The Washington Rifles was a military company organized long before the war, and was among the first to be called by the Confederate President for Confederate service.
The 1st Regiment Ga. Infantry (Ramsey's) was mustered into Confederate service the 18th day of March 1861. The Washington Rifles, Co. E, was ordered to Pensacola, Fla. After getting the forts and batteries in good condition, we were ordered to Richmond, Va., where we formed on dress parade and were reviewed by President Davis, and were then sent to Laurel Hill, W. Va. After skirmishing for several days Colonel Pegram, who was stationed ten miles distant with a small force at Rich Mountain, was flanked out of his position and had to fall back, our base of supplies was cut off, and we fell back to Green Brier River, but were overtaken at Carrick's Ford on Cheat River by the enemy, and fought the battle of Green Brier River. We were ordered to the Shenandoah Valley and served in the Valley Campaign of 1861. In March 1862 we were ordered to Tennessee. On reaching Lynchburg, Va. we found that the land and snow slides had blockaded the railroads.
As we enlisted for only twelve months and our time had almost expired, we were sent to Augusta, Ga. and mustered out of Confederate service on the 18th day of March 1862. The old military company, Washington Rifles, the pride of Washington County, was disbanded forever.
In April thirty-three of the old company organized an Artillery Company, which became 3d Co. E, 12th Battn. Ga. Light Artillery, and elected J. W. Rudisill captain, and the company was named in his honor. We were ordered to Augusta, Ga. where the 12th Battalion of Georgia Light Artillery, consisting of five companies, was organized.
After getting our implements of war and being well drilled, we were ordered to Tennessee, near Ringgold, Ga. On the 4th of July we had a bad wreck, killing eight men and our horses. We were then sent to Chattanooga, Tenn., where we were given small arms and sent to Bridgeport to reinforce General Heath.
The enemy was on the opposite side of the Tennessee River. A portion of Co. B, who had served twelve months in the 1st Regiment Ga. Inf. (Ramsey's, ) soon got up an armistice, so we lived at ease until the morning the enemy left. Reaching the bank of the river they saluted us with the band playing Dixie and Yankee Doddle.
Next we were ordered to Jacksboro, Tenn. and sent across the mountains near the Kentucky line to Huntsville, where the 6th United States regiment was stationed. They had built a fort called Fort Cliff. The 12th Battalion Ga. Light Artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel H. D. Capers, and the 43d Regiment Alabama Infantry, commanded by Colonel Gracie, drove them from their position, and captured the fort and the garrison's flag.
We returned to Jacksboro, Tenn. when the 12th Battn. Ga. Light Artillery was ordered to reinforce General Bragg at Murfreesboro, Tenn. We met him at Cumberland Gap, Tenn. We were ordered to Savannah, Ga. to command the forts and coast line of Georgia and South Carolina.
In the spring of 1863 Co. B, numbered over two hundred men. When J. J. Newsome, the 1st Lieutenant of Co. B, was made Captain he and Captain .T. W. Rudisill divided the company. Captain Newsome's company was made 3d Co. E, and was sent to Fort McAllister, Ga. to garrison the fort. They remained three months when they were relieved and sent to Ocean Pond, Fla. to reinforce our troops. They arrived too late for the fight. Co. E, took charge of the prisoners and carried them to Andersonville prison. We were then ordered to James Island and Fort Sumter, S. C. The enemy was throwing one thousand eleven inch shell at Fort Sumter every twenty-four hours.
We defended Charleston, S. C. until May 1864, when we were ordered to Richmond, Va. to reinforce General Lee. We met his army at Hanover Junction, Va. May 24th. Fought the battle of Hanover Junction, Va. May 26th, and the 2nd battle of Cold Harbor the 1st day of June 1864. We were attached to Early's Corps and sent to Lynchburg, Va. on a forced march, and arrived just in time to save the city. We met General Hunter, who commanded the 6th Corps, coming into town. We drove them into Tennessee, crossing the Natural Bridge, which we had so often read of in our schoolboy days, changed direction going by Lexington, passed General Jackson's grave with lifted hats and bowed heads, then by the way of Staunton to the Shenandoah Valley. We reached Martinsburg on the 3d of July and drove out 6000 troops without firing a gun. On the 8th attacked the enemy at Harper's Ferry, drove them on Maryland Heights, marched all night, attacked Major General Wallace's corps on the 9th at Monocacy Junction, and drove it out of our line of march. We spent one day near Washington, D. C. Returned to Virginia and fought the battle of Kernstown on July 23, 1864, Winchester on September 19, 1864, Fisher s Hill, Va. October 9, 1864, and Cedar Creek, Va. October 19, 1864.
In December we were ordered to the line of Petersburg. On February 5th and 6th we fought the battles of Hatcher's Run, Va. Charged Fort Steadman on the 25th of March 1865 and captured the fort when it was surrounded by the enemy. One soldier was killed and ten were captured. Twenty two members of Co. E, surrendered at Appomattox, Va. April 9, 1865.
OFFICERS
PRIVATES
Blanchard, Adiel W.
Carrell, John A.
Cherry, H. A.
Clayton, E. F.
Coffin, John R.
Daniel, Wilberforce
Derry, Joseph T.
Eve, Robert C.
Fleming, L. F.
Foster, H. Clay
Foster, William H.
Hill, John C.
Hungerford, John T.
Jackson, H. B.
Johnson, Whitson G.
Lamar, William T.
Little, Daniel W.
Marshall, Anthony D.
McGraw, James T.
Morris, W. B.
Mosher, George D.
Peay, W. E.
Pournelle (Parnell), George P.
Quinn, Robert
Ratcliff, James T.
Stone, Osborn M.
Stoy, John W.
Thomas, James E.
Turpin, Miles
Tutt, Thomas J.
Verdery, George Jackson
Williams, W. T.