Biography of

Captain Briggs H. Napier

Co. A 66th Georgia Infantry

compiled by his Great Grandson Charles C. Corbin Jr.

Photo above was taken some time after the war.

Briggs Hopson Napier was born on December 22, 1838, to Leroy and Matilda (Moultrie) Napier in Macon, Georgia.  Leroy Napier was a wealthy planter who lived on a plantation in the Vineville area of Macon where Central High School is today.  The start of the war found Briggs attending school overseas in Europe.  Much to the chagrin of his parents he returned to join the Confederate Army in May of 1861 as a private with Company B of the 2nd Georgia Infantry Battalion.  He served in that unit until being discharged near Norfolk, Virginia in January of 1862.

Briggs then returned to Georgia and was elected a Lieutenant in Napier's Battery of the Georgia Light Artillery which was commanded by his brother Thomas Leroy Napier.  Brigg's father provided a significant part of the funds needed to purchase guns and uniforms for this battery.  Briggs severed with the battery until joining the newly forming 66th Georgia Infantry in August of 1863 as a 2nd Lieutenant.  On November of 1863 he was promoted to Captain as commander of Company A.

While serving with the 66th Georgia, Capt. Napier saw action at Resaca, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain and finally Peachtree Creek.  It was in this battle that he was wounded in the leg while removing General Stevens body from the battlefield.  This wound resulted in his right leg being amputated just above the knee.  A few days later the Doctors were force to amputate more the leg due to infection.  Capt. Napier survived his wounds and was sent to Macon to convalesce.  At the end of the war Capt. Napier married Elizabeth Jones Reed at her grandfather's (Dr. Elijah E. Jones) house in Madison Georgia. Together they had 12 children of which 3 died before reaching adulthood.

After the war was over, Capt. Napier returned to the life of a farmer.  He became a teacher in Crawford County, Georgia.  He also served for a period as the Editor for the Monroe County Newspaper.

Captain Napier died on April 11, 1895, at the age of 56, from throat cancer.  He and his wife are buried in the historic Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon, Georgia.

 

 

Name: Briggs Hopson Napier

Date of Birth: Dec. 22, 1838 

Mother: Matilda Louise Moultrie                                           Father: Leroy Napier

Height: 5 ft - 10 in

Place of Birth:                                                                             

City: Macon                                 County: Bibb                               State: Georgia                              Country: USA

Spouse: Elizabeth (Bessie) Jones Reed                                    Marriage Date: Apr. 26, 1865

Location: Dr. Elijah E. Jones’ home, Madison, Morgan County, Georgia

 

 

 

 

Brothers & Sisters:

Name Date of Birth

Date of Death
Charles Grandison (Flewellen) Napier (half)  1819 After 1850
William Augustus (Flewellen) Napier (half)  Feb.   6, 1821  Apr. 29, 1880
Harriet Napier  Apr. 28, 1826 May 26, 1826
Edmund Tressilian Napier May 12, 1827 Oct. 23, 1866
Caroline Moultrie Napier (Welsman) Sep. 24, 1829 Jul.   8, 1854
Joseph Andrew Napier Jul.    6, 1831 Oct. 16, 1855
Thomas Leroy Napier  Jul.  23, 1833 Sep.   5, 1869
Nathan Campbell Napier Dec. 22, 1834 Jan. 21, 1902
Mary Ellen Napier  Oct. 22, 1836 Aug.   6, 1837
Edward Dankey Napier May 16, 1840 Apr.   9, 1911
Marie Louise Napier (Chaille) Jul.    7, 1841 Aug.   5, 1873
Harold Napier  May   4, 1843 May   5, 1843
Hendley Varner Napier  Jul.    3, 1844 Apr.   1, 1919
George Cathart Napier  Sep.   9, 1847 1912

Children:

                                    Name                                                                             Date of Birth

Leroy Elijah Napier (died at 4 yr)                                                                    Mar. 24, 1866

Matilda (Maud) Marie Napier (Charles Louis Brown)                               Apr. 30, 1868

Janie Reed Napier (died at 2 mos.)                                                                 Jan. 28, 1870

Edward Dankey Napier (Margarette Howard Crawford)                           Feb. 15, 1871

George Reed Napier (Emily Addison Hazlehurst)                                               May   6, 1873

Joseph Moultrie Napier (unmarried)                                                               Jun. 23, 1875

Bessie Belle Napier (Emmett Peyton Bonner)                                        Aug.  5, 1877

Briggs Willie Napier (died at 2 mos.)                                                              May   7, 1880

Etta Louise Napier (Orsamus Allan Bowen)                                                      Jun.  3, 1881

James Welsman Napier (Margaret Gray Harrison)                                               Jul. 26, 1884

Charles Hamilton Napier (Frances Susan Bell)                                       Dec. 31, 1886

*Gladys Erica Napier (Culver Cox Corbin)                                                         Dec. 14, 1890

 

Date of Death: Apr. 11, 1895 (56)                                           Cause: throat cancer

Place of Burial: Rose Hill Cemetery, Riverside Drive, Macon, Bibb County, Georgia.

Education:

Phillips Execter.

Military Service:

private, Co. B, 2nd Battalion, Georgia Infantry, May 1, 1861.  Discharged near Norfork, Virginia, January 19, 1862.  Elected 2nd Lieutenant, Captain Napier’s Battery, Georgia Artillery, January 20, 1862; 2nd Lieutenant, Co. A, 66th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, August 1, 1863; Captain, November 1, 1863.  Wounded in right knee at battle of Peachtree Creek, Georgia, July 20, 1864, while carrying General Stevens body from battlefield.  Leg amputated.

Profession:

soldier 1861-1865.

farmer 1865-1894.

teacher - Crawford County

editor Forsyth, Monroe County, Georgia newspaper.

Addresses:

Macon, Bibb County, Georgia 1838-1860.

Indian Springs Road, Forsyth, Monroe County, Georgia 187_.

Napier home, Holt Avenue, Macon, Bibb County, Georgia.