The Georgia Civil War Commission will hold an Atlanta Campaign Reunion/Rally at the State Capitol Saturday, August 21 at 10 a.m. Outgoing Commission Chairman Marilyn Gilhuly said, “Georgia is just beginning to appreciate the importance of saving our wonderful Civil War history. We want to emphasize that.”
In the words of incoming Chairman Eunice Mixon, “We have heard from so many people from all over the country, we decided to honor those brave soldiers – both North and South – who fought in the battles of the Atlanta Campaign during the fearful summer of 1864. What better way to do that than by inviting their descendants to come to Atlanta and shake hands, just as the veterans did at Gettysburg.”
A typical letter from a descendant of Union soldiers came from William C. Stark, who wrote, “Two of my ancestors, one who was my great grandfather, served in the 103rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry…In the May 14, 1864, battle of Resaca, the 103rd sustained 7 dead and 74 wounded. Of the 363 men who assaulted the Confederate works, 81 men, or 22 percent, became casualties.”
Bob Rivers, a trustee of the Georgia Battlefields Association, wrote the Atlanta Journal that his great-grandfather was a private in Scroggins’ Georgia Battery, Griffin Light Artillery. “His courage as a soldier inspired my lifelong interest in the Civil War and my passion for honoring the brave men who fought it.”
The Civil War Commission is inviting everyone with ancestors who saw service in any of the battles of the Atlanta Campaign to gather at the State Capitol for the event. Chairman Mixon said, “Just as those old soldiers would swap tobacco for coffee, we’ll swap Union and Confederate tales that only a soldier’s descendants would know.”
Call 770-592-5611 for further information.
