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Volume 1 number 9 |
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A Confederate Hero |
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| Captain Edward J.
Magruder was typical of his fellow Romans as well as
most Southerners in 1861. He joined the Confederate
service to defend his home and to defend the honor of
his country. He saw the war as an invasion of his
home. His Confederate service was one of honor and
bravery. |
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| Edward Jones Magruder
was born in Fluvanna County, Virginia on May 14, 1835,
the firstborn of James and Louisa Magruder. The family
was quite wealthy and owned a textile mill. In 1849 the
family purchased the plantation Frescati in Orange
County and settled there. |
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| Edward attended the
Virginia Military Institute and graduated in 1855. One
of his professors was T. J. Jackson who would gain fame
as Confederate General Stonewall Jackson. His signature
was on Edward’s diploma. Following his graduation
Magruder headed south and practiced law for a period in
Selma, Alabama. |
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| In 1858 he settled in
Rome, Georgia and established a military school for
young men. His students formed the nucleus of the
formation of the Rome Light Guards. Magruder would lead
this unit into battle at First Manassas in July 1861. |
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| A few days before
departing for Virginia, Edward married Florence Fouche,
who was considered one of the most beautiful women in
Floyd County. Battey gives the following account of the
wedding: |
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| “It was a novel and
inspiring ceremony, from all descriptions. The handsome
groom was in full dress military coat, and his trousers
were of white silk, brought from the Orient by his
friend, Col. Chas. I. Graves, in a naval cruise. The
blushing bride was dressed in snow white, including her
veil. They rode up to the First Baptist church (which
was located at the same site as today) in a carriage
pulled by two spirited white horses. |
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| Descending from their
conveyance, they passed through an arch of uplifted
sabres of 80 members of the Guards. As the couple
reached the church door, they stood aside a moment; the
Guards came in and formed a second column, through which
the two again passed to the altar. Rev. Chas. H.
Stillwell, pastor of the church, then made them man and
wife.” (Battey, A History of Rome and Floyd County,
pp. 138, 139 |
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| When the Light Guards
left for Virginia on May 27, 1861, they marched through
the town to depart by train from north Rome. Mrs.
Magruder marched beside her husband at the head of
column with pistol and dagger in her belt. She
accompanied Captain Magruder to Orange County, Va., the
place of his birth, and took up her residence with his
people at Frescati. This mansion was converted into a
hospital for sick and wounded Confederate soldiers. |
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| Captain Magruder was
wounded twice during First Manassas and several more
times during the war. During the Battle of Garnett’s
Farm, which was part of the Seven Days Battle in 1862,
Magruder was wounded twice with a facial injury and
bullet to the shoulder. After having his face bandaged,
the Captain made his way back to the front. He was
stopped by a man in a homespun suit who protested that
he was more seriously wounded than he realized. He
offered him his carriage to go back to the hospital for
further treatment. Magruder continued on, telling the
man to mind his own business. He was then informed that
the man in the carriage was President Jefferson Davis.
Captain Magruder then explained to him that all officers
in his regiment were either dead or incapacitated and he
must return to his men. He did so and continued to lead
his men until he fainted from loss of blood and was once
more carried from the field. |
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| Captain Magruder
received his two final wounds of the war at Petersburg
in 1864 which rendered his arm useless for the remainder
of his life. Following this wounding, he was treated at
the hospital that was in use at Frescati. Three of his
four brothers were killed during the war, including one
brother who died within sight of Frescati where his body
was carried for burial. |
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| At war’s end,
Magruder was mustered out of Confederate service and
joined his family who had settled in Alabama. In 1868
they returned to Rome where they would spend the
remainder of their lives. Magruder tried to farm but
was unsuccessful due to his war injury. He also tried
reopening his military school, but the income was not
sufficient to support his large family. In 1880
Magruder was appointed City Marshall, a position which
was similar to today’s City Police Chief. He served
well as City Marshall which included solving the violent
murder of Chinese laundryman, Joe Lee in 1889. Magruder
remained in this position until his death on February
26, 1892. He was only 57, but the war injuries had
taken their toll. He is buried in Myrtle Hill beside
his beloved Flora. |
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Capt. & Mrs.
Magruder after their wedding |
Frescati |
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Kenneth Studdard is owner of
Dogwood Books and Antiques |
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240 Broad Street in historic
downtown Rome |
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(706) 235-2660
dogwoodbooks@comcast.net
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