Confederate History and Heritage Month  (As appeared in the Metter Advertiser 2002, written by Randy Crooms)

Profile:

Fifth Georgia Cavalry

  April is Confederate History, Heritage and Education month in Georgia. Each week during the month, The Dixie Guards Camp # 1942; Sons of Confederate Veterans will profile local Confederate soldiers and their exploits during the War Between the States. 

  The Fifth Georgia Cavalry officially formed under Special Order No. 20 of the Confederate War Department on January 20, 1863. Prior to this order, the men who would become the Fifth Georgia  served as the First and Second Battalions of Georgia Cavalry. While called the First and Second Battalions, the men had provided Coastal and Rural Georgia protection. Together with the Third Battalion (later called the Fourth Georgia Cavalry) they served as the bulk of the area defense against Union Invasion from the Georgia Coastline. 

  When the Fifth Georgia Cavalry formed, their headquarters was in Savannah. Their Commander was Colonel Robert H. Anderson. Anderson would rise to the rank of Brigadier General serving under Major General Joseph “Fightin’ Joe” Wheeler of the Confederate Army of Tennessee. After the war, Anderson would go on to become Savannah’s first Chief of Police. A statue stands in Savannah commemorating his service. The Fifth Georgia soldiers were from several counties from the southeastern portion of Georgia. Company C, Second Battalion Georgia Cavalry “Bulloch Troops” became known as Company E, Fifth Georgia Cavalry and finished out the remainder of the war under this service. Many area soldiers of Bulloch and Candler Counties served in this unit.

  The Fifth Georgia continued to provide Coastal Protection for Georgia until early 1864. In February of 1864, they dispatched to Florida for the Battle of Ocean Pond or Olustee (west of Jacksonville). After a Confederate victory at Ocean Pond, the Fifth Georgia returned home to assist with the struggle against Union troops in North Georgia. They saw service at the Battle of Noon Day Church, New Hope Church, Ezra Church, Kennesaw Mountain, Big Shanty, Marietta and The Battle of Atlanta. They saw action at Taylor’s Creek, Brown’s Mill, McCook’s Raid, and Bear Creek Station. After Sherman began his March to the Sea, the Fifth Georgia was a part of Wheeler’s Cavalry Corps that made up the only real defense against Sherman’s nearly 60,000-75,000 men. Wheeler’s Corps numbered roughly 3000-4000. On March 5, Georgia struggled with Sherman’s troops at Griswoldville and Waynesboro and other middle Georgia areas. After Georgia’s destruction, the Fifth Georgia saw action in South Carolina at Broxton’s Bridge, River’s Bridge, Aiken and throughout the state.

  They continued to serve until the end of the war seeing action at Monroe’s Cross Roads, Averasborough, Smith’s Ferry, Black River, Bentonville and finally at Morrisville Station. They finally surrendered with the remaining Confederate forces of the Army of Tennessee on April 26, 1865.

The Muster Rolls of Company E, “The Bulloch Troops” of the Fifth Georgia Cavalry include:

(Officers)

Captain Alfred Iverson Hendry, MDCaptain George B. BEST

Sergeant Moses B. WILSON1st Sergeant William Perry ROUNTREE

4th Sergeant Gideon Hayes BROWN1st Corporal W. T. BOSTON

Second Corporal Jason B. BRINSON         

2nd Sgt. William M. Henderson (later promoted to Lt.--Read his description of how it happened)

(Privates)

Ancil ALDERMANJohn William AARONAllen ASPINWALL

M. J. "Jew" BAERGeorge R. BEASLEYElbert BENNETT

David L. BESTAndrew BIRDAugustus BIRD

Elbert BIRDLouis BirdMelton BIRD

W. BLANDArthur BOYTD. J. BRINSON

Paton BRINSONSimon BRINSONAugustus BROWN

Gideon Hayes BROWNJ. E. BROWNJ. T. (or F.) BROWN

J. W. BROWN Lucius M. CAMPBELLJack CHITTY

James Emmett COLEMANAugustus Lewis COWARTHezekiah Parrish COWART  James M. COWARTJoseph Warren COWARTLewis COWART,  Zachariah "ZACH" COWART  Bryan DAUGHTRYWiley DAVIS William DAVIS

G. W. DEKLERobert William DeLOACHW. H. DeLOACH,

Wash DeLOACHZachary Taylor DeLOACHTom DREW

F. J. DURDENEphraim EDENFIELDRichard EDENFIELD

  J. R. EVANS ,Jr.J. R. EVANS, Sr.Charles EVANS

James EVANSThomas EVANSD. E. FERRY

J. D. FORDP. M. FORD  Alterman FRANKLIN

Calvin GAYCharlton GAY  John Wesley

Mathew GAYJames GROOVERJohn GROOVER"Jew" GURSTJames HALLW. N. HALL

William Michael Henderson E. W. HODGESW. A. HODGESTom HOLLANDBerrien JOHNSONFrank JOHNSON

Davis KEELERElijah KENNEDYJ. P. KENNEDY

Felin KIMBRELLJohn KIRBYRobert KIRBY

William KIRBYRichard KIRKLANDAugustus LANIER

Joshua LANIEREbb LEEJacob LEITSEY

Mal LEWISArn LOUISGus MALLARD

Sol MALLARDJohn MARTINAugustus McCROAN

William Elias McELVEEND. E. MERCERJohn MERCER

George MERRITTJames MERRITT J. W. MIKELL

Seaborn "Sebe" Mikell"Jew" MILLERGeorge Washington “Wash” Mikell

Clem MILLERFred MILLERGUS MILLER

Marion MILLERMATH MILLERG. W. MOORE

Wayne MOORE John NEALLeon NEAL

Icabod NEWSOMEJames NEWSOMED. E. O’CONNELL

M. N. ODOMFrank OLLIFFJames OVERSTREET

Ben PARRISHMike PARRISHMitchell PARRISH

W. J. REDDINGJames RIMESJ. H. ROWE

O. L. SAMPLEHenry STEVENSA. W. STEWART

Algerene TRAPNELLJim TRAPNELLRowan WARREN

Millinton WATERSMint WATERSElias WEBB

Joe WEBBE. A. WEILHenry WEIL

Cooper WILLIAMSR. N. J. WILLIAMSS. J. WILLIAMS

W. R. WILLIAMSElisha WILLIAMSONJack WILLIAMSON

John A. WILLIAMSONW. J. WILSONColen WORLEY

Joseph ZETTEROWER

For more information on the 5th Georgia Cavalry visit their website at Ashley Pollete's 5th Georgia Cavalry Page

       formerly listed as www.pollette.com/5thcavalry