The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-13
THE TATTNALL GUARDS.
A COMPANY THAT APPEARS TO
HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN.

Was Formed in January, 1862, for
1t was in Service Three Memorable
Years-The Part 1t Played in the
Great StrugSIe-The Members of
the Company When Mustered Out.
There is one company that was organ
ICED in Savannah in 1852, served over
three years during the war between the
North and South, and surrendered a rem
nant of its veterans at Greensboro, N. c.,
10 Gen. Sherman, on April 26, 1865, that
has been forgotten by the people of this
city. 1 do not recollect to have seen any
mention of it since that memorable day
of its surrender. That company was the
"Tattnall Guards" (Co. G, First Volun-
teer Regiment of Georgian If my men,
ory serves me right, the company was
formed in January, 1862, for the purpose
of home defense, in case the city was at
tackled, and was composed of cid men and
younger ones, who, on account of busi-
ness matters could not well leave the
city. 1 became a member the month the
company was formed. The men paid for
their uniforms, but the state furnished
them with muskets. Soon after the COM
pany's formation, it was called upon to
help build the foftifications around the
city. Every morning the men would be
marched out to where the work was to
be done, ard remain until late in the
evening, using spades and shovels, and
pushing wheel-barrows filled with earth
TO points where it was required When
their services were no longer needed in
khe work on the Notifications, the COM
pany was called upon to do guard duty
in the old United States barracks. This
duty Ga very pleasant one) it was per-
forming when the conscript law was pass
ed After the passage of that law, the
company was reorganized, the men over,
and those under age went out and some
who were subject to conscription left and
Joined other companies. There was quite
number, however, who, on the promise
of the captain to keep them in the bar
racks, agreed 20 remain with him. The
additional men required by law TO make a
full company were soon forthcoming and
were from those who were made subject
TO conscription, and who were allowed
TO select the company they wished to
serve in. The company was then attach
ed to the First Volunteer Regiment of
Georgia Col c. II. Olmstead), we'll uni
formed, thoroughly drilled, and in every
way, fitted for the long, arduous, danger
Gus service which it had before it, 1t,
however, remained in the barracks until
January, 1868, then it Joined three other
companies of the regiment, which were
camping in rear of the Cathedral Gene
terry The first call that was made upon
these four companies, after uniting, was
10 support Fort McAllister, when the
gunboats made an attack on it. That was
a bloodless affair though, so far as the
battalion (as the four companies were
then termed was concerned, but a pref
ty good idea of the hardships of active
service was formed. The gunboats were
driven in Oh fa., Io,-
turned to camp Mai Galie was the only
man killed in the fort. On May l. 1868, the
battalion moved to Isle of Hope There
1t was encamped until July, 1863 when it
was ordered to Morris Island
S. c., and reached Fort Wagner
in time to assist in repulsing the first
charge made upon it by the federals.
Company G was fortunate enough to lose
no men. Several were killed in the bat
talon. Among the number was the brave
Capt. Werner of the German Volunteers.
The battalion remained in the fort four
days and was then relieved and brought
to James Island, where 1T remained until
called on again to help man the fort. II
served eight days on its second visit, be-
ing unable to leave earlier in consequence
of the heavy commandment. The duty in
rhe fort was simply terrible, and the men
Were unable to stand it very long. Com
pany q lost two men in its second occu-
patton. One was killed by a mortar shell
falling on him while asleep, and the other
had his leg shot off by a cannon BAH
While walking in the rear of the fort and
died in about fifteen minutes After leav-
ing the fort the second time, we returned
10 James Island, and the night before our
turn came to go back to the former Morris
Island was evacuated, and we were saved
Inc dangerous duty of again exposing our
selves to shot and Shelf. we remained on
James Island until November 1868, and
fhrN.
eo on the eastern side of Forsyth Park
From there we moved near Causton's
Bull We again moved to our old camp,
east of the park, and from there went to
Whitemarsh Island, where we remained
until May, 1854, when We were ordered 20
JOIN Gen. Johnston in North Georgia. The
ten companies of the regiment, which had
never served together before, assembled
IN the Park Extension and camped there
Two nights and one day. and then left
LOT the front. Many poor fellows, who
sept Tor the last time in Savannah, left
tfeir bones in Georgia and Tennessee. Our
company (G), had for its officerSe A. c.
davenport. captain: Benjamin r. Cole
Hrst lieutenant; c. B. Carter, second lieu
tenant; John d. Hopkins, Jr., second lieu
tenant. We had full company; should
say near 100 men. On arriving at the front
we We're put in Maj. Gen. W. II. T. Walk
81 DIVISION and Immediately began that
arduous, dangerous service spoken of
ABOVE which ended nearly a year after
wards at Greensboro, N. c., when only
thlrteen of our company were left to be
surrendered. Not long after joining
walkers division, the company was put
ON picket duty. A picket fight took place,
"hlch resulted in five men being killed
outright in our company and about TWEEN
y wounded and captured Some of the
wounded died from the effects of their
wounds. Thus i'm a skirmish, which was
scarcely mentioned outside of the COM
pahy' as many men were actually killed
as were killed in the gallant Oglethorpes'
IN the first great battle of Manassas.
among the dead in the company were the
etave Second Lieutenant c. b. Carter, Jr.,
second Lieutenat John D. Hopkins then
became second lieutenant and l was elect
ca TO NIL the latters place From now on
70 the battle of Atlanta July 22)
was retreat, halt, build breast
works, skirmish and retreat again
we have gone for nearly week with
not dry thread upon us. The food was