20th GA Volunteer Regiment

20th Regt., Ga. Volunteer Infantry, Army of Northern Virginia, C.S.A. began mustering in the spring of 1861 and was officially assigned duty as part of the Army of Northern Virginia in August of 1861.
They were attached to Early's Brigade in September of 1861 but were not involved in any major conflict until April of 1862.

First Commander: Col. William D. Smith
Field Officers: Maj. John A. Coffee; Maj. William Craig; Lt. Col. John B. Cumming; Maj. Roger L. Gamble; Maj. John A. Jones; Maj. Eli M. Seago; Maj. Albert B. Ross; Maj. James D. Waddell

When the regt. saw its first major action at the Yorktown Siege, it was commanded by Col. John B. Cumming. The initial muster numbered a strength of 560 men.

Major engagements the 20th saw action in were:

Yorktown Siege
Seven Days Battles
Garnett's and Golding's Farms
Malvern Hill
Thoroughfare Gap
2nd Manassas
Antietam
Fredericksburg
Suffolk Campaign Gettysburg
Chickamauga
Chattanooga Siege
Knoxville Siege
The Wilderness
Spotsylvania Court House
North Anna
Cold Harbor
Petersburg Siege
Chaffin's Farm
Fort Harrison
Fort Gilmer
Williamsburg Road
Petersburg Final Assault
Appomatox Court House.

The 20th Ga. surrendered at Appomatox Court House on April 9th, 1865. The Regimental Commander at the time of surrender was Col. James D. Waddell.

WADDELL, James D.- Captain June 1, 1861. Elected Major June 14, 1862; Lt. Col. May 29,1863; Col. July 2, 1863. Paroled, Augusta,Ga. May 23, 1865.
BLANCE, Sheppard W.-1st Lt. June 1, 1861. Elected Capt. June 14,1862. Resigned April 10, 1864.

PEEK, David L.- 2d Lt. June1, 1861. Died at Gordonsville, Va. Aug. 20, 1861.
THOMPSON, Richard R.- Jr. 2d Lt. June 1, 1861. Elected 2d Lt. Aug. 20,1861. Resigned, disability, Apr. 2, 1862.
SPENCE, William C.- 1st Sgt. June 1, 1861. Elected Jr. 2d Lt. Oct. 24, 1861; 2d Lt. Apr. 2, 1862; 1st Lt. June 14, 1862; Capt. Apr. 10, 1864. Wounded at Darbytown Road, Va. Oct. 7, 1864. Surrendered, Appomattox, Va. Apr. 9, 1865.
CARTER, John L.- 2d Sgt. June 1, 1861. Appointed 1st Sgt. Oct. 24, 1861. Elected 2d Lt. Apr.2, 1862; 1st Lt. Apr. 10, 1864. Surrendered, Appomatox, Va. Apr. 9, 1865.
HUGHS(Hughes), James M.- 3d Sgt. June1, 1861. Appointed 2d Sgt. Oct. 24, 1861. Discharged, furnished sustitute, Feb. 28, 1862. - Reinlisted 1st Sgt. of Co. F, 3d Regt. Ga. Cavalry May 10, 1862.
WHALEY, James L.- 4th Sgt. June 1, 1861. Appointed 3d Sgt. Oct. 24, 1861. Wounded at Chickamauga, Ga. Sept. 20, 1863.
HOPPER, Madison R.(a.k.a. Pony)- 1st Corp. June1, 1861. Appointed 4th Sgt. in 1864. Surrendered, Appomatox, Va. Apr. 9, 1865.
GARRIS, John- 2d Corp. June 1, 1861. Appointed regimental musician.
VERNON, William T.- 3d Corp. June1, 1861. Surrendered as private at Appomatox, Va. Apr. 9, 1865.
BROWN, John L.- 4th Corp. June1, 1861. Discharged, disability, at Fairfax, Va. Oct. 2, 1861.

Infantry:

ADAMS, Alfred - Pvt. Feb. 25, 1862. Died at Richmond, Va. July 25,1862.
AGAN, Peter M. - Pvt. June 14, 1861. Appointed Musician in 1861; Sgt. Pension records show he was detailed to make ammunition in Bartow Co. Surrendered, Kingston, Ga. May 12,1865.
BARRY, N.Stokes - Pvt. June 1, 1861. Appointed 1st Sgt. in 1864. Surrendered , Appomattox, Va. April 9, 1865. (Born in Harris Co., Ga. Sept. 11, 1841.)
BAUGH, Woodson V. - Pvt. June 1, 1861. Appointed 2d Sgt. in 1864. Killed at Fort Harrison, Va. Sept. 29, 1864.
BENSON, William - Pvt. June 1, 1861. Died in camp near Mannassas, Va. Jan. 14,1862.
BLALOCK, John J. - Pvt. June 1, 1861. Captured at Fort Harrison, Va. Sept. 29, 1864. Paroled at Point Lookout, Md. and transfered to Aiken's Landing, Va. for exchange Mar.17, 1865.
BLALOCK, William M. - Pvt. June 1, 1861. Captured at Fort Harrison, Va. Sept. 29, 1864. Released at Point Lookout, Md. June 9, 1865.
BOONE, John T. - Pvt. June 1, 1861. Discharged at Fairfax, Va. Oct. 2, 1861.
BREEDLOVE, Hiram - Pvt. June 1, 1861. Died at Warrenton, Va. Sept. 2, 1861.
BURGESS, Elijah - Pvt. June 1, 1861. Died at Richmond, Va. July 17, 1861.

Sources of information :(1) ROSTER OF CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS OF GEORGIA 1861-1865 compiled for the State of Georgia by Lillian Henderson
(2) THE OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE UNION AND CONFEDERATE ARMIES published by The National Historical Society
(3) National Archives COMPILED SERVICE RECORDS OF CONFEDRATE SOLDIERS WHO SERVED IN ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE STATE OF GEORGIA
(4) CONFEDERATE PENSION APPLICATION FILES - Ga. Dept. of Archives and History , 330 Capitol Ave., Atlanta, Ga.

Contributed by: Willie Garner

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