18. Fredrick Richardson Bollinger
Civil War
Georgia Militia, Civil War. Killed in the Battle at Griswoldville (near Milledgeville). Headstone reads "CO H, 5 GA INF CSA"
James was among 3700 Georgia Militia, mostly boys and old men, assembled by General Gustavus Smith near Macon (after Atlanta surrendered) and ordered to proceed to Augusta to help defend that city from Sherman's forces.
From http://www.civilwar.org/historyclassroom/hc_griswoldvillehist.htm:
On November 22, 1864, Brigadier-General Pleasant J. Philips left Macon with the main body of state troops and by noon had arrived near Griswoldville. There he found the Athens and Augusta Local Defense Battalions under Major W.C. Cook, drawn up in line of battle. Philips deployed his forces, and advanced through Griswoldville, continuing east until he neared a Federal brigade under Brigadier-General Charles C. Walcutt. For some reason at this point, Philips prepared to assault the Union position.
Sometime between 2:30 and 3:00 P.M. Confederate forces, mostly old men and young boys, stepped out. Walcutt's men were some of Sherman's most capable veterans, some armed with Spencer repeating rifles. The battle proved completely one-sided.
Philips, his command easily repulsed, withdrew from the field after dark and fell back to Macon. Confederate casualties were 51 killed and 422 wounded out of some 4,400, while the Federals counted 13 killed, 79 wounded and 2 missing out of perhaps 1,500 involved.
Colonel Charles C. Jones probably summarized it up best. The Battle of Griswoldville, "while it reflects great credit upon the gallantry of the Confederate and State forces engaged, was unnecessary, unexpected and utterly unproductive of any good." It will "be remembered as an unfortunate accident whose occurrence might have been avoided by the exercise of proper caution and circumspection." The engagement in no way held up Sherman's advance: it merely added to the respective casualty lists.
Shot in the leg during the Battle of Atlanta. Died of his wounds.
Killed in the Battle of Griswoldville