Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-12-18

SlanS, ana from series OF reglmenLal
histories prepared in 1864, while the
regiments were at Petersburg, the data
for the following sketch Of the "Old
Third" Georgia was obtained.
In the spring of 1864 the congress Of
the Confederate states passed joint
resolution of thanks to the officers and
men of the Third Georgia regiment for
having been first to leave their state to
battle on the soil of Virginia, for their
gallant record ON many historic battle
fields and for having as an entire regi
ment to a man "cheerfully and unani
mously re-enlisted for the war.
The Third Georgia was organized in
the spring of 1861 from ten companies
which, with one or two exceptions, had
been in existence several years previous
TO the war. Nine counties were repre-
sented-Burke, by the Burke Guards !"
Putnam, by the Brown Rifles" Green,
by the dawson Grays;" Morgan, by
the Home Guards Houston, the
Governors Guards" Wilkinson, the
wilkinson Rifles" Richmond by the
Confederate Light Guards, - and the
"Blodget Volunteers. Clarke county
turned out the ATHENS Guards. A
volunteer who had come forward at
Augusta and enlisted among the pri
Yates was elected colonel. This was
Ambrose r. Wright, who became noted
as general in Lees army.
After serving a short time at Norfolk
the Third marched to the defense of the
coast of North Carolina against Burn
sides Roanoke expedition. An incident
there illustrated the nature of Burnside's
warfare. One day the regiment embarked
on two or three gunboats belonging to
what was called the Mosquito fleet and
bounced upon the United States trans
port steamer Fanny, which was carry
ing provisions and clothing from the
fleet off Hatteras to small camp on
the Chicamacomico river. The Fanny
was captured with all its cargo, 2 can
mons and 40 prisoners. The supplies
were intended for the Twentieth Indiana
regiment, and many of the prisoners
were from that command Three days
later, having been REINFORCED. the Third
swooped down upon the camp on the
banks of the Chicamacomico, shelled out
its occupants and seized the entire
equipage of tents, baggage and rations.
Being largely outnumbered, without
any supports, the Twentieth Indiana,
whose camp it was, retreated to Hat
teras.
These two regiments the Third Geor-
gia and Twentieth Indiana, met after
ward ON even ground at the battle of
Oak Grove, in front of Richmond, June
%, 1862 1t was an all day skirmish
rather than battle, but was a good
test for soldier pluck. At the close of it,
after nightfall, the colonel of the TWEEN
tieth Indiana sent a flag of truce to
Colonel Wright of the Third Georgia
asking permission to bury his dead.
The Georgians remained in North
Carolina until the Army of the Potomac
laid siege to Richmond in May, 1862
With the exception of the skirmish on
the 25th of June, when Mcclellan seiz-
ed the ridge at Oak Grove for his heavy
batteries, this regiment did not take
part in the fighting around Richmond;
neither did the brigade nor division nor
corps to which it was attached. Colo
mel Wright was promoted to the com
mand of the brigade, and the Third
Georgia was led by Major John r. Stur-
gis.
The first heavy battle of the "Old
Third" was on the LIST of July, when,
in the ranks of Wright's brigade, it
charged the Federal batteries at NAL
vern Hill. General Wright led his men
forward under the shelter of bluff to
a position a few hundred yards from
Mcclellan guns. On a signal the line
dashed up the slope, its leader with his
cap poised on his glittering sword, in
the face Of murderous fire of shot,
shell, canister and bullets. When with
in 800 yards of the guns, General
Wright saw body of Federal infantry
marching around his left flank This
command was the Fourteenth New
York volunteers. Wright threw the
Third Georgia regiment back toward
the rear, and with a sudden change of
front the Georgians poured CALLING
fire upon the New Workers. This was
returned by fearful and direct fire
from the Federal batteries The battle
ragged there for more than an hour A
second charge was ordered from that
point, and Wright carried his brigade
almost to the muzzles Of the enemys
batteries. He had less than 800 men left
out of the 1000 which started with
him upon the charge. Darkness soon
stopped the fighting. The Georgians
maintained their position under fire I'M
til after O'Clock The loss in the Third
Georgia regiment, which went into bat
tie with $50 rank and file, was 1877.
Out Of that number 81 We're killed or
mortally wounded. Major Sturgis fell
at the head of a regiment under the
very muzzles of the enemy's guns. The
captain who succeeded him was also Sc
verely wounded
In taking leave of the Chickahominy
region the chronicler of the fortunes Of
the Third Georgia states that during
ono month af camnaipniu1 IN the banlra