New information has surfaced about the capture of General Wheeler. For awhile I could not determine if the information was reliable but after searching for a period of time I believe the new information should be looked at on a more serious note. First is the report of brevet General William Jackson Palmer. This report is important in my opinion as it places the 12th Ohio Cavalry in the area of Conyers, Georgia.
No. 9.--Reports of Bvt. Brig. Gen. William J. Palmer, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, commanding Cavalry Division. HDQRS. CAVALRY DIV., DIST. OF EAST TENNESSEE,
Howell's Ford, near Warsaw, on the Chattahoochee,
May 12, 1865--5 p.m.
MAJOR: After my last dispatch to you from Athens via Ashville, I got reliable information from a scout, disguised as a Confederate soldier, who stated positively that he had traveled with him for a day, that Davis was one mile and a half from Willis' Ferry, on the Oconee River, a short distance above the mouth of the Appalachee, moving westward. This was at 4 o'clock on the morning of the 7th instant. The scout left him at that point to report to me at Athens, and, on the way, eight miles northwest of where he had left Davis' party, near Salem, he states that he met General Bragg with about 100 men, most of whom were without arms, and five wagons. He traveled with Bragg some distance toward Furlow's Bridge, over the Appalachee, and then came to Athens. A detachment of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry sent in pursuit succeeded in capturing General Bragg below Concord, west of Monticello, on the night of the 9th instant, with his wife, 3 staff officers, 1 ambulance, and 3 wagons. There was no specie in the wagons, but an assortment of provisions, horse equipments, papers, wines, &c. The lieutenant, in violation of orders, paroled Bragg to report to General Wilson, at Macon, he stating that he was not trying to escape, but was simply going to his home in Alabama. He had, however, passed around detachment of my command at Madison, and had evaded another detachment at Covington, and I have no doubt whatever but that he was a candidate for the Trans-Mississippi Department, and that he had been with Davis but a very short time before. A detachment of the Twelfth Ohio Cavalry which I had stationed at Monroe, while pursuing a party which they took to be Davis, also captured at Conyer's Station, west of Yellow River, on the morning of the 9th instant, Major-General Wheeler, 3 of his staff, and 11 privates. Wheeler had a forged parole on his person, and tried to pass himself off as Lieutenant Sharp, stating that he had been paroled. . . . .
WM. J. PALMER,
Colonel and Brevet Brigadier-General, Commanding.
Next is the short biography which was written in 1928 of John W. Hamilton.
"Failing to catch Jeff Davis, Captain J.W. Hamilton, 88, 2540 Summit Street., captured General Joseph Wheeler and his staff instead, and helped end the war with an adventure that kept him in the saddle almost constantly for 78 days.
In 1861 Hamilton enlisted in Company K 60th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. When he later reenlisted in Company L 12th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (Note: that should have read 12th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry and his name was listed as John W. Hamilton) he was promoted from orderly sergeant to lieutenant and then to captain. In all he served through 48 engagements and skirmishes without a scratch and without taking a single furlough. He gave his chances for furloughs to men with families.
Captain Hamilton was at Athens, Georgia, when General Johnston surrendered as the war dragged on toward its end. (Note: General Johnston surrendered to General Sherman on April 26, 1865) General Wheeler had refused to give up although further resistance was hopeless.
From Athens he was ordered to take his company to Social Center, Georgia, on a mysterious service which involved patrolling all the roads and villages in the vicinity. He soon learned, however, that he had been sent to watch for Jeff Davis. (Note: it is believed that he was sent to Social Circle, in Walton County, Georgia)
After one of his patrols had a brush with a party of Confederate Cavalry Captain Hamilton set out in pursuit with eight men. He followed them from early in the morning until near midnight, catching occasional glimpses of these men. Then he suddenly ran into them in the dark and lost his horse when they fired a volley. After this encounter the trail was lost.
Picking up the trail again in the morning, Captain Hamilton and his men followed the Confederates through swamps and across rivers until they finally were cornered in a swamp and forced to surrender. Then he saw that these Confederates seemed to be high officers but he was unable to gain any information from them.
Later he found that he had captured the famous General Joseph Wheeler and his entire staff. General Wheeler was taken to Covington, Georgia, where he bid an affecting farewell to his men and told them to return to their homes and be good citizens as the war was over.
Several years later when General Wheeler was a Congressman from Alabama, Captain Hamilton wrote to him and received a long and friendly reply which he treasured for many years."
And in General Wheeler's own words he says and I shall paraphrase. "I was captured with 3 of my staff officers and a handful on enlisted soldiers near a clearing of woods and had removed my collar which indicated my rank. I was taken to Conyers, Georgia and captured by a young officer with the Federal Cavalry."
And finally----------
Historical Sign in Conyers, Georgia-----------
"FIGHTIN' JOE WHEELER"
"Near this spot, May 9, 1865, Major General Joseph Wheeler, C.S.A., and part of his staff were captured by Federal troops who were pursuing President Jefferson Davis, General Wheeler was released at Athens but, later, was again arrested and sent north with President Davis. He was imprisoned at Fort Delaware, Del., until June 8, 1865, when he was released. General Wheeler fought more battles than any other cavalryman in the War Between the States. Wounded 3 times, he had his horse shot out from under him 16 times. In the U.S. Army in the Spanish-American War, he served with equal honor and distinction."
The sign was erected in 1956 by the Georgia Historical Commission and placed in front of the Conyers city library where it stands today. Directly across from the library was the railroad station at Conyers, Georgia then known as the Conyers Station. Although Conyers was established prior to the War it did not become a city until 1870. According to General Wheeler's own words he was captured by Federal Cavalry and taken to Conyers and General Wheeler had taken off his rank but the faded material still on his uniform soon forced him to reveal who he really was. According to General Wheeler he had 3 members of his staff with him and a handful of enlisted men. Wheeler also said he had camped near a clearing and was surrounded by Federal troops with guns drawn. Hamilton's story dovetails with the exception of capturing Wheeler near a swamp. The only body of water near Conyers would have been the Yellow River about 1 and 1/2 miles from Conyers Station. (Note: During the War Rockdale county did not exist and this area was known as Newton county, Georgia)
The CMSR's of John W. Hamilton show him as a 2nd Lieutenant with Company L 12th OVC. I am not too concerned about his rank as a number of things could have happened. He could have been acting as a Captain with this patrol or he could have had the rank of Captain in the GAR post War as an example. It would appear that a closer look at Hamilton's biography is worthy of taking a more serious look a Wheeler's capture. Wheeler himself had a farewell address to his troops on April 29, 1865 along the Yadkin River in North Carolina. When President Davis ask for help it appears that Wheeler broke his parole by helping President Davis as he was to meet him in Washington, Georgia but missed the President. Wheeler's account which was written about 1898 dovetails with Hamilton's account which some exceptions such as Wheeler said he was captured in a clearing near some woods and Hamilton saying that he was captured near a swamp. Being familiar with Conyers, Georgia there was no swamps in the area either today or during the War that I can see. However, a soldier from Ohio could have associated the Yellow River as being swampy he his opinion. The 12th Ohio Cavalry is not reported as being in this area at this time however, this is contrary to General William J. Palmer's report.