Greeting .
My ancestor William Thomas Guthrie was a soldier in 34Th Alabama co'y 'D'. According to his pension record he was shot through the abdomen on 22 July 1864. Taken to hospital and died a day later.
When I was born in 1946 my family lived on DeKalb Ave. NOT even 1.5 miles from where Manigault's brigade went through the "CUT" to get to the Degress Battery where the Confederates succeeded in capturing the battery. Degress had ordered double shot canister rounds fired right into the face LITERALLY of the approaching CSA troops. Over 3,000 CSA soldiers died or were mortally wounded that day. The Union forces were able to dislodge the CSA troops in the afternoon and even more died.
After reading and studying the area of the battle and the town, it appears that many of the unknown were basically just dumped at the closest cemetery by black men conscripted by the Union as grave diggers and body disposal groups. Sherman had ordered Oakland shut down for CIVIALIAN burials after the battle. During the battle General Hood watched the battle from a small hill in the cemetery by the way. IT is THAT close.
Now here is a link to a site started by a really nice guy named Dave Burkout. He used to live in the area and we talked for over 3 hours on the phone about the battle.
He agreed with me that since there are several KNOWN CSA troops buried there from the 34th Alabama( company 'D' for sure) from the battles in and close to the 22nd July battle site, IT IS VERY possible that many of the remaining dead are in fact from that horrible charge by Manigualt's Brigade.
I feel very strongly that my Tom Guthrie is there in the UNKNOWNs of Oakland and I remember my granddad ( born 1888) saying every time we drove by there: "My Granddaddy is in there someplace". I was at the cemetery in late January and saw many marked CSA graves but there a VERY many unknowns. By the way, many CSA soldiers who were KNOWS were in fact REMOVED by their families in the 1880s. I spoke at great length with a kind gentleman who is the sexton of Oakland Cemetery and he explained a lot to me about that .
Tom Guthrie was a Georgia born and raised man. He was only 35 miles from his Father's people's homes in Walton, Ga. when he was killed. After the war his wife moved back from her late parent's home in Alabama, as Tom's older brother Rufus ( who lost a leg at 2nd Manassas) was able to help her and 2 little children. Rufus became a very wealthy man in Walton county just as his own Father had been.
Here is some info that might help you.
http://www.inheritage.org/almanack/almanack_post-battle-of-atlanta-03.html
http://www.inheritage.org/almanack/almanack_post-battle-of-atlanta-stops.html
http://www.hmdb.org/map.asp?markers=10277,8758,8884,8885,8883,9512,9511,36102,35613
Oakland is located on Memorial drive on the map bordered by Boulevard SE
http://www.civilwarhome.com/atlantarecordspage.htm
Hope this helps you.
Nancy G. Warren