Location:
N 34º 15.411
W 085 º 20.516
Hwy 20
Coosa, Floyd County, Georgia
Date Visited: 10/27/2008
Capt. William H. H. Walters
Co. H 18th Ga. Inf.
CSA
William H. H. Walters enrolled in the Rowland Highlander’s
as a private in June of 1861. The
Rowland Highlanders was one of ten companies in a new regiment raised by Major
J. Johnson and Adjutant John Griffin from Bartow County, Georgia. This new regiment
was designated as the First Regiment, Fourth Brigade, Georgia State Volunteers.
The regiment began training at Camp McDonald in Big Shanty, Georgia. In August
the regiment departed Georgia for Richmond, Virginia. After a six day train trip the men of
the Rowland Highlander’s disembarked in Richmond on August 9, 1861. After
arriving in Richmond the regiment was mustered into the Confederate States Army
as the 18th Georgia Regiment of Volunteer Infantry. At this time the
Highlander’s were designated as Company H. In November the 18th
Georgia was brigaded with the 1st , 4th, and 5th
Texas Infantry Regiments. This Texas Brigade would play a prominent role in the
battles of the Army of Northern Virginia.
As a member of Company H of the 18th Georgia
Infantry Captain Walters served through out the war. It was noted that he was
injured while on detail at Sharpsburg, Maryland on September 19, 1862. The
nature of this injury is not known. The date indicates that the injury occurred
after the Battle of Antietam. Nothing is mentioned about any action taking
place on this date in the after battle reports of General John Bell Hood
(Division Commander), Colonel William T. Wofford (Commanding the Texas
Brigade), or Colonel S. Z. Ruff (Commanding the 18th Georgia Infantry).
Captain Walters was appointed 1st Sergeant in March of 1864 and
Second Lieutenant in October of the same year. There is no record of his
promotion to Captain. He appears on the roll of the regiment on January 31,
1865.
Sources
Official Record of the War of the Rebellion, Part II Record
of Events, Vol. 6, p. 447
Roster of Confederate Soldiers of Georgia, 1861-1865, Volume
2, p.679
18th Georgia Regiment of Volunteers Infantry, http://www.angelfire.com/va3/southernrites/18thga.html#org,
accessed December 25, 2008.
