For the Union Dead - Part IV

Captain Henry C. Bartlett was the commander of company G of the 33rd New Jersey, he had previously served with the 7th New Jersey. On May 8, 1864, he was in command of his company at the Battle of Dug Gap near Dalton, Georgia. This battle marked the opening of the Atlanta campaign. Sherman's primary strategy in this campaign was to maneuver the Confederates out strong defensive positions thereby avoiding battles and moving on Atlanta.

On May 8th, the Confederates occupied strong defensive positions on Rocky Face Ridge, a high ridge penetrated only by three rough passes. Fortunately for Sherman, the Confederates apparently did not know about one of these passes and it was undefended. In order to move part of his army safely through this gap, Sherman had to keep the Confederates occupied at the other two gaps. Unfortunately for the 33rd New Jersey, they were part of a force assigned to attack one of these, known as Dug Gap.

The name aptly described the pass, simply a rough road dug into the mountainside. To get to that gap, the 33rd had to scale the heights of Rocky Face Ridge over rough rocky ground while dodging both Confederate bullets and boulders the defenders rolled down the mountainside. During the attack, Captain Bartlett was killed at the head of his company. A resident of what is now Roseland, New Jersey, Bartlett left behind his widow and four daughters, all younger than 10. Lieutenant Joseph Miller was assigned to take Bartlett's place. Almost as soon as he got there he was wounded, then while lying on the ground encouraging his men onward, he too was killed.

Both Bartlett and Miller apparently were Masons and were wearing masonic symbols on their uniforms. This led to them receiving proper burials albeit in unmarked graves. Gary Abrams, a 33rd re-enactor believes that he has located the sites of those graves and is working with descendants and others to remove the remains either to a national cemetery or to a final resting place in New Jersey. This is an important way to honor the ultimate sacrifices of both men and I hope Gary is successful.