20th Georgia Volunteer Infantry
Confederate States of America (CSA)
A Regimental History
 
Information gathered by John Griffin
(updated 23 November 2003)

In honor and remembrance of the ancestors who served with this regiment, lest they be forgotten, this regimental history is dedicated to:

John A. Coffee was born on 26 April 1838 in Georgia, the son of Peter Coffee and Susan Ann Bailey Rogers. John married Rebecca S. Daniel, my second cousin four times removed, daughter of James S. Daniel and Elizabeth Willcox.  John was a member of Company H.  Records show him as a2nd Lieutenant 6 June 1861, elected Captain 3 October 1861. John was wounded at Chickamauga 19 September 1863. He was elected Major 6 May 1864 and retired as Captain 14 October 1864. On roll dated 31 October 1864, he was reported "erroneously promoted to Major in his absence and since retired as Captain to Invalid Corps." He owned a large farm in Houston County, GA, after the war. John died on 11 March 1901 at the age of 62. He is buried in Orange Hill Cemetery, Hawkinsville, GA National Archives Microfilm Box, Roll, and Record: 000226, 0013, 00000114
 
John Willcox Coffee: A second cousin four times removed was born on 2 March 1836 the son of John Bryant Coffee and Rebecca Willcox. John enlisted as a private 4 March 1862 in Company B, 49th GA Volunteer Infantry, soon to transfer to Company H.  He surrendered at Appomattox, VA 9 April 1865. John died on 13 September 1899 at the age of 63. He is buried in Coffee-Harrell Cemetery, Dodge Co, GA. National Archives Microfilm Box, Roll, and Record: 000226, 0013, 00000116
 
Mark Willcox Coffee A second cousin four times removed was born on 21 August 1843 the son of John Bryant Coffee and Rebecca Willcox. He enlisted in Company H as a private on 6 June 1861. He sustained battle wounds and was subsequently captured and paroled at Warrenton, VA 29 September 1862.  He was admitted to Confederate Hospital at Culpepper, VA on account of wounds, 29 September 1862. He was again wounded at Wilderness, VA 5 May 1864. Mark died on 30 June 1914 at the age of 70. Buried in Liberty Hill Methodist Church, Wilcox Co, GA National Archives Microfilm Box, Roll, and Record: 000226, 0013, 00000126
 
Mitchell Griffin Willcox A second cousin four times removed was born on 23 December 1844 the son of John Bryant Coffee and Rebecca Willcox. He enlisted as a private in Company H on 6 June 1861.  He received pay 23 January 1865. No later record is found.  Mitchell is buried in Coffee-Harrell Cemetery, Dodge Co, GA. National Archives Microfilm Box, Roll, and Record: 000226, 0013, 00000130
 
Clarke Willcox: A second cousin four times removed, born in Telfair Co, Georgia, the son of Woodson Willcox and Susannah Swain.  He served in Company H. Clark was discharged 20 June 1862, as being underage.  A letter is on file at on file with the GA Dept of Archives and History from his father, Woodson Willcox, asking for his release.  Clark disappeared after the war.  Albertson books says went to Texas and never head of again.  He was not listed in nation-wide 1880 census. National Archives Microfilm Box, Roll, and Record: 000226, 0065, 00001080
 
George Willcox: A second cousin four times removed was born about 1842, the son of John Willcox and Mary Daniel.  He was a member of Company H enlisting as a private on 6 June 1861.  He died in service to the CSA and was buried at Front Royal, VA February 1862 at the age of 20.  National Archives Microfilm Box, Roll, and Record: 000226, 0065, 00001083
 
Thomas Peter Wilcox: A second cousin four times removed, born on 10 October 1844 in Telfair Co, Georgia, the soon of General Mark Lea Willcox and Sarah Ann Elizabeth Coffee. On 1 December 1864 when Thomas was 20, he first married Susan A. Coffee.  She was born about 1845 and died before 1901. On 1 December 1901 when Thomas was 57, he second married Lula M. Crittenden.  Thomas served in Company H as a private enlisting on 6 June 1861. He was discharged when he furnished T. H. Williamson as substitute on 12 February 1862.  He died 30 September 1919 in Rhine, Georgia at the age of 74.  National Archives Microfilm Box, Roll, and Record: 000226, 0065, 00001096
 

Officers of the 20th Georgia Volunteer Infantry

The original field officers were: Colonel William Duncan Smith, Lieutenant-Colonel; John B. Cumming, Major: John Augustus Jones, and Adjutant J. O. Waddell. Colonel Smith was promoted to brigadier-general and ordered to Charleston, S.C., where he died of fever in October, 1862. He was succeeded by John B. Cumming, and later James D. Waddell as colonel. On the promotion of Lieutenant-Colonel Cumming, Major John Augustus Jones was advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel. When Major Jones was promoted, Roger L. Gamble, the captain of Company C, took his place as major. Lieutenant-Colonel Jones was killed in battle and was succeeded by Eli M. Seago who would die at Chickamauga, was earlier promoted to major, the former Captain of Company F. Later in the war, Colonel Cummings was succeeded by James D. Waddell as commander of the regiment and on whose promotion William Craig, Captain of Company K, became the major. John A. Coffee, captain of Company H and Albert B. Ross, captain of Company A, also were later to serve as Major.

Captains and Their Companies

Company A: Albert B. Ross, Willis W. Breazeal, James B. Morris, Sparks Guards, men from Bibb County
 
Company B: John A. Strother, Border Rangers/Muscogee Mounted Guards, men from Muscogee County.

Company C: Roger L. Gamble, Jefferson Guards, men from Jefferson County.

Company D: James D. Waddell, Sheppard W. Blance, William C. Spence men from Polk County.

Company E: Lucius C. Norwood, R. D. Little, Whitesville Guards, men from Harris County
 
Company F: Eli M. Seago, William Lindsey Abbott, Confederate Continentals/Confederate Sentinels, men from Fulton County.

Company G: Alexander C. Morton, John R. Ivey, Wiley N. Hutchins, Theophilus S.Fontaine, men from Muscogee County.

Company H: Henry J. Smith, John A. Coffee, Julius Warren Boyd, Telfair Volunteers, men from Telfair County.
 
Company I: Van A. Leonard, C. H. Miner, Francis M. Brooks Jr., Southern Guards, men from Muscogee County.
 
Company K: Jesse F. Cleveland, William Craig, Montgomery Guards, men from Richmond County.
 

Organization and Operations of the 20th Georgia Volunteers

The volunteers of the 20th Georgia Infantry was formed at Columbus in May 1861 and soon moved to Virginia where it was assigned to the Potomac District. This regiment served in the Army of Northern Virginia throughout most of its campaigns. It served in the brigades of Generals Early, Toombs and Benning. In April 1862 it had 560 effectives and fought wit the army from the Seven Days Battles to Cold Harbor. The only exception was when the brigade was ordered west with General Longstreet to fight at Suffolk, Chickamauga, and operations in east Tennessee including Chattanooga and Knoxville. The Georgia regiment returned to Virginia in time for the spring campaign of 1864, enduring the hardships of the Petersburg trenches south and north of the James River. It sustained 76 casualties during the Seven Days Battles and 152 casualties at Second Manassas. Of the 350 engaged at Gettysburg, more than 35% were disabled. The 20th regiment of Georgia Volunteers lost 95 men from 14 April to 6 May 1864 and another 54 men from 1 August to 31 December 1864.

Official Regimental Assignments

 

September-October 1861     Early’s Brigade, Van Dorn’s Division, 1st Corps, Army of the Potomac

 

October 1861-January 1862 Early’s Brigade, Van Dorn’s Division, Potomac District, Dept of Northern Virginia
 
January-March 1862             Early’s Brigade, Van Dorn’s-D. H. Hill’s Division, Potomac District, Dept. of Northern Virginia

April-May 1862                     Early’s Brigade, D. H. Hill’s Division, Potomac District, Dept.of Northern Virginia

June-July 1862                         Toombs’ Brigade, D.R. Jones Division, Magruder’s Command, ANV

July-October 1862                     Toombs’ Brigade, D.R. Jones Division, 1st Corps, ANV

October 1862-February 1863     Toombs’ Brigade, Hood’s Division, 1st Corps, ANV
 
February-April 1863                   Toombs’-Benning’s Brigade, Hood’s Division, Dept. of Southern Virginia

April-May 1863                         Benning’s Brigade, Hood’s Division, Dept. of Southern Virginia

May-September 1863                 Benning’s Brigade, Hood’s Division, 1st Corps, ANV
 
September-November 1863        Benning’s Brigade, Hood’s Division, Longstreet’s Corps, AOT

November 1863-April 1864         Benning’s Brigade, Hood-Field’s Division, Department of East Tennessee

April 1864-April 1865                 Benning’s Brigade, Field’s Division, 1st Corps, ANV
 

Battle Participation

April 1862                     Yorktown Siege

25 June-1 July 1862     Seven Days Battles

27-28 June 1862         Garnett’s and Golding’s Farms

1 July 1862                   Malvern Hill

28 August 1862             Thoroughfare Gap

28-30 August 1862         2nd Manassas

17 September 1862         Sharpsburg

13 December 1862         Fredricksburg

April-May 1863             Suffok Campaign

1-3 July 1863                 Gettysburg

19-20 September 1863            Chickamauga

September-November 1863     Chattanooga Siege

November-December 1863     Knoxville Siege

5-6 May 1864                         Battle of the Wilderness

8-21 May 1864                        Spotsylvania Court House

23-26 May 1864                      North Anna

1-3 June 1864                         Cold Harbor

June 1864-April 1865             Petersburg Siege

29 September 1864                 Chaffin’s Farm

29-30 September 1864           Fort Harrison and Fort Gilmer

27 October 1864                     Williamsburg Road

2 April 1865                             Final Assault of Petersburg

9 April 1865                             Appomattox Court House

 

Some Early Orders and Reports

Confederate Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In Maryland, Eastern North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia (Except Southwestern), And West Virginia.--#14 SPECIAL ORDERS No. 171. ADJT. INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, AND Richmond, October 4, 1861.

V. Capt. Cleveland's company Georgia Volunteers is assigned to the Twentieth Regiment Georgia Volunteers, Col. W. D. Smith commanding. Captain Cleveland will proceed with his company to Fairfax, Va., and report to Colonel Smith, who will furnish the company with arms. O.R.--SERIES I--VOLUME LI/2

Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations On The Coasts Of South Carolina, Georgia, And Middle And East Florida From August 21, 1861, To April 11, 1862. CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--#2 HEADQUARTERS CAMP STEPHENS, October 30, 1861. General A. R. LAWTON:

But a few hours since I received a communication from his excellency the governor, stating that he had not been advised by the Secretary of War of the action of the Department in ordering this regiment to Virginia, and, moreover, stating that he had just written to the Department protesting, in the name of the State, against this and other regiments being removed from the State. I thought it due to you that you should be notified of the same. Again signifying to you that I shall obey with pleasure any order emanating from you, I subscribe myself, your obedient servant, THOMAS J. WARTHEN, Colonel, Commanding Twentieth Regiment Georgia Volunteers. O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME VI, Chapter XV

Union correspondence identifies the position of the 20th Regiment of Georgia Volunteers on 27 January 1862.

Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating Specially To Operations In Maryland, Northern Virginia, And West Virginia From August 1, 1861, To March 17, 1862. UNION CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--#5 JANUARY 27, 1862.

A deserter from the Sixth Louisiana Regiment states that he left Centreville about 25th December, 1861, and Manassas about January 7, 1862; that it was then understood that the rebel forces at Manassas, Centreville, and vicinity were about 60,000, under command of Generals Johnston, Beauregard, and Smith; that he got his information from a clerk in the rebel Commissary Department; that General Taylor's brigade, to which he belonged, was of General Smith's division, composed of Sixth Louisiana Regiment, Colonel Seymour, 840 men; Seventh Louisiana, Col. Harry Hays, 840 men; Eighth Louisiana Regiment, Colonel Kelly, 900 men, and battalion of Louisiana Tigers, five companies, under the command of Major Wheat; that the headquarters of Brigadier-General Van Dorn were near Union Mills, and his cavalry pickets extend to Fairfax Court-House; that General Early's brigade, near Bull Run, west of the railroad bridge, is composed of the Twentieth Georgia, Twenty-fourth Virginia, Thirteenth North Carolina, and two other regiments, with one battery--one of the regiments is commanded by Colonel Hope; that General Bonham's South Carolina brigade is on the new military road from Centreville to Union Mills, composed of five regiments and one battery; that General Cox's brigade is encamped near Centreville, on Manassas road, and includes the celebrated Eighth Virginia; that two brigades are located 2 miles from Centreville, on Stone Bridge road, and in one of them are the First Kentucky and Sixteenth Mississippi; that Stuart's cavalry brigade is near Stone Bridge, two of the regiments under command of Colonels Fields and Radford; that Washington Artillery, four companies, under Major Walton, guns mostly brass and rifled, four mortars, is stationed on east side of New Bull Run Bridge. O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME 5

CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, AND RETURNS RELATING TO THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VIRGINIA, FROM MARCH 17 TO SEPTEMBER 2, 1862.CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.--#3 HEADQUARTERS, Lee's Farm, April 8, 1862. Major-General McLAWS:

GENERAL: Three regiments of General Early's brigade (now at Lebanon Church, viz, Colonel Terry's Twenty-fourth Virginia, Colonel McRae's Fifth North Carolina, and Colonel Cumming's Twentieth Georgia) and Colonel Williams' South Carolina regiment, now at the crossroads half a mile below, will move at early dawn tomorrow morning, and will report by a staff officer to you, awaiting at the cross-roads, each [such] orders as you may send them, provided there should be any move of the enemy on your right to cross the river which will make such orders necessary.

These regiments are not destined permanently for your division, but are intended to meet any emergency which may arise from any unexpected movement of the enemy in your vicinity.

Lieutenant Lyon, of the Fifteenth Virginia Regiment, has not reported to these headquarters.

By order of Major-General Magruder. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, HENRY BRYAN, Assistant Adjutant-General. O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME 14

Union Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In Maryland, Eastern North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia (Except Southwestern), And West Virginia, From January 1, 1861, To June 30, 1865.--#13 MAY 5, 1862. General MARCY, or General FRANKLIN:

A contraband servant in the Twentieth Georgia confirms in a remarkable manner the story of Jackson and the attack. He says also that eight regiments went to re-enforce Jackson last night at Hanover Junction. He goes to General Andrew Porter. WM. F. SMITH, Brigadier-General. O.R.--SERIES I--VOLUME LI/1

Union General McClellan learns of the movement of the Twentieth Georgia Infantry and calls for reinforcements.

CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, AND RETURNS RELATING TO THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN, VIRGINIA, FROM MARCH 17 TO SEPTEMBER 2, 1862. UNION CORRESPONDENCE, ETC -- #11 McCLELLAN'S HEADQUARTERS, June 26, 1862---9 a.m. Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:

A contraband servant in the Twentieth Georgia came in this morning, and confirms in a remarkable manner the story of Jackson being on our flank and his intention of attacking our communications. He also says eight regiments went to re-enforce Jackson last night near Hanover Junction. Other information shows there is a large force at the Junction. There is no doubt in my mind now that Jackson is coming upon us, and with such great odds against us we shall have our hands full. No time should be lost if I am to have any more re-enforcements. GEO. B. McCLELLAN, Major-General, Commanding. O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME 14

Would you like to learn more about the 20th and other Georgia regiments and also help support the cause of Southern Heritage?   More information on the history of this regiment is available in:

"Warriors of the Wiregrass"

 a soft-bound, 8-1/2 x 11 publication, consisting 500 pages, covering the history of 14 Regiments Georgia Regiments:

1st Volunteer Infantry Regiment, 4th Cavalry (Clinch), 10th Battalion Infantry, 11th Cavalry-State Guards, 20th Battalion Cavalry, 20th Volunteer Infantry, 29th Volunteer Infantry, 49th Volunteer Infantry, 50th Volunteer Infantry, 54th Volunteer Infantry, 61st Volunteer Infantry, 63rd Volunteer Infantry. 64th Volunteer Infantry, and Coffee County Revengers Local Defense Unit.....plus information on researching Confederate ancestors, obtaining Veterans Administration grave markers for Confederate veterans, SCV Iron Crosses and more.

The author has donated all profits from the sale of this book directly to the Moultrie SCV Camp to support Confederate History and Heritage preservation programs and the continuing fight to save our Southern Heritage. The retail price is $50.00 plus $5.00 shipping. Not a bad price when compared to single abbreviated regimental histories sold by others "up North" at $8-$15 each or cost of $112-$210 if purchased separately and having much less detail!  Discounts for current SCV & UDC members (20% off) and for bulk orders, schools, libraries, and teachers. Please contact the camp for discount information.

If you are interested send a check or money order made payable to the Moultrie SCV Camp #674  to: P.O. Box 1213 Moultrie, GA 31776.  Please include your name, address, and phone number.

Inquiries about the book, discounts, ordering, or content can be sent via email to Mr. Jack Bridwell, Moultrie SCV Camp or calling  (229) 985-8409

Please pass along to others as every book sold goes to preserve our Southern Heritage.

© 2003  John Griffin