DO YOU HAVE A 4TH GEORGIA CAVALRY HERO?  

We want to build a roster of 4th Georgia Calvary Veterans, and want your hero included. Send their names and a biographical military resume for inclusion. If you have a full blown family sketch, we want that too. Send to Thomas "Earl" Cleland,   

MANY NAMES AND BURIAL LOCATIONS ARE BEING PROVIDED BY MR. J. R. MOORE, COMMANDER SCV, CAMP 747

BIOGRAPHICAL MILITARY SKETCH - 4TH GA. CAVALRY VETERANS 

CRUMMEY, Elias, a private in Company K, Unit 4 ( Clinch's ) Georgia Cavalry. Muster Call  Box #928 Extraction #928 Record#928.  He was born in 1845 the son of Jesse Hiram and Rachel (Branch) Crummey in Appling County. Enlisted as a private in Company K, 2nd Regt.,1st Brigade, Ga. State Troops Oct 10, 1861. Mustered out April 1862. Re-enlisted as a private Co. B, 54th Regt. Ga. Inf. April 28, 1862. Private Co. K 54th Ga. Cavalry,  Camp Harrison. Pension records show he surrendered at Columbus, Ga. April 1865. Bestowed 1903, Jesup Chapter. Endorsers: G.W. O'Quin, W. H. Robertson. He died in 1917 in Wayne Co. (part of old Appling) and is buried in the Crummey Family Cemetery. Contributed by Eric Crummey 

DIXON, Benjamin, 4th Ga. Cavalry. Buried at Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church, Blackshear, Ga. Contributed by Mary Lott Walker

DIXON, Nathan, Company G., 4th Ga. Cavalry. Buried at Enon Primitive Baptist Church, Blackshear, Ga. Contributed by Mary Lott Walker

HARPER, Daniel, Private Company A, 4th Regiment (Clinch's), Georgia Volunteer Cavalry, buried in North Camden Oak Grove Cemetery. (Substitute for P.C. Robuck.)  Records for Robuck, Private, Company A, K, 4th Regiment (Clinch's) Georgia Volunteer Cavalry, show Daniel Harper serving as substitute for P.C. Robuck.  See Robuck, P. C.  Contributed by Gaynell Sasser 

HARPER, William J., served in Company G., 4th Cav. Was mustered into C.S.A. in Wayne County, Ga., in 1861 and was discharged in 1865 at Savannah. He married Harriet Kelly, Dec. 10th, 1859. After the war they moved to Orange Springs, Fl, just outside of Ocala in 1867. Source of Info: Widow's pension records from Florida.

HARRIS, James, served as a Private in Company I, 4th Georgia Cavalry. James Harris was born on Feb 16, 1844 in Ware Co.. GA. He was the son of George Harris and Julia Ann (Westberry). Just prior to the War Between the States he and his family lived near Argyle in Clinch County. He enlisted on Jan 1, 1863 in Homerville, GA and served through the end of the war. He participated in the Battle of Olustee, and in the battles around Atlanta. Family history relates he had measles in Atlanta when the city fell to Sherman. He left the city and was later convalescing on a farm (place unknown) when "Yankees" were seen approaching. He was hidden in the stump of a huge oak tree that had "bushed" up. James remained in the oak bush throughout the hot summer day until the Yankees left. Though suffering from sickness, and within a stones throw, he remained quite and motionless evading capture! Records also indicate he participated in battle at John's Island, SC. He surrendered at Thomasville, Georgia and was paroled at Tallahassee on May 15, 1865. After the war he married Alice Stone raised a family and engaged in farming near Adel, GA in present Cook County. He died on December 12, 1928, and is buried at Fellowship Baptist Church near Adel. Submitted by Wm Lloyd Harris, 565 W. Pearl Street, Bartow, Fl. 33830

HICKOX, Isaac, PVT. See family sketch, he died at Waynesville May 20, 1863

HICKOX, Jonthan David, PVT . See Family Sketch

MEEKS, Hymrick (Feb. 8, 1822/Feb. 6, 1894) was born in Emmanuel County, Ga. on Feb. 8 , 1822. He was a son of Charles C. Meeks (Pitt Co. N.C., April 30, 1797) and Lydia Ryner Meeks, a grandson of Frances Meeks, and a ggrandson of William Meeks RS. He was married on Nov. 9, 1844 to Martha Davis (July 8, 1825/July 20,1884), daughter of Stafford Davis. Hymrick served in Co. "I", 4th Georgia Cavalry Regiment, enlisting at its organization in 1863, and serving until the end of the war. He died at his home near Nichols Ga., in Coffee County, and was buried in the Meeks cemetery. His will was probated Nov. 5th,1894. Source: "Pioneers of Wiregrass Georgia", Volume 2, page 199. Two of Hymrick's brothers enlisted and served with him, William Francis (4-29-1829/5-22-1891), and Merritt (4-29-1826/1884). All three survived the War of Southern Independence. L. C. Ellis

MEEKS, Merritt, was born in Emanuel County, Ga., on April 29, 1826 and died in 1884. As a child, his family moved to Appling Co. He was married to Mary Ann Morrison (b. 4-10-1827), daughter of Hugh Morrison of Montgomery Co., and a sister of Rev. Daniel Morrison. They had eight children. Merritt was a resident of Appling Co. until the creation of Coffee Co. in 1854, when he was cut into the new county. He served as Justice of Peace in the 1170th district, Coffee Co., 1858-1861. After the death of his first wife, Mary Ann, Merritt married Mrs. Frances Douglas Meeks (2-18-1832 / 2-4-1913) the widow of his cousin, John Meeks, and daughter of Alexander and Dicy Douglas. Mr. and Mrs Meeks are buried in the Meeks cemetery near Nicholls, GA. They were charter members of Union Baptist Church in Coffee Co. Merritt was a member of Satilla Lodge No. 163, F. &A. M., receiving his degrees in1873. He died a member.( He was a Pvt. in Co. "I," 4th Georgia Calvary). L. C. Ellis

MEEKS, William Francis (4-29-1829 / 5-22-1891 ) was born in Emmanuel Co., Ga., and as a small child, moved with his family to Appling Co., where he grew up. On march 20, 1851, he was married to Narcissus Lott (4-1-1833 / 4-29-1897 ) daughter of Daniel and Lucinda Lott. She was born in Telfair (now Coffee) County. They had nine children. Mr. Meeks lived in Appling Co., later (1854) cut off into Coffee County. In 1854, he acquired lot 202, 7th district of Clinch County from Elias Moore, and moved there, and lived there for about fifteen years, after which he moved to a farm in the Southern part of Coffee ( now Atkinson ) County, where he lived until his death. Mr. and Mrs. Meeks are buried at Antioch Church in present day Atkinson County. He was a private in Co. "I", 4th Georgia Cavalry, CSA, enlisting an 1863 and serving until the close of the war. Source: " Pioneers of Wiregrass Georgia" L. C. Ellis

MORRISON, Edwin Travis Morrison: Co G, 4th GA Cav. He enlisted in 1863 and was discharged at Raleigh, NC in 1865. He was born on 6 Dec 1845 in Floyd Co, GA and died there on 26 Apr 1898. He married a first cousin, Mary Jane Morrison. His family donated some of their land several miles East of Rome, GA to be used as a Campground by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1870. The Campground is still in use today.

NEWBERN, George W. , 2nd Lt., 4th Georgia Cav, Company I, (Clinches). My GGF was Rev. George W. Newbern 2nd Lt 4th Cav Co. I Clinch. His grave is at Dupont 10 miles from Homerville. He was also Senator for Coffee county in 1877 & the first pastor of the First Baptist church in Homerville. Joel E. (Newbern) Hewitt

O'NEAL, Thomas P., 26TH Division Co. E 2nd lieutenant April 18 1861 promoted to 1st lieutenant on Sept 4th 1861 retired on May 10 1862. Enlisted as a private in the 4th Georgia Calvary (Clinch), Dec 10 1862, appointed sergeant. Thomas was then elected Jr. 2nd lieutenant in (?) of the (Clinch) battery light artillery unit and was at Fort McAllister in Savannah where he was captured Dec 13 1864. He was released at Fort Delaware on June 12 1865. After the war Thomas also started Sand Hill Baptist Church near Columbus Ga. It is also believed that he was the first Minister of the First Baptist Church of Columbus Ga. He was my GG Grandfather and my hero. 

PHILLIPS, David, a Private in Company A 4 (Clinch's) Georgia Cavalry served from Sept. 1862 - March 25, 1864. David died of pneumonia on March 25,1864. While serving in Clinch's Georgia Calvary. Camp Mercer near Waynesville was the Headquarters of the 4th Georgia Cavalry up to June 1864. This was possibly where David died. David 's name appears on a Register of Officers and Soldiers of the Army of the Confederate States who were killed in battle, or who died of wounds or disease. Recorded in Confederate Archives Chapter 10 File No. 4 page 203 --Certificate 483. On Oct.23,1863 David Phillips substituted for T.M. Godley. Juanita Brooks

PHILLIPS, George Washington, Company H., 4th Ga. Cavalry. Buried at Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church, Blackshear, Ga. Contributed by Mary Lott Walker

PONSELL, Michael Robert, joined the Glynn Guardes as a private under Capt. George C. Dent on the day it was organized (August 14, 1861).He Re-enlisted on May 12 th 1862 in Capt. Hazzard's Company B Georgia 4th (Clinch's) Cavalry Regiment. All muster rolls show him as" present" untill his capture on December 4th, 1864 at the Hopeton plantation on the Altamaha river by union troops. He was imprisoned and transported to Fort Delaware.He was released from union captivity on June 7 th, 1865 two months after General Lee's surrender at Appomattox,Virginia. After his release he returned to Georgia and married Sarah Jane Manning of Savannah (08-25-1852).They had five children,Francis Sylvester Ponsell,William T. Ponsell,John Ponsell,James Preston Ponsell and Elizabeth W. Ponsell. Michael Robert Ponsell died on January 15 th, 1877 at the age of 32. Information contributed by Jody Ponsell of Waycross.

PONSELL,Samuel Henry enlisted as a private on February 5,th 1864 at Camp Walker, Georgia at the age of 17. The brother of Michael Robert, Samuel was also assigned to Company "B". His name first appears on the muster roll for December 31st,1863 through April 30th,1864 as a private in Company "B" 4th Regiment Georgia Cavalry (Clinch's) under the spelling Poncill. Later he appears, with his name spelled correctly," Ponsell", on the May and June 1864 muster roll with the notation"pay due from enlistment". On May 24th, 1865 he is listed on a roll of "prisoners of war" that were surrendered by Maj. General Sam Jones C.S.A. to Brig. General E.M. McCook U.S.A. at Tallahassee, Florida on May 10th, 1865. Samuel Henry Ponsell was paroled on May 24th, 1865 in Thomasville, Georgia. Samuel married Elvina Elizabeth Dennison (1849-1914) of Liberty County on March 14th, 1871 in Wayne County, Georgia. Samuel and Elvina had three children: Annie Elizabeth (1872-1957) Thomas Moses (1874-1939) and Rachel Lutisha (1877-1969) Samuel Henry died from pneumonia at the age of 31 and is buried in an unmarked grave at Mt. Pleasant cemetery. The third brother of Michael Robert and Samuel Henry was Thomas Moses Ponsell (1847-1914) who attempted to join the 4th Georgia Cavalry in 1862 but was turned away as being under age. Thomas Moses lived to be 67 years old far longer than his two older brothers who died at 31 and 32 years of age. Contributed by Jody and Laurie

SMITH,  John J., Corporal, Company "I", 4th Ga. Cavalry. Buried at Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church, Blackshear, Ga. Contributed by Mary Lott Walker

STRICKLAND, Alfred Cutherbert, born January 15, 1831, in Old Fort James, Wayne County, GA. and died June 27, 1910, in Jesup, GA. Alfred married, (1.) Nancy F. Westberry and , (2.) Mary Etta Dryden. Alfred was paroled at Thomasville, GA May 19, 1865.

One of the family stories is that Alfred was severely injured during a skirmish between Yankee gunboats and the 4th GA Cavalry. Upon researching the 4th GA. I found in the Order Of The Rebellion, Series 1 - Volume XIV (S#20), correspondence, Orders, and Returns Relating To The Operations On The Coasts Of South Carolina, Georgia, and Middle and East Florida from April 12, 1862 to June 11, 1863, Confederate correspondence, etc., #12 dated February 11, 1853, a memo from Thomas Jordan, Chief of Staff to Brig. General Joseph Finegan, Commanding District of East Florida in Lake City, FL. This memo discusses the successful capture of the Union steamer Issac Smith in the Stono River by Colonel Yates.. The tactic was to allow the Union boats to proceed up river passing all the batteries of field guns and sharpshooters and when reaching the battery farthest up river it began to fire on the gunboat requiring the boat to run a gauntlet to escape down river. General Finegan was instructed to place himself in communication with Colonel Clinch, 4th Georgia Cavalry, to do something of a similar nature on the St. Mary's River. The compiled record for A. C. Strickland shows he was absent from the muster roll beginning March 1863 to November 1863 appears to confirm the story of his injury. Submitted by James R. Strickland great grand-son of Alfred Cuthert Strickland

The children of Sergeant Sweat's parents were: (1)  William F., (2) James, (3) Eady, (4) Thomas, (5) Nathan, (6) Randall, (7) Alfred, (8) Lucretia
Submitted> Jeremiah Rowell,  jrowell@bop.gov 

TAIT, Brantley M., born 1837 Elbert Co, GA. Enlisted in Confedrate Army on July 1862 at Camp Williams., by Capt.Brailsford, Lamar Rangers, 1st Batt'n Cavaly. He was with this company until around Jan or Feb when he was listed with the 5th Cavaly Unit. He was with this unit until July or August of 1863, when they have him listed as a deserted on the 23rd of June 1863. What makes this funny is the fact that he married on Jan 6th of 1859 to Martha Ann Browing. They never has any children, and she remarried in 1873.There were no Divorce papers file from either one of them, and he isnt listed on any Census records or any other types of records. IT's like he disappeared into thin air. Studing the war as little as I do, I know that towards the middle of the war there were so many deaths that after a while they started to have mass graves of men. This is what I think happened to him and to his brother Joseph L. Tate. There is no grave site for either one of them. Contributed by Dixie Tait Kirton

TATE, James Henry, Born 1824 in Elbert Co, Georgia, enlisted in the 4th Georgia Cavalry on December 10, 1863. He recieved $24.40 every three monthsfor the use of his horse. Between November and December of 1863, he too wasdetached to hunt deserters. He stayed in the war and was paroled on May25, 1865 in Thomasville, Georgia. He died in 1907 in Madison Co, Fl. He and his son John Thomas Tait, were lucky, James lost two brothers, Joseph L.Tate and Brantly M. Tait to the war in 1863. Contributed by Dixie Tait Kirton

TATE, Joseph L. was listed with Ga 57th Inf. Co A. SGT. He was married to Catherine Franklin in Brooks Co, and they had their first son Lawarence in 1857, Robert was born in 1860. He joined the Army and was never heard again, (like I stated above I havent gotten in his papers yet). He never came home after the war, Catherine was put into an asylum in 1873 by her parents, and the children grew up on their own. Lawerance married and had two children, Robert never married and died in Madison Co, Florida. If you have any information on them, I would like to hear from you or how I can find out about them. Contributed by Dixie Tait Kirton

THOMAS, Lewis "CSA" Private, Capt. Clinch's Battery, Georgia Light Artillery.  Enlisted February 6, 1864 at Camp Mercer by Capt Clinch for the duration of the War. During the battle at Fort McAllister, Ga., as the fort was being over run by Yankee troops, Lewis Thomas was shot through the shoulder.  This occurred while he was running from the invading force.  One could say he was falling back to take up a more advantageous position, or maybe he was prudently getting out of harm's way.  Either way, as he related it, while Lewis was running, he looked over his shoulder to see where the enemy was. At that moment he took a bullet through the opposite shoulder he maintained that it was a good thing he was looking behind as otherwise he would have caught the bullet in the middle of his neck.  The impact of the shot knocked Lewis to the ground.  As he tried to rise, a Yankee came up behind him shouting "You keep down there you damm ......", and thrust his bayonet into the back of Lewis' head.  This bayonet wound was severe and disloged a large piece of his skull.  My grandfather indicated that he recalled the divot on the back of Lewis' skull, long since healed over with skin, was a few inches across.  Afterwards he was captured at Fort McAllister, Ga., and was a P.O.W.    Lewis Thomas appears on a Roll of Prisoners of War at U.S.A. General Hospital, Hilton head, and also at Point Lookout, Md. February 1, 1865.  His name also appears as a signature to an Oath of Allegiance to the United States, subscribed and sworn to at Point Lookout, Md. June 20, 1865. The war ended April 9, 1865.  After he was paroled from the infamous prison at Point Lookout, Maryland in 1865, Lewis and a friend decided they would have better luck walking back to Southern Georgia than traveling the more established routes back home.  Food was scarce, but by keeping off the major roads the two comrades were able to get by, finally reaching home some weeks later.  Lewis Thomas was the son of Banner Thomas, Jr. and Lovey Denmark.  Lewis' wife was Mary Stokes.  They are buried at New Hope Cemetery.  They have a host of relatives in the Brantley County area. Contributed by Gaynell H. Sasser; supplemented by Richard Thomas,, Davis, California, singusa@earthlink.net

THOMPSON, John,  was 39 years old when he enlisted as a Pvt. in Co. E. 4th Regiment Georgia Calvary in November 1862 in Waynesville, Ga. See Continued Story Page: E-Mail: Jenny Londrico

THORNTON, Isaac L., enlisted in August, 1863, and served in Clinches Company K, 4th Georgia Cavalry . He was discharged at Screven in April, 1865, applied for a pension on September 18, 1906, and is believed to have died circa 1910. Before his death, he resided in the community of K-ville, Wayne County, Georgia, near Screven. (older brother Sgt. Davis Thornton). Submitted by, B. Isaac Thornton, great-great-grandson

TILMAN, John Sr., was born in 1812 in Tattnall County. He lived later near the Altamaha River in Appling County. Although identified as an "overage" to the unit, he volunteered and served two years as a private in Company K, 4th Georgia Calvary. He died in 1897 and is buried in the Tillman Cemetery near his home. He served as Justice of the Appling Inferior Court from 1846-1862, and was the first ordinary of Appling County, 1862-1856.

WIGGINS, J. S., Capt., enlisted for 12 months as a 1st Sergeant on 7 or 9 August 1861 in the "Wayne Rangers," an independent cavalry company formed at Waynesville, Georgia under Captain T. S. Hopkins. This company later became Company "C", 3rd Battalion, Georgia Volunteer Calvary. When the 4th GA Volunteer Calvary was formed in January, 1863, he was assigned to Company "A," 4th GA Volunteer Cavalry. Duncan L. Clinch, Jr., of Camden County commanded both of these units, rising in rank from Major to full Colonel.

Wiggins was elected 2nd LT on 8 Oct 1861 to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of 2nd LT W. F. J. Bryan. He was present for duty from that date to December 1863, except when on detached duty. While there is some confusion in the records about the tenure of J. S. Wiggins and Capt Hopkins. It appears that he was elected CAPT and commander of the company when it reorganized for the war on 12 May 1862. It also appears that he was elected the Wayne County Representative to the GA Legislature in Nov 1863, and resigned his commission in Dec 1863 in order to serve in that capacity. And that appears to have concluded his service in the Confederate Army.

Based on what has been determined about the operations of the 3rd Battalion/4th GA Cavalry, it would appear that CAPT Wiggins' service involved mostly picket and courier service in Glynn and Wayne Counties, except for a short campaign around Jacksonville, Florida in late March 1863, and a sweep through several South GA counties in May and June 1863 for conscripts and deserters, in both of which it appears the "Wayne Rangers" participated.

The regiment's participation in the Battle of Olustee, Florida, came in Feb 1864, and its deployment to the campaigns around Charleston and Atlanta, as well as Sherman's March to the Sea happened in Mid-to-late 1864, after Capt Wiggins had departed the regiment. Contributed by O.J. Hickox

WOODARD, William, enlisted in the CSA in 1862 and served as a Private in Company H of the 4th Georgia Calvary for the duration of the War. He was born in 1805 in Emanuel Co. Georgia and died June 9, 1905 near Schlatterville. He was the son of Mills and Mary Cannady Woodard, moving to Pierce County after 1860. His wife was Nancy Martin (Woodard), marrying in the fall of 1846 (Emanuel Co.), He and his wife are buried in the Thomas Cemetery, in Brantley County Georgia, which was part of Pierce Co. at the time. The following obituary appeared in the Blackshear Times, June 22, 1905:

"Mr. William Woodard, an old "land mark" of Pierce County, died at his home near Schlatterville on June 9th, 1905, and was buried on the day following at the Thomas Graveyard. Mr. Woodard was born and reared in Emanual Co., Ga. and moved to Pierce Co. in 1864, where he lived till 1877, then he moved to Hamilton Co., Fla. After residing there ten years he returned to Pierce Co. in 1887. He was in his 85th year. A widow and eight children, four sons and four daughters, 36 grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren survive him.  His children were all present, except one son who was too ill and with fever to travel, when he, Mr. Woodard passed away. Mr. Woodard was united with the Primitive Baptist Church many years ago and was baptized by Rev. Laborn Thomas." Contributed by Kaye Woodard Carter

WOOTEN, Bryant Lee, served in Company G. 4th Cavalry as a Private. He enlisted in Macon Ga on November 7, 1863 and served for a period of three years, or until the war ended. His last muster roll call showed him absent, as he was detailed to hunt deserters. He was born on 12 November 1835 and died on 19 May 1907. He is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery in the north part of Coffee County, Ga. Contributed by Bobby L. Graham Grambo4121@aol.com

WORTH, William L. Company E/H, 29th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (1861-1862), Company I, 4th Regiment, Georgia Cavalry(1863-1864). See Family Sketch. Contributed by Roy Eugene or Dorothy Worth

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