A Member of Wilder's Lightning Brigade

[Two Flints]

Hello N-SSA,

Thought this photo might be of some interest.

[John Holland]

A most historic photo....thank you for sharing!

JDH

[Southron Sr.]

Funny you should mention that unit. A couple of years ago, one of my cousins that is doing a family history dug a yellowed, typescript memoir out of the bottom of an old trunk. The type script was dated "1912" and had been dictated by my Great Uncle, Dickerson Sanders to his daughter. Dickerson had been a Captain in the 2nd Georgia Cavalry and for a while, under the command of Nathan Bedford Forrest.

Uncle Dickerson specifically mentioned Wilder's Lightning Brigade and how the 2nd Georgia had run rings around them in Tennessee. He did mention one of the reasons that they were never captured by the Yankees is that EVERY NIGHT, THEY CHANGED THEIR CAMP SITE TWO OR THREE TIMES DURING THE NIGHT.

In addition, the horses were left saddled. The men slept fully dressed in their uniforms with the reins of their horse wrapped around one of their wrists while they slept. This was so they could move and fight [if necessary] on literally a "moment's notice." Apparently, the boys in the 2nd Georgia enjoyed playing "Cat & Mouse" with the Yankees.

[Ken Hansgen, 11094]

Sounds like they lost a lot of sleep, though!

[Southron Sr.]

Well, the 2nd Georgia Cavalry never got surrounded and captured. My Cousin Ruth's Grandfather was in the 2nd and she still had his "CSA" beltplate, saber and Bitters Bottle. So, I did have several relatives in the 2nd Georgia Cavalry.

Now, the 3rd Georgia Cavalry was a "Hard Luck" outfit. They were up in Kentucky [if I recall correctly] and they went into camp. Their Colonel neglected to post any sentries and everyone was snoozing peacefully in camp that night. The whole outfit was captured by the Yankees!

After he was exchanged, the Colonel was tried by court martial. The court said that no doubt, the Colonel was so high minded, he had already punished himself because of his neglect to post sentries. The Colonel was sent home with with the message that IF the Confederacy ever needed his services again as a commander, they would notify him. [The Confederacy never did!]