Bobby C. Smith has painstakenly typed up this Diary from a pencil copy.
They were then sent to Mississippi to help raise the siege of Vicksburg. They arrived to late but saw action around Jackson, Mississippi. They were then sent to Tennessee and fought in all of the fights from there to Atlanta and Jonesboro, then back to Tennessee for the battles at Franklin and Nashville. They retreated to Tupelo, Mississippi where the company was disbanded and told to report to Macon, Georgia in February l865. In Company A 24 died of disease, 8 were killed in action, 27 wounded in action, 3 died of wounds, 39 captured by the enemy and 5 died in northern prisons.
The following account of one man's experience in the war was written after the war ended. Jim White joined Co. A March 4, l862. He was appointed 2nd Sgt. in August l862. He was at home with a dislocated hip from February 16, l865 till the close of the war. He served with Co. A from the beginning through the last battle at Nashville, Tennessee. Upon returning home he wrote about his experiences during the war. The following narrative has been edited to a degree by me because of the difficulty of reading his writing. He had a good education for his time but used very little punctuation, spelled phonically and sometimes used the first person and at other times the 3rd. .
After working on the farm seven sucessive years to pay for a home for his parents then according to promise had started him to school from which in March 1862, to prevent being conscripted, he volunered as a johne in Co. A of the 46th Ga. Regt. From the first he could not see how the South cauld suucceed while Ellie Steven, Jefferson Davis and their kind would not let A. Llinkon, Sewaard and their kind to be conscience keeper for the south on sin of slavery, providence might have had as much to do with the result of the war as Uncle Toms Log cabin, although the South might not hav bin sinless in regard to slavery.Be these things as they may we quit school joined Co A 46th Regt. at Thomaston to prevemt been conscripted. After a short time we was at Pocotaligw, South Carolina with arms in our hands drilling in the manuals and field evolutions preparing to meet a public enemy, we solidiered from this point to Goldsborough, North Carolina for twelve months with main headquarters at Charles S.C. then at Jackson Miss. Until the fall of Vicksburg then to Chattanouga, Tenn to Lovejoy, Ga. From there to Nashville, Tenn on to Tulea, Miss., from there was furlowed to rendeavous at Macon, Ga. On the 14th of February 1865.
A fall from a car while in motion on the Thomaston and Barnesville R.R. entirely dislocatinag the hip joint stoped our sacrifice to the confedaracy, was paroled by Wilson a short time afterward at Macon, Ga. He never reported sick, never stole of foraged for rations, never played a game of cards during the war, never learned to chew tobacco. Sometimes would draw whiskey and usually would give it to comrads, neither did he leaarn to curse or swear but was severly wounded at Kenesaw Mountain was in City Hall hosspital thirty days convelasent. Camped one night, was on the confederate frontlines the next in Atlanta still limping from the wounds received at Kenesaw mountain, was up before day, near our brestworks when a billy sharp shooter from his tree barlys missing when he was told to get in the breastworks or billy would get him. This took place just after the Atlanta Battle so here is one fight and the only one that he was not in during the war. He never saw nor helped to bury neither a johnny or a billy during war. the first dead Billies he saw was on a field was at old Pocotaligs, he saw a Billy that was pretended to have been burried between two cotton rows with his feet sticking out of the ground shocking to us, this looked degrading for the South. We saw the Monitor attck a short time afterwood on Fort Sumpter and for the first time in our life worked all night reparing the damages. Here we had a false alarm, when a sky rocket flew high, a cannon boomed at a boat of ours near the fort when a comrad of ours was frighten to near a half inch of his life or death as it may be. We soldered for twelve months from Pocotaliga, S.C. to Goldsboough, N.C. Our usual weight was 165 lbs. Feasted and fattened to the weight of 201 pounds without much suffering except the night went to near Goldsburrough N.C. against a hard wind on open cars when we wraped up head, hands and ears to prevent freezing.
At the time we had orders to Jackson, Miss. On the way to Mississippi young ladies and parents would meet and talk to us at different towns as our sorry engines would start an back to and from there. We were traveling on the top of box cars. The young ladies of Yazoo City wuld come to their varranders and gates and talk with us as we tramped the city. During the pleasant moment our mind and affections would go back home to the Girl that we had to leve behind us, although I had never told her that we love her. Soon after the war she sickened and suddenlyl died without us seeing each other. I do not believe that parents ough to let their children know to much of their wish, about the children marring, especially after children is twenty years old.
We landed at Jackson, Miss., had a fight with Billy Sherman the first day. Colonel Paton H. Cloquitt commanding say 400 Johnnies with Gen Sherman commanding say eight thousand Billlies. If Brigadier General S.R.Gist had not criticized Col. P.H. Colquitt in this first fight at Jackson, Miss., Col Colquitt might not have bin killed at Chickamaga.
Miles Teat and I was litter bearers. We started from the field with Jobe Ferguson on a blanket wounded to the field hospital, billy cut us off so turned to Jackson carried him say 400 yds. Our squad of troops retreated at full speed, so we said to comrad Jobe Ferguson if you could not walk some that we would have to leave him or be captured with him. We got him in hospital after being shelled from every hill on the way to Jackson, took time to look for our napsacks that had our blankets and all of our belongings failed to find it so followed Joe Johnson in mud slick as glass compared to any thing we was ever used to.
Billy Sherman still hurring us up with his cannons, we retreated say 4 miles got in hearing of Co A quarted for the night here made our bed of green and wet pessimon brush piled down on those brush, slepted good until day without anything between us and the starry heavan. Next morning reported at our headquarters for duty so ended for us the first battle of the war. Of the war the private soldier knows about what comes under his immediate observation, however we say here if Gen. Permberton had obeyed the orders of that military stratagist and fighter Gen. J. E. Johnson and give up Vicksburg when ordered thus saving Permberton army to the south thus giving J. E. Johnson a fighting chance to have kept the stars and bars forever aflote. Again and before this if Gen. Beaugard had only at Shiloh pick up on the day the ripe fruit wlich that military cheaftain ('Gen. Abert S. Johnson) had so boundifuly shaken down to him by the capture of Gen U.S Grant, then the captured Gen Bulewells and the gunboat when the next day they come up to Buegard.. We wish you had bin in command of heavy artillary and had more forts than Sumpter to have turned it loose upon. Oh that I had been so, or that the south militarans could have planed by A.S.and J.E. Johnson the souths two military chieftains and her battle ben fought by them but Pemberton did not o bey, and on the 5th of July J. E. Johnson had got near to the Big Black creek nearing Vicksburg to liberate him with 30 thousand johnies when � Grants pioniers was not on their way to Jackson. Miss in the road which place Johnson fell back to fought Grant victorious hordes for 4 days almost without rashions in a sallie capturing prisoners and the finest U.States Flag that I ever saw.. The 4th night they could not cook our little corn cake for us but in lieu of this issued us a little handful of musky meal which we tried to swallor on that retreat back East but failed for it would not go down.
About 9 oclock next day we stoped by a 40 or 50 acres full of fine roasting years that was understood to have been bough for the army. That field was gathered and eaten witout much salt before noon, from here the 46th Ga. with the army joined Gen Bragg near Chattanooga, Tenn.
In Sept. General Bragg and Roscreants meet at Chatnooga with near equal forces, this was a hard battle of two days as the inscriptions on some of the monuments will show where the artillerymen to save their horses would unlimber their artilley and run their canon in position by hand when only 3 or 4 hundred yds apart. Co. A took part Sunday the last day as we march in to the battle line wounded Johnies told us that Bragg was driving then that Rosccrent was contesting every foot of ground. Gen Gist Brigade was composed of two Ga Regt and two S,C, regts the division was commanded by Gen Walker a Georgian, say at 9 oclock we johnies was ready to charge the billies in their temporary breastworks .As we neared them Capt. Collier ordered me in rear of Co. A an to keep every man in line or bayonett him. One conrade it seemed could not go on to the Billies, the Billies open fire on us with he and I 15 yards in the rear of our line in a charge exposed to the enemy/s fire, and could not fire at him, What a position, Oh, how I felt, I cannot describe so will not say. Here our gallent and brave Col Paton H. Colquitt was killed as he road his black war steed among his own 46th Ga. Encourage them to battle, the S. Carolina Regt first struck the Billies and was repulsed causing the whole line to fall back and oh what hard rough and beneaming lnaguage Gen. Walkers did use to these S. Carolinans. It would not do to think of starting to Sunday School with it. We moved to the front and right say 400 yds. In hollow and took a shelling through mistake from our own battery. billies line was broke to the left of us when Rosectream and army broke for Chattanooga. Co A. capturing some prisioners who ran in an old well rather than to run aacross an old field and be shot at.
Gen. Bragg follow taking possessession of Lookout mountain and Alission ridge, we had a short amisticet and Billy gyed the Johnnies no little about havin nothing to eat but a little sugar.
A little later Gen U.S. Grant with his hoarads out generald Gen Bragg and run the Johnnies off of the mountain and ridge withot a fair fight. General Sharman fighting desperately all day way up to our right on the Tennessee River, Gen Hooker attacking the mount in front while his army had cross the river and coming down recross the river and attacked the mountain in the rear, while Gen. Grant ocupied the valley with hodes between the ridge and city. Gen Bragg putting a large portion of his arm to the right and in front of Sharman, when Grant moved against the ridge, when there was but few to oppose him on the left of the ridge, to prevent capture the 46th. Ga with many other troops left the top of as through we were going on dress parade. When there was no Billies near us.
Lt. Gen. Hardee seeing the situation I have thought he must have wanted to die as he gathered together 80 or 90 routed Johnies and drove the Billies out of their captured Breastworks was it not mercersly that he was not killed. It was a windy bright moon light night but not extremely cold, after we left the ridge notwithstanding this we could not move our fingers as numbly as we can even now
We halted and wintered quarted at Dalton, Ga. under the command of General J.E. Johnson. The first night there our mess of T.P. Holloway, Cary Black and myself slep under a short fly covering with the light thread worn blanketts by spooning well and changing the middle man on the outside every half hour we did not freeze if the ground did freeze one inch thick up to our sides.
On the 7th of May we lined up a fine regt. of ll00 men to leave these quarters when Lt Denham racket out the bed quilts on his back and to much homemade brandy in him, he ought not to have bin punished as he latter stood on his toes partly cut the pigeon wingl
Gen Gists Brigade was in Gen Walkers division. This division served as a skurmish and a reinforce div. to Kennesaw Mountain at the fight New Hope Church it was there to see if needed and was under shirmish fire a large percent of the time. Near Altona River I believe this was when Gen.------ turned back and give the billies a gentel thrashing it was there, the billies to get even with us for it gave us a tremendus shelling as we cross over on a pontoon bridge. At the Kenesaw fight all of the johnies was on the battle line the 46th. Was just south of little Kenesaw in a dense woods chestnut thicket, the undergrowth was cut from our main line to our skirmish line in front of this a man could be seen only a few feet, say 125 yds. still to the front there was a wide swamp and to the right of the skirmish line a field. A skirmish line reach to the field. Just in the woods was a rifle pit known as The Death Pit. Co A occupied this line I believe it was 27th with Capt H. Collins in command. Billys shirmish attacked us here in the forenoon coming in a few feet of us for we could not then after our videts came in it was here that Lt. Mauk wanted our gun to kill a Billy which he spied only a few feet away he failed to get it, they was repulsed. About this time comrad Hirum Barker was killed in the death pit being shot in the forehead just as a S.C Leut had bin in the same pit from this time till mid evening the firing was continuous at the Billies a little by gess work as the Billies crossed the swamp.. Jake Mayo gun becoming lead bound Capt. Collier directed me to go to Barkers for Mayo. We got the gun without being shot. The yanks once across the swamp come in line of battle capturing our shirmish line, on the retreat to our battle line Capt . Collier was killed near our breastworks. I heard and saw where the minnie ball struck him before he fell dropping on the knee. I asked if he was hurt much, in response, running up to our breastworks we secured a litter and bore him over the works while minnie balls flew thick and fast. He died in about an hour without speaking.
Gen Gist in our breastworks directed the same skirmishs to retake our lost line with orders to shoot. Lt. Sullivan taking command. This skirmish line went out twice all knowing that we was not going over to the yanks in this condition . There was a large tree held about a foot off the ground by its roots and limbs to the right of the skirmishs. Made for this log to sharpshoot with the Billies. On nearing say five paces, we discovered the ground blue on the oposite side with yanks. We decided to spring to a tree six paces to the right when we saw a yank behind it an another nearest to it than we were and going to the same tree. Then conrad Nat Daniel and I looked for our men discovering them near ready to scale our breastworks in the rear. On turning Watt fell to his hands in the brush so running with me for apeace. We both landed safely. With all of my horrow and fear of a northern prision, this was one time I would have surrendered if Billie had have commanded me to do so. Strange to tell Billies never open his mouth nor fied a gun..The second time we went out we bore to the left and was sharping from a post oak about 7 inch in diameter and before I knew it or felt it , a minnie ball was drove into our knee feeling to see what was the matter with our leg I got some blood on the fore finger. Hobbling over our breast works where Gen. Gist was, putting my hand on his aid de camp Hableshaw sholder to cross he gave way and down I went. Dr. Baxter soon cut the ball out, this gave me a thirty day furlow instead of a sixty as the Dr. though, at night I learned that the 46th Ga. entire was ordered out in this charge. Each party would try to capture prisioners by physical force. The battle of Atlanta, where Gen Walker was killed is one fight we was not in, but was with the command very soon afterward as previous spoken of. Gen Shermans statement that war is hell was here in Atlanta began to be put in execution by non christion warfare. My mother caractored the Civil War as a slaughter pen where lambs were butchered, just before this time her youngest daughter had died, her oldest daughter is living in Arkansas never expecting to see her, her oldest son just killed in Maryland her next oldest at home wounded, the other two in the state pen, well blessed mother we know some what how your soul was troubled and to us with grief for we was their where we could see you and here you talk as previous spoken of.
We was back on the front lines soon after the Atlanta battle. Found our military cheiftain removed under whom the Tenn army expected to whip Billy Sharman. We was soon with Gen. Hardee;s Corps at Jonesborough, had a little fierce fight where I was wounded on the thigh by a sharapall tearing the flesh blue and black, but did not enter, did it not hurt. Soon at Lovejoy where we took a shelling with some killed and wounded here the whole of the Tenn army got together and a two week armisties givng Sharman time to finish his hellish work in Atlanta. The Tenn army leaving for Dalton Ga., Tuscelestia Ala, Nashville Tenn, Julea Miss to Macon, Ga. under Gen Hood commanding at Dalton, Ga, with its block fort was taken with some ----- soldiers these troops seemed to grow less daily. I do not know what finally became of them. At Decator Ala, I believe it was we found some billies looking at them with spy glass one and half miles away our feellings was quiet as we seemed to be at and among them. We losed a few men as prisioners here, arriving at the Tenn River lean and lank as usual near Tuscumbia Ala, we tarried say a week putting in a pontoon bridge eating black eyed peas from the river bottoms that was so black and strong we boill them twice and they was splended without salt and very little bread. A pocket full of parch corn gone another very good days rashions to him who could get it..
In a few miles of Franklin, Tenn the Billies was making desprate efforts to get ahead of us, by plantation route. Gen. Hood was trying to capture them the night before the Franklin fight and just south of Spring Hill while the Jonnies lay say fifty yards of the road the billies passes along the road, entering Franklin. This vexed Gen. Forrest fighting soul to the cussing point, for he in his own language wanted a brigaade to fling across the road so as he could capture the whole dam shennagan. Spy Rremington ,as he reported in the Confederate Veteran claimed to have saved Geneeral Schefields army at this point by going from Generals Hood to Forrest and along the confederate line of all Divs- giving orders to prevent a fight at this place. I know that the 46th. Ga. Had orders not to fire on Schofield as he passed his army along the road in our front, when our troops lay in seventy yds. of the road in line and thus Schofield pass on to Franklin in front, as to the truth of Remmington spy work I do not know. On each side of the road entering Franklin Billies had breast works his last line was very strong with headlogs as we passed his first works Gen Gist rode in front of the 46th regt spuring and holding his war stead waving his sord over his head and giving us the order to charge. This was the last time that I ever saw Gist for he with five other Confederate Gens. lay dead next morning on the varanda of a lady in Franklin. As we aproach their bush abaters so many of the Billies run that I though that they all was gone so shot at them less I might not get a shoot. At this point Dan Gilbert was by our side he smash an opening in the abaters and passed through Capt. Tom Sulivan struck a bush with his sord and so passed through and I folowed to their works loading my gun on my knee and against there works, Capt Sulllivan having gone on over billies breastworks and when a billie tried to shoot him Capt threating to have him killed in language that would not grace a Sunday school, where upon the brave little billie threw down his gun and run. While two billies were trying to shoot Dan Gilbert under their headlog as they would rise up Dan would guickly throw his gun in their face when the billies seast rising the 46th. Ga with some prisioners had the strongest part on the enemys breastwork. This charge of say 125 yds was made in open space on comapratevly level ground, oh how the minnie balls did zip zip on that hard ground and fly thick about the heads. Our troops failed to take the breastworks, say 300 yds. to our left. Billys line ran strait from us with the billies craverly down in the ditch at this line we shot 12 or 15 times with our head above the enemy headlog untill Lieut Mauk came along tapping us on the shoulder with his sord saying down from their ordely or they will kill you. Im glad that I do not that I ever killed a man. In this charge say of 2 or 3 moments Co. A lost 2 killed and16 wonded. The blockhouse grove between the breastworks and to the lift of Co A say 75 yards was white and literlly shot to pieces with minnie ball which shows that billey over shot, and must have been fitten with rattle of musketry. I never heard before or sence it rattled and roared in our ears for two days the same as it did on that fatel evening and night. Gen Schofield stole off, crossed the Duck river and wint to Nashville in the night.
At Nashville after three weeks rest and reinforcing, Gen Thomas move against Gen Hood by a right flank movement bending our line on the left into the shape of a fishhook and here to a skermish line the 46th occuping the line at the bend of the hook, the fighting was mainly on the left and on the weak line of the stem or the hook. As the fighting went on the cannon balls would fall at our backs, here our line was finally broken so the left of our army was routed with a victorous enemy in our rear large numbers in our front the question was now with Jonnies was get out of here if you can we running back almost meeting our victorers for turned to the right climing a long and steep mountinous hill, billy puthing the grape and minnies to us, as we walked the hill ,loading and sending occasionally a minnie ball back among them. Here Gen Bates Div lost arms and many men captured. Now Johnny for Shilor and Fukas Mississippi if you can get there. On the way the yanks beat us to a four feet deep river, secured the bridge, we arrived by plantation way, passed over and partly under it, not to rest under the shade of the trees although the moonlight shade was there, but to tramp and tramp to keep from freezing until your Regt crossed, then to tramp again southwarad along here my shoes about gave out, no way to ride we was allowed to march at liberty for once and the only time the Regt could march off and leave me trudging behind. This contunied to Pulaska Tennessee here and secured a pair of yanks old shoes, went out in a ladies back yard, broke the ice in a mudhole got the mud and grit off our feet, put on a clean pair of socks and my yanks shoes. After this the Regt. Never could march and leaving me behind. I never felt better in my life. I was a little hungary and it was here that my mess consisting of T.P. Holloway, Cary Black and myself ate the biggest mess of hog hide and hair of our lives for here they issued skinned pork to us. Going back a little to Renaka creek in Tenn. The yanks early in the morning came to the creek and found it bridgeless. The 46th left breakfast, ran over the hill covering three yanks near the creek, when that noble soldier James Howell waded a three feet creek, captured his prisnors brought him over when the yank had the same support in the rear that gallent Jas Howell had. Some Johny had the wet Billy to sit down and exchange his boots for a worthless pair of shoes. This act was crewall.
Gen Gist Brigade was rear guard to day about 10 oclock A.M. the yanks cavalry over took us, the 46th having marched away from me leaving me with the straglers, when the yank made a passing at our rear guard coming up the road then it was that the suffering and horrows of a northern prision loomed up before us again, not believing we could live to get there if captured. We resolved to fall out of the road with as many straglers as we could get to follow on a steep bluff that was near by where no horses could be run over us nor cavelry men could hack us with their swords and there sell out to the enemy at as dear a price as we could inflict upon them. Hapily they turned back passing our rear guard and neither hardly firing a gun. All of the world may not believe this but is true all the same. I never carried a rail as purnishment for avoiding orders on the march, never was under arrest, I do say that the soldiers who stayed on the front lines of the Confederate army and obeyed orders had many close calls all of which can be spoken of here so I try to be briefer and soon close.
Once at Puloska we was soon across the Tenn River marching in north Miss we passed through a prarie with railpens of corn gathered chered the hungary no little for then we had hopes of getting as much parched corn as we wanted to eat. We marched on the railroad until our ankles was very very sore and sometimes over a river the water so high sloshing against the RR where a mystery for the crosstie might have consign us to a watery grave.
At Fuka Miss. We were furlowed as previous stated to rendevous at Macon, Ga. on the 14th of Feb. 1865. At Columbus, Gg. As two of our comrads was from that city. The ladies proposed to give the 46th Regt. Supper and when these noble ladies found that they had neither time nor enough rashions for the ocassion, oh how sad and crestfallen they seemed to be while Regt. Feelings went out to them in love and admiration for the attempt to do so. Noble women of our Southland.
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Upson County Page last updated: Monday, 02-Aug-1999 05:24:18 MDT