A Gallant Band of Confederates.
Interesting History of Etowah Infantry Which Went From Bartow and Saw Rugged Service.

The following interesting history of the Etowah Infantry is the collaboration of W. R. Mountcastle and H. J. McCormick:

In summer of 1859 Maj. P. H. Larey, having been out to the territory of Kansas, in the anti and pro slavery troubles, it was thought that he might be arrested by U. S. marshals and carried back to Kansas to answer some alleged violation of the federal laws.  It was determined by a few of the citizens of Cartersville, namely, Sam B. Kramer, George W. Maddox, Dr. William T. Goldsmith, George J. Howard, Capt. William H. Howard, John J. Jones and many others, that the brave Maj. Larey should not be arrested or carried back to Kansas.  Of course this was revolution.  However, in order to act within the pale of the law, it was determined to begin correspondence with Gov. E. Brown on the question of Larey’s probable arrest and trial, and what was best to do to prevent it.  Governor Brown, seeing the gravity of the situation, did not reply by letter, but came immediately to Cartersville to confer with Larey and all the rest of the boys.  There was no public demonstration, but a meeting of the boys with the governor was held in the depot office.  The governor advised that a military company be organized, which was done, saying he would commission the officers and enlist the men into the military service of the state and would, also, furnish the company with arms and equipments.  Right then, immediately, the governor accepted for service those then present as a part of the military forces of the state of Georgia.  The governor said Larey and the boys being in the military service of the state, he would refuse to recognize any requisition by the U. S. authorities, and that he would do, to the utmost, anything to uphold the sovereignty of the state (En passant, the governor told the boys to come into the railroad office, saying, “this is the state’s property, and all things must be done cautiously.”)

In addition to the above, the following named old citizens, Col. J. C. Young, Col. J. Watt Harris, Col. Lewis Tumlin, John and Samuel Erwin, Judge James Milner, Dr. William H. Felton, Col. J. J. Howard, Russell H. Cannon, D. B. Cunyus, Rev. William Cunyus, Charles Sproull, Col. James  W. Sproull and Col. J. G. Ryals and many others gave their influence and means to the support and maintenance of this first company organized in the then county of Cass (now Bartow) and the first company to leave the county to go to war.

At the complete organization of the company, the name “Etowah Infantry” was adopted.  This company was completely organized on or about the first of September, 1859 with about sixty-four men rank and file, P. H. Larey, captain; W. H. Howard, 1st lieutenant; John J. Jones, 2d lieutenant; Dr. W. T. Goldsmith, 3d lieutenant; George W. Maddox, ensign. At the time of the John Brown raid upon Harper’s Ferry, Virginia Gov. Brown communicated with Capt. P. H. Larey and informed him, if the governor of Virginia called on Georgia for aid, that his company would be immediately and the first to be ordered to Virginia.

As time rolled on, this company had regular weekly drills, and kept in close touch with Governor Brown. On the night of the 19th of January, 1861, the company was assembled to receive a communication from Governor Brown, which ordered the company to hold itself in readiness to receive any order for service in the field immediately.

This order called for the immediate filling up of their company to the full maximum; hence, was a perfected organization of this company at once, by electing the following as commissioned officers: George J. Howard, 2d lieutenant, vice J. J. Jones resigned, and Thomas K. Sproull, vice W. T. Goldsmith resigned, and George W. Maddox ensign was dropped because that officer was not recognized in Hardee’s tactics.

From this time on, the company was under immediate orders to move to the front.  These orders came on the 13th of March, 1861.  The company had two roll calls each day until the 1st day of April, 1861, when it left Cartersville for Macon, there to be organized with other companies into regiment and battalions.

It is proper here to state the company left Macon Monday, and that on the Saturday before, the company received a handsome stand of colors made by the ladies, of Cartersville, and presented by them through the hands of Col. J. Watt Harris Sr., in a beautiful address, replied to by Capt. P. H. Larey.  One notable expression of Capt. Larey’s was: “Should this flag ever be borne in conflict with the enemy, he would see that it had a place in the picture near the flashing of the guns.

The Etowah Infantry was placed in the 1st battalion Georgia volunteers with three other companies, and Capt. Larey was elected Major of battalion.  This caused W. H. Howard to be promoted to captain.  George J. Howard to 1st lieutenant; T. K. Sproull to be second lieutenant and the election of corporal Sam P. Larey to be 3d lieutenant.

On Monday, April 8th, the company left Macon for Pensacola, Fla., and joined the provisional army of the confederate states under General Braxton Bragg.  There the company saw its first military service in building batteries and mounting big guns for the conflict which was to come during more active service.  Maj. Larey resigned, and joined Rhodes Alabama brigade as adjutant of one of its regiments. Sam P. Larey having resigned, F. Marion Johnson was elected to the 3d lieutenant’s place.

Owing to ill health, Lieutenants Sproull and Johnson were retired and James M. Goldsmith and George W. Warwick were elected to the vacancies.

On the 9th and 10th of November, 1861, the company in Fort McRhea, together with the other companies of the battalion sustained the combined attack of seven war vessels, the largest in the U. S. navy, and Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island.  In this engagement Lieutenant George J. Howard had his arm broken, Privates Bean, Smith and W. L. Johnson were wounded; the fort was demolished and every gun in it dismounted.  This company was enlisted for 12 months, the term of the enlistment expiring on the 12th of March, 1862, and thirty days before congress passed the conscript act.  This company was mustered out of service and disbanded, the members thereof almost to a man re-enlisting in other commands for three years or to the end of the war.

Some rode with Morgan in Ohio; others followed the flag from Seven Pines to Appomattox; and from Shiloh to Greensboro, N. C.

Roll of Etowah Infantry.

Larey, Peter H. Captain.
Howard, W. H. 1st Lieutenant.
Howard, George J. 2d Lieutenant.
Sproull, Thomas K. 3d Lieutenant.
Larey, Samuel P. 3d Lieutenant.
Warwick, G. W. 3d Lieutenant.
Goldsmith, Jas. M. 3d Lieutenant.
Johnson, F. M. 3d Lieutenant.

Privates
Atwood, Anderson
Bean, Russell
Brown, Wm.
Barrett, Guss
Box, Thos.
Ryers, Jas [possibly Byers?]
Chapman, John
Chapman, Richard
Crawford, Samuel
Churchhill, A. B.
Dale, Wm. L.
Drake, Bill
Deweese, W. A.
Edwards, John
Fulghum, Jas.
Goldsmith, Theo.
Goldsmith, Jas. K.
Goodwin, Bill
Grimes, Charles
Griffin, Dr. T.
Hall, Henry
Hawkins, Jno. R.
Henderson, Wm. E.
Henderson, Hugh
Henderson, S.
Hilton, Ed
Hawks, Peter K.
Hill, Reuben
Hill, Wm.
Harris, Jesse B.
Hays, Roswell C.
Hays, Jasper
Hudgins, Jas.
Hertzburg, Hurtz
Hardin, McD
Hardin, A. D.
Humpherys, M. E.
Jones, Henry
Jones, Griffith
Jonos, Jacob
Johnson, F. M.
Johnson, Fate
Jenkins, John
Kingsey, John
Landers, A. J.
Leitner, John
McCormick, H. J.
McGinnis, Van B.
Marsh, Peter M.
Maxwell, Mark P.
McElreath, John
Mountcastle, W. R.
Mosteller, Andrew
Murphy, J. J.
Price, Seervin M. D.
Pinion, Jeff
Phillips, Frank
Pritchett, Thos
Pritchard, Robert
Penney, Wm.
Rud, Owen,
Rice, David
Rice, Deffield
Redding, Wade
Stephens, Pinkney
Stephens, T. F.
Sproull, R. R. D.
Shuller, Wm.
Sherman, John
Slaughter, Boling
Stone, T. J.
Snowe, Morgan
Smith, Sam
Smith, John
Sims, J. C. (M. D.)
Shelton, Wm.
Taylor, Same
Taylor, Hense
White, John
Ward, Wm. R.
Miles, Ab
Collaboration of W. R. Mountcastle and Henry J. McCormick.

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Page 10.

Snow Spring.

Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Davis are all smiles, it’s a girl.