At the beginning of the Civil War, Georgia ranked third among the Confederate states in manpower resources, behind only Virginia and Tennessee. With an arms-bearing population somewhere between 120,000 and 130,000 white males between the ages of 16 and 60, this resource became an object of a great struggle between Joseph Brown, governor of Georgia, and Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy. Brown advocated a strong state defense, but as the war dragged on Davis applied more pressure for more soldiers from Georgia. In December 1863, the state's general assembly reorganized the state militia and it became known as Joe Brown's Pets. Civil War historians William Scaife and William Bragg have written not only the first history of the Georgia Militia during the Civil War, but have produced the definitive history of this militia. Using original documents found in the Georgia Department of Archives and History that are too delicate for general public access, Scaife and Bragg were granted special permission to research the material under the guidance of an archivist and conducted under tightly controlled conditions of security and preservation control.

Joseph E. Brown was governor of Georgia from 1861-1865.

"The story of the industrial village founded in central Georgia by Samuel Griswold, its antebellum prosperity and role in the war effort of the Confederate States of America, and its destruction during the march to the sea, together with accounts of the military operations conducted in Griswoldville's vicinity during the summer and fall of 1864."

Read this classic memoir from the American Civil War, complete with images and other perspectives, for an enriching, unforgettable experience. This is the most famous and best-selling memoir of the American Civil War, now fully illustrated for the first time. Samuel Watkins faithfully served throughout the duration of the Civil War. Of the 120 men who enlisted in "Company H" in 1861, Sam Watkins was one of only seven alive when General Joseph E. Johnston's Army of Tennessee surrendered to General William Tecumseh Sherman in North Carolina in April 1865. Of the 3,200 men who fought in the First Tennessee, only 65 were left to be paroled on that day. Soon after the war ended, Watkins began writing his memoir, entitled Co. "Aytch": The First Tennessee Regiment or a Side Show of the Big Show, which is heralded by many historians as one of the best war memoirs written by a common soldier of the field. Sam's writing style is quite engaging and skillfully captures the pride, misery, glory, and horror experienced by the common foot soldier. This beautifully illustrated edition of Co. "Aytch" includes writings from great Civil War generals, such as James Longstreet and William T. Sherman, as well as some of today's best contemporary historians, such as Doris Kearns Goodwin, James M. McPherson, Allan Nevins, and Bruce Catton, all of whom won the Pulitzer Prize for history. It is also richly illustrated with photos and illustrations from the Library of Congress, the George Eastman House, the National Parks Service, many of the country's major Civil War collections, and the National War College.

Samuel R. Watkins' 'Co. Aytch: Maury Grays First Tennessee Regiment' is a poignant and vivid memoir of his experiences as a Confederate soldier during the American Civil War. Written in a straightforward and engaging style, Watkins provides a firsthand account of the daily life, battles, and camaraderie of the Maury Grays, offering readers a glimpse into the harsh realities of war and the human stories behind the historical events. Through his detailed descriptions and personal reflections, Watkins brings to life the struggles and sacrifices of the soldiers fighting on the front lines, making this memoir a valuable primary source for Civil War scholars and history enthusiasts alike. The book also sheds light on the Southern perspective of the war, offering a unique insight into the mindset of Confederate soldiers during this tumultuous period in American history. Samuel R. Watkins, a former soldier in the Confederate Army, wrote 'Co. Aytch' to preserve the memories of his fellow comrades and to honor their bravery and resilience in the face of adversity. His firsthand experiences and emotional recounting of the war give authenticity and depth to the narrative, showcasing the human side of conflict and the bonds formed in times of crisis. Watkins' dedication to capturing the essence of the Civil War through his memoir has ensured that future generations can learn from the past and appreciate the sacrifices made by those who served. I highly recommend 'Co. Aytch' to anyone interested in the American Civil War, as it offers a unique perspective from a soldier who lived through the conflict. Watkins' storytelling and attention to detail make this memoir a compelling read that resonates with readers, providing a personal and moving account of one of the most tumultuous periods in American history.

Told from the point of view of an ordinary foot soldier, this personal memoir has been hailed as one of the liveliest, wittiest, and most significant commentaries ever written on the Civil War. Among the plethora of books about the Civil War, Company Aytch stands out for its uniquely personal view of the events as related by a most engaging writer—a man with Twain-like talents who served as a foot soldier for four long years in the Confederate army. Samuel Rush Watkins was a private in the confederate Army, a twenty-one-year-old Southerner from Tennessee who knew about war but had never experienced it firsthand. With the immediacy of a dispatch from the front lines, here are Watkins' firsthand observations and recollections, from combat on the battlefields of Shiloh and Chickamauga to encounters with Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee, from the tedium of grueling marches to the terror of fellow soldiers' deaths, from breaking bread with a Georgia family to confronting the enemy eye to eye. By turns humorous and harrowing, fervent and philosophical, Company Aytch offers a rare and exhilarating glimpse of the Civil War through the eyes of a man who lived it—and lived to tell about it. This edition of Company Aytch also contains six previously uncollected articles by Sam Watkins, plus other valuable supplementary materials, including a map and period illustrations, a glossary of technical and military terms, a chronology of events, a concise history of Watkins's regiment, a biographical directory of individuals mentioned in the narrative, and geographic and topical indexes.

In this history of Atlanta's destruction, the author offers points of view of Confederate and Union soldiers and officers during a pivotal moment in the Civil War. By the author of The Millionaire's Unit: The Aristocratic Flyboys Who Fought the Great War and Invented American Air Power, in development as a feature film.

"Enormous numbers of boys and youths served in the American Civil War. The first book to arrive at a careful estimate, Of Age argues that underage enlistees comprised roughly ten percent of the Union army and likely a similar proportion of Confederate forces. Their importance extended beyond sheer numbers. Boys who enlisted without consent deprived parents of badly needed labor and income to which were legally entitled, setting off struggles between households and the military. As the contest over underage enlistees became a referendum on the growing centralization of military and political power, it was the United States, more than the Confederacy, that fought tooth and nail to retain this valuable cohort. How far could the federal government breach the sanctity of the household when the nation's very survival was at stake? Should military officers bow to the will of local and state judges? And what form should the military take to ensure victory while remaining true to the nation's republican principles? As they detail how Americans grappled with these questions, Clarke and Plant introduce readers to common but largely unknown wartime scenarios-parents chasing after regiments to recover their sons, state judges defying the federal government by discharging boys, and recently enslaved African American youths swept up by Union recruiters. Examining the phenomenon from multiple perspectives-legal, military, medical, social, political, and cultural-Of Age demonstrates why underage enlistment is such an important lens for understanding the Civil War and its transformative effects"--