Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 33.djvu/322

 318 Southern Historical Society Papers.

No. in. On page 36, General Wayne says: "I would conspic- uously mention Majors Hartridge and Capers, and Captains Tal- bot, Pruden, Austin and Warthen. The gallantry of these gen- tlemen cannot be surpassed. To Major Capers I am under the greatest obligations. His qualifications for military command are of the highest order, and entitle him to a prominent position. They have been brilliantly illustrated by the corps of cadets, whose gallantry, discipline and skill equal anything I have ever seen in any military service. I cannot speak too highly of these youths, who go into a fight as cheerfully as they would enter a ball-room, and with the silence and steadiness of veterans."

The Georgia Cadets were the last organized Confederate soldiers on duty east of the Mississippi river, and their last service, as the first, was on provost duty, guarding the city of Augusta, Ga., and the Confederate arsenals and army stores at that city. They obeyed the last order of a Confederate officer, Major- General Lafayette McLaws. The order was issued after the surrenders of General Lee and General Johnston, and was dated May i, 1865, and they served under that order till the 2oth day of May, 1865, when they were relieved from their duties by a Yankee garrison, who came to Augusta to take charge of the city and Confederate supplies there.

The order of General McLaws is in copy, on page 420, in the volume 53, of series i, supplement, of the official war records. It is as follows:

''SPECIAL ORDER. Headquarters, Augusta, Ga., May i, 1865. The battalion of Georgia Cadets will proceed at once to the city hall, in the city of Augusta, taking one day's rations with them, and will bivouac there until further orders, for the purpose of pre- serving order in said city. They will suppress all disturbances and will make such details for the preservation of order and property as may be called for by Major Henry Bryan, Inspector-general. Upon the zeal and honor of this battalion rests the good name of their State and the safety of Augusta.

"By command of Brigadier-General Fry.

J. B. DORMAN, Major and Assistant Adjutant- General.