During the revolutionary war, and in the sanguinary struggles against marauding Indians, the pioneer settlers of Georgia played a conspicuous part, as the history of our country will show. In no state have deeds of more desperate daring been recorded than those witnessed within the borders of the Empire State of the South. In times of peace, in the darkest days of peril, in storm and sunshine, the people of Georgia have ever been ready to respond to their country's call. Not only this, but they have always done their duty, and in reviewing the history of the Liberty Independent troops, the people of Georgia need not blush, while Liberty county can feel a thrill of pride at the achievements of this famous cavalry company.

From the best data attainable, it is probable that the first company was raised in 1778, for protection against the British and tories, and placed under the command of Colonel Baker. Then followed the mounted militia, which served to the close of the revolution. The second company was raised in 1788, for defense against the Indians. It was commanded by Captain Rudolph, and later by Captain Whitehead. It is a difficult matter to ascertain the origin of the company, as its record begins with September, 1794 and throws no light on the subject.

The Chatham Artillery, organized in 1786, is without doubt the oldest volunteer company in the state, while the Liberty Independent Troop is the oldest cavalry company. It is the opinion of some people that the troop was organized in 1791 r 1792, although a gold medal formerly owned by the Independent troop bears date of 1786. On the earliest book of records of the troops are known as “The Horse Company.” The first commander was Frederick O'Neil, who held the rank of colonel when appointed, served in the Virginia troops under Lee, and afterwards with Washington.

To show the daring and intrepidity of the man, it is related that on one occasion as he was riding through the country, there suddenly appeared before him a small party of English. On looking behind him, he saw another party approaching. Riding slowly and deliberately toward the enemy, the colonel drew his pistol, put spurs to his horse, fired into the soldiers, broke through their ranks and before they had time to recover from their surprise, was too far away to be overtaken. After the war he settled in Liberty county and married Polly Woodruff in 1787.

The second commander was Simon Fraser, famillarly known as “Old Major Fraser.” He was a Scotchman, but was a brave soldier during the revolutionary war, a companion in arms of Baker cooper, West and others. During the fierce struggles with the British his wife frequently accompanied him on his perilous campaigns. On many occasions having no other shelter fro the night Mrs. Fraser, with her husband, occupied part of a room in which the officers slept. Being driven from house and home, she showed her devotion to Captain Fraser by braving the dangers of war, sharing his privations - a true wife of a noble soldier. He died in1812.

The third commander, John B. Girardeau, was received into the company on the 4th of July, 1798. On the 9th of August he was elected captain; John Bettis, first lieutenant; Joel Walker, second lieutenant, James ___geant; Thomas Mell, second sergeant; William Lamorignt, third sergeant and William F. Bell, fourth sergeant.

Captain Girardeau had served as lieutenant in the federal or state troops on the Altamaha, and as he was a man experience in cavalry service, was elected captain after he had been but one month in the Liberty troop. He was very active in keeping up the organization and remained in command up to the time of his death in 1802.

From 1794 to1801 the company numbered among its members many prominent pioneer heroes, and it is probable that in the revision and amendment of the rules of Captain Fraser and committee during that period that he company was given the distinctive name or title which it now bears - The Liberty Independents, or the Liberty Independent troops. On July 4, 1797, the membership of the troop was twenty-nine, not counting defaulters, which would have brought it up to thirty-five or forty.

The fourth commander was Samuel Spry Law. The date of his election is not known as the records from April 1801 to July 4, 1807, were lost. It is likely however that he was elected immediately after the death of Captain Girardeau in 1803. He remained in command until 1812, when the officers of Liberty Independent troop, the Chatham Hussars and the Camden troop, then on squadron parade in Sunbury, elected him major of the First squadron, First regiment of the state cavalry. Major Law died in 1837.

In February, 1808, the plan was adopted of entering the names of all the troopers, absent as well as present, and from that on it is easy to ascertain the membership. When Captain Law was elected major there were forty-three men on parade. The constitution and by-laws required the troop to meet the second Friday in each month. This was changed to the second Saturday in each alternate month. Riceboro was the established place of meeting, while the Fourth of July was regularly celebrated in Sunbury.

About that time there was considerable excitement throughout Georgia on account of the prospect of war with England. War talk filled the air and all sorts of rumors were rife. Liberty Independent troop became fired with enthusiasm to such an extent that the members gave vent to their patriotism by voting to volunteer their services to the governor. The executive would not accept them, but on February 22, 1809, a draft was ordered by the general government.

For very substantial reasons the troop declined volunteering a second time. Their patriotism had not abated in the least, however, and they held themselves in readiness as volunteers to march at a moment's warning whenever their services might be needed. They resolved also to stand the draft and provide a substitute for every member of the corps who should be drafted.

The fifth commander of the troop was Joseph Jones. The troop paraded once under Lieutenant Jones and at the next parade he was elected captain. Captain Jones joined the troop in August 1798, and consequently had served over fourteen years. William Anderson Covent was at this time the oldest member of the corps, he having joined it under Captain Fraser in 1796. Captain Jones resigned his command on November 2, 1815. The average number on parade during his command was twenty-four, the total membership being thirty-three. No difficulty was experienced in keeping up the membership on account of it being war times.

In November, 1813, the troop was ordered out on an expedition against the Indians, who were giving the settlers a great deal of trouble. Eighteen troopers went out under command of Lieutenant Elliott, Captain Jones being absent from the county. The remainder of the troopers in Liberty were excused, while those from McIntosh were in all probability not summoned.

For some time the British had been threatening our coast, and finally took possession of Cumberland and St. Simons islands in 1814. The English attacked major Messias, commanding a detachment of United States troops at Point Peter, near St. Mary's. After a sharp fight the Americans were driven from their intrenchments. The news of this defeat, and the landing of the enemy, traveled like wildfire. The Americans were anxious to run the enemy from our borders.

General Daniel Stewart, then brigadier general of the state cavalry, ordered the Liberty Independent troop to march at one to meet Major Messias on his retreat and reinforce him. The men were rapidly summoned, and twenty-two members assembled at Riceboro on January 19,1815. Without waiting for the remaining members these patriots pushed on to Fort Barrington, where they met Major Messias about 10 o'clock that night.

The next day they marched to Darien, where troops were stationed, and where an attack was daily expected, as the British were in considerable force on St. Simons Island. The remaining members of the troop joined the main body the same day it arrived at Darien. In order to be more fully prepared for an attack, the infantry companies of the county were ordered to Darien under command of Captains Robert Quarterman and John Winn. The two companies were afterwards united under Captain Quarterman, on whose “pay roll” were the names of one hundred and thirty-three officers and men.

The troops remained on duty in Darien until January 30, 1815, when they marched to Riceboro, in company with the old Chatham troop and the Savannah Hussars, under command of Colonel John McPherson Berrien, who discharged the Liberty Independent troop from service. Peace having been declared between the United States and Great Britain, this was the only time the company was called out in actual service until the war between the states.

No record of the company can be found between October 17, 1816, and May 12, 1827, but it is known that the company remained intact. William Maxwell was elected Captain in 1815. He was again given the command in 1820. Finding the troop in a badly demoralized condition, he exerted himself, and soon restored it to its former standing. It is hardly necessary to go into details concerning the movements of the troop, which in 1827 transferred its regular parade ground from Riceboro to a place known as “Wood's Old Field.”

Captain Maxwell was succeeded by Joseph Law in 1832 and he by Peter Winn Fleming in 1833. This year the Fourth of July was celebrated on the “Sand Hill” now Walthourville. In February 1836 the Indians down in Florida became exceedingly troublesome and an outbreak was threatened. The troop offered their services to march against the redskins, but as there was no actual need for them, Governor Schley did not accept. Four weeks later the governor issued a call for volunteers, when the troop notified him they would be ready to march on June 6. They received notice from headquarters to hold themselves in readiness for action, but were not called out.

Captain Fleming resigned November 12, 1837 and was succeeded by David Anderson in February 1838. he commanded the troop until November 1840, when he was promoted to the position of major, resigned on February 22, 1842. During his capacity the troop held its first encampment. Abial Winn was elected captain in April 1842. He was succeeded by Cyrus Stevens Mallard on March 4, 1845. During the year 1843 a second corps of cavalry was organized in the county, under the command of Captain Enoch Daniel. This was known as the Liberty Guards.

While the war with Mexico was in progress Captain Mallard received instructions from the governor to forward him the number of men, rank and file, in his company. At this time the troop was about to give a picnic, but thinking a call had been made of the governor for men to serve against Mexico, deemed it expedient to lay aside all schemes for pleasure and take into consideration more serious matters. They resolved that “in case of a requisition being made on the state of Georgia for troops, we are ready.” On May 4, 1847, the services of the troop were again tendered the governor. Captain Mallard resigned on November 10, 1849, and died in 1853. On January 8, 1851, ex-Captain Peter Winn Fleming was again unanimously elected to the command of the company. From this on to the breaking out of the civil war little occurred outside of regular routine work, and it will be appropriate to say a few words in regard to the Liberty Guards.

At the expiration of the six months' service in the war with Mexico for which the Liberty Independent troop was mustered in, a part of the members withdrew from the company and organized the Liberty Rangers, electing William G. Thompson as captain. The Rangers rendezvoused at bona Bella, near Savannah, in May, 1862, where it was mustered into service for the war as Company B, Twentieth Georgia battalion. This company was ordered to James Island, South Carolina, doing picket duty during the summer and fall of 1862 and winter of 1863, where they suffered more or less from sickness and death. In April 1863, the company was ordered back to Georgia to join their battalion and picket the coasts of McIntosh and Liberty counties, the companies occupying them having been withdrawn from the Fifth Georgia cavalry, then stationed at the Isle of Hope.

During the summer and fall of 1863 the Rangers occupied Camp Palmyra, spending the winter of 1864 at Riceboro. The company was attached to Young's brigade, Hampton's division, Army of Northern Virginia, the latter part of May. On the 9th it participated in the battle of Haw's Shop, where it suffered heavily. Major Thompson who was shot through the arm, was taken to Goldsboro, N.C., where he died from the effects of the wound. Two days after this fight the company was again engaged, at Reams Station. Here its loss in killed, wounded and captured was heavy. At Hatcher Creek it again suffered severe loss. Besides these engagements, where they lost so heavily, they faced the enemy at Stony creek, White Oak swamp, and in many other skirmishes during the summer.

By fall the battalion had suffered such heavy losses from sickness and death that it was disbanded. Company B was attached to the Jeff Davis legion, J.F. Waring commanding, Young's brigade, Fitzhugh Lee's division, Hampton's corps. With this division it surrendered at Goldsboro in May 1865.

Going back to the Liberty Independent troop, we find them in February, 1861, under Captain Winn, meeting Lieutenant Kell, of the United States navy, at Sunbury, who had brought the remains of Commodore McIntosh from St. Augustine, Fla., by order of the general government. This was perhaps the last order obeyed by Lieutenant Kell, as he is next seen with Commander Semmes, of the confederate navy.

In January, 1861, the people of Georgia were rampant for war, and the Liberty Independent troop was full of flight. All the arms, forty stand, were taken up, many new members were admitted, and under way. Actual hostilities began this year, and early in the summer the Lamar Rangers were mustered into service and stationed at Sunbury. The troop went into camp at Hester's Bluff, near Sunbury, in the month of August.

The term of enlistment of the Lamar Rangers having expired, the troop were ordered to relieve them, and about October 1 they were mustered into regular service. The companies then doing duty on the coast of Liberty and McIntosh counties were the Liberty Independent troop and Liberty Guards in the former, and the McIntosh Light Dragoons and Lamar Rangers in the latter.

The troop remained at Sunbury until the fall of Port Royal, when they were ordered to Riceboro. In March, 1862, a detachment of the company was sent under Second Lieutenant W.A. Fleming to Fort Barrington, on the Altamaha as it was reported that a federal gunboat was about to proceed up that stream to burn the railroad bridge at Doctortown. This detachment remained at that point until relieved by one from the Liberty Guards. The troop continued doing picket duty at various points, but nothing of note transpired until in March 1863, when the enemy made an attack upon Fort McCallister, in Bryan county with two ironclads and several mortar boats. The troop was ordered to Kilkenny, on Bryan Neck, to guard that point, remaining until the enemy retired. In April 1863, the troop was ordered to Savannah to go into the organization of the Fifth Georgia cavalry, being assigned in the command of company G.

In July information was received by the department that the enemy was about to make an attempt to destroy the bridge at Doctortown, and the Liberty troops and Liberty Guardsd were sent to Doctor's creek, where they remained until August. In October they were ordered to Green Pond, S.C., the enemy having made an effort to cut the Charleston and Savannah railroad at that point. In March, 1864, the enemy landed a large force at Jacksonville, Fla., for the purpose of invading that state, when the troop was ordered, with the regiment, to proceed with all dispatch to Florida.

The troop went through the entire campaign and engaged in a number of sharp skirmishes and battles, and losing heavily in many of these. The Fifth Georgia regiment of which the Liberty Independent troop was a part, distinguished itself on many battle fields, finally surrendering with Johnson's army at a place called Company's Shop, N.C., near Hillsboro, in May 1865.

Liberty Independent troop surrendered thirty-five men to go back to devastated homes and broken family ties. They found things in a sadly chaotic condition, but with honor untarnished and names unsullied, they were equal to any emergency. The dark days of the reconstruction period followed, when the carpetbagger did his best to make this fair, sunny land a hell on earth. It is not our intention to follow the Liberty Independent troops from the close of the war to the present time.

It is sufficient to say that the company has maintained its organization and is now probably the oldest and certainly one of the best drilled cavalry companies in the state. Before closing this article it may prove of interest to give a list of captains of the Liberty Independent troop, in rotation from organization to the present time, with the year of their commissions:

John Berrien, 1785
Ferdinand O'Neil, 1794
Simon Fraser, 1798
John B. Girardeau, 1801
Samuel Spry Law, 1812
Joseph Jones, 1816
William Maxwell, 1817
William W. Baker, 1719
William Maxwell, 1832
Joseph Law, 1833
Peter Winn Fleming, 1837
David Anderson, 1841
Edwin H. Bacon, 1842
Abial Winn, 1845
Cyrus Stevens Mallard, 1850
Peter Winn Fleming, 1860
Abial Winn, 1863
William L. Walthour, 1865
William A. Fleming, 1884
Edward F. Miller, 1890
Josiah L. Fleming, 1891
James A. Fraser, 1895
W. Preston Waite, 1900
A. Gordon Casels, 1901

Source: The Atlanta Constitution, April 20, 1902, page A5

Submitted by Bob Franks