The 12th Georgia

The 12th Georgia. The Battle of McDowell (May 8, 1862). , During the Battle of McDowell, the Confederate 12th Georgia Infantry held this ridge, overlooking the Village of McDowell. The Georgians began the battle on a knoll - a "large hilly old field" - in advance of the main Confederate line before being pushed back., The Georgians were in an exposed position, as the ground forced them to form their lines in an inverted "V", subjecting them to attack from left, right and center, and they suffered heavy casualties. They were also outgunned, as the regiment was equipped with .69 caliber smoothbore muskets, whose range was just over 100 yards, while their Federal counterparts used rifled muskets with greater range and more accuracy., A Union charge forced the Georgians back into a basin higher up the hill, but the men of the 12th did not retreat entirely. Instead, whenever Confederate Col. Z. T. Conner, in command of the 12th, would persuade one wing the other wing would advance back to their forward position. When later asked why they wouldn't withdraw, one soldier replied, "We did not come all this way to Virginia to run before the Yankees.", As the evening began to fall, the Georgians had moved to where you are standing, at the middle of the Confederate line, and they fought desperately to help hold off Federal attacks. Silhouetted against the clear sky by the setting sun, they were easy targets, and continued to suffer heavily - but helped hold the line., By the end of the battle, the 12th Georgia suffered more losses than any other Confederate unit on the field, with 52 men killed and 123 wounded out of a total of 540 men engaged, a loss of over 32%., "We did not come all this way to Virginia to run before the Yankees." , - Georgian soldier, (Captions):, John James Carson Co. D 12th Georgia Infantry. Wounded at McDowell. , Image courtesy of the American Civil War Museum., Capt. James W. Patterson Co. I 12th Georgia Infantry. Killed at McDowell. , Image courtesy of the Confederate Veteran Magazine., John A. F. Jarrell Co. B 12th Georgia Infantry. Fought at McDowell. , Image courtesy of the American Civil War Museum.