Tag: Civil War
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Smith family history: Part 15

Reconstruction era – 1865-1868 Part of the ‘Smith family history’ series V. T. Barnwell’s “Atlanta City Directory and Strangers’ Guide” was published sometime in mid-1867. It includes a “Condensed History of Atlanta” section that describes the circumstances of Atlanta residents returning after Sherman’s forces had effectively razed the city. By those who returned to Atlanta…
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Smith family history: Part 14

Civil War – Aftermath Part of the ‘Smith family history’ series In early 1865 Atlanta lay in ruins, Abraham Lincoln had been re-elected, and Sherman’s forces had completed their March to the Sea, capturing Savannah. Robert Windsor Smith was registered as a deserter on March 9, 1865 in Charleston, South Carolina. One month later on…
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Smith family history: Part 13

Civil War Part of the ‘Smith family history’ series I’m certainly not a Civil War historian, but I will try to provide some contextual information along with comments specifically relevant to the Smith family. On September 29, 1862 Robert Windsor Smith had written to his uncle William McNaught stating: The Conscription Act has concluded to…
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Smith family history: Part 12

Mary Cleveland Wright Part of the ‘Smith family history’ series As we saw in the last post, Robert became engaged to a “Mary W.” around three weeks after his father’s death in late July, 1861. Robert and Mary would eventually be married in March of 1864, despite the concerns Robert’s mother Eveline expressed in a…
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Smith family history: Part 11

Smith – McNaught correspondence highlights Part of the ‘Smith family history’ series As I mentioned in the last post, the Atlanta History Center has in its collection correspondence between the Smith family and William McNaught. Finding this correspondence was a true stroke of luck, and I think highlights what an invaluable resource the Kenan Research…
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Smith family history: Part 9

L. Windsor Smith – GA to TN Part of the ‘Smith family history’ series After South Carolina seceded in December 1860, six more southern states followed suit by February 1861, including Georgia. On January 19, 1861 members of the Georgia Secession Convention voted, with 208 votes in favor of secession, and 89 opposed. On February…
