Peyton L. Wade was an attorney counselor at law, a preacher, a president of the bank in Savannah and one of the richest men during the Civil War in Screven County, Ga.

He had two outlets in South Carolina and Virginia. He had a plantation with a thousand slaves. General Sherman freed them from that plantation in December 1864. The Army included the 14th Corps; 15th Corps; 17th Corps; 19th Corps and the 20th Corps.

The Wades were freed from Payton L. Wade’s plantation which had two other outlets in Carolina. They followed the army clapping their hands, singing “Glory, Glory Hallelujah” which lyrics were changed from “John Brown’s body as it laid on the ground.”

Some of them followed the army to Savannah. My ancestors crossed the Ogeechee River and were killed by the Confederate soldiers. Some of the Wades joined the Union Army from that plantation.

It was in the 103rd United States Colored Troops Infantry, Company G that these black troops, some of my descendants, helped build the first black school in Valdosta on record, which the blacks had started themselves and the troops helped to complete.

I am in need of your help. We are in the process of erecting two small statues here in Valdosta, Ga., at the Lowndes County Courthouse in memory of the 24 Wades who were servicemen after the war between the years 1865-66. 

The 103rd United States Colored Troops Infantry, Company G did so many wonderful things for our community. They protected the black citizens here. They gave them jobs, clothing for their families, food and housed many in army tents because they were homeless. 

Capt. Andrew W. Leonard told them that a new time had come. 

“You must become educated and industrious for you and your children to survive. You must take the hard road to achieve your goals. The good God above will lift you up to a higher level than where you are now.”

My descendants and ancestors along with 189,000 African American troops were honored at Arlington National cemetery in 1996. The honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton of the United States House of Representatives presided. Headquarters of the 103rd Infantry was at Lowndes County Courthouse, in Valdosta.

With your help and God’s direction, we want to erect these memorial statues so that children and adults can be educated on how the Wades contributed to the Valdosta community.

The following are names of the soldiers who were serving the community of Valdosta.

Descendants of Peyton L. Wade:

Private Robert Wade, Private Rueben Wade, Private Lawrence Wade, Private James Wade, Private David Wade, Private Joshua Wade, Private Peter Wade, Private Edward Wade, Private Chester Wade, Private Jim Wade, Private Lummon Wade, Private Neal Wade II, Private Neal Wade III, Private Soreties Wade, Private Samuel Wade, Private Gus Wade, Private Cluster Wade, Private Ned Wade, Private Jack Wade, Private Hope Wade.

The Rev. Willie F. Wade is a resident of Valdosta.