"The First Companies of Men to Serve in The                          Civil War from Henry County, GA." The first companies of men to serve in the Civil War from Henry County were called upon by the leaders who formed companies at their respective homes.  Then they would send their men to be mustered at Shingleroof Campground (it being a central place in the county.  Over 1000 men served from Henry.) These Companies were as follows: (1) April 21, 1861 The Henry Guards (A volunteer Co.) became Co. G 19th GA Regt. (A) Capt. T.W. Flynt (B) 1st Lt. H. Stokes (C) 2nd Lt. J.R. Selfridge (D) 3rd Lt. Jno. R. Elliott They were the first organized and first to leave McDonough and Henry County.  History says no finer or braver group of boys ever wore the Southern Gray than the 19th.  An article from the Henry Weekly Paper of 1921 by Mr. John T. Oglesby says it well: "I witnessed the organizing of Capt. Flynts company at Shingle Roof Campground; I listened to the elegant appeal of Southern statesmen calling for volunteers; I looked on with pride as the young men around Shingleroof Campground  and in Henry County would march up, join the roll and pledge their loyalty and fidelity to the cause of the Southern Confederacy.  The very best blood of the land, gallant young men, coming from the very best families leaving good homes and wealth, life of ease were being enrolled.  Anxious parents, wives whose husbands were daily enlisting poured into old Shingleroof Campground to see their loved ones trained and equipped for that bloody struggle that was to come." (2) Zachry's Rangers (27th GA) June 14, 1861 (A) Capt. Charles T. Zachry (B) 1st Lt. W.W. DeLamar (C) 2nd Lt. R.A. Harkery (D) 3rd Lt. W.H. Harper Charles T. Zachry lived in G.M.D. 638 of the Beersheba District.  The volunteers of his group were from this locality.  He later became Col. Zachry and was famous for his gallantry at Olustee, Florida.  After the war he ws instrumental in the development of the Peachstone Shoals and was very active in local and state government.  He built a beautiful home known as the Castle Mound in 1870 at the Peachstone Shoals. (3) July 6, 1861 Co. K 22nd GA Infantry (A) Capt. J.T. Albert Here is a 1913 article about them from the Henry Weekly: "This gallant company was first enlisted and left McDonough in 1861. The company recruited in Henry County lost 70 percent at Gettysburg.  It participated in all the principal battles after that of Malvern Hill.  Especially heroic was the work of Co. K at Gettysburg.  They entered the battle with 49 men. When they came out but 14 answered the roll call. Not all of the missing were killed and two more were captured. They were at the surrender at Appomattox." (4) November 18, 1861 Co. F 53rd GA Regt Dixie Guards (A) 1st Lt Thomas Sloan Co. D 3rd Batt.      (Died of wounds suffered at Sharpsburg, MD on 9/23/1862) This regiment served in  the Army of Northern Virginia  with men from Clayton and Henry Counties. (5) November 1861 (A) A. C. Sloan Co. B 10th GA Cavalry Known as the Henry County Guards or the Henry County Cavalry. (6) January 1862 Co. A 44th Ga Regt Weems Guards (A) Capt W.H. Peebles (later Colonel) Served with the Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee. (7) March 5, 1862 85th Regt Georgia Militia (A) Col. F.L. Adams (B) Lt. Col. William Lowe (C) Maj. Robert Sandifer (D) Judge Adv. G.M. Nolan (E) Quartermaster Q.R. Nolan (F) Surgeon  W.H. Peebles (G) Capt. R. M. Everitt The Home Guard of Henry County. (8) September 25, 1861 Bartow Invincibles Co. B 30th Ga Regt (A) Capt. R. M. Hitch (B) 1st Lt. T. Ward (C) 1st Sgt Raleigh Hightower This company served  well in many famous battles. (9) Humphrey's Cavalry Part of 2nd GA Militia (A) A.G. Harris Pvt. served in this company under Co. B of the 34th Mil Dist.McDonough.  He was picked to go to Gettysburg in 1938 to represent the Confederacy at the Memorial Service. This was a high honor. (B) Col. M. Nolan (C) Surgeon Dr. R.M. Hitch (He left the 30th GA to assume this position) All these companies served with distinction and hard fighting and loss of life and limb.  Henry County provided a large contingent of men who fought for their beliefs and came home to destruction.  This was their reception a landscape of riddled homes, stolen and looted farm goods, and despair.  They had to rebuild and they did so with the vigor they used to fight in the many  battles of the Civil War. References: 1. Henry Weekly Newspaper 1913 & 1921. 2. The Mother of Counties, 1971, Mrs. Rainer 3. Rosters of Confederate soldiers from Henry County.