I've recently bought the book "Joe Brown's Pets: The Georgia Militia 1861-1865" by William R. Scaife & William Harris Bragg, covering the troops that served in G. W. Smith's 1st Division, Georgia State Militia in 1864. Wanted to make noted of the reported strengths of the militia over the...
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10/26/63 A&IG's Office, Milledgeville, To His Excellency Joseph E. Brown, Governor of Ga Your Excellency: — I have the honor to report upon the duties of this office during the past year as follows:
1.
STATE LINE. Under the resolution of the Gen Assembly, approved Dec 13th, 1862, two Regts of Infy were raised for service within the State during the war, & were organized — the 1st Regt at Camp McDonald, Big Shanty, & the 2nd Regt at Camp Wayne, Griswold, on the 20th of Feb, 1863.
No sooner had these Regts been organized, than, under your orders, on calls for aid from Gen'ls Beauregard & Mercer, they were placed in the field at Savannah, to meet a threatened attack of the enemy. Reporting promptly as ordered, the 2nd Regt was attached to the Bgde of CS troops under the command of Gen W. H. T. Walker, & the 1st Regt to the Bgde of CS troops under command of Gen Taliaferro.
The movements of the enemy indicating Charleston as the probable point of attack. Gen Beauregard desired the presence of the two Regts at that city, & your permission for them to go having been given, & communicated to the Regts through Gen Mercer, both of them, though held to service by agreement only within the territorial limits of Ga, responded with cheers to the appeal of Gen Beauregard, & repaired to Charleston under the command of the gallant Gen, W. H. T. Walker, whose Bgde had been also called to the defense of Carolina.
The reception of our two Regts by the authorities of Charleston, was in cordial & fitting response to their patriotism, & during their service in Carolina, they were treated by the State & national authorities more as individual guests than as enrolled soldiers. Returning to Ga, the Regts continued on duty at Savannah, until the movements of the enemy on our Northwestern borders, threatening the State & the State Road, they were, on 5/20, ordered to Cartersville & Kingston, for the protection of the frontier & the bridges on the Road, bearing with them from Savannah high testimonials of their good conduct & efficiency, from their immediate cdrs, Gen'ls Mercer, Taliaferro & Walker. '*
The difficulties on our Northwestern borders increasing, Your Excellency called me to that portion of the State early in July, & on the 2Sth of July, under your instructions, I assumed the command, in person, of the State Line, establishing my Hqs at Cartersville.
Inspecting the State Road & its bridges from Atlanta to Chattanooga, with a view to their farther protection by field works at important points, I reported at Chattanooga to Gen Bragg the duty I was discharging under your Excellency's orders, & communicated to him the strength of my command & my contemplated assignment of it along the line of the Road.
The Gen was pleased to hear that he had 1800 more men to support him, & cover his line of communication with his base, Atlanta, than he had counted upon, & said it was a great relief to him as he was about to detach 2500 men from his army, already greatly reduced, for this duty; &, learning that I was deficient in Arty, he proffered me 15 or 20 field pieces for the armament of such works as might be thrown up for the security of the bridges.
Arranging with him a full understanding for concert of action, & the execution of his wishes, the troops were placed in position along the line of the Road from Atlanta to the Tenn line, the portion of the Road from the Ga line to Chattanooga being in charge of Gen Bragg's own troops, it lying within the limits of his camp.
Field works were thrown up at the Etowah & Resaca bridges. Those at Etowah upon plans suggested by that distinguished officer & engineer, Gen G W Smith, late of the CS army, & those at Resaca upon plans suggested by Gen F. W. Capers, the able & accomplished Superintendent of the GMI, who also directed their erection. To these two gentlemen, [Gen'ls Smith & Capers], who kindly volunteered to me their services, I am indebted for much valuable assistance.
The works at both places were thrown up entirely by the soldiers of the State Line, who exhibited throughout their labors, as they have done in all their duties, a ready willingness to discharge their obligations to the State & the difficulties oppressing our country, have been supplied by the QM Gen'ls & Commissary Gen'ls Depts.
The Heads of these Depts & their subordinates deserve commendation for the energy & attention with which they have promptly met requisitions upon them, & in the best manner the circumstances would permit.
I must also bring to your Excellency's notice my volunteer staff, to whom I am under many obligations for active, constant & faithful service. Col Joseph S. Claghorn, of Chatham, Capt T. G. Raven, of England, Lt E. P. Scott, of Bibb, Lt G. A. Gordon, of Lumpkin, & Mr. Thomas Miller, of Chatham. Col Claghorn, as chief of Arty & ordnance, verified my opinion of him, previously formed, as the most competent & thorough artillerist I have seen from the ranks of civil life, whether in the Btry or laboratory & Capt Raven exhibited great skill & patient industry in superintending the construction of the works at Etowah bridge.
To these gentlemen, voluntarily serving the State, a grateful recognition is due. Accompanying this Report is a table, (marked 2,) showing the organization, actual strength & pay of the State Line.
2.
HOME GUARDS. On the 22d of June last, your Proclamation & orders were issued, under & requisition of the President, for a contingent force of 8000 men, to serve for six months as emergences might require, & in the meantime to pursue their usual avocations at home.
Under this call, modified & enforced by your proclamation of 7/17, & GO's issued in pursuance thereof, 265 muster rolls, in duplicate, have been received, reporting an enrollment of 15,983 officers, NCO's & men; & commissions in addition have been issued on rolls representing 2028 officers, NCOs & men, but whose muster rolls, in form, have not been received at this office, making an aggregate of 18,211 reporting to the President's call, being 10,211* in excess of the President's requisition upon the State. In tabular form, for more convenient apprehension, the return may be stated thus: Requisition on the State 8,000 men. Muster rolls received showing 1-5,983 Commissioned but muster rolls not received. — 2,228 Total 18,211 Excess 10,211
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