Carla just found this poem written in 1909 --- it really gives you all the battles that this company was involved with. Together with the Atkinson newspaper account, it makes all of the men more personal. http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ga/talbot/military/a-4.txt roster http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ga/talbot/military/a-4news.txt collection of newspaper accounts about this unit The Talbotton New Era Thursday, April 22, 1909 Page Seven The Last Roll Call (By Ossian D. Gorman) We were mustered in the morning Of an April far away, Three and eighty strong, and eager As we started for the fray. And no whisper broke the daydream Of that brave and hopeful band, That Story would embalm their deeds In the epic of their land. Sad were we, and sad the parting On that morning steeped in tears; Little recked we of the ending Hid within the coming years. Eager eyes were looking forward, Seeing visions far afield; Each one dreaming of a hero, Bearing Victory on his shield. Oft had thought we of the battle, Where the clashing lines should meet, Of charge and daring counter-charge, Of the vanquished foe's retreat. Oft dreamed we of the bugle call, Oft lived our dreams of glory, And took our lessons from the page, Of History's brightest story. We saw historic Richmond loom, Across our field of dreaming, And years on years of battle stress, Great even in their seeming - Saw march and struggle by the "James" And heard its limpid flowing, Through erstwhile peaceful vales and hills, Sweet with the South wind's blowing. Saw we names for song and story, Names writ large in tragic lines - There is Bartow at Manassas, And stern Lomax at "Seven Pines". There is Jackson, strong in battle, Peerless Gordon, grandly brave, Noble Hampton, dashing Stewart - These be heroes that we gave. As we "look a down the vistas" Reaching to those days far back, We can see the legions thronging In an unreturning track. We can see the "lonely muster" On a field of grief and tears, And shall read the tragic story Through the coming years. Yes, we mustered in the morning Of an April far away, When the call to War was sounded, Three and eighty strong that day. But, when came to us the gloaming, And the South's last hope was dead, There were few to answer "Roll Call", For the dreaming days had fled. The foregoing refers to "The Southern Rifles" (Company A, 4th Georgia Regiment, C.S.A.), which left Talbotton, April 26, 1861. The words, "lonely muster", etc. refer to Appomattox. Virginia Crilley