The Women's Militia of LaGrange Georgia

[Subdeacon Joe]

The Nancy Harts

 

"Like countless other women of the Civil War, the wives, sisters and sweethearts of LaGrange, Georgia watched the majority of men in their town march away to military service in 1861. But while other Confederate women on the home front prepared to nurse the wounded and wait out the war, the women of LaGrange prepared to do battle.

 

Between 1861 and 1865, a group of 40 LaGrange women organized an all-woman militia, the Nancy Harts. Organized in military formations and skilled in marksmanship and battle tactics, the women were prepared to defend their town against a Union incursion—and near the end of the war, they did."

 

"It looked like the Nancy Harts would get through the entire war without firing a shot at Union soldiers. But that changed in April 1865, when Union troops raided West Georgia, destroying manufacturing facilities in a swoop they called Wilson’s Raid after commanding officer Brigadier General James H. Wilson. A Confederate officer telegraphed LaGrange to let them know that the nearby town of West Point was under siege. The few men who remained in LaGrange marched away to help defend it, and the Nancy Harts prepared for battle.

 

The women stepped into their familiar formation and marched to the campus of the LaGrange Female College, which was located on the edge of town. As civilians and the remaining Confederate cavalrymen fled, 40 Nancy Harts stood in a group waiting to fight. The fleeing men begged them to hide, but they refused.

 

Soon, a column of 3,000 federal troops approached, and the Nancies noticed several of their family members among the prisoners that came with them. Union Colonel Oscar LaGrange (unrelated to the town) approached, and asked to speak to the militia’s captain. When Morgan complied, she told him that they were willing not to engage in battle if the colonel would promise not to plunder the town.

 

LaGrange complimented Morgan on her well-trained troops and agreed not to attack homes or civilians. She handed over the town to the attacking soldiers. As LaGrange went back to his soldiers to give orders to take over the town, he was overheard saying “The Nancy Harts could probably use their eyes with better effect than their old guns.”

 

The Union soldiers stayed true to their word and did not attack homes or civilians. They did, however, destroy local warehouses, rail lines, and other strategic targets, and looted local stores. The town’s residents were spared, though, and in gratitude, the Nancy Harts cooked dinner for LaGrange."

 

https://www.ajc.com/blog/arts-culture/artistic-salute-female-civil-war-militia-that-saved-lagrange/J4TDre1pHlLNNeVZczkvqM/

 

 

Mort Künstler's final major painting, “LaGrange vs. LaGrange.”

[watab kid]

thank you , i did not know of this encounter 

[Subdeacon Joe]

12 minutes ago, watab kid said:

thank you , i did not know of this encounter 

 

I'll tell you,  it's amazing how many fascinating little snippets like this are lurking around for us to uncover. 

[watab kid]

21 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

I'll tell you,  it's amazing how many fascinating little snippets like this are lurking around for us to uncover. 

you got that right , i keep stumbling on them here and appreciate those of you that post them , thanks