Glenn Rutz

Mayflower Rebel, Lt. Henry Y. Snow, CSA.

Henry Yonge Snow was a merchant in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia and my 3rd gr-uncle. He was born February 27, 1841 in Darien, McIntosh county Georgia, and a son of Isaac and Sarah G. (Harrison) Snow. It was over 350 years ago when William Snow came to Massachusetts. He was born in England about 1617 and came to this country in 1635. He was married about 1654 to Rebecca Brown, daughter of Peter Brown, who came in the Mayflower in 1620. The family afterward became residents of Providence, Rhode Island. Henry's great grandfather, James Snow, served as Captain
of the Fourth Company of Militia in the city of Providence during the Revolutionary War.

Henry Snow volunteered for service in the Confederate Army and enlisted on March 4, 1862 at Atlanta, GA. for a period of 3 years or during the War. He was 2nd Sergeant of Company K, 42 Regiment Georgia Infantry. The 42nd Georgia Infantry was organized at Athens, Georgia, during early 1862. Members of this regiment were from Gwinnett, Milton, Dekalb, Newton, Walton, and Fulton counties and were mustered into Confederate service in April 1862. Shortly after entering service it was assigned to
duty in the Department of East Tennessee. It served there until December 1862 and was then transferred to Vicksburg serving in the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana and in the Army of Vicksburg. After the fall of Vicksburg, the regiment served in the Army of Tennessee except for a brief period in 1865 when it served in the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana.

The 42nd Georgia Infantry participated in numerous engagements during its career. Those being:
Campaign, Cumberland Gap, TN.    May 31- June 18, 1862
Occupation, Cumberland Gap, TN.    June 18, 1862
Battle, Richmond (Mount Zion Church), KY. August 30, 1862
Engagement, White's Farm, Richmond, KY.   August 30, 1862
Retreat from Perryville to London, KY.   October 10-22, 1862
Action, Chickasaw Bayou near Vicksburg, Miss. December 27-28, 1862
Assault, Chickasaw Bluff, Miss.    December 29, 1862
Battle, Champion's Hill, Baker's Creek (Edward's Depot), MS May 16, 1863
Engagement, Big Black River Bridge, Miss.   May 17, 1863
Siege, Vicksburg, Miss.     May 18- July 4, 1863.
Assault, Vicksburg, Miss.     May 19 and 21, 1863
Surrender, Vicksburg, Miss.     July 4, 1863.
Siege, Chattanooga, TN.     November ?-23, 1863
Campaign, Chattanooga, TN and Ringgold, GA. November 23-27, 1863
Actions, Tunnell Hill, Missionary Ridge, TN. November 24, 1863
Assault and Capture, Missionary Ridge, TN. November 24-25, 1863
Atlanta Campaign      May 1- September 8, 1864
Demonstration against Rocky Faced Ridge, GA. May 8-11, 1864
Combat, Buzzard's Roost Gap (Mill Creek), GA. May 8-9, 1864
Battle, Resaca, GA.      May 14-15, 1864
Engagement, Adairsville, GA.     May 17, 1864
Combats near Cassville, GA.     May 18-19, 1864
Operations on the line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and May 25- June 5, 1864
Battles about Dallas, New Hope Church, and Allatoona Hills, GA.
Combat, New Hope Church, GA.    May 25, 1864
Operations about Marietta and against   June 10- July 2, 1864
Kenesaw Mountain, GA. Combats about Pine Hill, GA.    June 11-14, 1864
Combats about Lost Mountain, GA.    June 15-17, 1864
Assault, Kenesaw Mountain, GA.    June 27, 1864
Operations on the line of Nickajack Creek, GA. July 2-5, 1864
Operations on the line of the Chattahoochee River, GA. July 5-17, 1864
Battle, Peach Tree Creek, GA.    July 19-20, 1864
Siege, Atlanta, GA.      July 23-August 25, 1864
Battle, Ezra's Chapel, GA.     July 28, 1864
Battle, Jonesborough, GA.     August 31-September 1,1864
Hood's Operations in Northern GA and Alabama. September 29-November 3,
1864
Battle, Franklin, TN.      November 30, 1864
Battle, Nashville, TN.      December 15-16, 1864
Retreat to the Tennessee River near Bridgeport, AL. December 17-28,
1864
Action, Hollow Tree Gap, TN.    December 17, 1864
Action, West Haroeth River, TN    December 17, 1864
Campaign of the Carolinas.     March ? ñApril 26, 1865
Battle, Averysborough (Taylor's Hole Creek), NC. March 16, 1865
Battle, Bentonville, NC.     March 19-21, 1865
Surrender, Bennett's House (Durham Station), NC April 26, 1865

As stated earlier the 42nd was at the Siege of Vicksburg and the
following record of parole offers evidence that Henry was indeed witness to that terrible ordeal. That record states:

      VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI, JULY 7, A.D.1863

To All Whom It May Concern, Know Ye That:
I, H.Y. Snow a 1st Sergt of Co. K, 42nd Regít. Georgia Vols, C.S.A., being a Prisoner of War, in the hands of the United States Forces, in virtue of the capitulation of the City of Vicksburg and its Garrison, by Lieut. Gen. John C. Pemberton, C.S.A., Commanding, on the 4th day of July, 1863, do in pursuance of the terms of said capitulation, give this my solemn parole under oath-

That I will not take up arms again against the united sates, nor serve in any military, police, or constabulary force in any Fort, Garrison or filed work, held by the Confederate States of America, against the United States of America, nor as guard of prisons, depots or stores, nor discharge any duties usually performed by soldiers against the United States of America until duly exchanged by the proper authorities.
Signed, Henry Y. Snow

Sworn to and subscribed before me at Vicksburg, Miss., this 7 day of July, 1863.
John C. Fey (?sp) 20th Regít Ohio Vols.
Major and Paroling Officer

Compiled service records of the 42nd GA Infantry show that Henry was elected 2nd Lieutenant on January 5, 1864. At the close of the war, records show that he was paroled at Greensboro, NC on May 1. About 1895, Henry moves to Palatka, Putnam county, Florida where he applies for a Confederate pension. Included in that pension application is an affidavit from the Adjutant of Camp Finley, No. 1117, of the
United Confederate Veterans, of Putnam county Florida stating that he knew Henry Y. Snow when he came to Albany Georgia wounded in the leg in the year 1865 month of May, direct from the front where wounded. W.L. Calhoun, historian of the 42nd GA Infantry states in his book that Henry was wounded at Bentonville and Kinston, NC. This pension was approved on February 29, 1907 at the rate of $100 per year.
I am greatly amazed that Henry saw so much death and destruction, and yet came through it all relatively unscathed. I also wonder why he fought for the Confederacy when his forefathers were instrumental in the creation and liberation of the Colonies. From my research, I have not been able to find records that he or his family ever owned slaves. I am left with the conclusion that he, as did many others, were simply
fighting for their homes and country. Henry died December 22, 1924 in Palatka, Putnam county Florida. He is buried at the Oakland cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. He and thousands of others served the Confederacy till it went down in defeat, but never in dishonor.