04 Jan Fayette County’s Youngest Confederate Soldier
August 3, 1864
Fayette County’s Youngest Confederate Soldier
In August of 1864 General Lawrence Ross and his Confederate Cavalry brigade were resting near Fairburn, Georgia, after having defeated General Edward M. McCook’s cavalry near Newnan. Captain Croft’s Artillery Battery, which accompanied Ross’ Brigade was encamped there also. On August 3, 1864 Lieutenant Alford Young of the battery unit enlisted a very young William C. Hagler of Fayette County as a member of the battery. W. C. (Billy) Hagler was born on September 5, 1850 and was one month shy of this 14th birthday. At 13 years old he would become Fayette County’s youngest Confederate soldier. He fought as a private with Croft’s Artillery Battery until the end of the war. After the war he married Miss Lucy Landrum of Fayette County (present day Tyrone). Their son, Romulus Hagler would become Tyrone’s first depot agent for the Atlanta, Birmingham, and Atlantic Railroad. William C. Hagler died on October 29, 1902 and is buried at Hopewell Methodist Church Cemetery in Tyrone.
Sources:
Capt. Croft’s Flying Artillery Battery Columbus Georgia
“Civil War Ledger Book” from Courthouse
Cemetery Records of Fayette County, Georgia
By John Lynch
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.