Julius Nicholus Taylor was the 2nd Great Grandfather of Roger Lewis Neff
Julius Nicholus Taylor was born 15 May 1831 at Irwinton, Baldwin County, Georgia. He was the 3rd of 8 children 2nd of 4 sons born to Canty and Elizabeth Taylor. Julius and his siblings helped his father with farming.
Julius married Lucy Temple on July 3, 1860. Julius notes in his diary that he stayed with Lucy about 12 months and then enlisted in the Civil War. He enlisted in Co F of the 9th GA Inf on 9 June 1861 at Summerville, GA. This infantry regiment in 1862 fought in Seven Days Battle, Second Battle of Manassas, Battle of South Mountain, and Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam). After two years of fighting, he received a 29-day furlough (22 Jan 1863 – 20 Feb 1863) to go home following the December 1862 1st Battle of Fredericksburg, VA. The regiment next fought July 1863 at Gettysburg, PA. Following Gettysburg, the regiment fought in all three major battles in Easy Tennessee. By 1864, returning to Virginia, the regiment, led by Brigadier General Benning, was part of George Anderson’s Brigade, Field’s Division, Longstreet’s 1st Corps, CSA.
Early in the morning of 6 May 1864, Lee and Hill were trying to restore order near the Widow Tapp farm and wondering where Longstreet was. Suddenly, they spotted a cloud of dust along Orange Plank Road, and saw that the men were wearing grey. Longstreet, as usual was late, but they were finally there. By 10 AM, Lee was looking for some fresh troops, so, Anderson’s Brigade was moved up. Later in the day, the regiment outwitted a Union brigade. Eventually after hours of fighting, Anderson and his men retreated.
Then the unit’s moved toward Appomattox Court House, and Lee’s surrender. He mustered out 9 April 1865 at Appomattox Court House, VA and promptly walked home to Milledgeville and on to Stevens Pottery nearby.
He came home with nothing and was broke - physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially. It took him a while to recover. He eventually began receiving a war pension, which helped him tremendously. He was a farmer for most of his life.
He and Lucy raised 6 children, 4 boys and 2 girls. At age 77, his notes show that he is proud of all of them and what they have become. Julius died December 15, 1914 at Milledgeville, Baldwin County, Georgia and was buried in the Taylor Family Cemetery in Baldwin Co, GA.
This Regimental battle flag accompanied the 9th GA in about 60 battles, from minor skirmishes to major battles, and was never captured or surrendered. The surviving flag was replaced by a new one on 25 Mar 1865 and sent to Col Edward Hoge’s sisters, Lizzie and Katie, who originally presented it. They, in turn, donated the 9th’s flag to the State of Georgia on 20 Jul 1910. The flag surrendered at Appomattox on 9 Apr 1865 was the new replacement flag, not the original one. This flag is in the Capitol Collection in Atlanta, GA.