Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-05-16
HOWELL COBB AND GEN. WILSON

ICOuD anu N0H' "'"
played by each in the surrender o.
Macon.
Gen. Howell Cobb was one of the
strong men of Georgia, always popular
with the Georgia people. In 1S49' he
WAS elected to Congress and served
eight years, then became Speaker OF
the House. The story of his election
and how he was sustained by Gen.
Tcombs and Alex Stephens is set
forth in Alex Stephens History of
Georgia. Howell Cobb was elected
Governor of Georgia in 1851 as a Con-
stitutional Union man, on the princi-
Piles embraced in the Georgia platform
of 1850 over Gov. Charles j. Melon
aid. regarded as the most popular man
il the state. He was returned to Con-
gress in 1856 and later became secre-
tary of the treasury under James
Buchanan and resigned when Georgia
seeded. He was chosen to preside
over the Provisional Congress of the
Confederate States which elected JEFF
fcrson Davis President.
Gen. Cobb served for some time in
the Virginia army, but owing to his
great personal popularity and consid-
cradle friction arising in Georgia, Gen.
Cobb was given charge of military af-
fairs in this state. While in Virginia
the Secretary of War appointed him to
execute a cartel of exchange of pris-
oners, and he and Gen. John E. Wood
Of the United States army agreed on
\ it Feb. IA, 1852. But when the Federals
had excess of prisoners they broke the
cartel.
Gen. Cobb's headquarters were in
Macon and he was in command when
Gen. Wilson took charge of the city.
Our readers are familiar with the cap
ture of Stoneman by Gen. Alfred liver
son at Sunshine church, near Clinton,
but information about the capture Of
Macon is less known.
When it was learned that Gen. Will
son was advancing on Montgomery,
Ala, Gen. Cobb was ordered by the
War Department to hasten to Mont
gomery and see what could be done to
protect the city and defend it against
Wilson's raid. Gen. Cobb found such a
small Confederate force at Montgom-
cry that he decided a defense imprac-
tical. But he ordered all the cotton in
the warehouses, some one hundred
thousand bales, destroyed. Gen. Cobb
then went to Columbus, Ca, and org
anized all the available forces of the
reserves and the militia. He made a
stand on the Alabama side of the river,
occupying the heights. Wilson con-
gomery and all along his march to
Columbus and engaged the forces of
Gen Howell Cobb who was command
ing in person, ON April 10, 1866. Gen.
Cobb had but small force and the bat
tie was at night 1t was so dark a
squad of Federal cavalry rode up to
Gen. Cobb's position and had talk
without recognizing him. Wilson's
forces were so far superior in num-
bers that our troops were drawn off on
retreat, and came over to the Columbus
side. At the bridge Col. c. A. L. La
mar, of Gen. Cobb's staff was killed.
Wilson burned one hundred thous-
and bales of cotton at Columbus, the
railroad and other buildings. Resting
two days, he began his march to de-
yastate Macon. His plan was for two
columns to meet at Macon, destroy the
city, and thus avenge the Stonemar
disaster and to join Sherman in tht
Carolinas.
After the battle of Columbus, tht
last one of the war, Gen. Cobb gather
&C what forces he could and hurried
to Macon. Every preparation was
made for strenuous resistance. Every
man CAPABLE of standing on his fee
went to the entertainments, and as /;