Say What Saturday: Georgia Veteran Revisits Gettysburg with West Point Graduates 1911

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During the Battle of Gettysburg, Tomlinson Fort Newell was 1st Lieutenant of Company G, 45th Georgia (Ed Thomas' brigade.) He was badly wounded by shrapnel in the foot, which resulted in amputation. After the Confederates retreated, Lieut. Newell was captured and spent time at Camp Letterman. He was imprisoned at Fort Delaware and paroled on September 28, 1864, three months after his promotion to captain. He matriculated at Oglethorpe University in 1855, but graduated from Franklin College (now the University of Georgia) in 1861 with a law degree. He became mayor of Milledgeville after the war and died on August 7, 1912. [Thanks to @Tom Elmore for this brief biography.]

About a year before his death, T F Newell traveled to Gettysburg with his son, Captain Isaac Newell, who was then a tactical officer at West Point accompanying the graduating class on a trip to the battlefield. It was T F Newell's first return to Gettysburg since he was removed as a wounded prisoner, nearly forty-eight years earlier.

I cannot tell my feelings as I stood once more upon the hills of Gettysburg. I went at once to the high school hospital, where I was a patient after falling into the hands of the Federals. I could not sleep for the memories that came thronging through my mind as I thought of my old comrades and members of my company who had fallen there...​
In the evening, Major Richardson, one of the commissioners, a federal soldier who was also wounded at Gettysburg, called on me, and insisted that I should go with him to the rooms of the commissioners. Here I met General Lomax, who was a federal soldier, and Captain Pope, the engineer in charge of the battlefield. He showed me the topographical maps of the government.​
Monday morning at six o'clock a special train with [his son] Isaac [Newell], Colonel Febegen and eight officers, with the first class from West Point arrived. Eighty six cadets made up the class. After breakfast, we got vehicles and took up the problem of the first day's battle. I was treated with great consideration by both the commissioners and the West Point officers.....On Thursday, we did the second and third day's battles. I found the exact spot where I was wounded. I went to 'Devil's Den' at the foot of 'Little Round Top,' which Benning's brigade and Tige Anderson's brigade captured and held until General Lee withdrew his army from the field. My brother, Joe, was in Benning's brigade and Judge Hillyer, I believe, was in Tige Anderson's brigade.​
As I stood at the foot of 'Little Round Top' and saw how far our forces had driven the federals, how far they had penetrated their lines, over what ground they had to fight, my old heart glowed with secret pride and I felt that we had nothing to be ashamed of, so far as the record of the Battle of Gettysburg is concerned. [Union Recorder. (Milledgeville, Ga.), May 23, 1911, page 4.]
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Thanks for once again providing us with an interesting newspaper article. I suspect that the fellow referenced in the article as "Captain Pope" is actually Emmor Cope. Cope served on Gen. G. K. Warren's staff as an engineer. Indeed, as I understand it, he is largely responsible for what is now known as the "Warren Map". Cope attained the rank of Major of Volunteers, and was breveted to Lt. Colonel of Volunteers before mustering out in 1865. Later, he became the engineer for the Gettysburg Battlefield Commission. Much of the layout and early infrastructure of the park, including the various park avenues, were Cope's work. I believe he also designed the storage building on Pleasanton Ave., the structures at Spangler and Menchey Springs and the Hancock Gate. He is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery. There is an interesting article commemorating his 92d birthday in the Gettysburg Times for July 29, 1926. cope-emmor-bradley-10291-tribute-paid Also, check out 140 Places Every Guide Should Know on YouTube. 140-places-every-guide-should-know-part-6-gettysburg-lbg-fred-hawthorne
 
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During the Battle of Gettysburg, Tomlinson Fort Newell was 1st Lieutenant of Company G, 45th Georgia (Ed Thomas' brigade.) He was badly wounded by shrapnel in the foot, which resulted in amputation. After the Confederates retreated, Lieut. Newell was captured and spent time at Camp Letterman. He was imprisoned at Fort Delaware and paroled on September 28, 1864, three months after his promotion to captain. He matriculated at Oglethorpe University in 1855, but graduated from Franklin College (now the University of Georgia) in 1861 with a law degree. He became mayor of Milledgeville after the war and died on August 7, 1912. [Thanks to @Tom Elmore for this brief biography.]

About a year before his death, T F Newell traveled to Gettysburg with his son, Captain Isaac Newell, who was then a tactical officer at West Point accompanying the graduating class on a trip to the battlefield. It was T F Newell's first return to Gettysburg since he was removed as a wounded prisoner, nearly forty-eight years earlier.

I cannot tell my feelings as I stood once more upon the hills of Gettysburg. I went at once to the high school hospital, where I was a patient after falling into the hands of the Federals. I could not sleep for the memories that came thronging through my mind as I thought of my old comrades and members of my company who had fallen there...​
In the evening, Major Richardson, one of the commissioners, a federal soldier who was also wounded at Gettysburg, called on me, and insisted that I should go with him to the rooms of the commissioners. Here I met General Lomax, who was a federal soldier, and Captain Pope, the engineer in charge of the battlefield. He showed me the topographical maps of the government.​
Monday morning at six o'clock a special train with [his son] Isaac [Newell], Colonel Febegen and eight officers, with the first class from West Point arrived. Eighty six cadets made up the class. After breakfast, we got vehicles and took up the problem of the first day's battle. I was treated with great consideration by both the commissioners and the West Point officers.....On Thursday, we did the second and third day's battles. I found the exact spot where I was wounded. I went to 'Devil's Den' at the foot of 'Little Round Top,' which Benning's brigade and Tige Anderson's brigade captured and held until General Lee withdrew his army from the field. My brother, Joe, was in Benning's brigade and Judge Hillyer, I believe, was in Tige Anderson's brigade.​
As I stood at the foot of 'Little Round Top' and saw how far our forces had driven the federals, how far they had penetrated their lines, over what ground they had to fight, my old heart glowed with secret pride and I felt that we had nothing to be ashamed of, so far as the record of the Battle of Gettysburg is concerned. [Union Recorder. (Milledgeville, Ga.), May 23, 1911, page 4.]
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We can always depend on your work being accurate and entertaining. Great job!
 
He mentions his brother Joseph ("Joe") in Benning's brigade, and seems to imply that Joe was present at Gettysburg. Captain Joseph B. Newell led Company K, 2nd Georgia Infantry from April 28, 1862 on into 1864. Joseph's service records are sparse for most of 1863, but we know he was with the regiment in the latter part of July 1863, because he is mentioned in Henry L. Benning's report. So there's no reason to think he missed Gettysburg.
 
Was he promoted to Captain while a prisoner at Fort Delaware?
[....paroled on Sept. 28, 1864, three months after his promotion to captain.]
He was held a prisoner for at least a year and then paroled, right?
Thanks,
Lubliner.
Yes. He was promoted to Captain during his imprisonment. I've seen a number of Confederate records indicating they were promoted while a prisoner. I'm assuming he was "next in line" to be Captain on June 22, 1864 when he was promoted. Since he wasn't killed and might have returned to the regiment when released, he was duly promoted.

And yes, carded records indicate he spent a year, two months, and twenty some odd days as a POW. He was wounded in the left foot which was evidently amputated by Confederate surgeons. He was captured in the Confederate hospital July 5, 1863 and transferred to Cavalry Corps Hospital, Gettysburg, PA on August 10, 1863.

At some point the wounded prisoners were consolidated at Letterman General Hospital at Gettysburg, PA. From Letterman, he was sent to West's Hospital, Baltimore MD September 10, 1863. On March 2, 1864, he was transferred to Fort McHenry and to Fort Delaware June 15 or 16, 1864.

He was paroled from Fort Delaware Sept 28, 1864; sent to Aiken's landing for exchange September 30, 1864; admitted at General Hospital No. 4 Richmond, VA October 7, 1864. He was furloughed to Georgia October 15, 1864 and treated in Macon and Milledgeville. He applied for retirement in February 1865. On the records from Milledgeville, he is recorded as Captain, Company G, 45th Georgia, so apparently, he had learned of his promotion by then.
He mentions his brother Joseph ("Joe") in Benning's brigade, and seems to imply that Joe was present at Gettysburg. Captain Joseph B. Newell led Company K, 2nd Georgia Infantry from April 28, 1862 on into 1864. Joseph's service records are sparse for most of 1863, but we know he was with the regiment in the latter part of July 1863, because he is mentioned in Henry L. Benning's report. So there's no reason to think he missed Gettysburg.
Yes, I agree. The way he tells it seems to imply that 'Joe' was indeed present with his Company at Gettysburg.

For those interested in Edward L. Thomas' brigade at Gettysburg, I posted an account a while back that seems to shed some light on the brigade's position and involvement. In case you missed it, here is a link.
 
Thanks for once again providing us with an interesting newspaper article. I suspect that the fellow referenced in the article as "Captain Pope" is actually Emmor Cope. Cope served on Gen. G. K. Warren's staff as an engineer. Indeed, as I understand it, he is largely responsible for what is now known as the "Warren Map". Cope attained the rank of Major of Volunteers, and was breveted to Lt. Colonel of Volunteers before mustering out in 1865. Later, he became the engineer for the Gettysburg Battlefield Commission. Much of the layout and early infrastructure of the park, including the various park avenues, were Cope's work. I believe he also designed the storage building on Pleasanton Ave., the structures at Spangler and Menchey Springs and the Hancock Gate. He is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery. There is an interesting article commemorating his 92d birthday in the Gettysburg Times for July 29, 1926. cope-emmor-bradley-10291-tribute-paid Also, check out 140 Places Every Guide Should Know on YouTube. 140-places-every-guide-should-know-part-6-gettysburg-lbg-fred-hawthorne
I thought the same thing! I wonder. 🤔
 
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