Barrycdog
Major
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2013
- Location
- Buford, Georgia
North Georgia Citizen, May 16, 1912 -- page 1
The story of his death as told in Thompson's "History of the Orphan Brigade":
"In February, 1864, Rocky Face Ridge was occupied by Johnston as a signal station. The Fourth Kentucky was so deployed as to form a living telegraph line from the valley next to Dalton to the top and front face of the Ridge at a point where, next to the Federals, the ascent was perpendicular. From the top of this ridge the Federal army was in full view. The next day after the formation of this line, there was a collision of the Federal and Confederate forces on the right of our line, and when the Federals would move, word was passed from man to man of the living telegraph, as, "Two more brigades advancing on such and such a point." The first night after the formation of the telegraph, the men slept at their posts.The next morning George Disney, a private of Company B, arose toa sitting posture, after a night's sleep on the top of this height in theopen air, and was in the act of gaping, as many men are wont to doon first awaking. He was seen suddenly to resume his recumbentposition, as though resolved to take another nap; but after he hadbeen so lying for an hour or two, men who tried to wake him foundthat life had departed. A careful examination at the time disclosedno wound, and it was conjectured that he had died from failure of the heart or other disease. Later, another examination was made, and while washing the face of the corpse, the hair on the back of his head was found stiff from clotted blood; and it was then clear that while gaping a minie ball from a Federal musket in the valley in front had entered the open mouth and crashed through the back of the head of the unfortunate soldier. He was a native of England." Virginius Hutcfien, (Fourth Kentucky).
Bringing the