HISTORICAL NOTES:
The Georgia 1st (Mercer’s-Olmstead’s) Volunteers Infantry Regiment was organized prior to the war with militia companies from Savannah. Other members were from Quitman, and the counties of De Kalb, Oglethorpe, Washington, and Tattnall. After entering Confederate service it was disciplined at both heavy artillery and infantry. The regiment served on the coast with a detachment at Savannah and another at Charleston. Colonel Olmstead, with Company H (the Oglethorpe Light Infantry) and four companies from other commands, defended Fort Pulaski against the Federals. A detachment from this regiment also served at Battery Wagner in 1863. These were the men immortalized in the movie, "Glory," in which a black regiment led by Col. Shaw unsuccessfully stormed the fort. In May, 1864, the 1st was assigned to General Mercer's Brigade and sent to Dalton. GA. They fought in the Atlanta Campaign, the Nashville Campaign, and the Carolinas Campaign, surrendering in North Carolina with only 52 men of the 3969 men enrolled.
Following the war General Olmstead wrote his memoirs Reminiscences of Service with the First Volunteer Infantry of Georgia. FIELD OFFICERS:
Mercer, Hugh Weedon - Colonel
Rockwell, William S, - Lieut. Colonel
Ohmstead, Charles H. - Major, Colonel
Foley, John - Major
Ford, Martin J. - Major
Levy, S. Yeates - Major
HISTORICAL NOTES: