Pleasant J . Philips Pleasant Jackson Philips ( July 3 , 1819 – October 12 , 1876 ) was an American planter , banker , and soldier . He served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War , noted for his involvement in the 1864 Battle of Griswoldville . After the war he resumed his banking career . Early life and career . Pleasant J . Philips was born in 1819 in Georgia . His surname is often recorded as ' Phillips ' however both his gravestone , his signature , and the dedication of a presentation sword to him all refer to ' Philips ' . He was a son of Charles Phillips , an American soldier from North Carolina ( member of the Georgia House of Representatives in 1821 and 1822 , the Georgia Senate in 1823 and Georgia Militia general from 1825 - 1828 ) , and his wife Anne Nicks . Pleasant Philips prospered as a plantation owner and slaveholder in Harris County , as well as the Bank of Brunswick president . He married Laura Osborne in Harris County , Georgia on November 19 , 1838 according to the county ' s marriage records . By 1860 he had relocated to Columbus , and also was very active in the Georgia State Militia , reaching the rank of major by 1861 . Civil War service . When the American Civil War began in 1861 , Anderson chose to follow his home state of Georgia and the Confederate cause . On November 18 he was elected colonel of the 31st Georgia Infantry , assuming command of the regiment on the following day . Philips was then ordered to Savannah , Georgia , where it spent that winter . During the reorganization of the Confederate Army in the spring of 1862 , Philips was not re - elected and resigned his commission on May 13 . That same day Maj . Clement A . Evans was named colonel and replaced Philips in command of the 31st Georgia . After resigning Philips returned home to Columbus . On July 7 , 1862 , he was appointed a brigadier general in Georgia ' s Militia , and spent a brief period serving in Virginia . Following the 1863 reorganization of the state forces , he was appointed colonel and commander of one of Georgia ' s military districts . By 1864 Philips was again a brigadier general , commanding the 2nd Brigade , 1st Division of the militia . In July this force was ordered to join the Army of Tennessee during the Battle of Atlanta , serving throughout the siege there until September . Griswoldville . Following the 1864 surrender of Atlanta , Philips and his command returned to Georgia and the men were granted a 30 - day furlough , allowing them time to harvest crops from their lands . That fall his force was separated from the Army of Tennessee and ordered to oppose Sherman ' s March to the Sea , fighting at the Battle of Griswoldville near Macon on October 22 , following a four hour march from Macon . Hoping to slow if not block the Union Army advance across Georgia , Maj . Gen . Joseph Wheeler ' s cavalry force attacked Union cavalry around Macon . Wheeler achieved some brief success but infantry commanded by Brig . Gen . Charles C . Walcutt arrived to support the Union troops , who forced Wheeler back and then assumed a defensive position . Philips and his militia division ( described as " ill equipped , poorly trained " ) attacked this position three times and were repulsed . The assaults were described as : The Confederates lost about 51 dead and 472 wounded plus around 600 missing , compared to less than 100 Union losses . Prior to this fight Philips ' commander , G . W . Smith , had ordered the militia not engage the advancing Union soldiers , but Philips thought he had located an isolated and unsupported brigade and attacked , in clear disobedience of Smith ' s instructions . He received much criticism for his actions , and was rumored to be drunk at the crucial moment as well . The spirited but futile attack by Philips has been described as " . . . while it reflects great credit upon the gallantry of the Confederate and State forces engaged , was unnecessary , unexpected and utterly unproductive of any good . " Following the action at Griswoldville , Philips resigned from the Confederate service in November . Postbellum career . After resigning Philips returned to Columbus , Georgia , and his banking career . He died at his home in Wynnton in 1876 , and was buried in Linnwood Cemetery in Columbus . See also . List of American Civil War Generals ( Acting Confederate )