76 Southern Historical Society Papers
dier- General Jackson. General Mercer's command consisted of Colonel Browne's local brigade (composed of Major Jackson's Au- gusta battalion, Major Adams' Athens battalion and a regiment of local troops under Colonel Nisbet), Brooks' foreign battalion, a de- tachment of the 55th Georgia regiment and Captain Barnes' com- pany of artillerists from Augusta. This force was disposed as fol- lows : Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Nisbet pccupied the line from Battery Richardson to Battery Barnwell. Griffin's detachment of the 55th Georgia regiment supported Batteries Wheeler and Simpkins, and Jackson's Augusta battalion of local infantry occupied the line from the last named work to Battery Barnes, which was held by Augusta artillerists under Captain George T. Barnes. Brooks' foreign bat- talion was posted near the left of Battery Barnes.
Brigadier- General Jackson's command was composed of Colonel Von Zinken's local troops, drawn from the Confederate arsenals and work-shops of Columbus and elsewhere in the State of Georgia, de- tachments from General Ferguson's cavalry brigade, dismounted, and local reserves from Savannah. Brooks' light battery was sta- tioned at Battery Jones, at the crossing of the old Savannah and Darien stage road over Salt creek, and Captain Guerard's light bat- tery, sections of Maxwell's and Barnwell's light batteries and a de- tachment of Major Hamilton's artillery battalion supported this line of General Wright.
In the defense of this western line the following members of this Association actively participated, viz : Colonel T. G. Barrett, on ordnance duty, Major J. V. H. Allen, Major George T. Jackson, Cap- tain George T. Barnes, Captain John W. Clark, Surgeon DeSaussure Ford, Lieutenant Charles Spaeth, Lieutenant James L. Gow, and Berry Benson. Chaplain Weed and Charles A. Harper were present with the signal corps.
Every effort was made, by the erection of batteries and infantry entrenchments, by digging rifle-pits and constructing substantial covers, by felling trees in its front, and by flooding all approaches, to render this western line as formidable as the labDr and materials at command would permit. Its efficiency will be conceded when it is remembered that for ten days it kept General Sherman's formidable army at bay. And yet, thirteen miles long as it was, and held by scarcely more than a skirmish line strengthened at intervals, it must be admitted that if the Federals had massed their forces for a deter- mined assault they could at any time during the continuance of the siege have carried it. With an army more than six times greater
