Looking for photos of three Confederate Officers

Joined
Feb 15, 2013
Location
The Emerald Isle
Ok Guys and Gals, this one is a long shot. I know there are some members on these forums who have an extensive photograph collection and I am hoping at least one of these individuals will show up. I have tried tracking down living descendants but have so far had no success.

I am looking for Photographs of:

Colonel Anthony Frances Rudler - 37th Georgia Infantry
Major/Colonel Theodore Dwight Caswell - 4th Battalion GA Sharpshooters/54th Georgia Consolidated Inf.
Captain Wright Murphy Carter - Company D, 3rd Battalion Ga Infantry and Company B, 4th Battalion Ga SS

The Baker Volunteers was a company raised in Augusta Georgia. They were equipped by a merchant firm called Baker and Caswell, owned by Albert Baker and Theodore Dwight Caswell. They company was named after Albert Baker and Theodore D. Caswell was voted 1st Lieutenant of the Company. Anthony Frances Rudler was elected Captain of the Company due to his extensive military experience. He had served as a Captain in a Louisiana Regiment during the American-Mexican War, and was second in command to William Walker during his filibustering campaign in Central America. The Baker Volunteers became Company G, 3rd Battalion Georgia Infantry. Shortly afterwards, Anthony F. Rudler was appointed (not elected) Major and second in command of the Battalion much to the dissatisfaction of the soldiers. The promotion of Rudler however caused Theodore Caswell to be promoted to Captain of the Baker Volunteers. They remain at these ranks until the Spring of 1863 when the 3rd Battalion Georgia Infantry was consolidated with the 9th Battalion Georgia Infantry. Rudler was promoted to Colonel and placed in command of the newly formed 37th Georgia Infantry. He lead his Regiment at the Battle of Hoover's Gap, Chickamauga, and Missionary Ridge. He was wounded at Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge. The wound at Missionary Ridge being sever and forced him out of field duty. He spent the rest of the war as garrison commander in Georgia and Columbia SC. He never married and had no legitimate children. He is buried in the Frederick Plot in Magnolia Cemetery in downtown Augusta. He is buried in his sisters plot who married a Frederick.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7449207

When the 3rd Georgia Infantry Battalion was consolidated, two Companies were left out of the Consolidation. These two companies were Company D "The Barnesville Blues" and Company G "The Baker Volunteers". They were placed together and formed a small Battalion of Sharpshooters. Theodore Dwight Caswell was at this time promoted to Major and placed in command of the new Sharpshooters Battalion which was originally just called "Caswell's Sharpshooters". Major Caswell lead his Battalion at the Battle of Hoover's Gap and Chickamauga where he was wounded severely. He recovered and continued to lead his Battalion during the Atlanta Campaign, Hood's Nashville Campaign, and the Carolina's Campaign. After the Battle of Bentonville, due to losses, the 4th Battalion Ga Sharpshooters was consolidated back with the 37th Georgia Infantry and the 54th Georgia Infantry and was named the 54th Georgia Consolidated Infantry. Major Caswell was promoted to Colonel and assumed command of the Regiment. He was never lead his Regiment in full scale battle before the army surrendered. Theodore Dwight Caswell married a Walker and had two children, both sons. One remained in Augusta and is buried near his father, the other moved to Oklahoma where he died and is buried. I have tried to make contact with a descendant who lives in California...but have never gotten a response. Theodore Dwight Caswell the first, is also buried in Magnolia Cemetery in downtown Augusta GA.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=95619803


Captain Wright Murphy Carter is a lot longer of a shot being that he was not so high ranking of an officer but his is probably the picture that I would want the most. He was originally voted 1st Lieutenant of "The Barnesville Blues" which became Company D, 3rd Battalion Georgia Infantry but became Captain after the original Captain, George Montgomery McDowell resigned due to illness. He lead his company the war, even after it became Company B, 4th Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters. He was wounded in both legs at the Battle of Hoover's Gap. He was married once before the war, but his wife died. He had two sons by this marriage and together with his two sons, ran a dry goods buisness in Barnesville Georgia. He married a second time and had a daughter...his second wife died in Child birth.

He left Barnesville adn moved to Henry Co. Ga where he married a third time. I am not sure what happened with this marriage but at the end of their lives, they were living apart. Captain Carter moved to Orlando Florida to be near his oldest son and daughter. His middle son appears to have died before 1880 as he drops off the face of the earth. He is buried in the Confederate Section of Greenwood Cemetery in Orlando Florida. He filed for pension in Florida. One of the questions on his pension application asked him if he swore an oath to the United States before the army surrendered and he replied " No Sir, and a long time after!" I contacted one of his descendants and never heard back from them.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11539698


Here is what I have tried.

I have searched the library of congress website...nothing.

For Anthony Francis Rudler and Theodore Dwight Caswell, I first contacted Augusta State University Library and the Richmond Co. Georgia Historical Society which I learned were both linked. I contacted the Richmond County Library in Augusta, and also contacted the Augusta History Museum. For Rudler I also contacted Tulane University as they had a William Walker collection. There were some documents in the collection on Rudler but no picture. I also contacted the Augusta SCV Camp. I did get a response from the Adjutant which was a forwarded message, basically he forwarded my email to other members and asked if any could help but I didn't hear back from any of them

For Wright Murphy Carter, I first contacted the Barnesville Old Jail Museum and Archives where I got my other pictures and information from. They had pics of several members of this company but none of Carter. I next contacted several libraries and history organizations in Orlando...nothing, they just found a little information on his oldest son.


I have run out of ideas. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
I haven't found any pictures, but there is a very good biography of Anthony F. Rudler in the Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA), October 3, 1860:

ScreenHunter_01Dec030646_zpsb4cc6d7a.jpg


Ok Guys and Gals, this one is a long shot. I know there are some members on these forums who have an extensive photograph collection and I am hoping at least one of these individuals will show up. I have tried tracking down living descendants but have so far had no success.

I am looking for Photographs of:

Colonel Anthony Frances Rudler - 37th Georgia Infantry
Major/Colonel Theodore Dwight Caswell - 4th Battalion GA Sharpshooters/54th Georgia Consolidated Inf.
Captain Wright Murphy Carter - Company D, 3rd Battalion Ga Infantry and Company B, 4th Battalion Ga SS

The Baker Volunteers was a company raised in Augusta Georgia. They were equipped by a merchant firm called Baker and Caswell, owned by Albert Baker and Theodore Dwight Caswell. They company was named after Albert Baker and Theodore D. Caswell was voted 1st Lieutenant of the Company. Anthony Frances Rudler was elected Captain of the Company due to his extensive military experience. He had served as a Captain in a Louisiana Regiment during the American-Mexican War, and was second in command to William Walker during his filibustering campaign in Central America. The Baker Volunteers became Company G, 3rd Battalion Georgia Infantry. Shortly afterwards, Anthony F. Rudler was appointed (not elected) Major and second in command of the Battalion much to the dissatisfaction of the soldiers. The promotion of Rudler however caused Theodore Caswell to be promoted to Captain of the Baker Volunteers. They remain at these ranks until the Spring of 1863 when the 3rd Battalion Georgia Infantry was consolidated with the 9th Battalion Georgia Infantry. Rudler was promoted to Colonel and placed in command of the newly formed 37th Georgia Infantry. He lead his Regiment at the Battle of Hoover's Gap, Chickamauga, and Missionary Ridge. He was wounded at Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge. The wound at Missionary Ridge being sever and forced him out of field duty. He spent the rest of the war as garrison commander in Georgia and Columbia SC. He never married and had no legitimate children. He is buried in the Frederick Plot in Magnolia Cemetery in downtown Augusta. He is buried in his sisters plot who married a Frederick.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7449207

When the 3rd Georgia Infantry Battalion was consolidated, two Companies were left out of the Consolidation. These two companies were Company D "The Barnesville Blues" and Company G "The Baker Volunteers". They were placed together and formed a small Battalion of Sharpshooters. Theodore Dwight Caswell was at this time promoted to Major and placed in command of the new Sharpshooters Battalion which was originally just called "Caswell's Sharpshooters". Major Caswell lead his Battalion at the Battle of Hoover's Gap and Chickamauga where he was wounded severely. He recovered and continued to lead his Battalion during the Atlanta Campaign, Hood's Nashville Campaign, and the Carolina's Campaign. After the Battle of Bentonville, due to losses, the 4th Battalion Ga Sharpshooters was consolidated back with the 37th Georgia Infantry and the 54th Georgia Infantry and was named the 54th Georgia Consolidated Infantry. Major Caswell was promoted to Colonel and assumed command of the Regiment. He was never lead his Regiment in full scale battle before the army surrendered. Theodore Dwight Caswell married a Walker and had two children, both sons. One remained in Augusta and is buried near his father, the other moved to Oklahoma where he died and is buried. I have tried to make contact with a descendant who lives in California...but have never gotten a response. Theodore Dwight Caswell the first, is also buried in Magnolia Cemetery in downtown Augusta GA.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=95619803


Captain Wright Murphy Carter is a lot longer of a shot being that he was not so high ranking of an officer but his is probably the picture that I would want the most. He was originally voted 1st Lieutenant of "The Barnesville Blues" which became Company D, 3rd Battalion Georgia Infantry but became Captain after the original Captain, George Montgomery McDowell resigned due to illness. He lead his company the war, even after it became Company B, 4th Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters. He was wounded in both legs at the Battle of Hoover's Gap. He was married once before the war, but his wife died. He had two sons by this marriage and together with his two sons, ran a dry goods buisness in Barnesville Georgia. He married a second time and had a daughter...his second wife died in Child birth.

He left Barnesville adn moved to Henry Co. Ga where he married a third time. I am not sure what happened with this marriage but at the end of their lives, they were living apart. Captain Carter moved to Orlando Florida to be near his oldest son and daughter. His middle son appears to have died before 1880 as he drops off the face of the earth. He is buried in the Confederate Section of Greenwood Cemetery in Orlando Florida. He filed for pension in Florida. One of the questions on his pension application asked him if he swore an oath to the United States before the army surrendered and he replied " No Sir, and a long time after!" I contacted one of his descendants and never heard back from them.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11539698


Here is what I have tried.

I have searched the library of congress website...nothing.

For Anthony Francis Rudler and Theodore Dwight Caswell, I first contacted Augusta State University Library and the Richmond Co. Georgia Historical Society which I learned were both linked. I contacted the Richmond County Library in Augusta, and also contacted the Augusta History Museum. For Rudler I also contacted Tulane University as they had a William Walker collection. There were some documents in the collection on Rudler but no picture. I also contacted the Augusta SCV Camp. I did get a response from the Adjutant which was a forwarded message, basically he forwarded my email to other members and asked if any could help but I didn't hear back from any of them

For Wright Murphy Carter, I first contacted the Barnesville Old Jail Museum and Archives where I got my other pictures and information from. They had pics of several members of this company but none of Carter. I next contacted several libraries and history organizations in Orlando...nothing, they just found a little information on his oldest son.


I have run out of ideas. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Have you searched the Alabama state archives website? They have quite a collection of CS officers in their image database.
 
Thank you Championhilz, I have found several articles about Rudler, mainly in Augusta Papers but I don't think I have that one.

Terry B, I had not searched the Alabama State Archives due to all the officers being from Georgia. However, I just did a search and did not find a match for any of the three men. I did not mention this before but I also searched the Georgia State Archives for photos of these three men with no luck.

I am extremely surprised that some of the Augusta institutions does not have a picture of Theodore D. Caswell at least. He was Treasurer for the city for awhile but as stated above, I have yet to find any place who has one.
 
Good luck with your search, hope you find them all.
Would like to see a photo of Col. Rucker also, had a grandfather in 9th Battalion/37th Ga. Co. D raised in Hartwell.
 
Good luck with your search, hope you find them all.
Would like to see a photo of Col. Rucker also, had a grandfather in 9th Battalion/37th Ga. Co. D raised in Hartwell.
Very late reply to this LOL, I just saw your reply BrassVols, who is your grandfather? My current research project also involves me researching the 9th Battalion Georgia Infantry because they contributed men to Company C, 4th Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters...these men were only members of Company D, 37th Georgia Infantry for a single day before being transferred to the Sharpshooter Battalion. I have finished my roster of the 4th Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters and have also finished the roster for the 3rd Battalion Georgia Infantry, I am slowly starting my roster for the 9th Battalion Georgia Infantry as well.

By the way, I now have photographs of two out of the tree people that I was looking for. :wink: I had to find them the old fashioned way, researching back from them to modern descendants then starting sending emails, letters, and also making a few phone calls. Anthony Rudler has no living descendants as he never married and never had any legitimate children.
 
Good luck.
I don't know why but it seems like everytime I try to research a Gawgia soldier, I get bogged down. I am sure they have great records and resources but they also had a lot of soldiers from that state.
 
Good luck.
I don't know why but it seems like everytime I try to research a Gawgia soldier, I get bogged down. I am sure they have great records and resources but they also had a lot of soldiers from that state.
I said I am currently working on a roster of the 9th Batt'n GA Infantry, I am currently working on Captain McMullin's company A (became Company D, 37th Georgia) right now but it is going very slowly as I have other research I am doing as well. Rudler had lots of siblings but I have been unable to find any living descendants of any of them. One of his sisters married a Frederick who was also from the Alsace region of France and another sister married a Walter prior to the family leaving France. Like I said, Rudler himself didn't have any children which makes finding a photograph of him difficult. The Historical Society of Augusta/Richmond County acted like they had never heard of him when I contacted them.
 
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