John Randolph Whitehead

As J. Randolph Whitehead, in 1860 he was a prosperous 31 year old planter, probably in cotton, owning at least 75 slaves in Burke and Richmond Counties, GA. He enrolled in Richmond, VA on 8 August 1861 and was elected First Lieutenant of Company E, Cobb's Georgia Legion. He resigned on 6 (or 11) January 1862 and was appointed Major of the 48th Georgia Infantry on 22 March 1862.

He probably took over the regiment after Colonel Gibson succeeded to Brigade commend at Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862, but was wounded in the foot in action there.

He resigned due to disability from wounds on 1 June (accepted 17 July) 1863 from Macon, GA where he was detailed, serving as an Enrolling Officer.

In 1870 he was a successful farmer at Colquitt in Miller County, GA.

His service from Henderson1 and his Compiled Service Records,2 online from fold3, also as Job Randolph Whitehead. His Sharpsburg wound from a casualty list in the Richmond (VA) Enquirer of 17 October 1862. Personal details from family genealogists, the University of Georgia Centennial Alumni Catalog (1901), and the US Census of 1860. His memorial is on Findagrave.

He married Sarah E. Connelly (1831-1886) in November 1851 and they had 4 sons and a daughter.

His father left him Forest Hill Plantation, Burke County, GA at his death in 1857. That land was part of Ivanhoe Plantation, a Crown Grant to Thomas Whitehead in 1765 by King George III.

1829; Burke County, GA

06/05/1877; Miller County, GA