This Week in Georgia Civil War History

 

March 30, 1862

March 31, 1862

Apr. 1, 1862

Apr. 2, 1862

Apr. 3, 1862

Apr. 4, 1862

Apr. 5, 1862

 

March 30, 1862: The Southern Confederacy of Atlanta published a letter from a woman who was upset at the "croakers," the "chicken-hearted" people who were not fighting the war, but loudly complaining about the losses and shortages.

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March 31, 1862: Below is a handwritten Oath of Allegiance to the State of Georgia taken on this day.

Courtesy of the Georgia Archives

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Apr. 1, 1862: A diary entry from a Columbus man for this day showed he was aware of the recent military setbacks the Confederacy had suffered, and that he was joining the movement not to plant cotton.

"I have neglected to record the war news. We have had many successes and reverses since I last made any remarks, but most against us. I plant no cotton this year, and quite a disposition with many to do likewise." Source: John Banks, Autobiography of John Banks, 1797 - 1870 (Austell, Ga.: privately printed by Elberta Leonard, 1936), p. 25.

Continuing its crusade to encourage the growth of grain instead of cotton, the Southern Federal Union of Milledgeville referred to any planters who did not do so as "traitors."

An item in The Southern Recorder of Milledgeville indicated that the planters of Putnam County were heeding the call to grow grain and corn.

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Apr. 2, 1862: The Southern Watchman of Athens published an editorial claiming that the war had only just begun, as Southern troops had pulled back to better ready themselves for the coming campaign. They remained confident in the final outcome.

Below is the discharge order for a Georgia soldier who suffered from venereal disease.

Courtesy of the Georgia Archives

Here is a discharge order for a Georgia soldier who suffered from typhoid fever for 30 days.

Courtesy of the Georgia Archives

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Apr. 3, 1862: Below is the discharge order for a Georgia soldier who suffered from chronic rheumatism.

Courtesy of the Georgia Archives

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Apr. 4, 1862: The Georgia Weekly Telegraph of Macon indicated that the shortage of salt due to the Northern blockade was becoming very serious as summer approached.

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Apr. 5, 1862: One of the defenders at Georgia's Fort Pulaski wrote home to his family on this day; he expressed both anger and sadness concerning the impending attack from Union forces. He was angry at the overwhelming superiority in firepower of the Yankees, and sad to see many of his fellow soldiers bravely preparing for death.

"Yet amidst all of our vindictive feelings and bitter hatreds to our enemy, there is something sad and melancholy in the preparation for battle, to see so many healthy men preparing for the worst by disposing of their property by will, to see the surgeon sharpening his instruments and whetting his saw to take off when necessary those members of our body that God has given us for our indispensable use, to see men engaged in carding up and preparing lint to stop the flow of human blood from cruel and inhuman wounds – is awful to contemplate. Yet there is still another preparation for battle still more sickening. The casements are cleared. Nothing is allowed to remain that is combustible or would be in the way during the engagement. Listen! The floor is covered around each gun with sand, not for health or cleanliness, but to drink up human blood as it flows from the veins and hearts of noble men, from those that love and are beloved! This is necessary to prevent the floor from becoming slippery with blood, so as to enable the men to stand and do their duty. These are some of the preparations for battle. How sad to contemplate, yet how awful must be the realization! What a calamity is war!" Source: Mills Lane (ed.), Georgia: History Written by Those Who Lived It (Savannah: Beehive Press, 1995), pp. 150-151.

The Army of the Potomac began its siege of Yorktown, Virginia. While this was not a battle fought anywhere near Georgia, it was the beginning of the Peninsula Campaign, which would involve some Georgia troops.

This week's edition of Harper's Weekly printed an editorial on what to do with blacks freed from the South; the piece clearly showed that racism was prevalent in the North as well.

Image Courtesy of Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library / University of Georgia Libraries

A small item in Harper's Weekly briefly mentioned Georgia and General William T. Sherman.

Image Courtesy of Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library / University of Georgia Libraries

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This Week in Georgia Civil War History Table of Contents

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