Brigades of Barton:
3/26/62 Richmond, AG Cooper to Col Seth Barton at Weldon, NC-you have been apptd Brig Gen & are to report to Gen E K Smith at Knoxville. The appointment was sent to him some days since.
5/31/62 K Smith, Dept of E Tenn
Barton 4th Bgde
20th Ala
23rd Ala
9th Ga Bn
40th Ga
52nd Ga
3rd Tn PA
Va Btry
7/3/62 Stevenson Div
3rd Barton
40th Ga
52nd Ga
9th Ga Bn
30th Ala
31st Ala
Btry
10/27/62 In a four-page letter Gen Barton has nothing but bitter criticism for his inept cdr Bragg, whose ill-conceived invasion of Ky has ended with a costly defeat at the Battle of Perryville. Barton writes; Bragg is either a madman or a coward, & if he is not removed from his command great disasters must inevitably ensue. After a series of mistakes, he concluded his operations by abandoning the campaign & fleeing from the country he had just assured he would never forsake . . .
In October 1862, General Braxton Bragg reorganized the troops under his command. General Seth Barton of Virginia was given command of a new Georgia Brigade, made up of the 40th, 41st, 42nd, 43rd and 52nd Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiments. The brigade was assigned to Major General Stevenson's division of the Army of Tennessee. This Division was transferred to the Vicksburg theater in December.
This was the 1st Brigade of Major General Stevenson's Division during the Vicksburg campaign
Dec 62 Stevenson Div reorganized for sending off to Vicksburg
1st (Barton's) Bgde
41st Ga
40th Ga
42d Ga
43d Ga
52d Ga
Botetourt Virginia Arty
12/27/62 Vicksburg-Seth Barton arrived cdg the leading Brigade of Stevenson's Div from middle Tenn
9/19/63 by Sec of War- S O #223
XXVI. Brigadier General W. M. Gardner is assigned to the Georgia brigade commanded by Brigadier-General Barton, Stevenson's division. General Barton, on being relieved, will report to Major-General Pickett for assignment to a brigade in his division.
10/4/63 Hqs Pickett's Division, #81. Brigadier General Seth M. Barton having reported to these headquarters for duty, is assigned to the command of Armistead's brigade.
After Vicksburg-Exchanged, Barton took command of Lewis Armistead's Brigade. Barton held command in North Carolina, where he ran afoul of George Pickett during the operations against New Bern. He then was transferred back to Virginia, where he once again ran afoul of a commanding officer [Ransom] and was removed a second time from command. The charges both times were for not providing the necessary assistance or cooperation to other engaged units.
In January 1864, Pickett alleged want of cooperation on Barton's part.
His handling of his brigade was again severely criticized, during the operations south of Richmond in May, and he was summarily relieved from command by his immediate superior, Gen. Ransom.
In spite of his earnest request for a court of inquiry, and strong expressions of confidence presented by his regimental commanders in writing, he remained unemployed until the autumn of 1864, when he was assigned to a brigade in the defenses of Richmond. In January 1865 his brigade became a part of G. W. C. Lee's division, with which he served until captured at Sailor's Creek (April 6)
3/31/64 Organization of troops in the Dept of Richmond, Gen Elzey
Barton's Bgde
9th Va
14th Va
38th Va
53rd Va
57th Va
5/10/64
Ransom's Div
Barton's Bgde
9
th Va
14
th Va
38
th Va
53
rd Va
57
th Va
5/11/64 Barton relieved of command
May 11, 1864. Camp of Barton's Brigade to General S. Cooper-We, the undersigned officers of this brigade, have the honor to ask that Brigadier General S. M. Barton be restored to the command of which he was today relieved. In making this request we are actuated by no feeling of disrespect or opposition to Col Fry, who was assigned to the brigade on General Barton being relieved. On the contrary, we highly respect and esteem the former officer for the reputation which accompanies him, though he is a stranger to us; but General Barton has been long and pleasantly associated with us. We have a high regard for him as a man and confidence in him as an officer. We have seen and admired his gallantry in action, and we cannot but believe that his removal from his brigade is the result of a misconception of facts, a correct knowledge of which would relieve him of any censure. Moreover, general, his removal from this brigade immediately after its participation in an action where it sustained itself with credit against heavy odds, casts an aspersion upon either the general or the troops, which we believe no facts in the case will justify. Our officers and men deeply fell the mortification of such action at such a time, and are sure that no action of theirs or their commanding general called for his removal. Second to our country our military credit is dearest to us, and as the removal of General Barton affects it, we respectfully ask that he be restored to his brigade.
We, the undersigned staff officers of the brigade, fully indorse the above communication and unite in the petition for the restoration of General Barton to the command of the brigade.
Wm Aylett, Col 53rd Va Regt.
Jas. J. Phillips, Col 9th Va.
C. R. Fontaine, Col 57th Va Regt.
Geo. K. Griggs, Capt Cdg 38th Va Regt
Wm. White, Col, Cdg 14th Regt.
5/16/64 Richmond, Barton To Gen S. Cooper-I have the honor to enclose a report of the operations of my brigade on the 10th near Drewry's Bluff, and to inform the Department that I have been relieved from command of my brigade by order of Maj-Gen Ransom.
8/4/64 Ref to Barton's Bgde of Pickett's div by Union Army
8/10/64 Inspection Reports, Pickett's division, August 9-29.
(August 10, 1864.)
Barton's Brigade. Col. William R. Aylett.
9th Virginia, Col. James J. Phillips.
14th Virginia, Col. William White.
38th Virginia, Lieut. Col. George K. Griggs.
53d Virginia, Maj. John C. Timberlake.
57th Virginia, Col Clement R. Fontaine
8/27/64 Lee to Sec of War- I know of no obloquy or censure cast upon the men or officers of Barton's brigade. General George H. Steuart has been assigned to its command.
8/29/64 Ref that Barton's Bgde is under command of
Col. William R. Aylett.
10/27/64 Richmond Forces-MG Kemper
Barton's Command
18th Ga Bn
25th Va Bn [city Bn]
1st Va Bn Reserves
3rd Va Bn Reserves
4th Va Bn Reserves
10/31/64 Organization of troops in the Dept of Richmond, Gen Ewell
Not Brigaded
25th Va Bn, Lt Col Wyatt M. Elliott.
LDT, BG George W. C. Lee
Va Reserves, BG Seth M. Barton.
Irregular troops & 18th Ga Bn
11/5/64 Hqs Dept of Richmond, Campbell Brown
, Maj/AIG to Gen Chilton, IG
:
Barton's Bgde is composed at present of the:
18th Va Bn Hvy Arty (properly of Col Pemberton's command),
25th Va Bn Infy (City Bn),
1st Bn Va Reserves,
3rd Bn Va Reserves,
4th Bn Va Reserves,
18th Ga Bn Hvy Arty (temporarily in this Dept by order from Dept of Northern Va).
These troops have an agg present of 1,509.
The Bgdes of Gen'ls Barton & Lee & Col Hughs have been so constantly occupied with work & picket duty as to be unable to pay much attention to police of camp or daily drills. The few troops who compose Hughs' Bgde are pretty well drilled, as are the Hvy Arty Bns, but the reserves in particular need instructions, not being acquainted with even the school of the Co, so far as I have seen. They are now drilled daily as much as practicable. Sinks have been dug & the inert required to use them. The sinks of Gen Lee's command being placed in front his works, the ground in the neighborhood of his camps is quite clean. Along Gen Barton's line the men are now thinly scattered in works, which were at one time occupied by a considerably larger force. They were unable until very lately to complete the works & to clean up the whole extent of ground left dirty by the troops before them. Hence the police of this part of the line is not good, though it soon will be. Very few depredations have been complained of, the chief reason of which is that the ground was pretty well stripped before these troops occupied it. The health of the command is good, except that of the reserves, many of whom are poorly clad.
Several desertions took place from the mechanics among the LDT during the first half of the month, the men being frightened by the orders revoking details & fearing that they would be put permanently in the field. These have now ceased. Six or seven of the Castle Thunder Bn have deserted to the enemy. With these exceptions the morale of the troops has been fine, so far,
as I could ascertain. Their arms are well kept & due precaution taken to prevent the waste of ammunition. The Hvy Arty along the intermediate line proper keep their camps & arms in very good order, being enabled to do so easily by the stationary nature of their duty. Gen Gary's Cav Bgde is temporarily under Longstreet's command. I hope by the 15th of this month to make a complete & comparatively satisfactory report.
Campbell Brown, Major & AIG.
11/30/64 The brigade known as H. H. Walker's Virginia brigade, Army of Northern Virginia, is hereby disbanded, and the regiments which compose it will be assigned to other Virginia brigades in that army under the direction of the general commanding.
12/21/64 Maj Basinger offering his Bn [18th Ga Bn] for consolidation into Regt if bill for consolidation of small units goes through congress-Says it would be best for the service. Says the Bn was mustered into service as Infy on 3/1/62 for the war-it consists of 3 Co's
Forwarded from Hqs Barton's Bgde by M Lewis Clark-cdg Bgde
12/31/64 Organization of troops in the Dept of Richmond, Gen Ewell, cdg---This organization is that of 11/30. As shown by inspection reports of Dec 23-26
Barton's Bgde Col M. Lewis
Clark
18th Ga Bn, Maj Wm S. Basinger.
18th Va Bn (Hvy Arty), Maj Mark B. Hardin.
25th Va Bn, Lt Col Wyatt M. Elliott.
1
st Va Reserves Bn, Lt Col Richard T. W. Duke.
3d Va Reserves Bn, Maj George Chrisman.
4th Va Reserves Bn, Lt Col Samuel M. Wallace.
1/9/65 Special Orders from Gen Lee organizing the 40th, 47th & 55th Regts & the 22nd & 25th Bns Va Inf, into a Bgde under BG Seth M. Barton;
& the 1st, 2d, 3d & 4th Bns of Va Reserves, & the 10th, 19th, 18th & 20th Va Bns of Hvy Arty, & the Bn of five Co's serving at Chaffin's Bluff, into another Bgde, to which also was temporarily attached the 18th Bn of Ga Hvy Arty & these two Bgdes &
the Bgde of Local Defense Troops, consisting of the 2d & 3d Regts & the 1st, 4th & 5th Bns Local Defense Troops, were constituted a Div, to the command of which MG G. W. Custis Lee was assigned
1/20/65 Organization of Troops in the Dept of Richmond, Lt Gen Ewell
Va Bgde Col Mayo
40th Va
47th Va
55th Va
22nd Va Bn
Barton's Command
25th Va & 18th Ga Bns.
1st Bn Va Reserves
3rd & 4th Bns Va Reserves.
2/28/65 Organization of troops in the Dept of Richmond, Ewell cdg
Barton's Bgde
2nd Va Bn
[probably 22nd Va Bn]
25th Va, Bn
[LTD-Richmond city Bn]
40th Va
47th & 55th Va
Feb, 1865- the 47th & 55th Va Regts were consolidated
Appomattox Campaign CS order of battle
Dept of Richmond
G. W. C. Lee's Div
Barton's Bgde
40th Va Infy
47th & 50th
[55th] Va Infy
22nd Va Infy Bn
25th Va Infy Bn
from
Lee's Last Retreat
Barton's Bgde
40th Va
47th Va
55th Va
22nd Va Bn
25th Va Bn LDT
1st Va Bn reserves
2nd Bn Va reserves
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