CO. H. 11th Regiment GA. INF.
“Walton Infantry”
Reuben Hawk Clay was born in 1825, in Columbia County, Georgia, the oldest son of Augustus Clay and Elizabeth Willingham Clay. In the early 1840’s the family moved to Walton County and established a large farm between Walnut Grove and Loganville. He married Harriet Ann Harris in 1858 and together they lived on the Harris Family Farm. When the war broke out in the spring of 1961, Reuben and Harriet had two young children. Reuben’s younger brother, Henry C. Clay, immediately joined up with Company H, 11th Regiment GA, Walton Infantry, and was off to Northern Virginia and the 1st battle at Manassas. The ensuing months were hard on their unit and by winter, the troops were so depleted they sent back to Walton for more recruits. This time Reuben too joined the Walton Infantry. In March 1862 he left behind a 22 year old wife, Harriet, who was pregnant with their third child, a one year old baby, and a two year old toddler. He was sworn into the Confederate Army at Orange Court House in April, 1862, and was immediately involved in the Peninsular Campaign. He fell ill at Yorktown, and on April 26, 1862 was sent to the hospital. He died on May 5, 1862.
The following newspaper articles are from the Richmond Dispatch, published the day Reuben died, but referring to a couple of days before. They show that many sick soldiers were being sent from Yorktown to the hospitals in Richmond.
From the Richmond Dispatch, 5/5/1862, p. 2, c. 3
Sick Soldiers. – A number of sick soldiers were sent up from the Peninsula, via York River Railroad and the James river boats, on Friday night. The number was so considerable as to require, in addition to the regular ambulances usually engaged in the business, all of the public hacks and omnibuses that could be made available. As soon as the task could be accomplished, all of the invalids were comfortably housed in the various hospitals provided for their reception. Some gratuitous and very cheap sympathy has been expressed at the amount of sufferings the invalids were compelled to endure before being sent to the hospitals; but felling that it would be wrong to cast censure where the best was done that could be accomplished under the circumstances, we cannot unite in it.
From the Richmond Dispatch, 5/6/1862, p. 2, c. 4
The Sick Soldiers.
We would invoke the attention of the proper authorities to the necessity of some adequate preparation for the reception of sick soldiers, and for the shelter, in some sort, of the well who arrive here, but whose exposure will soon make them sick. The writer of this saw on Saturday sick men lying on the pavement, with no hospitals to go to, and hours passed before a hospital was found in which they could be placed. On Saturday night a large number of newly arrived soldiers slept on the bare ground on Libby’s Hill. No one with a human soul can look with composure upon such sufferings. If the authorities have made ample provisions for these men, it is time that they should see that they are carried out. In the name of humanity and God, whose favor alone can give us success, we invoke one and all, the Government and the citizens, to interfere for relief of our fellow beings – of our defenders and our champions! – from such unutterable suffering.
The Friday and Saturday mentioned in these stories, referred to May 2nd and 3rd.
“Walton Infantry”
Reuben Hawk Clay was born in 1825, in Columbia County, Georgia, the oldest son of Augustus Clay and Elizabeth Willingham Clay. In the early 1840’s the family moved to Walton County and established a large farm between Walnut Grove and Loganville. He married Harriet Ann Harris in 1858 and together they lived on the Harris Family Farm. When the war broke out in the spring of 1961, Reuben and Harriet had two young children. Reuben’s younger brother, Henry C. Clay, immediately joined up with Company H, 11th Regiment GA, Walton Infantry, and was off to Northern Virginia and the 1st battle at Manassas. The ensuing months were hard on their unit and by winter, the troops were so depleted they sent back to Walton for more recruits. This time Reuben too joined the Walton Infantry. In March 1862 he left behind a 22 year old wife, Harriet, who was pregnant with their third child, a one year old baby, and a two year old toddler. He was sworn into the Confederate Army at Orange Court House in April, 1862, and was immediately involved in the Peninsular Campaign. He fell ill at Yorktown, and on April 26, 1862 was sent to the hospital. He died on May 5, 1862.
The following newspaper articles are from the Richmond Dispatch, published the day Reuben died, but referring to a couple of days before. They show that many sick soldiers were being sent from Yorktown to the hospitals in Richmond.
From the Richmond Dispatch, 5/5/1862, p. 2, c. 3
Sick Soldiers. – A number of sick soldiers were sent up from the Peninsula, via York River Railroad and the James river boats, on Friday night. The number was so considerable as to require, in addition to the regular ambulances usually engaged in the business, all of the public hacks and omnibuses that could be made available. As soon as the task could be accomplished, all of the invalids were comfortably housed in the various hospitals provided for their reception. Some gratuitous and very cheap sympathy has been expressed at the amount of sufferings the invalids were compelled to endure before being sent to the hospitals; but felling that it would be wrong to cast censure where the best was done that could be accomplished under the circumstances, we cannot unite in it.
From the Richmond Dispatch, 5/6/1862, p. 2, c. 4
The Sick Soldiers.
We would invoke the attention of the proper authorities to the necessity of some adequate preparation for the reception of sick soldiers, and for the shelter, in some sort, of the well who arrive here, but whose exposure will soon make them sick. The writer of this saw on Saturday sick men lying on the pavement, with no hospitals to go to, and hours passed before a hospital was found in which they could be placed. On Saturday night a large number of newly arrived soldiers slept on the bare ground on Libby’s Hill. No one with a human soul can look with composure upon such sufferings. If the authorities have made ample provisions for these men, it is time that they should see that they are carried out. In the name of humanity and God, whose favor alone can give us success, we invoke one and all, the Government and the citizens, to interfere for relief of our fellow beings – of our defenders and our champions! – from such unutterable suffering.
The Friday and Saturday mentioned in these stories, referred to May 2nd and 3rd.
CO. H. 11th Regiment GA. INF.
“Walton Infantry”
Reuben Hawk Clay was born in 1825, in Columbia County, Georgia, the oldest son of Augustus Clay and Elizabeth Willingham Clay. In the early 1840’s the family moved to Walton County and established a large farm between Walnut Grove and Loganville. He married Harriet Ann Harris in 1858 and together they lived on the Harris Family Farm. When the war broke out in the spring of 1961, Reuben and Harriet had two young children. Reuben’s younger brother, Henry C. Clay, immediately joined up with Company H, 11th Regiment GA, Walton Infantry, and was off to Northern Virginia and the 1st battle at Manassas. The ensuing months were hard on their unit and by winter, the troops were so depleted they sent back to Walton for more recruits. This time Reuben too joined the Walton Infantry. In March 1862 he left behind a 22 year old wife, Harriet, who was pregnant with their third child, a one year old baby, and a two year old toddler. He was sworn into the Confederate Army at Orange Court House in April, 1862, and was immediately involved in the Peninsular Campaign. He fell ill at Yorktown, and on April 26, 1862 was sent to the hospital. He died on May 5, 1862.
The following newspaper articles are from the Richmond Dispatch, published the day Reuben died, but referring to a couple of days before. They show that many sick soldiers were being sent from Yorktown to the hospitals in Richmond.
From the Richmond Dispatch, 5/5/1862, p. 2, c. 3
Sick Soldiers. – A number of sick soldiers were sent up from the Peninsula, via York River Railroad and the James river boats, on Friday night. The number was so considerable as to require, in addition to the regular ambulances usually engaged in the business, all of the public hacks and omnibuses that could be made available. As soon as the task could be accomplished, all of the invalids were comfortably housed in the various hospitals provided for their reception. Some gratuitous and very cheap sympathy has been expressed at the amount of sufferings the invalids were compelled to endure before being sent to the hospitals; but felling that it would be wrong to cast censure where the best was done that could be accomplished under the circumstances, we cannot unite in it.
From the Richmond Dispatch, 5/6/1862, p. 2, c. 4
The Sick Soldiers.
We would invoke the attention of the proper authorities to the necessity of some adequate preparation for the reception of sick soldiers, and for the shelter, in some sort, of the well who arrive here, but whose exposure will soon make them sick. The writer of this saw on Saturday sick men lying on the pavement, with no hospitals to go to, and hours passed before a hospital was found in which they could be placed. On Saturday night a large number of newly arrived soldiers slept on the bare ground on Libby’s Hill. No one with a human soul can look with composure upon such sufferings. If the authorities have made ample provisions for these men, it is time that they should see that they are carried out. In the name of humanity and God, whose favor alone can give us success, we invoke one and all, the Government and the citizens, to interfere for relief of our fellow beings – of our defenders and our champions! – from such unutterable suffering.
The Friday and Saturday mentioned in these stories, referred to May 2nd and 3rd.
“Walton Infantry”
Reuben Hawk Clay was born in 1825, in Columbia County, Georgia, the oldest son of Augustus Clay and Elizabeth Willingham Clay. In the early 1840’s the family moved to Walton County and established a large farm between Walnut Grove and Loganville. He married Harriet Ann Harris in 1858 and together they lived on the Harris Family Farm. When the war broke out in the spring of 1961, Reuben and Harriet had two young children. Reuben’s younger brother, Henry C. Clay, immediately joined up with Company H, 11th Regiment GA, Walton Infantry, and was off to Northern Virginia and the 1st battle at Manassas. The ensuing months were hard on their unit and by winter, the troops were so depleted they sent back to Walton for more recruits. This time Reuben too joined the Walton Infantry. In March 1862 he left behind a 22 year old wife, Harriet, who was pregnant with their third child, a one year old baby, and a two year old toddler. He was sworn into the Confederate Army at Orange Court House in April, 1862, and was immediately involved in the Peninsular Campaign. He fell ill at Yorktown, and on April 26, 1862 was sent to the hospital. He died on May 5, 1862.
The following newspaper articles are from the Richmond Dispatch, published the day Reuben died, but referring to a couple of days before. They show that many sick soldiers were being sent from Yorktown to the hospitals in Richmond.
From the Richmond Dispatch, 5/5/1862, p. 2, c. 3
Sick Soldiers. – A number of sick soldiers were sent up from the Peninsula, via York River Railroad and the James river boats, on Friday night. The number was so considerable as to require, in addition to the regular ambulances usually engaged in the business, all of the public hacks and omnibuses that could be made available. As soon as the task could be accomplished, all of the invalids were comfortably housed in the various hospitals provided for their reception. Some gratuitous and very cheap sympathy has been expressed at the amount of sufferings the invalids were compelled to endure before being sent to the hospitals; but felling that it would be wrong to cast censure where the best was done that could be accomplished under the circumstances, we cannot unite in it.
From the Richmond Dispatch, 5/6/1862, p. 2, c. 4
The Sick Soldiers.
We would invoke the attention of the proper authorities to the necessity of some adequate preparation for the reception of sick soldiers, and for the shelter, in some sort, of the well who arrive here, but whose exposure will soon make them sick. The writer of this saw on Saturday sick men lying on the pavement, with no hospitals to go to, and hours passed before a hospital was found in which they could be placed. On Saturday night a large number of newly arrived soldiers slept on the bare ground on Libby’s Hill. No one with a human soul can look with composure upon such sufferings. If the authorities have made ample provisions for these men, it is time that they should see that they are carried out. In the name of humanity and God, whose favor alone can give us success, we invoke one and all, the Government and the citizens, to interfere for relief of our fellow beings – of our defenders and our champions! – from such unutterable suffering.
The Friday and Saturday mentioned in these stories, referred to May 2nd and 3rd.
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