General:
The Second Georgia Volunteer Infantry served its term of service within the continental U.S.
Unit History:
The 2nd Georgia Volunteer Infantry was mustered into service at "Camp Northern," Griffin, Georgia between May 11, and May 14, 1898. At the time of mustering in, the regiment, commanded by Colonel Oscar J. Brown, consisted of forty-five officers and 940 enlisted men. The regiment was sent to Tampa, Florida on May 21, where, four days later, it was assigned to the First Brigade, First Division of Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee's Seventh Army Corps, apparently at Camp Cuba Libre. On June 11, the regiment was reassigned to the Second Brigade, Third Division of the Maj. Gen. J. J. Coppinger's Fourth Army Corps, and was then again reassigned to the Second Brigade, Second Division of the same Corps on July 24.
On August 12, 1898, the U.S. and Spain agreed to an armistice, ending the war' fighting. Six days later, on August 18, the regiment left Tampa for Huntsville, Alabama, where it arrived three days later. After a brief one-month stay in Hunstville, the regiment was ordered to Atlanta, Georgia on September 21.
On October 6, the regiment was given a one-month furlough lasting until November 5. During this time, some members of the regiment were aiding the sheriff of Augusta in guarding the Augusta jail against mobs intent on lynching one of the inmates. In the mob's attack on the prison on November 2, Private Will Moore of the Second Georgia was wounded in the neck. Finally, the companies of the regiment were mustered out of the federal service between November 22 and December 8 at various points - Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta and Rome, Georgia. The war officially ended on December 10, 1898, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.
At the time of mustering out, the regiment was comprised of forty-five
officers and 989 enlisted men. During its term of service, the regiment
lost fifteen enlisted men to disease and had twety-four enlisted
men desert. In addition, forty-two men were discharged on disability and
two men were court-martialed.
Correspondence relating to the War with Spain And Conditions Growing Out of the Same Including the Insurrection in the Philippine Island and the China Relief Expedition. Vol. 1 (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1902) 587.
Garrett, Atlanta and Environs (Lewis Historical Publishing
Company, Inc., Vol. II, 1954) 355-356 (as indicated by Fred Greguras on
Spanish American War Camps at
http://www.rootsweb.com/~necivwar/SpanishAmericanWar/span_am_camps/pg10.htm
.
"Havana After Cuba," Davenport Daily Leader. (Davenport, Iowa; July 15, 1898) 1.
"Soldiers to Aid Sheriffs," The Fitchburg Daily Sentinel. (Fitchburg, Massachusetts, November 4, 1898) 5.
Statistical Exhibit of Strength of Volunteer Forces Called into Service During the War with Spain; with Losses from All Causes. (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1899).