The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-29

y
mistakably in existence. as appears in Of
nelal roster Oct. l. 1885, at the burial of
Gen. Greene in Savannah in June 1856
and by published orders appearing in the
Georgia Gazette and the Savannah Repub-
hcan, up to the inception and conclusion
OF the war of 1872; its existence during this
latter period being declared under no fix
ed or well determined designation, al
though generally designated as the Chat
nam Light Dragons After this war it
was consolidated with a troop of horse
also of Chatham county, known as the
chatham HIssars, with which it had been
merged during service. under the title of
Georgia Hussars." Under this title it
has continued its existence to date 1t vol
unteered for both the Florida Indian war
and the war with Mexico, but was not
called into service.
At its regular quarterly meeting, held
the first week in January 1861, at As drill
room, at the northwest corner on the
third floor of the city exchange, 1t made
| tender of its services to the Governor of
the state, asking to be placed first on the
list for acceptance. In the same month it
did tour of duty at Fort Pulaski, serv-
ing dismounted as heavy artillery, and
during the month of June in its capacity
as cavalry on Skidaway Island. 1t made
like proffer of service 10 President Davis
on the inauguration of the Confederate
government at Montgomery, Ala, on Feb.
4, 1861, further proposing to put itself in
Richmond. fully equipped. free of cost
to the government In response to this
last proffer the very laconic and imbecile
reply was sent by L. P. Walker, the first
Confederate Secretary of War: Got no
use for cavalry"
On the night of July q. 1861, the day of
the battle of Bull Run, when it was sadly
comprehended by the Confederate author
ities that they had failed to fully realize
the fruits of victory because of the made
quacy of the cavalry force, the following
telegram was received by Capt. Duncan,
who was the secretary of the troop, from
| Capt. P. w. Read. who was then in Rich
mond:
81 have the assurance of Col. Northrop
that the President will accept the serv
ices Of the Hussars upon the terms orig
inally proposed"
Col Northrop was commssary general
and a close friend of President Davis.
Capt. Read was captain of the Husasrs
when they made their first tender of serv-
ice, on the refusal of which he resigned
his Office to accept the captaincy of the
Pulaski Guards. Proceeding Immediately
in response to this acceptance to make
ready, 1t was resolved, as a preliminary
step, that such officers and men of the
troop, as 1t then existed together with re-
cruits obtained, as might go to Virginia,
should be designated as Company A of the
| Hussars, and that the remaining members,
together with such recruits as they might
obtain, were to be known as Company B
of the Hussars.
Early in August, 1861. Company was
ready to move to Virginia but the move
ment was interrupted by orders from Gov.
Joseph E. Brown forbidding their depart
ure, or otherwise the return of the state
arms and equipments. Coupled with thds
order was the statement that he, the
Governor, had the assurance of President
Davis that he would refuse acceptance of
any troops from Georgia bearing state
arms, unless their tender of service met
his. the Governors approval Entertain
ing, nevertheless, a resolute purpose to
go forward, the Hussars surrendered their
state arms and equipment and made in
dustrious effort to equip themselves else
where. This imposed delay in departure
until Sept. 16 1861, upon which date the
company left Savannah by the Charleston
and Savannah Railway for Richmond,
complying with its offer to put itself in
Richmond free of cost to the government
at an expenditure of SIS, 000
At Charleston the Hussars were hand
somely entertained by the South Carolina
Rangers, Capt. r. l. Jeffords They then
proceeded to Petersburg, Va, where they
encamped at the fair grounds Shortly af-
ter they removed to Richmond, where they
| encamped until Oct. II, 1861. There being
no regiment Of cavalry from Georgia in
Virginia at the time the Hussars were
allowed the choice of service with two
Virginia regiments, whose organization
was yet incomplete, >the Fourth Virginia
Cavalry, Col Beverly Robertson, and the
Sixth Virginia Cavalry, Col. Charles w.
Field. The latter regiment was unani-
mously chosen by the officers of the COM
pany and on Oct II the company left
Richmond, reporting TO Col. Field at Camp
Letcher and being designated as Company
r of that regiment. The cavalry attach
ed to the army there, commanded by
Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, was soon after
| brdgaded under the command of Gen. j.
E. b. stuart, and the regimental flag of
the Sixth Virginia Regiment and the only
| Confederate flag of the OCCASION was that
of the Georgia Hussars, the Stars and
| Bars This flag is still in possession of the
troop.
Dec 10, 1861 the Hussars were trans
ferred TO the jeff Davis Legion, Maj Will
| liam F. Martin commanding. The legion
was composed of three troops from Mis-
| sissippi two from Alabama and the Geor-
gia Hussars, the latter being Company F.
| After doing detached service with the
infantry brigade of Gen. r. E. Rodes the
company rejoined the battalion in winter
| quarters at Fauquier White Sulphur
| Springs, near Warrenton, Va, in January
| 1862 In April the battalion left the Springs
! and proceeded TO Richmond and the PEN
| inslllar of Virginia, where, near York
| town, the various regiments composing the
| brigade were for the first time brought
! together in camp having all been on de-
tached duty along the front of the army
| stationed at CenterVille.
From this date to the close of the war
in 1865. the Hussars continued TO be a part
! of the First Brigade of Cavalry, which
subsequently became the First Brigade of
the First Division of the Corps of Cavalry
of the Army of Northern Virginia The
itinerary of the company is the itinerary
of the brigade under its successive com
manders, Brig. Gems. ]. E. B. Stuart,
Wade Hampton, NJ. c. Butler, p VI. b.
1 Young, and Gideon l. Wright.
Mai VIM F. Martin, commanding the
Jeff Davis Legion, was promoted to lieu
tenant colonel and afterwards to hrigadier
| general, and Mai. John Stone, formerly
/ n 7