Civil War Articles by Julian WilliamsSome Soldiers Wanted "In" and Some Wanted "Out" of the Civil War
This article was compiled by Julian Williams.
At the onset of hostilities, many men and quite a few boys were trying to "get into the action." A practice of the very young was putting the numeral "18" under their foot or shoe as they entered the recruiting station. Of course, one of the questions was, "Are you over 18?" The truthful answer was, "Yes, sir." Probably many also wished later they had never used that clever little trick to get into military service. We are told a Woodson L. Willcox was dismissed from the Georgia 49th (Wilcox County Co. E) because he was underage. There is also a Woodson Willcox buried at Jacksonville's Swain Cemetery but according to his tombstone he would not have been that young. That is what is so confusing in trying to find all these people - many had the same or similar names.
On the other hand, quite a few soldiers were not trying to get in - they were trying to get out. And unfortunately they used a device that was frowned upon by those in authority - desertion. Desertions also picked up considerably after Gettysburg and on until the end of the war. We see below an account of what happened on one occasion when a deserter was caught. The Georgia soldier wrote the letter to his cousin Elizabeth; he later married her. His writings are recorded below just as he wrote (unusual spellings, missing words, creative grammar and all):
"Dear Cousin according to promise I write you a few lines to let you know that I am still in the land of the living and enjoying good health and hoping you will be enjoying the same great gods blessings. I have not any news of interest to write you. I arrived here last Wednesday evening. My rgt was on the march when I got to it. There was a bitter (little?) fight here the Thursday before I got here was the reason that they were on the march but we have got in camp now I think we will be here a good while before we leave I was six days on my a coming I had very good luck in getting my chance of going to see Gillam (NOTE: Gilliam was Elizabeth's brother) yet. His camp is ten miles from me I want to go & see him as soon as possible Missy I had to one thing yesterday which I did not like. There was a man in our Rgt shot with musketry* There was ten of us shot at him five with blank cartridges and five with ball cartridges I did not know whether there was a ball in my gun but there was five balls through his breast. Poor fellow was due his death he has deserted twice in the face of the enemy and tried to go home once he was the first Georgian that was ever shot in this army and I hope the last you must write soon as you get these words and let me know how are I hope you will think of me and write soon I can not write more at this time I remain you Loving Cousin as ever."
* The young man referred to in this letter was Private Roe Dickson who although proclaimed his innocence died bravely and is buried somewhere near Orange, VA.
Another letter confirms this (part of it below):
"Missy I reckon you will think there is a good deal of difference between the writings above and this below but it is because I got a new pen. Missy I think I could have enjoyed myself very well with you on your trip after muscadines. At least I have spent a few days with you with as much pleasure as I ever did with anyone. Missy you wrote who it was that I helped to shoot his name was Romelous Dickson he was from Wilkerson (Wilkinson) County Georgia."
The soldier ends his last letter with this plea - and a warning to a kinsman (or friend) who had been negligent in writing to him:
"Missy you must excuse the bad writing & speling for I have a very bad chance to write here. Tell Mary that I shall not write any more to her untill she writes to me. Nothing more at this time Write soon & write all the news concerning the family. Give my best respects to all the family connection -- Yours Rec - William F Chancely" (William Floyd Chancellor).
Other soldiers tried to escape from the horrors of war by getting married. At one time, there was a special furlough (30 days) for those who were falling into the joys and ecstasies of matrimony. One fellow wrote home and exclaimed that he was "of a mind to find a girl and git married and that he had never seen so much marring (marrying) going on."
Others tried to dodge duty and get sent behind the lines (or possibly home on wounded furlough) by attempting to sustain a minor injury of some type. One way to do this was to expose an arm or leg from behind a tree during battle. An officer caught one man dangling a leg from behind a pine tree and asked him what he was doing. "Fishing for a furlough." He had experienced enough fighting.
Others simply left their posts and wandered off the field of battle (got lost) or strayed away from their camp (got lost again). This type of desertion was commonly known as the "cornfield furlough" because that was the route often taken to avoid notice and capture.
Other men, especially in the North where finances were a bit stronger, would desert their units and then "re-up" with another unit and claim the $500 for joining. One soldier had done this an incredible 32 times!
We hear many tales of men deserting their units. It is said that some Confederate deserters hid out at one time under a ledge in the Broxton Rocks in Coffee County. Observers noted that each attempt to find them in their hiding place would only yield a fire where they had been cooking a meal.
But, on the other side of the coin, most men stuck valiantly by their comrades to the bitter end. Some refused medical treatment to continue fighting; some wounded had to be strapped to their horses to keep from falling off in battle; for many it was an item of family honor.
One such man of honor was John Coffee Willcox, son of General Mark Willcox and grandson of General John Coffee.
Though he was a large land owner and planter who had a wife and several small children, in June 1861, John enlisted at the first call to arms for the Civil War. John was eager to serve his country. Though his arm had been broken twice in a fall from a horse and crippled, he was sent immediately to the Virginia front and served in Company H, 20th Georgia Regiment C.S.A. in both Virginia and Florida.
Returning to Jacksonville and his planting after the war, John became a well respected man and a power in that community - of irreproachable character and always ready with a smile and a handshake to poor and well-to-do alike.
