Person:James Harper (49)

James Willis Harper was a soldier in Company F, 38th Regiment, Evans Brigade, Gordon's Division, Hart County, Georgia Volunteers, Infantry, Army of Northern Virginia, Confederate States of America. He was appointed 1st Corporal October 15, 1861. On June 27, 1862, he was wounded in the left thigh at Cold Harbor, Virginia in the Battle of Gaines' Mill. He was a Private in June 1863. On August 22, 1864 he was appointed 2nd Sergeant. On March 16, 1865 he was admitted to Jackson Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. He was furloughed for 60 days on March 28, 1865.

Gaines' Mill First Cold Harbor Virginia American Civil War June 27, 1862 This was the third of the Seven Days' Battles. On June 27, 1862, Gen. Robert E. Lee renewed his attacks against Porter's V Corps, which had established a strong defensive line behind Boatswain's Swamp north of the Chickahominy River. Porter's reinforced V Corps held fast for the afternoon against disjointed Confederate attacks, inflicting heavy casualties. At dusk, the Confederates finally mounted a coordinated assault that broke Porter's line and drove his soldiers back toward the river. The Federals retreated across the river during the night. Defeat at Gaines' Mill convinced McClellan to abandon his advance on Richmond and begin the retreat to James River. Gaines' Mill saved Richmond for the Confederacy in 1862.

Result(s): Confederate victory

Location: Hanover County

Campaign: Peninsula Campaign (March-September 1862)

Date(s): June 27, 1862

Principal Commanders: Brig. Gen. Fitz John Porter [US]; Gen. Robert E. Lee [CS]

Forces Engaged: 91,232 total (US 34,214; CS 57,018)

Estimated Casualties: 15,500 total (US 6,800; CS 8,700)

He is remembered by some as a rather mean tempered man. He was bothered by his wound for the rest of his life.

From "The Hart of Georgia: A History of Hart County Georgia", edited by Shirley Kaufhold and Tony Bryant, WH Wolfe Associates, Alpharetta, Georgia, 1992, pages 30, 31; http://www.civil-war.net/38thGa/.

History & Service Record of the 38th Regiment Georgia Volunteers

Lawton's Brigade 2nd Corps Army of Northern Virginia

The Thornton Line Volunteers Originally mustered from Elbert and Hart Counties, Georgia, The Company was organized by Captain John C. Thornton in July of 1861. Men of simple means, they were primarily farmers and laborers, millers and sawyers. Known as the Thornton Line Volunteers, they would soon join with other Georgian raised Militia companies to form what would be known as Wright's Legion.

Wright's Legion Wright's Legion was formed by Colonel Augustus R. Wright. Composed of eleven Infantry companies, Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K and L, and one independent company of Cavalry, Company M, "The Jo Thompson Lancers" and one independent company of Artillery, "Hanleiter's Battery".

The Legion was mustered into Army of the Provisional Confederate States of America on October 15, 1861 in Atlanta. Assigned to the District of Georgia, Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida as the 38th Regiment Georgia Volunteers under the command of Colonel Wright. Wright would command the regiment until late February of 1862.

Being designated as an Infantry Regiment, Company M was made into an Infantry company and Hanleiter's Independent Battery was transferred to the Army of Tennessee. The 38th now mustered twelve companies with a field strength of about 1,200 men.

From October 16, 1861 - April of 1862, The regiment went through further training and wintered over below Atlanta. In April, the regiment was assigned to Smith's Brigade of the Dept. of Georgia. The regiment's first assignment was to Camp Kirkpatrick, about two miles west of Decatur and four miles east of Atlanta on the Georgia Railroad. Here they were detail as guard for the railroad.

Lawton's Brigade By early June of 1862, the 38th was transferred to Lawton's brigade which would become part of Jackson's Division. A new brigade, it was comprised of the six best drilled regiments in the dept. of Georgia for service in the eastern theater of operations. Comprised of the 13th, 26th, 31st, 38th, 60th & 61st Georgia Regiments, Lawton's Brigade would bring much needed manpower to the Confederate forces now waiting around Richmond. Under Lawton, the regiment would march north to join with Jackson's Corps at Lynchburg and then on to the Virginia peninsula just prior to the Seven Days Campaign. The regiment's first action began at 4 p.m. of June 27 at Gaines Mill. It was here under these opening guns that young Pvt. James M. Hutcherson would give his life.

Through all her many engagements, the 38th Regiment Georgia Volunteers served with honor and distinction. Her battle honors are many. The men of her rank and file fought with distinction at Second Manassas. At Sharpsburg they held their line in the center of a blood soaked cornfield. At Fredericksburg, the men stained the new fallen snow red with their blood to retake a portion of the collapsed Confederate line. During Lee's invasion in Pennsylvania, it was the 38th that penetrated the furthest east - all the way to the shores of the Susquehanna. At Gettysburg, they played a key role in driving in the flank of the Federal Eleventh Corps and despite heavy losses, including their own boy Colonel, pressed the Federals into route. At Spotsylvania Court House, it was the 38th that spearheaded the counter attack into the holocaust of the Mule Shoe. During the attack on Fort Stedman at Petersburg, it was again the 38th that gave the last full measure. Driving the Federals further than any other regiment engaged.

And so the story can be told on a number of fields all across the Eastern Theater. The 38th Regiment Georgia Volunteers earned their right to place of honor among the brave sons of Dixie Men who had little, but in the end gave all they had.

The 38th Regiment Georgia Volunteers And so the 38th began its long arduous service to her native soil and a fledgling nation. First as part of Lawton's Brigade, and later under Gordon, they would serve with distinction with the Second Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. After Jackson's death and reorganization of the Army, they would serve under General Gordon's Brigade of Early's Division until Gordon was promoted to Divisional command at which time the brigade would be commanded by Gen. Evans under whom they would serve until the bitter end at Appomattox. Until that time, her rank and file would take part in 28 major engagements of the Eastern Theater. From the 1,200 brave souls that left to go to war, only 105 remained to see the surrender.

Battles: Gaine's Mill June 27, 1862; Malvern Hill July 1, 1862; Cedar Mountain August 9, 1862; Rappahannock Station August 23, 1862; Second Manassas August 28-30, 1862; Chantilly September 1, 1862; Harper's Ferry Sept. 12 - 15, 1862; Sharpsburg Sept. 17, 1862; Botler's Ford Sept. 19, 1862; Fredericksburg December 13, 1862; Chancellorsville May 1-4 1863; Second Winchester June 14 - 15, 1863; Gettysburg July 1-3, 1863; Bristoe Campaign October, 1863; Mine Run Campaign November 12, 1863; Morton's Ford Jan. 1, 1864; Wilderness May 5 -6, 1864; Spotsylvania Court House May 8 - 21, 1864; North Anna May 23 - 26, 1864; Cold Harbor June I - 3, 1864; Lynchburg Campaign June, 1864; Monocacy July 9, 1864; Third Winchester Sept. 19, 1864; Fisher's Hill Sept. 22, 1864; Cedar Creek Oct. 19, 1864; Defense of Petersburg May 6, 1864 – April, 1865; Hatcher's Run Feb. 5 – 7, 1865; Attack on Fort Stedman March 25, 1865; Appomattox Court House April 9, 1865.

Company F, 38th Regiment of Georgia, served in Skidaway Island, Savannah until May 1862, when it was ordered to Virginia. During the war it served under Generals Lawton, Gordon and Evans as members of first Jackson's, then Ewell's, and Early's Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. The 38th first saw action at the Seven Days Battles at the Battle of Gaines Mill: Having arrived with Jackson's column during its forced march from the Valley to engage in the Seven Days Battles around Richmond, the Brigade received its baptism of fire at the battle of Gaines Mill, suffering 492 killed and wounded out of approximately 3,500 soldiers carried into battle. Spurred on by General Richard Ewell's "Hurrah for Georgia," they formed line of battle and advanced through heavy woods and marshy stream bottoms until they met the enemy posted on higher ground. On the left, the 31st and 38th Georgia charged Sykes' Union Division, overrunning the Hoboken battery, and pushing back the elite regulars until Hood's brigade broke through the Union center and a general advance caused the Union lines to collapse.

They later fought at the Battle of Manassas under Jackson and moved into Maryland during the first invasion of the north in September 1862. During this battle they were placed at the extreme northern end of the Confederate line, near Dunker Church, and remained there throughout the day, During the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862 they held a portion of the lines and helped repulse Meade's attack.

The 38th distinguished itself at the Battle of Chancellorsville. When under the command of General John B. Gordon, later Governor and Senator of Georgia, they participated in Jackson's flanking movement. This movement totally routed the Yankee forces and might well have destroyed them if not Jackson been wounded by his own men.

During the movement to Pennsylvania the Hart Countians marched as far north as any unit in the Confederate Army. They participated in the first day's action, driving teh Yankee cavalry and infantry through the streets of gettysburg and onto the slopes of Cemetery Ridge. The following day they made small attacks and demonstrations in support of Longstreet's movement at the south end of the battlefield.

The unit saw little action for the balance of 1863 in the static Mine Run campaign in Virginia.

In the spring of 1864 as Grant moved south the Hart Countians fought in the Battle of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, and Cold Harbor. Like other Hart County units they served with Early in the Shenandoah Campaign and surrendered after action in and aroung Appomattox Courthouse.

ARTICLE IN THE HARTWELL SUN, July 3, 1914, page one. "Died Suddenly of Heart Failure."

Mr. J. Willis Harper, aged 74, died suddenly of heart trouble about 7 o'clock Tuesday evening at his home in the city. He was apparently in good health at the time of retiring to his room for a rest, where he was found dead a short time later by a member of his family. He has been a resident of Hart County since early life. Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at Bethesda church, of which he was a member. Besides a large number of friends and near relatives in the city and county, he leaves the following sons and daughters to mourn his death: Mssrs. J. O. Harper, of Hartwell; John Harper, of this county; and Bud Harper, of south Georgia; Misses Ida and Lallie Harper; Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Roberts, of Gordon County, and Mrs. Thomas, of Franklin County.

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF J. WILLIS HARPER.

Georgia. Hart County. Last will and testament of J. Willis Harper. I J. Willis Harper of said state and county; being of sound and disposing mind and memory; do make this my last will and testament; hereby revoking all wills heretofore made by me. Item 1. I wish my executors as soon as possible after my death to pay my debts. Item 2. I give to my grand children by T. M. Harper deceased Denver and Willie May Harper Twenty Five Dollars each. Item 3. I give to my daughters Ida and Lallie Harper Two Hundred Dollars each and to my Grand daughter Ella Thompson, daughter of Ella Thompson Two Hundred Dollars. Item 4th. I will that all the residue of my property be equally divided among my children except the children of T. M. Harper; but before the division is made I desire the Seventy Five dollars due the estate by James A. Harper be taken out of his share. Item 5th. I do hereby appoint John W. and J. O. Harper executors of this my will. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of May. Signed and published by J. Willis Harper as his last will and testament in the presence of the undersigned who subscribed our names hereto as witnesses at the instance and request of said testator and in the presence of each other the 21 day of May 1910. J. H. Warren, J. C. Thornton, B. A. Teasley J.P. Approved and admitted to record this 3rd, day of August, 1914. W. B. McMullan, Ordinary

What follows is from Eugene W. Harper in January 2005:

"As to our great grandfather, James Willis Harper. Supposedly he owned anywhere from three to as many as twelve slaves. He fought throughout the Civil War and was elected First Sergeant of his company. He was shot through the hip and pelvis at the Battle of Cold Harbor. The story is that after he healed somewhat, he was allowed to return home. He had to walk a considerable distance even though he had to use a cane for the rest of his life. I checked the Georgia Military Records at the Georgia Archives. The guy who was checking the records saw where he had applied for his Confederate Pension and the records showed that J. Willis Harper, as he was known, was home on leave at the end of the war. What was so funny about this, was that he actually did have medical leave papers to be at home. It seems that there was a mass desertion of the Confederate forces just before the end of the war. Many Confederate veterans, when asked on their pension applications where they were at the time the war ended, put down that they were home on leave, although most of them had deserted. As I recall, one of the family stories is that he cussed Yankees until the day he died. At one point later in his life, he was chopping wood and a splinter went into his eye. Doctor George Harper, a member of the family, had to operate on him and remove the eye using whiskey as an anesthesia."

1. ↑ Georgia, Hart County, Will Book B, page 151.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Tombstone Record, Bethesda Methodist Church Cemetery, Bethesda Community, Hart County, Georgia.
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Wylanne Harper Coup to William A. Coup.
4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 United States, Department of Commerce, Census Bureau. 1850 Census, Georgia, Elbert County, Elbert District - E. H. Harper. (Name: 1850 Census, Series M432, Roll 68, Page 370; Georgia, Elbert County, Elbert District, 6 August 1850, Page 370, Line 12, Dwelling 92, Family 92;).
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4} United States, Department of Commerce, Census Bureau. 1860 Census, Georgia, Elbert County, Elberton Post Office - J. W. Harper. (Name: 1860 Census, Series M653, Roll 120, Page 777; Georgia, Elbert County, Elbert District, Rainsburg Post Office, Page 27, 11 June 1860, Line 12, Dwelling 203, Family 203;).
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5} United States, Department of Commerce, Census Bureau. 1870 Census, Georgia, Hart County, McCurry's District - James W. Harper. (Name: 1870 Census, Series M593, Roll 157, Page 288; Georgia, Hart County, McCurry's, Hartwell Post Office, Page 45, 20 June 1870, Line 23, Dwelling 330, Family 323;).
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} United States, Department of Commerce, Census Bureau. 1880 Census, Georgia, Hart County, 1118 Militia District - Willis Harper. (Name: 1880 Census, Series T9, Roll 151, Page 641C; Georgia, Hart County, 1119 Militia District, 21 June 1880, Page 39C, Supervisor's District 6, Enumeration District 53, Line 3, Dwelling 153, Family 155;).
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3} United States, Department of Commerce, Census Bureau. 1910 Census, Georgia, Hart County, McCurry's District - James W. Harper. (Name: 1910 Census, Series T624, Roll 189, Page 262; Georgia, Hart County, McCurry's District 1118, Supervisor's District 8, Enumeration District 75, Sheet 7B, 25 & 26 April 1910, Line 82, Camp Ground Road, Dwelling 120, Family 120;).
9. ↑ Ann Holloman, Royston, Georgia to William A. Coup, Boca Raton, Florida, citing Memory of Mrs. Allie Clark Boot.