Chapter 2:
- Organization and other events in the State, from spring until close of 1861 -- Early record of Georgians outside the State, previous to Manassas-coast operations in Georgia in 1861 (including Port Royal).
The Georgia convention resumed its session at Savannah, March 7, 1861, and continued its deliberations until March 28th, ratifying the Confederate constitution on March 16th, adopting a new State constitution, authorizing the issue of treasury notes and bonds for revenue for public defense, tendering a tract ten miles square for the Confederate seat of government, and transferring the control of military operations as well as forts and arms. But before the troops were thus formally handed over to the authorities of the new union, an Atlanta volunteer company, ‘Lee's Volunteers,’ Capt. G. W. Lee, was tendered to the government at Montgomery by its commanding officer, and accepted March 5th. During his return to Atlanta, a number of enthusiastic ladies on the railroad train procured material and made a Confederate flag after a model of the first flag of the Confederate States raised at Montgomery, March 4th, under which the company paraded at Atlanta immediately afterward. The earliest organizations of commands had abundantly demonstrated the enthusiastic desire of the people to enlist for the defense of the State. More companies were offered than could be used, and these were advised to continue their drills without arms. Though some arms ordered from the North had been delivered, the supply was very insufficient, and it was found necessary to put [19] in use the old flint-locks, altering them to percussion locks. Some companies were ordered to arm themselves with double-barreled shotguns, private arms were freely contributed, and in various ways the companies were armed in some fashion for drill and even for their first battles. A contract for cannon for coast defense with a Pennsylvania iron company had been canceled by the latter, and it was found necessary to order guns for batteries from the Tredegar works at Richmond. To encourage the home production of war armament, the convention offered a bonus of $10,000 to such a factory as would be capable of furnishing three cannon each week and a columbiad at an early date. The Georgia convention turned over matters of arms and soldiers to the government of the Confederate States, but Governor Brown did not cease organizing State troops. He contemplated the formation of two divisions, and intended to appoint Col. Henry R. Jackson major-general of the first division, and Col. William H. T. Walker as major-general of the second. It was found practicable to organize but one division, of which Walker was appointed major-general, Jackson generously giving up his own promotion and urging Walker for the command. The first call to Georgia made by the government of the Confederate States was for troops for Pensacola, and met with a prompt reply. It is stated that under the governor's call for troops for this service 250 companies were tendered, and the following were ordered into camp at Macon (the list being arranged in the order in which they formed the First regiment Georgia volunteers and the First independent battalion):
- Newnan Guards (A), Capt. George M. Hanvey
- Southern Guards (B), Columbus, Capt. Frank S. Wilkins
- Southern Rights Guards (C), Perry, Capt. John A. Houser
- Oglethorpe Infantry (D), Augusta, Capt. Houghton B. Adam (who succeeded J. O. Clark on the latter's election as lieutenant-colonel) [20]
- Washington Rifles (E), Sandersville, Capt. S. A. H. Jones
- Gate City Guards (F), Atlanta, Capt. W. L. Ezzard, and later Capt. C. A. Stone
- Bainbridge Independents (G), Capt. John W. Evans
- Dahlonega Volunteers (H), Capt. Alfred Harris, who resigned and was succeeded by Thomas B. Cabaniss, elected from the ranks of the company from Forsyth
- Walker Light Infantry (I), Augusta, Capt. Samuel H. Crump
- Quitman Guards (K), Forsyth, Capt. J. S. Pinkard (these ten forming the First Georgia）
First Georgia.
- Independence Volunteers (A), Macon, Capt. J. E. Aderhold
- Ringgold Volunteers (B), Capt. H. J. Sprayberry
- Brown Infantry (C), Macon, Capt. G. A. Smith, and Etowah Guards (D), Capt. Peter H. Larey (these four forming the First independent battalion).
