15th Georgia Infantry Officer’s Group

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/30/2020

Small archive of ten (10) items pertaining to Colonel William Terrell Millican (1823 - 1862) who studied the law and established a practice in Jamesville, Franklin County in 1855. In 1861 he organized a Company of troops and was commissioned Captain, Company B, 15th Georgia Infantry on 14 June 1861. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 1 May and Colonel on 22 July 1862. He was wounded and captured at Sharpsburg on 17th September, and died of wounds at David Smith's Farm later that day. This group consists of an image of a 1/6th plate ambrotype of Colonel Millican and a 1/6th plate ambrotype of his wife....plus; War-date Confederate officer Autograph Letter Signed "W.T. Millican" 4pp. octavo, with 1st National in top left corner, Camp Brown, near Marietta, April 30, 1861, and reads in part: "...I have not been off my post of duty a single moment day nor night rain or sunshine since I arrived here....I have always thought that an army life would be best for me & I am now convinced of the fact. My men are all well & in the highest spirits. The Governor is now in camp with us...The greatest possible enthusiasm pervades every heart here. Troops are daily passing our camp en route for the seat of war...We will probably be called into the field under two or three weeks. No company in the encampment are making more rapid improvement in the art of war than mine. My Company and the Hart County Company are looked upon as the stoutest & hardiest soldiers in the Brigade...I made arrangements with Genl Phillips to give to Dr. Young the appointment of Assistant Surgeon of the Brigade...Governor Brown told us today that we need have no fears of our volunteers disbanding or backing out while we are absent that if they do we shall be required to fill up the ranks immediately by draft for a longer term of service. That he has in safe keeping eight thousand of the best arms on the continent with which we are to be supplied when called into the field - that the guns he sent us was only for us to learn to drill with..." Very good condition...plus; War-date Confederate Officer Autograph Letter by Colonel Millican, 4pp. octavo, with 1st National in top left corner, Camp near Centerville, Va, September 15, 1861, and reads in part: "...I am certainly spending a busy time of it in camp both day & night. Army movements are so entirely uncertain that one can never tell what a day or even a half hour may bring forth. We have been holding ourselves in readiness for a fight every hour for the past three weeks frequently during the time packed up & standing under arms...The whole Brigade received orders to march. We moved off in regular order. Genl Toombs at the head of the column. It is said we made the most imposing appearance of any Brigade that has marched in a body across the battle plains. Ours is the 6th Brigade of the Army of the Shenandoah...We are now in 6 miles of the enemy...preparations are most actively being made on both sides for a general fight...I have just heard from Camp Walker and with saddest feeling received intelligence of the death of Virgil M. Harrison. He died last night. In the death of Virgil, the Tugalo Blues have lost a most brave & generous comrade and the Confederate Army one of the best soldiers ever enrolled..." Very good condition.... plus; War-date Confederate Officer Autograph Letter Signed "W.T. Millican" 2pp. octavo, with 1st National over ten by T.S. Reynolds of Atlanta, Georgia in top left corner, Chickahominy Heights near Richmond, Va, May 29, 1862, and reads in part: "...The Yankees are now in line of battle in our front & in full view of our line, hot and heavy skirmishing is almost constantly going on. A general engagement has been expected hourly for several days past. We were kept under arms last night expecting every moment to receive the order to advance but everything has been more quiet today than usual..." Very good condition...plus; War-date Confederate Officer Autograph Letter Signed "W.T. Millican" 4pp. octavo, Camp Near Richmond, Va., July 8, 1862, and reads in part: "...We have just passed through one of the greatest battles of modern times.... we continued storming redoubt after redoubt and battery after battery until we successfully stormed and carried seventeen miles of the strongest earthworks and fortifications ever constructed on this continent. The enemy fought and defended their works with stubborn desperation but they could not hold them against the impetuous charges of our determined troops. The Confederate forces pursued the Federals for thirty-five miles.... On our return to this point night before last marching over the battlefields the stench was awful. Thousands of soldiers heaving and gagging from the poisoned atmosphere are horses even sickened. The most remarkable distinctions I observed on the various battlefields between our wounded & those of the enemy was the universal & loud lamentations & shrieks of the wounded & dying Yankees while nothing more than mere uttering and stifled groans were heard from our wounded and dying. Our brave troops met their fate with unparralled resignation...While night was rendered hideous by the shrieks and screams of the fallen enemy.... George H. Crawford was shot through the head but did not expire immediately. He made but little complaint and met his fate in calm resignation. No braver man fell in this awful struggle than gallant Crawford. He fell in Fraziers field near the family graveyard...." Fair condition....plus; Confederate imprint "REPORT OF COLONEL MILLIAN" 2pp. octavo, Camp McIntosh, July 26, 1862, addressed to Lieutenant Robert Grant, AAG, and gives a detailed report of the 15th Georgia's engagement on June 26, and reads in part: "...We crossed the field at double quick, under a most galling fire from the opposite side of a deep ravine, just beyond which our skirmishers were engaged, crossed the ravine by the right flank, and formed a line of battle and moved rapidly to the front...Colonel McIntosh, who was at the front and on the most exposed part of the line, gallantly cheering the men on, fell, mortally wounded, early in the engagement, and was borne from the field. The command then devolved upon me, as Lieutenant Colonel...the regiment by order of General Toombs, retired to the rear...June 30th took up the line of march, and reached the battle-field at Frazier's farm about eleven o'clock PM and ...advanced in line of battle..." Fine condition...plus; Portion of Millican's commission from 1861, a law license for Millican and a manuscript poem. Great grouping of material for this Confederate officer who gave his life for the cause.

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