This plaque at Vicksburg National Battlefield Park is the only known image of Colonel Alpheus Skidmore Harris, first commander of the 43rd Georgia.

Universally known as "Skid", he is believed to have been born at Rockingham, NC. He was superintendent of a copper mine at Canton, GA before the war and enlisted in the first company to leave Cherokee County in 1861. He was elected Lieutenant and later Lt. Colonel of the 2nd Ga before commanding the 43rd. He died of a leg wound received while leading the 43rd at Baker's Creek.

The plaque at Vicksburg was sculpted by Mr.George T. Brewster and erected in 1919.  Details in the plaque such as the early receding hair line suggest the image came from a photograph. The historian at Vicksburg, Mr. Terrence Winschel, indicates the Park does not have a copy. Does one lay in some archive in Washington, DC, or in the estate of George Brewster, or do the descendants of Harris have a photo? Col. Harris's direct descendants were a son, Henry Harris, and a daughter, Ann Harris. His wife, Nancy, is believed to have remarried James W. Davis in Canton. Does anyone know Harris's current descendants?

The second in command was Hiram P. Bell. He was the most prominent member of the regiment both before and after the war.

He was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1849. He practiced law in Cumming, GA but became active in politics. Bell was a delegate to the Georgia secession convention in 1861 and was elected to the State Senate in the same year. Once the decision to leave the union was made, he was appointed commissioner to Tennessee to help convince her to join the Confederacy. When the February, 1862 requisition came, he resigned his senate seat to go to war.

He arrived at Camp McDonald as Captain of the Zollicoffer Guards (company I), which he raised in Forysth county. He commanded the 43rd at Chickasaw Bayou and was shot in the leg by a sharpshooter, a debilitating wound that forced his resignation. After the war, Bell was twice elected to the US Congress and was later elected to the Georgia House and Senate. I would definitely like to contact Bell's descendants.

Company A

Lt. Augustus M. Reinhart, Co. A.
Cherokee County

He led a party of "scouts" in the first action at Bridgeport. He was wounded in the leg at Baker's Creek and was ultimately discharged. The surgeon's report indicated one of Reinhart's legs was "three inches shorter than the other" due to an old fracture! This "disability" didn't seem to affect his performance.

Company D

Pvt. James H. Caudell

Enlisted March 4, 1862. Appointed 4th Sgt. 1862. Wounded right foot and permanently disabled at Baker's Creek 1863.
Photo courtesy of Ms. Marie Harvey Rutledge

2nd Lt. Michael J. Ragsdale

Enlisted March 4, 1862. Elected Capt. May 15, 1862. Captured at Vicksburg July 4th, and paroled July 7, 1863,
Photo courtesy of Dr. Max White.

Jr. 2nd Lt. John Lane .

Killed in friendly fire accident in 1862. Photo courtesy of Dr. Max White.

Pvt. Clark Cash .

Captured at Vicksburg July 4, 1863 and
paroled July 7th. Photo courtesy of Dr. Max White.

Pvt. Joshua White

Enlisted March 4, 1862. Wounded left arm and permanently disabled at Jonesboro, Ga.
Aug. 31, 1864.Photo courtesy of Dr. Max White.

Pvt. McKinney A. Morris

Private May 8, 1862. Wounded left knee at New Hope Church, Ga. May, 25, 1864. Captured near Atlanta, Aug. 13, 1864. Released Camp Chase, Ohio July 3, 1865.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Max White.

Pvt. James C. "Jim" Broom

4th Sgt. enlisted March 4, 1862, reduced to Pvt. Sep. 1, 1862. Discharged in due to rheumatism Dec. 1862. Paroled at Augusta, Ga. May 25, 1865. Photo courtesy of Ms. Libby Grimland

Company E

Pvt. William Oliver Hughes

Enlisted March 10, 1862. Captured at Vicksburg and parolled. Last record April 30, 1864.
Photo courtesy of great grandson Mr. Joe Oliver Bailey.

Company H

Pvt. E.T.Doster

Enlisted March 10, 1862, in Jackson County. Surrendered at Greensboro, NC, April 26, 1865. One of the lucky ones who made it all the way through. Photo courtesy of E.T.'s great granddaughter Mrs.Gail Holland.

4th Sgt. Middletown Williams

Captured at Vicksburg and parolled, captured at Atlanta, released Camp Chase, Ohio May 15, 1865. Photo courtesy of his great grandson Mr. Tom Sorrells.

Company I

Pvt. Elijah Marshall Major

Enlisted March 10, 1862. Captured at Atlanta, July 22, 1864. Photo courtesy of Elijah's great great grandson, Mr. Rick Costner

Pvt. Moses Rider

Joined May 13, 1862. Captured at Atlanta Aug.13, 1864. Released Camp Chase, Ohio June 11, 1865

Images Wanted

Any images associated with the 43rd are wanted. Of particular interest are the other commanders of the regiment, Henry C. Kellogg and William C. Lester. I am also looking for images of: