Bird B. Wright

He enlisted in Company B, 1st Georgia Infantry as Private on 10 May 1862.

He was mortally wounded by gunshot to the left shoulder in action at Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862.

He wrote his wife from the hospital:

September 21, 1862
8th Florida Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Shepherdstown, Jefferson County Virginia

My dear wife,

I write to let you know that I am now in this place badly wounded, was shot on Wednesday the 17th near Sharpsburg Washington County Maryland, about three miles from this place. The ball entered my left shoulder and lodged in my brest here it still is. I want you or my brother to come to see me Come by Richmond in Virginia then on to Winchester where you will only be twenty two miles from here. You can then get a conveyance to this place probably by the railway which comes down to Harpers Ferry where a connection is made to a station called Kearneys Ville that is only five miles from here and by the time can here from me and get to this region of country the stage which runs to that place in times of quiet about here, may be running again. We have had hard marching to do, and desperate fighting, our Captain [Waller] was killed the same day I was shot.

I remain as ever your
Devoted husband
Bird B Wright

Basic information from the State of Florida1, which lists him as B.R. Wright. The letter quoted above transcribed online [pdf] by the staff of Antietam National Battlefield Park. The original is in a collection at Florida State University, Tallahassee. His memorial is online from Findagrave. His wife's death information from family genealogists, pointer from John Michael Priest.

1837

09/22/1862; Shepherdstown, VA