Lynchburg Virginia was the site of several huge Confederate hospitals during the War Between the States. Tobacco warehouses were converted into medical facilities to host thousands upon thousands of sick and wounded soldiers sent to Lynchburg. Railroads connected Lynchburg to Richmond and other significant points in Virginia and aided in transforming Lynchburg into a hospital city. Lynchburg remained largely untouched by the hands of the Union Army throughout the war, though it was threatened on occasion, most notably by Gen. Hunter’s raid during June of 1864. Luckily for the South, Gen. Jubal Early’s army, including the Georgia Brigade and the 38th Georgia, were rushed to Lynchburg by rail and were immediately marched to the front lines to repel Hunter’s army. Had it even been an Union general of average ability, Lynchburg may have fell then and there, but Gen. Hunter ingloriously fled the battlefield with Gen. Early's army nipping at his heels to speed his retreat. Gen. Hunter didn't stop until he got to West Virginia.

Over 2,200 Confederate soldiers from 14 states died in the Lynchburg hospitals and nearly all are buried there in Old City Cemetery.

Drawing by www.gravegarden.org

One unique set of circumstances assured the Confederate dead at Lynchburg were carefully buried with their records meticulously recorded: the Diuguid Undertakers.

The Diuguid funeral home was created in 1817 by Mr. Sampson Diuguid and the business is still operating today, making it the second oldest funeral home in the United States. His business was the only funeral home in Lynchburg until after the war ended, in 1865. During the War Between the States, Sampson’s son, Mr. George A. Diuguid, was the proprietor of the business and conducted all the military and civilian burials during the war. Over 3,000 Confederate and Union bodies were buried or sent home.

Mr. George Diuguid meticulously recorded every burial and removal during the war. He noted the name of each soldier, his military unit, where he died, date he was buried, gravesite number, and even the coffin and body measurements. His keen attention to detail allowed the women of the the Lynchburg Confederate Memorial Association to mark each grave with its’ own headstone in the early 1900’s.

Each headstone in the Confederate section is marked with the soldier’s initials and military unit designation. Many of the stones are in such poor condition they are nearly illegible. A scrub brush is required to clean many of the markers, as they are covered with a layer of green moss.

Twenty-four members of the 38th Georgia Regiment were buried at Lynchburg's Old City Cemetery, two soldier's remains were shipped back to Georgia for burial, and are noted in the below entries:

1. Robert W. Adams - Company B, Milton County. Pvt. 5/1/1862. Died in College Hospital at Lynchburg, Va. January 1863, and buried there in Old City Cemetery January 5, 1863. No. 8, 3d Line, Lot 79.

2. R. S. Andrews - Pvt. (Robert Stanford Andrew) Company H, Elbert County. September 10, 1862. Died in Ladies’ Relief Hospital at Lynchburg, Va. December 25, 1862. Buried there in Confederate Cemetery. No. 7, 3d Line, Lot 146.

3. Moses P. Arnold - Company E, Oglethorpe County. Pvt. 5/1/1862. Died of disease at Lynchburg, Va. July 1864. Buried there in Confederate Cemetery July 30, 1864. No. 1, 4th Line, Lot 194, Camp Davis.

4. Thomas P. Barnes - Company H, Elbert County. Pvt. Record of effects of deceased soldier turned over to C.S. Quartermaster dated 1864. Buried in City Cemetery, Lynchburg, Va. Source: CSA service records and Old City Cemetery burial records. Not found in Henderson’s Roster of Georgia Confederate Soldiers. Exact burial lot not found.

5. J. H. Brown - Company H, Elbert County. Pvt. 10/15/1861. Discharged December 16, 1861. Reenlisted September 10, 1862. Died September 26, 1862 at Langhorne's Hospital, Lynchburg. Buried in Confederate Cemetery at Lynchburg, Va. No. 2, 5th Line, Lot 130 - Langhorne's. Burial location should read No.2, 5th Line, Lot 180.

6. John W. Callis - Company I, Dawson County. Pvt. 5/6/1862. Sick in hospital January 1863. Died of smallpox. Buried in Confederate Cemetery at Lynchburg, Va. January 2, 1863. No. 21, 4th Line Y. S. Buried in Yankee Square Section, no graves are marked in this section. During June, 2015, a project was begun to excavate and identify at least 80 Confederate soldiers buried in Yankee Square. It is hoped the remains of Private John Callis may possibly be identified and his grave properly marked.

7. Henry C. Carlton - Company H, Elbert County. Pvt. September 10, 1862. Died at Richmond, Va. December 21, 1862. Buried in Confederate Cemetery at Lynchburg, Va. December 22, 1862. No. 8, 1st Line, Lot 123. Died at Langhorne's Hospital, Lynchburg, Virginia.

8. William R. Christian - Company H, Elbert County. Pvt. 3/1/1862. Died of diarrhoea in Ladies’ Relief Hospital at Lynchburg, Va. 11/26/1862. Buried there in Confederate Cemetery. No. 3, 1st Line, Lot 100. Born in Ga. about 1837. Living with parents, Washington & Livcy Christain and one sister. Father was a farmer with land valued at $1,700 and personal property valued at $1,715. Source: 1860 US Census, Elbert Co., Georgia; Roll: M653_120; Page: 840.

9. Reuben Cooper - 2nd Company I, Henry County, Alabama. Pvt. 5/10/1862. Died of chronic diarrhoea in Lynchburg, Va. hospital July 23, 1862. Died at Ladies’ Relief Hospital, Lynchburg, VA. His body was packed for his brother, Stephen Cooper, Fort Gaines Ala., but the body was never shipped. Brother of Stephen shown below. Buried at Lynchburg City Cemetery, Lot 162, Grave #3, Row #5.

10. Alexander Gordon - Company G, Jefferson County. Pvt. 10/1/1861. Died in Crumpton’s Hospital at Lynchburg, Va. November 17, 1862. Buried there in Confederate Cemetery. No. 7, 3d Line, Lot 144.

11. James C. Hall - (James Chambers Hall) Company H, Elbert County. 2d Lt. 10/15/1861. Elected 1st Lt. June 1, 1862. Died in Warwick House Hospital at Lynchburg, Va. August 16, 1862. "Was packed up and sent to Lexington, Ga. August 16, 1862. His wife, Mary Loftis Hall, traveled from Georgia to the Lynchburg hospital, but she arrived the day after his death. His wife brought his remains home and buried him in Conwell-Fortson-Hall cemetery near Goss, in Elbert County, GA. The Elberton Star Newspaper, March 23, 1889; Elberton, GA. He was the son of John Pryor Hall (1797-1838) and Mariah Louisa Turman (1808-1881). He died of typhoid at Lynchburg, VA on 16-18 Aug 1862 and is buried in the Hall-Conwell-Fortson cemetery at Goss, Elbert Co., which is located in front of the former old Hall homeplace.

12. William R. Hardman (or Hardeman) - Company B, Milton County. Pvt. 2/27/1862. Died at Lynchburg, Va. 8/1/1862. Buried there in Old City Cemetery. No. 10, 2d Line, Lot 162 - Died at Warwick House Hospital.

13. Leroy Hays (or Hayes) - Company C, Bulloch & Emanuel Counties. Pvt. 10/1/1861. Appointed 2d Corp. in 1862. Died at Lynchburg, Va. Buried there in Old City Cemetery. No. 2, 3d Line, Lot 162 - Died at Cooledge Hospital.

14. William L. Lanier - Company A, DeKalb County. Pvt. 9/26/1861. Transferred to Co. D, 4/1/1862. Died of typhoid fever in General Hospital at Lynchburg, Va. 1/26/1863. Buried there in Confederate Cemetery. No. 4, 4th Line, Lot 187. Clayton's. Correct grave position in Lot 187 is 3rd Row, Grave # 3.

15. John S. Moon - Company H, Elbert County. Enlisted as a Pvt. in Co. I, 15th Regiment Ga. Inf. 7/15/1861. Discharged, disability at Richmond, Va. 10/25/1861. Enlisted as a Pvt. in Co. H, 38th Regt. Ga 3/1/1862. Appointed 5th Sgt. 12/1863. Died 10/1/1864. Buried in CSA Cemetery at Lynchburg, Va. No. 6, 3d Line, Lot 128. Died at Christians's Hosptial. Brother of William P. Moon of same company. Born in Ga. about 1837, farmer, married to 18 year old girl, M. F. Moon, owned real estate valued at $300, and personal property valued at $200. Lived three farms over from his father and brother. His widow received a Ga. CSA pension from 1902-1908 in Madison Co. Ga. Correct lot # for grave location should read Lot 198. Source: US Federal Census Records of 1860, Elbert County, Ga.

16. Wiley Powell - Company F, Hart & Elbert Counties. Pvt. July 29, 1862. Wounded at 2d Manassas, Va. 8/28/1862. Died of tuberculosis in General Hospital #3, at Lynchburg, Va. 1/24/1864. Buried there in Confederate Cemetery. No. 7, 3d Line, Lot 200. Died at Ferguson's Hospital. Enlisted as a substitute for Henry Jones, according to CSA pension records for widow. Born in Georgia about 1815, farmer, married with nine children at home in 1860. Wiley was the father of Pvt. William J. Powell and Pvt. James Lewis Powell, both of Company F. Source: 1860 US Census, Elbert County, GA, page 86. Widow, Moriah applied for CSA widowns pension in 1893. Married Moriah 12/15/1836.

17. Mitchell G. Rousey (Mitchell Gaines Rousey) - Company H, Elbert County. Pvt. 9/10/1862. Wounded at Fredericksburg, Va. 12/13/1862. Died of typhoid fever in General Hospital #3, at Lynchburg, Va. 10/23/1863. "Was sent to Lexington, Ga." Was born about 1828 in Elbert County, GA to Foster Rousey and Sarah "Sally" Dennard. He married Malinda Emily Bond on 4 December 1854 in Madison County, GA and they had two known children, Melvin and Henry Crawford Rousey. His body was sent to Lexington, GA by rail, and was picked up by his widow Emily in a wagon that she herself drove from the Stinchcomb community in Elbert County. She brought him home and he was buried in the Stinchcomb Methodist Church Cemetery. Buried at Stinchcomb United Methodist Church, Elbert County, Ga., tombstone reads: born 1828, died 10/23/63, CO H 38, GA INF CSA.

18. Peter M. Saunders (or Sanders) - Company H, Elbert County. 1st Corp. 10/15/1861. Died of typhoid fever in General Hospital #3, at Lynchburg, Va. 12/1 or 8/1863. Buried there in Confederate Cemetery. No. 3, 2d Line, Lot 200.

19. John Sessiner - New Company N, Dawson County. Buried at Old City Cemetery, Lynchburg, Va., burial records and grave stone read: Co. N, 38th GA. Not found in CSA service records, not found on Henderson’s Roster of Georgia Confederate Soldiers.

20. William A. Smith - Company K, DeKalb County. Pvt. 9/26/1861. Appointed 2d Corp. September 17, 1862. Died in Lynchburg, Va. Hospital March or May 1863 and buried there in Confederate Cemetery. No. 3, 2d Line, Lot 184. Died at Reid's Hospital.

21. J. M. Tankersley - (John M. Tankersley) Company A, DeKalb County. Pvt. May 15, 1862. Died at Lynchburg, Va. July 18, 1862. Buried there in Old City Cemetery. No. 2, 2d Line, Lot 161. Died at Ford's Factory Hospital. Born in Ga. about 1834, living with wife Catherine Louiza Weir and a one year baby girl in 1860 census for Shallowford District, DeKalb Co. Ga.

22. G. F. M. Thompson - Company A, DeKalb County. Pvt. Died of typhoid fever in General Hospital #l, at Lynchburg, Va., August 1, 1862. Buried there in Old City Cemetery, No. 10, 1st Line, Lot 162. Died at Warwick House Hospital.

23. F. M. Wilkes - Company C, Bulloch & Emanuel Counties. Pvt. Died at Lynchburg, Va. November 1864. Buried there in Old City Cemetery 11/4/1864. No. 5, 3d Line, Lot 198. Died at Reid's Hospital.

24. George Washington Williamson - Company C, Bulloch & Emanuel Counties. Pvt. 10/1/1861. Died in Lynchburg, Va. hospital August 12, 1862. Buried there in Old City Cemetery. No. 9, 5th Line, Lot 177. Died at Burton's Factory Hospital. Born in 1826, married with 8 children. Brother of John G. and Riley Williamson shown below. His widow, Millie Ann Banks Williamson, filed a CSA pension application in 1891 in Emanuel Co. Ga. Application states he died of typhoid fever. Witness in application, B.T. Morris of same company, states he was in the hospital where G. W. Williamson was a patient and he was there when he died. Also states G. W. got sick near Richmond and was sent to Lynchburg hospital. Application also witnessed by John G. Williamson and J. P. Pughsley of same company.

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These four 38th Georgia soldiers died at Lynchburg, but no burial records could be found of interment at the Old City Cemetery.

1. Silas E. Arrington – Company G, Jefferson County. Pvt. 10/1/1861. Died in Lynchburg, Va. hospital September 6, 1862.

2. David R. Dye - Company G, Jefferson County. Pvt. 10/1/1861. Wounded at Spotsylvania, Va. 5/12/1864. Died of wounds at Lynchburg, Va. July 12, 1864. About 23 years of age. Former resident of Augusta, Ga, his name is inscribed on “Linwood Methodist Church Sunday School” monument to fallen Confederate soldiers located at Fort Gordon, Georgia.

3. Robert M. Simpson - Company A, DeKalb County. Pvt. 9/26/62. Transferred to Co. D, 4/1/62. Wounded at Gaines Mill, Va. 6/27/62; wounded in the arm at either Wilderness or Spotsylvania, near Winchester, Va. 8/11/64. Died of wounds in Lynchburg, Va. hospital.

4. Manoah Smith - Company E, Oglethorpe County. Pvt. 4/29/1862. Died at Petersburg, Va. July 8, 1862. Mary E. Smith filed an application for a CSA widow’s pension in 1891, Oglethorpe Co., Ga. Pension application states she married Manoah Smith 8/4/1859 and she born 10/26/1842. Record further states, “contacted measles and was sent to hospital in Lynchburg, Va., where he died 7/9/1862.” Record also states he died at Richmond, Va. No record found of burial at Richmond, Virginia.