1st Lt. David R. Snelling, Company D, 1st Middle Tennessee Cavalry (Union) and Company I of the 1st Alabama Regiment Union Cavalry. Commanded General W. T. Shermans escort during his march through Georgia.

Raised around Milledgeville, Georgia he enlisted* in May of 1862 into Company H, 57th Georgia, the Independent Volunteers. Deserted sometime in the summer of 1862 and joined the Union forces. Obviously instrumental in Sherman's knowledge of the area and its people especially when Sherman marched through his home town.

* The site below says "conscripted". I have not found an offical roll that states he was in the 57th Ga.

http://www.1stalabamacavalryusv.com/roster/stories.asp?trooperid=2097

The site below gives a more detailed account of his service saying...

http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ga/county/baldwin/57thReg.html

"Enlisted on 5/10/1862 as a Private. On 5/24/1862 he mustered into "H" Co. GA 57th Infantry
He deserted on 8/15/1862 at Bridgeport, TN. (Estimated day of desertion)"

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David Upton