This Week in Georgia Civil War History

 

May 31, 1863

June 1, 1863

June 2, 1863

June 3, 1863

June 4, 1863

June 5, 1863

June 6, 1863

May 31, 1863: A soldier in Georgia's 2nd Regiment - the Georgia Rangers - received a promotion to 3d Lieutenant on this day.

A disabled soldier from Georgia's 12th Regiment - who had lost a leg at Antietam and been captured - was exchanged on this day.

The CSS Atlanta was stuck in a marsh after a trial run down the Savannah River earlier. The Confederates had hopes that this vessel could help break the blockade of Savannah.

CSS Atlanta, from Naval Historical Center, Public Domain Image

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June 1, 1863: A Georgia soldier wrote home to his wife, first regarding a friend who had apparently deserted or gone over to the Union, then about the conditions under which he was writing, and finally wondering where he might be going next.

"...I cannot believe that Atkins has acted the traitor's part. It were unlike him to do such a foul thing. I know absolutely nothing of the circumstances. If he is still living, I shall withhold my condemnation until I have heard his version of the story. Meantime, I think others would do well to do likewise. ... Don't laugh at this scrawl. Attempt once to write upon your knee in the open air during a high wind and you will realize my embarrassments. ... Please don't quit writing, if my letters grow irregular. I know not how rapid our movements will be for the next few weeks. ..." Source: Anita B. Sams (ed.), With Unabated Trust: Major Henry McDaniel's Love Letters from Confederate Battlefields as Treasured in Hester McDaniel's Bonnet Box (The Historical Society of Walton County, Inc., 1977), pp. 167-168.

Click here to see the discharge order for a Georgia soldier suffering from a hernia.

Click here to see another discharge order for a Georgia soldier on this day.

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June 2, 1863: The Confederate Union of Milledgeville printed the resolutions adopted by a citizens' meeting in Louisville (Jefferson County), Georgia. Georgia Confederate Senator Herschel Johnson spoke at the meeting, and they urged the rest of the state to adopt similar resolutions.

The Southern Recorder of Milledgeville reported on events at Vicksburg; some of the report was exaggerated, another part grotesque. But what is clear is that some heavy fighting was taking place as the Union besieged the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River.

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June 3, 1863: General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia moved west towards the Shenandoah Valley, the first step in the campaign that would take them into Pennsylvania.

Before leaving on the march, one Georgia soldier wrote to his wife, telling her of being mildly sick, but also of receiving an honor, which he hoped to show their son.

"...My health is not very good at this time, not has it been since the fight. I was off duty for three or four days, but am on again now. I have severe cold and diareah caused I suppose by exposure during the tramp. I have taken no medicine for it yet and I hope to get well soon without taking any. A badge of honor and distinction is to be given to one man from each Company in our Reg. for gallantry and bravery displayed in the late fight. Your unworthy husband was selected from our Company to receive it. The badges have not come yet. I shall be right proud of it as a relic of the past and will try to preserve it for my little soldier boy. ..." Source: Jeffrey C. Lowe and Sam Hodges (eds.), Letters to Amanda: The Civil War Letters of Marion Hill Fitzpatrick, Army of Northern Virginia (Macon: Mercer University Press, 1998), p. 72.

The Macon Daily Telegraph reported on a meeting of citizens in Houston County, resolved to to what they could to combat any Union raids into Georgia, much like the citizens of Jefferson County had done (see June 2).

Click here to see the discharge order for a Georgia soldier suffering from "severe debility."

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June 4, 1863: The Southern Confederacy of Atlanta printed a letter giving a first hand account of the flanking movement at the Battle of Chancellorsville, including some impressive work done by Georgians.

Click here to see the discharge order for a Georgia soldier released by a surgeon's certificate.

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June 5, 1863: The Macon Daily Telegraph printed conflicting reports on the situation at Vicksburg; the latter one was the more accurate.

The same newspaper also printed a tribute to General Stonewall Jackson from the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church.

By this day, two corps of the Army of Northern Virginia - under James Longstreet and Richard Ewell - were camped around Culpeper, Virginia. J.E.B. Stuart was to the north of town, along the Rappahannock River, with his cavalry, guarding the Confederates against any surprise by Union forces.

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June 6, 1863: A Georgia soldier writing to his wife from Tennessee told her of a near-miss encounter with some Yankees, and his less than stellar opinion of them.

"...One night last week about 7 o'clock at night, news came to use that about 300 Yankees and 'bushwhackers' were assembled about a quarter of a mile from here to attack us and in fact were then coming and would be upon us before we could get our guns. So I aroused my men, got them under arms and rallied around the Army stores to protect them and was then joined by Captain Miller and Tiger Zouaves, who had lately arrived here to assist in guarding the stores. We formed a line of battle and sent out scouts to find the enemy. But after scouting the woods until nearly day and not finding anyone, we retired, supposing the enemy, after finding us prepared, retreated, as they have a great dislike to an open fight. ..." Source: Mills Lane (ed.),"Dear Mother: Don't grieve about me. If I get killed, I'll only be dead.": Letters from Georgia Soldiers in the Civil War (Savannah: Beehive Press, 1990), p. 242.

The Richmond Times Dispatch printed a brief article on the abundant corn crop in Alabama and Georgia.

This week's edition of Harper's Weekly printed a map of the campaign against Vicksburg, MS.

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This Week in Georgia Civil War History Table of Contents

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