COMPANY K, RAMSEY VOLUNTEERS – AN OVERVIEW
In 1860, Georgia, like all of its southern state neighbors, was literally boiling over with the prospects of war. There was much talk of the coming war but very little effort was being placed into preparing for it. The plantation life prevailed.
In Columbia County, the citizens had been thriving for at lease fifty years by planting. However, two things happened to make this lifestyle flourish. In 1833, the railroad started from Augusta towards what would become Atlanta and in 1844, the Augusta Canal opened. The railroad brought centers of commerce at every depot while the canal established a very quick and safe method for the cotton crop to be shipped to Augusta, Savannah and beyond.
The plantation system was booming and cotton was King. The 1859 Federal Census showed 802 families in the county. There were 3,731 free whites and 8,300 slaves and 66 free people of color. However, from my research, there must have been hundreds of persons not represented in the census. Of the 74 families represented in Company K, 22 of these families owned over 550 slaves.
“Columbia then was the great feeder to Augusta, sending them annually her thousands of cotton bales. These were the halcyon days of Columbia -- days when money was handled as if it grew on trees.”
The genealogy of those in the county shows the very wealthy families and also those that were dirt poor. Of course, just as in the case today, those with money generally had excellent educations while the poorer did not. Also, the rich generally raised, funded and led the military companies while the poorer became the privates. But it must be kept in mind, back then, the rich died in great numbers to preserve the life they knew and loved. The poorer fought to maintain states rights.
Company K was comprised primarily of planters or their sons, overseers of the plantations, farmers, some railroad workers, some gold miners and many sawyers. Many of these men were the sons of grandsons of Revolutionary War patriots. These men came primarily from Columbia County (including what is today McDuffie County), and the panhandle area of Warren County. Towns noted in the soldier’s card files include Appling, Berzelia (a railroad depot near what is today’s Grovetown), Saw Dust (another railroad depot used for logging near what is today’s Harlem), Kiokee, Raysville, Reedy Creek, Briar Creek, Wrightsboro, and Thomson.
| In July 1861, the war was imminent. Volunteer companies were being formed all over the South and Columbia County was no different. On July 25, Captain Robert Joshua Boyd was beginning to form his company of Ramsey Volunteers. He had at least four recruiting stations: The Appling courthouse, Berzelia, Reedy Creek Church, and the Thomson Depot.
As indicated by the requisition form for arms dated Richmond, October 18, 1861, at least 81 men left for Virginia in August. As shown by the second requisition, eight recruits followed later by train that September. Those recruits included Rowel Adams, John Briscoe, James M. Gay, Lewis Henry Clay Palmer, Roger Dixon Stewart and Joseph D. Walker. Also shown by those requisitions is that the troops received state-of-the-art imported Enfield rifles.
The muster roll would include twelve sets of brothers and three father/son groups (see the genealogy section for further information). The average age of those known recruits was 24.5 years. The youngest soldiers, both to arrive later in the war, were Ike Vale Ballard (age 13 in 1861) and George Washington Johnston (14 in 1861). The oldest soldiers were John Briscoe (age 49 in 1861), Abner L. Prather (47 in 1861), and Robert B. Wheeler (46 in 1861).
The first camp struck by the 16th Georgia (Company K) was Camp Cobb in Henrico County, Virginia. It was located about one mile from the old Statehouse in Richmond, on the racetrack of the old Richmond fairgrounds. It was at this location that diseases took such a dreadful toll on the new recruits.
On November 6, 1861, the regiment had nine hundred and twenty men. “While in Richmond, we experienced the worst trials incident to camp life, which are the camp diseases that generally go through every regiment. -- The regiment is now restored to health and great jollity prevails, as we go out into active service. I don’t believe nine hundred and twenty happier men can be found together on the globe. We do not know at what moment we may be ordered to battle. We keep cartridges in our boxes and one day’s rations cooked ahead. The enemy are at Big Bethel and Newport News, and it is thought they will land a large force on this Peninsular soon. Thirty war vessels are now to be seen off the coast below here.”
Over the next four years of war, Company K of the 16th Georgia Infantry Regiment would suffer horrible losses. Of the 102 soldiers that mustered in at some time during the war, at least 21 were killed in action. At least 22 others died of disease or from wounds. Collectively, 42% of those which fought gave their lives for the Cause. In addition, 21 soldiers were captured and exchanged during some point in the war. Some were captured and exchanged twice. At least four soldiers came home amputees. There were 15 widows and 48 orphans as a result of the war.
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