Hopkins Family in the War for Southern Independence George W. Hopkins had two sons George Thomas Hopkins and Daniel D. Hopkins that joined the Co. H. Regiment, Cobb County “Roswell Guards”, Army of Northern Virginia Confederate States of America on 4 March 1862.The Georgia 7th Infantry Regiment was formed in May, 1861, at Atlanta, Georgia, and in June moved to Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Assigned to Colonel F. S. Bartow’s Brigade, Army of the Shenandoah, it was active in the fight at First Manassas July 21, 1861. In April 1861, the regiment had 611 effectives and served under the command of General G. T. Anderson until the end of the war. The Georgia 7th “Roswell Guards” participated in the campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia from the Yorktown, New Bridge, Seven Days Battles, Rappahannock Station, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Funkstown, Charleston, Chattanooga, Wilderness, to Cold Harbor, except when it was detached with Longstreet at Suffolk, in Georgia, and at Knoxville. The 7th was not involved in the Battle of Chickamauga. It was active in the long Petersburg siege south and north of the James River and later the Appomattox Campaign. George T. Hopkins was absent without leave on 4 February 1865, no later record of him. (Family folklore says that the war was getting real bad and George T. and Daniel D. flipped a coin to see who would go home to help the family in Georgia) Daniel D. was one of the 24 officers and 164 men left of the 7th Regiment Georgia Volunteer Infantry that surrendered at Appomattox 9 April 1865 with 28,805 men of the Army of Northern Virginia Confederate States of America. On 15 May 1863 Billy was age 15 and his Dad George was age 51 joined Co. A. Cobb County, “Roswell Battalion”, Georgia Cavalry of Confederate States of American. In a brief history of the “Roswell Battalion”, Georgia Cavalry of Confederate States of American, written soon after the war, it is related, “The sun shone brightly on the morning of the 5th July 1864, as down the picturesque clay road of the little village of Roswell, could be seen a part of horsemen. The clank of sabers, rattle of spurs, and grey uniforms proclaimed them a company of Confederate cavalry. This was the Roswell Battalion numbering 75 handpicked men, brave and true, ready to do or die for home and country. Onward they went towards the river, with merry jests and hopeful hearts, prefect confidence in their Commander and faith in the practice of the Cause they espoused. Passing over the Chattahoochee River, they halted by word of command of (illegible) and quietly and deliberately burned the bridge behind them.” “History of the 53rd Regment Alabama Volunteer Cavalry,” by Robert G. McLendon, Jr. On 22 July 1864 in the “Battle of Atlanta, near Decatur Georgia in a cavalry charge, Billy was shot in the forehead by the invading Yankees. He continued to fight until the end of the battle. The men of “Roswell Battalion” were with the 24th Alabama Cavalry Regiment, the 53th Alabama Cavalry Regiment and the 11th Georgia Cavalry. All four cavalry units formed the “Hannon’s Brigade ” served in the Confederate States of America, Army of Tennessee under General Joseph Wheeler’s Cavalry Corps. They fought against General Sherman army during, “March to the Sea” and the “Carolinas Campaign”, almost every day for the next 308 days until 9 May 1865 in August Georgia, they were paroled by orders from Col Moses Wright Hannon, seized by the Federals and force to take the Oath Of Allegiance. It was a bitter pill, far worse than rhubarb, falap, or any other bad medicine. However, they managed to swallow it down and immediately turned their faces homewards rejoicing on the way. Little did they know only 14 men would survive the battles and return to Roswell, two of these men were my great great grandfather George W. Hopkins and my great grandfather William Charles Marion Hopkins, aka “Wild Billy”.