My great great grandfather was Washington Jackson Burgess.  He was born January 10, 1821 in Franklin County, Georgia and died May 20, 1908 in Banks County, Georgia.   His son Crawford Taylor Burgess was my great grandfather who also served during the war.

On August 15, 1863 he enlisted as a Sergeant  in Captain Groves H. Cartledge's Company of the 4th Georgia Cavalry, State Guards which was called the Blue Ridge Tiger Regiment.  Washington was at Griswoldville, Georgia on November 22, 1864 when his son Crawford was shot in the lower back.  He carried him through the night on horseback  to a field hospital in Macon.

Washington served as a Justice of the Peace and a Notary Public before, during, and after the war.  As a public official he was exempt from serving during the war.  One can only speculate as to his motive for volunteering in spite of this exemption.