Georgia 40th Infantry Regiment
HISTORICAL NOTES:
The Georgia 40th Infantry Regiment was organized during the fall of 1861 and raised its companies in Bartow, Floyd, Calhoun, Gordon, Whitfield, Paulding, and Haralson counties. They assembled at Camp McDonald near Big Shanty (Kennesaw), GA. They were brigaded with the 41st, 42nd, 43rd, and 52nd Georgia regiments.
The 40th was first sent to Tennessee, then Mississippi, and was placed in Barton's Brigade, Department of Mississippi, and East Louisiana.
The 40th participated in the conflicts at Chickasaw Bayou and Champion's Hill and were part of the garrison surrendered at Vicksburg on July 4, 1863. Col. Johnson was wounded in this conflict. After being exchanged the 40th was attached to General Stovall's Brigade, Army of Tennessee. Gen. Stovall’s brigade consisted of the 40th., 41st., 42nd., 43rd., & 52nd. Ga. Regiments and the 1st. Georgia State Line Troops. The 40th served on many battlefields from Chattanooga to Nashville, and ended the war in North Carolina.
Several of the companies of this regiment were from Bartow, Paulding, and Floyd counties and ended up fighting on their own farms and in their own homes as Sherman ransacked his way across north Georgia in the spring and summer of 1864. During this time they lost 174 men, yet still mustered 74 men to accompany the army into Tennessee and North Carolina.
The 40th reported 36 casualties at Chattanooga, totalled 223 men and 105 arms in December, 1863, and had 74 effectives in November, 1864. It surrendered on April 26, 1865. Only a handful remained to return to northwest Georgia to find their families scattered and their farms totally destroyed. Several once prosperous towns including Cassville, Etowah, Stilesboro, Taylorsville, and Kingston have never recovered.
FIELD OFFICERS:
BATTLES:
COMPANIES:
Company A: Paulding County
Company B: Bartow County -Bartow Sentinels/Howard Guards
Company C: Floyd County
Company D: Gordon County Calhoun Blues
Company E: Gordon County -Gordon Infantry
Company F: Paulding County -Paulding Washington Guards
Company G: Haralson County-Haralson Defenders
Company H: Bartow County -Veach Guards
Company I: Bartow County -Bartow Rangers
Company K: Haralson County -Haralson Invincibles
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