Individual Details
George Washington McGuire
(November, 1824 - July, 1901)
"George W. McGuire, Sr. C.S.A. 58th North Carolina Infantry.
"A brief glimpse of life in camp was found in a letter from George McGuire to McCajah and Nancy Tugman. This letter was written in the camp of the 58th North Carolina at Big Creek Gap in Campbell County, Tennessee on December 18, 1862, a week before Christmas. The letter reads in part:
"Dear brother and sister it is with pleasur that i seat myself this morning to write a few lines to you in token of my best respects to you i can say to you that i am in tollerable helth at this time hoping these few lines will find you all well and doping well i can in form you that ireceid a very fond(?) leter from you yester day which gave me great satisfaction to hear from you and to hear that you was all well i havebin vey bad of with a cough and cold and stopt up in my head and lungs buat i am a getting betrer there's a head of sickness here in camp is not half of our compny that is able for duty. Moses Greer and Solomon Greer is boath dead and six others in our company we dont no how long we will stay hear now soon we will be atached by the Yanks but if tha come we will give them the best we have got in our shop i am in a bad fix towrite to day for i expected to get to go home a bout this time and havegot noked out of it and it hert mea sit bad i receid a letter from home a few days a go adn tha is was all well....
"Notes for George Washington McGuire, Sr: This information is from historical references, Erleen Church, and Bessie Willis Hoyt and her book "Come When The Timber Turns".
"George Washington McGuire, Sr. was the fourth family to move to the Beech Mountain area in 1865. He moved from Ashe County, NC and lived with his brother-in-law Vincent Greer until he built his house. George's wife Sara (Sally) was Vincent's sister. George was in the Confederate side of the Civil War. (Some of these war records came from the Watauga County Times Post, and some from stories told by George to his children). He was in the 58th regiment, Ashe County, under Captian Benjamin F. Baird. George W. McGuire, private, was in the following battles (documented-he was probably in many more skirmishes and minor battles.)
"General Ulysses S. Grant was the Union General in overall command of the foreces attempting to take Chattanooga from Confederate forces. His subordinate generals were Joe Hooker, William Tecumseh Sherman, and George Thomas. These three armies were arrayed against Confederate General Braxton Bragg, who had defeated Thomas at Chicamauga, but failed to attack and destroy Thomas's retreating Army of the Cumberland. General Nathaniel Bedford Forrest advised him to attach the retreating army but Bragg declined. Forrest later refused to listen to Bragg's critics, instead he dismissed or reassigned the protesting officers.
"Lookout Mountain-November 24th, 1863. General Hooker took 12,000 Union soldiers against a Rebel force of 1,200. The Confederates fought desperately, but were overwhelmingly outnumbered. The Federals had 600 casualties, with 81 deaths.
"Orchard Knob, November 23rd-25th, 1863. 100 Confederates soldiers were killed and 400 wounded. Sherman attached from the right flank and Hooker came down from Lookout Mountain to attach Bragg's left flank. Thomas's army prevented Bragg from being able to move his troops. Forced to hold his position, Confederate General Pat Cleburne stops Hooker's troops for a full day, placing the outcome in doubt. With Bragg defeating Sherman and Cleburne defeating Hooker, General Grant ordered Thomas to attack the Confederate front line. They came under withering fire, but Bragg was not able to defeat the two pronged attacks. The Confederate soldiers retreated to Missionary Ridge." (58th North Carolina Infantry, Confederate State Army by Jeffery Craig Weaver.)
"A brief glimpse of life in camp was found in a letter from George McGuire to McCajah and Nancy Tugman. This letter was written in the camp of the 58th North Carolina at Big Creek Gap in Campbell County, Tennessee on December 18, 1862, a week before Christmas. The letter reads in part:
"Dear brother and sister it is with pleasur that i seat myself this morning to write a few lines to you in token of my best respects to you i can say to you that i am in tollerable helth at this time hoping these few lines will find you all well and doping well i can in form you that ireceid a very fond(?) leter from you yester day which gave me great satisfaction to hear from you and to hear that you was all well i havebin vey bad of with a cough and cold and stopt up in my head and lungs buat i am a getting betrer there's a head of sickness here in camp is not half of our compny that is able for duty. Moses Greer and Solomon Greer is boath dead and six others in our company we dont no how long we will stay hear now soon we will be atached by the Yanks but if tha come we will give them the best we have got in our shop i am in a bad fix towrite to day for i expected to get to go home a bout this time and havegot noked out of it and it hert mea sit bad i receid a letter from home a few days a go adn tha is was all well....
"Notes for George Washington McGuire, Sr: This information is from historical references, Erleen Church, and Bessie Willis Hoyt and her book "Come When The Timber Turns".
"George Washington McGuire, Sr. was the fourth family to move to the Beech Mountain area in 1865. He moved from Ashe County, NC and lived with his brother-in-law Vincent Greer until he built his house. George's wife Sara (Sally) was Vincent's sister. George was in the Confederate side of the Civil War. (Some of these war records came from the Watauga County Times Post, and some from stories told by George to his children). He was in the 58th regiment, Ashe County, under Captian Benjamin F. Baird. George W. McGuire, private, was in the following battles (documented-he was probably in many more skirmishes and minor battles.)
"General Ulysses S. Grant was the Union General in overall command of the foreces attempting to take Chattanooga from Confederate forces. His subordinate generals were Joe Hooker, William Tecumseh Sherman, and George Thomas. These three armies were arrayed against Confederate General Braxton Bragg, who had defeated Thomas at Chicamauga, but failed to attack and destroy Thomas's retreating Army of the Cumberland. General Nathaniel Bedford Forrest advised him to attach the retreating army but Bragg declined. Forrest later refused to listen to Bragg's critics, instead he dismissed or reassigned the protesting officers.
"Lookout Mountain-November 24th, 1863. General Hooker took 12,000 Union soldiers against a Rebel force of 1,200. The Confederates fought desperately, but were overwhelmingly outnumbered. The Federals had 600 casualties, with 81 deaths.
"Orchard Knob, November 23rd-25th, 1863. 100 Confederates soldiers were killed and 400 wounded. Sherman attached from the right flank and Hooker came down from Lookout Mountain to attach Bragg's left flank. Thomas's army prevented Bragg from being able to move his troops. Forced to hold his position, Confederate General Pat Cleburne stops Hooker's troops for a full day, placing the outcome in doubt. With Bragg defeating Sherman and Cleburne defeating Hooker, General Grant ordered Thomas to attack the Confederate front line. They came under withering fire, but Bragg was not able to defeat the two pronged attacks. The Confederate soldiers retreated to Missionary Ridge." (58th North Carolina Infantry, Confederate State Army by Jeffery Craig Weaver.)
Events
| Birth | November, 1824 | ||||
| Marriage | Abt, 1850 | probably Ashe County, North Carolina - Sarah "Sallie" Greer | |||
| Death | July, 1901 | Beech Mountain, Watauga County, North Carolina | |||
| Burial | McGuire Cemetery, Whaley, Avery County, North Carolina |
Families
| Spouse | Sarah "Sallie" Greer (1829 - 1908) |
| Child | William McGuire (1849 - ) |
| Child | Richard Filmore McGuire (1852 - 1928) |
| Child | David Joshua McGuire (1857 - 1910) |
| Child | Leander Webster McGuire (1860 - 1947) |
| Child | George Washington McGuire (1862 - 1938) |
| Child | Mary Caroline McGuire (1866 - 1939) |
| Father | Richard McGuire (1787 - 1860) |
| Mother | Fannie Church (1795 - ) |