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Grave of Confederate Soldier John Harrod

New Hope Cemetery, Paulding County, Georgia

 

John Harrod was born December 24, 1826 in Alabama. He was the son of William L. Harrod (October 20, 1786-September 1, 1866) and Sarah Chewning (May 5, 1785-July 16, 1856). At some point his family moved to Cadaretta, Choctaw Co., MS. At the age of 35, he was elected 1st Lieutenant of Co. G, "Sons of Liberty" which later became the "Davis Guards," of the 33rd Mississippi Infantry Regiment. On August 19, 1863 he was promoted to Major of the regiment. Compiled Service Records do not indicate the exact date he was promoted to Lt. Colonel, but it was probably early January 1864. As the war for the 33rd Mississippi Infantry moved into Georgia, it was at New Hope Church, a few miles from Atlanta, that the Lt. Colonel was wounded "while gallantly leading his regiment in an attack" and later died on June 11, 1864.

 

According to his daughter's recollections of the war,

 

"He was shot through the hand and the knee, just as he raised up from behind a tree with his hand on his knee. They had discovered the Yankee scouts on the other side of the hill. Father's boys gave the blood curdling Confederate yell and the Yankees fled; and so they were able to carry Father back to camp. The little church was used as a hospital. They amputated his leg, and when it was nearly healed, gangrene set in, and he died, like thousands of others, died for lack of proper antiseptics...They made him a coffin of one of the church doors, wrapped him in his soldiers (sic) blanket, and buried him there in a nameless grave." (1)

 

Prior to the war, On March 6, 1851, John had married Sophia Ann Coleman Smith (May 8, 1833-June 21, 1902) in Cadaretta, Choctaw Co., MS. They had five children. After the war she and the children moved to California.

 

For more see my blog: www.ConfederateDigest.com

 

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Uploaded on August 3, 2010
Taken on May 8, 2010