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"CNFEDERATE HEROES OF COWETA"

Over the years SCV Camp 1729 has placed VA/CSA grave markers on the graves of many Confederate soldiers in Coweta County and other places. There were many soldiers whose story are well documented and interesting. I will high- light one of these from time to time, they will be from or have links to the Coweta County area.

ROBERT LEEPER YOUNG LONG, MD

20 Aug 1818 - 6th of October 1898 "A Soldier's Soldier" Serviced the Confederate States of America in the War for Southern Independence. He was Elected Captain in Company D, Phillips' Legion of Cavalry “Coweta Rangers”

One of the old and leading citizens of Newnan, Ga., and a son of John and Charlotte (May) Long, both natives of Tennessee, was born in east Tennessee Aug. 20, 1822. His father, son of Robert Long, a native of Virginia, was a soldier in the Rev. war with Gen. Sevier and Gen. Shelby, and in the Creek Indian war. John Long was the second clerk of Carroll county superior court, and served thirty-two years. The mother of Dr. Long was the daughter of John May, who was a native of Virginia, but a pioneer settler of east Tennessee. Dr. Long was reared at Carrollton, Ga., where he received his education by the fireside after his day's work. On Jan. 13, 1839, he began the study of medicine with Dr. A. B. Calhoun, and read with him one year. In 1839 he, in company with three other students, started to Charleston, S. C., to attend college, graduated from the Transylvania university in 1841, and located the same year at Greenville, Ga., where he remained one year. Then he came to Newnan, where he remained until 1844, when he went into the country and formed a partnership with Dr. Ira E. Smith; after four years he went to Louisiana and practiced until 1848, when he returned to Newnan, where he has remained and has had a large and lucrative practice. June 1, 1836, He enlisted in Capt. W. S. Parr's company in the Creek Indian war, and on Nov. 2, 1837, he went into the Seminole war in Florida as captain of the Carroll Rangers cavalry, and one exception he was the youngest of the company and was mustered out May 13, 1838, by Maj. Churchill of the United States army. In 1861 he enlisted in Company D, Phillips' legion cavalry, as 1st lieutenant, but was chosen captain a short time after. Capt. Long was engaged in many very hard conflicts, some of which were: Spottsylvania court house, Gettysburg, Williamsburg, battle, Wilderness and many others. At Williamsburg he, with 250 men, captured 1,100 men under Col. Campbell, the Captain riding the same horse 125 miles in twenty five hours. He served through out the entire war without receiving a wound or being captured. His company was noted for bravery and was called upon for all particular and dangerous work. After the war he returned to Newnan, began the practice of medicine, and Oct. 23, 1849, Dr. Long was united in marriage with Martha Ann Powell, a daughter of James and Sarah A. (Summerlin) Powell. To this union five children have been born: Edgar H., James J., Charles D., Helen A. and R. Y. Mrs. Long was born and reared in this county, but her parents died while she was yet a child and she had no way of gathering their history. Dr. Long always been a stanch democrat, but would never consent to have his name used for public office. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having become a member at Newnan in 1845, and is one of the county’s leading citizens. Captain Long died the 6th of October 1898 at 80 years of age. He and his wife Martha Ann Powell Long are buried in the family plot at Oak Hill cemetery in Newnan, Ga. At the early age of 17 he went to fight in the Seminole Indians War. Knowing that he was too young to go, he went anyway. At the age of 41 he would go to fight again for the Confederate States defending his homeland, family and way of life. Knowing that for his age, that was old in his day, he could have chosen not to go but he went anyway. In all the wars and battles the Soldier, Patriot, Citizen Captain Robert L. Y. Long fought all the way.

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Family buried with Captain Long Transcribed from MEMOIRS OF GEORGIA published by the, Southern Historical Association, 1895.

Col. George H. Carmical

Dr. Abraham C. North

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