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Wright, Augustus R.- (Augustus Romaldus Wright) Elected as a Democrat to 35th U.S. Congress and served from March 4, 1857- March 3, 1859), served as a delegate to Georgia Secession Convention, where he opposed secession, and to the Confederate Secession Convention.
Born in Wrightsboro, Ga., June 16, 1813, attended the public schools at Appling, Ga., the grammar school, Franklin College, and the University of Georgia at Athens; studied law at Litchfield (Conn.) Law School; was admitted to the bar in 1835 and commenced practice in Crawfordville, Ga., moving the following year to Cassville; served as judge of the superior courts of the Cherokee circuit from 1842 until he resigned in 1849 to resume the practice of law; moved to Rome, Ga., in 1855 and continued the practice of law; elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-fifth Congress (March 4, 1857-March 3, 1859); delegate to Georgia Secession Convention (opposing secession) and to the Confederate Secession Convention; offered provisional governorship of Georgia by President Lincoln, but declined; served as a member of the Confederate Congress; during the Civil War organized Wright’s Legion, which was mustered in with the Thirty-eighth Georgia Infantry, of which he was appointed Colonel August 27, 1861. A demand by civil government for his services induced him to resign his commission as commander on February 14, 1862.
He devoted most of time for the remainder of the war to the civil government. After the War resumed the practice of law at Rome, Ga.; member of the Georgia Constitutional Convention of 1877; died March 31, 1891 at age of 77, at his home “Glenwood,” near Rome, Ga.; buried at Myrtle Hill Cemetery.
Judge Wright proved to be shrewd lawyer in the courtroom after the war, as demonstrated by the following example.
The following case is on record at the Floyd County Court House:
On Wed, July 12th, 1869, two brothers, Adolphus and R. Pass were arraigned for stealing a pig from a man named Warren. The case coming to trail in the Superior Court before Judge Francis A. Kirby, Judge Augustus R. Wright addressed the jury thus on behalf of the accused, after the solicitor, Joel Branham had concluded his argument.
“Gentlemen of the Jury, these men fought gallantly for their county during the war. It is true they are poor while their accuser is prosperous; and the plaintiff not only did not fight, but he hired a substitute to fight for him. I ask you to take into account the unusual circumstances of the case, as well as the denial of the defendants.”
The jury deliberated a few minutes and returned with a verdit substantially as follows:
“On account of the scarcity of meat and hardness of the times, we, the jury, find the defendants not guilty.”
From a History of Rome and Floyd County, by George M. Battey
Webmaster's note: Col. Augustus R. Wright is frequently confused with General A. R. Wright (Ambrose Ranson Wright), also of Georgia. Col Wright of the 38th Ga. never served in combat, whereas Gen. Ambrose R. Wright saw service in numerous battles.