the Ist of September,
1861. Then came Company “E,” Cobb s
Legion, and attached to the brigade after gal
lant and famous T. R. R. Cobh.
The company participated on all the bloody
fields in Virginia and at Knoxville, Tenn. At
the evacuation of Richmond the brigade, one
of the last that passed through the city, were
being a part of the Tear guard of the army,
the remnant was captured under General
Ewell at Sailors’ Creek on the 6th of April.
The Poythress Volunteers at the capture
numbered fourteen men. The brigade won
immortal glory on the 13th of December,
1862, at Fredericksburg. This single bri
gade and one regiment (The 21st North
Carolina) in all about 3,500 men, occupied
the Sunken Road at the foot of Marie’s
Heights, and beat back for an entire day the
larger half of the Federal Army. Here they
lost their gallant commander, the brave Gen.
Tom Cobb. The brigade was afterwards com
manded by General Wofford and then by Gen
eral Dudfy Dußose. This sketch would be
incomplete without a few words description
of Capt. W. S. C. Morris, the company’s first
captain. He was at the beginning of the
war considerably past middle life, along in
the fifties. He was a genial, jovial gentle
man, immensely popular, especially with, the
young. He was entirely destitute of any
knowledge of military tactics and could not
master nor comprehend enough of “Hardee”
to go through the first rudiments of the drill.
He barely learned enough to right face his
company and give the command to march.
Nevertheless, we had several members that
mastered the drill and despite the defects of
our captain we soon became a well drilled
and efficient corps. Captain Morris took his
saddle horses, his umbrella, bath tub, beaver
hat and blowing horn, together with an un
mentionable article along with him to Vir
ginia, and when encamped at Yorktown ac
tually sent his boy Tom home to Georgia to
bring four of his fox hounds. He boarded
at a private house and amused himself with
his dogs and games of poker with Colonel
Winston, of North Carolina and General Me-
Gruder. He was a picturesque figure, dressed
in his fine uniform and beaver hat with his
umbrella in hand and his horn suspended at
his shoulder and dangling at his side as he
walked about the lines at Yorktown. On the
return from Yorktown he rode his horse at
the front of the regiment as we floundered
through the mud. On reaching Chickahomey
he sent in his resignation. He drew his
company up in line and made them a speech.
“Boys.'' said he, “I am too old for a soldier
and am going home. I have formed you into
a company and brought you this far. I don t
want to hear of any of you backing out, but
fight well. When you go into winter Quar
ters I will come back and take command of
you." This was the last we saw of our good
old captain and there were many moist eyes
and a sad heart as we bid him good-bye,
when the booming cannon and the rattle of
the picket here told us there was good reason
to “fight” well. .
Captain Morris died suddenly in Waynes
boro after the war and retained to the last
the esteem and affection of his old company
The original Muster Roll of the Poythress
Volunteers *f Burke County:
Captain W. S. 0. Morris.
First Lieutenant J. R. V T htieheaA.
Second Lieutenant T. B. Cox.
First Lieutenant J. R. Whitehead.
First Sergeant A. F. Evans.
Second Sergeant W. T. Wimberly
Third Sergeant M. A. Brown.
Fourth Sergeant. T. F. Daniel.
Fifth Sergeant A. H. A. Bell.
First Corporal S. O. Tarver.
Second Corporal Wm. West.
Third Corporal C. M. Modesetta.
Fourth Corporal W. J. Rheney.
Fifth Corporal «T. Jeffers.
Privates.
W. A. Brazil E. A. Oglesby
Nathaniel Smith Frank Hill
John Brandon J- F. Oeahler
Homer Spears Geo. P. Lively
Alford Chance A. Powell
G E. C. Chance John Folds
T. Skinner ' J. A. Reese
J. W. Clark W. G. Hayman
J. C. Templeton O. Reese
G. W. Deas W. J. Hill
O E. Usher J. M. Rogers
J. E. Franklin N. L. Hudson.
Wm. Wimberly J. Savage
G. Whitaker John Hood
E. M. Wimberly L. B. Jenkins
John Hill N. L. Oliphant
Jesse Wimberly J- A. lulcher
J. E. Kent M. Oliphant
John Wallace J• R- Games
Aaron Hahn E. Palmer
A. Wallace Pies B. Hall
I. Godbee W. Reese
F. Whitaker Julius Hill
James Hatch F. Royal
A 1 Trowbridge J. Holland
Paul Godbee M. R. Rowland
j jj Smith Francis Huffman
E. Dukes S. Sapp
David Byrd Ike Johnson
Thomas Elmore C. Sapp
Thomas Claxton W. S. Kent
W. Jenkins James Wilkins
G. W. Collins A. J. Lovett
R. Locklear Wm. Wilkins
Wm. Bryant G. B. Lively
W. E. Lowry S. Williams
W. J. Boggs B. L. Mobley
G. Longston S. Skinner
G. A. Cadle J. M. Mobley
J. A. Modesette E. A. Boyd
John Dukes W. O. Milton
J. McCollum J. W. Brown
J. G. Daniel A. F. McCann
A. J. McCan James Cates
L. Brown James Newness
J. L. Madry W. H. Cooper
B. Whitaker
176 TIRE CO.
WAYNESBORO, GA.
Firestone and
Goodyear Tires
and Tubes
Vulcanizing
Cars Washed
Cars for Hire
MARCHMAN’S GARAGE
WAYNESBORO, GA.
DODGE CARS
HOOD TIRES
Genuine Ford Parts and Accessories
First Class Repair Work
DEPARTURE OF THE BURKE GUARDS,
FROM WAYNESBORO, GA., APRIL
29, 1861.
(Copied from The Augusta Chronicle and
Sentinel May 2nd, 1861.)
Another of those touching scenes which
takes captive the most invincible of our kind,
was witnessed on the 29th at our depot by
a large concourse of our citizens. The
Burke Guards, the second volunteer company
Ladies of the Margaret Jones’ Chapter, U. D. C.,
Waynesboro, Ga.
It is indeed a pleasure to contribute this space to you
WIMBERLY & CO.
Men’s and Boy’s Outfitters
Waynesboro, Ga.
Seeds Feeds Poultry Supplies
* Potato Draws—Porto Rico Draws have been
very scarce, but we can furnish them now.
Insecticides and Spray Machines
'j
N. L. WILLETT SEED CO.
Augusta, Ga.
EVANS PICK & PAY
SELF SERVICE STORE
PHONE 306
WAYNESBORO, GA.
with the senior command of this regiment
(Captain Musgrove) embarked on board the
evening train for Augusta where they will be
marched into service and thence proceed to
Richmond. Va to take part in the military
levee to which General Abe and Uncle Scott
will be specially invited. The company formed
at the depot where it was addressed by our
Honorable Congressman J. J. Jones, Esq., in
(Continued on page eighteen)
PAGE THREE
