Emerging Civil War welcomes guest author John N. McDonald…
Governor Joseph Brown of Georgia was a troubled man in November 1864. Two months had passed since Sherman captured Atlanta and the Union armies were once again on the march with very little in their way. It soon became obvious that at least a portion of the enemy would be coming right through the state capital at Milledgeville, where the state legislature was currently in session. As the capital, in addition to the governor’s mansion and statehouse, Milledgeville was home to the state lunatic asylum, as it was called at the time, Georgia Military Institute (GMI), and the state penitentiary. More important militarily were the arsenal and stores kept there for Confederate forces.
Brown had a solution to one problem that could aid in the lack of troops at hand to oppose Sherman. On November 18, shortly before adjourning, the Georgia House and Senate concurred on a bill authorizing Governor Brown to enlist as many convicts from the penitentiary as would be willing to volunteer for the duration of the war in exchange for a full pardon.[1] Promptly going across the public square, Brown appealed to the prisoners himself. Surprisingly, or perhaps not considering it would get them out of the prison, 124 men volunteered for service. Twenty-six refused and were returned to the penitentiary.[2]
