James Green Burton

In 1860 James was a wealthy 20 year old attorney living in William U Sturges' Planters' Hotel across 6th Street from the Burke County courthouse in Waynesboro, GA. He enlisted there on 19 April 1861 as 2nd Sergeant of Company D, 2nd Georgia Infantry. In May 1862 his Captain wrote the Secretary of War seeking a commission for him. The letter went successfully up his chain of command, finally forwarded as recommended by General R.E. Lee on 7 June, but no commission ever came.

He was wounded in action near the lower bridge over the Antietam at Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862 while trying to recover the body of Lieutenant Colonel Holmes under fire.

He was in a hospital in Richmond, VA by 12 October and was on furlough to 10 January 1863. He was killed at Gettysburg, PA on 2 July 1863.

His service from the United Confederate Veterans1 and his Compiled Service Records,2 online from fold3. Personal details from family genealogists, a notice in the Augusta Daily Constitutionalist and Republic of 8 December 1853, Georgia's Official Register (1925), and the US Census of 1860. His memorial in Bark Camp Cemetery, Burke County, GA is on Findagrave. His picture from a photograph in the David W Vaughan Collection.

His father Charles Augustus Burton (1801-1848) was a prominent citizen of Burke County and a member of the Georgia legislature in 1843.

c. 1840; Waynesboro, GA

07/02/1863; Gettysburg, PA