Born September 17, 1838 in Georgia. On September 26, 1861, Wells enlisted in the “Murphey Guards” as Sergeant. He was elected Lieutenant on December 1, 1861. He became sick in April 1862, the same month he was transferred to the “McCullough Rifles,” but returned in May where he was joined by two of his brothers, Willard and Willis Wells. During the Second Manassas campaign, he spent a week in a Charlottesville, Virginia hospital. Wells was one of three officers to unwounded after the battle of Antietam. He commanded the regiment while serving as the rearguard of the army after Antietam, on Sept 19th, 1862, at Boteler’s Ford. He also commanded the company briefly in 1863. He was wounded in the right wrist at the battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse on May 15, 1864 and sent first to a Richmond hospital, then to Columbia, South Carolina. He returned to his unit by August and was captured at the battle of Fishers Hill on September 22, 1864. Sent to Fort Delaware, Delaware, Wells was released nine months later on June 17, 1865.

He returned to Stone Mountain and married Eliza Jane Hardman in 1866. The war devastated his family—four of his five brothers and his brother-in-law died in Confederate service. However, Wells rebuilt his own fortunes and became a prominent local businessman. Maybe his proudest achievement was serving as Sunday School superintendent for Stone Mountain Baptist Church for 50 years until his death January 5, 1919 at age 82. Buried at Stone Mountain Cemetery, DeKalb Co. Ga.

Sources:
Confederate Veterans of Stone Mountain
By Chris Davis
A Project of The Confederate Memorial Camp 1432, 2000
CSA Service records.
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The Atlanta Constitution
7 January 1919

Stone Mountain Man, Pioneer Citizen, Dies On Sunday Morning

G. Riley Wells, of Stone Mountain, Ga., died Sunday morning at his home there. Mr. Wells was 80 years old and was one of the most prominent and leading citizens of that section.

Mr. Wells had lived in and near Stone Mountain all his life. he was a prominent member of the Baptist church, having been superintendent of the Sunday school for fifty years. During his active years he was one of the leading merchants of Stone Mountain, and a man who was interested in all things that were of benefit to this town and county. During his long life of usefulness he was the friend of everybody, being familiarly called "Uncle Riley".

He is survived by one daughter, Miss Mary Wells; a son, Dr. J.R. Wells; one granddaughter, Miss Janie Wells, and a brother. J.A. Wells of Tucker, Ga.

The funeral will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock from the residence, with interment in the Stone Mountain cemetery.