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April 15, 2009

Confederate veteran honored on Saturday

By Jamie Jones

Few, if any, people living today met Daltonian Henry Clay Erwin.

But on Saturday, he will be honored more than 93 years after his death.

Erwin, a 1st lieutenant for the Confederacy during the American Civil War and a prominent Daltonian, will be remembered with a memorial service and grave marker dedication ceremony on at 1:45 p.m. in West Hill Cemetery. The service will be in the northeast corner of the cemetery near the National Guard Armory and is open to the public.

The service will begin with “Amazing Grace” followed by a bugler playing “Charge” and a singing of “Dixie.” Several Civil War re-enactors in period dress will be in attendance. The keynote speaker will be the Rev. James Dykes, past minister of Tunnel Hill Methodist Church. Mike Babb, chairman of the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners and Dalton Mayor David Pennington are also scheduled to speak. Erwin Mitchell, am 84-year-old grandson of Erwin and a longtime Dalton resident, also will speak. Mitchell’s mother was the youngest of Erwin’s nine children. Descendants of Erwin will be recognized before a wreath laying, a 21-gun salute and a playing of “Taps.”

Erwin is also the great-great-uncle of Jerry A. Maddox, commander of Roswell Mills Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1547. The Dalton Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp No. 671 is also involved in the ceremony.

“This should be a very interesting event because of its historical perspective,” Maddox said. “We’re hoping for a good turnout.”

After campaigns in Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee, Erwin fought in the Battle of Resaca on May 14 and 15, 1864. He joined a group of 3,000 Southern soldiers who were members of Gen. Joseph Wheeler’s cavalry in preventing the advance on some 23,000 Union infantry and artillery troops at Snake Creek Gap south of Dalton.

At Tamer’s Ferry, Erwin’s leg was severely wounded. Due to a shattered leg bone and heavy bleeding doctors advised him to end his military service and return to his home near Fairmount to recover. He refused the advice and after a short recovery time returned to serve the Confederacy until the end of the war.

After the war, Erwin moved to Dalton and was a farmer, a candidate for the Legislature, member and steward of the First United Methodist Church of Dalton and a member of the Joseph E. Johnston Camp. He was awarded the Southern Cross of Honor for his service from 1861 to 1864 and 1864 to 1865. Erwin passed away on April 15, 1915, at 71 and was buried on a family lot in West Hill Cemetery.

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