Pipkin Family Association

Asa C. Pipkin


Bibb County, GA - Macon Daily Telegraph, 17 May 1912 - What People are Saying

Col. Warren Grice, the well-known attorney of Hawkinsville, speaking of the reunion and what personal histories attached to the old Confederate veterans, and how like an epic their story, if we but stop to hear, called attention to Asa C. Pipkin, of Hawkinsville.

Asa C. Pipkin, of Manning, U.C.V., served during the war as a non- commissioned officer of the 49th Georgia Infantry. He was born and reared at Hawkinsville, and left his employment as a mercantile clerk to enter the Confederate service, enlisting March 10, 1862, in Company K, of the 49th regiment, of which Andrew J. Lane was colonel and Seaborn M. Manning lieutenant-colonel. The regiment was mustered in at Camp Davis, near Savannah, and sent to the camp of instruction at Goldsboro, NC, and thence direct to Virginia, where they became part of the brigade of Gen. E.L. Thomas, in the famous light division of Gen. A.P. Hill.

Mr. Pipkin began his battle service in the severe campaign of the Seven Days before Richmond, and served with Jackson's corps at Cedar Mountain and Second Manassas and the capture of Harper's Ferry, where his command remained on guard over the captured stores during the Battle of Sharpsburg. He continued under leadership of Stonewall Jackson through the battles of Fredericksburg and until his gallant corp commander was mortally wounded at Chancellorsville and after that was identified with the secord of the Third Army Corps, commanded by A.P. Hill. Mr. Pipkin was actively engaged during two days of the Battle of Gettysburg, and on the retreat suffered with his comrades, going five days without food at Hagerstown. On May 5, 1864, he shared the gallant fight of Hill's corps at the Wilderness crushing the Federal lines. Next morning between Lee and Grant and amidst a murderous fire Sergeant, Pipkin fell with three wounds. One of the bullets which struck him fractured a bone in the left arm. Disabled for some while he rejoined his regiment in the following September, finding his comrades in the entrenchments around Petersburg. He served on that line between Appomattox and the James and on the right of Petersburg until March 25, 1865, when he participated in the Battle of Hare's Hill, under General Gordon, a heroic attempt to break the Federal lines and force relinquishment of the seige. Never was there more heroic fighting. But the thin Confederate line was not equal to the task. In this battle Mr. Pipkin was captured and sent to that awful prison, Elmira, N.Y. where the policy was to starve the prisoner, and later was removed to Point Lookout and held in that camp and sickly place until July, 1865.

Returning home he found employment as proprietor of a fruit stand, and by industry worked his way up as one of the prominent business men of the city. Mr. Pipkin is an old-time democrat, does not endorse the schemes of the west to change the Constitution, and regrets to see the southern people quietly acquiescing in these encroachments on the Constitution, surrendering what Appomattox left us - our state rights.

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