Augusta

This past Thursday evening I had the pleasure of speaking to the Sons of Confederate Veterans, E. Porter Alexander Camp #158.  My topic was the six companies of the First Georgia which were lost in the Allegheny Mountains during the retreat from Laurel Hill in July, 1861.  Two of the companies involved in this episode came from Augusta and Richmond County:  the Ogelthorpe Infantry and the Walker Light Infantry.  Many thanks to 1st Lt. Commander Lee Herron for the invitation to come, and to Camp Commander Ron Udell.  I was presented with a beautiful print showing the restored chimney from the old Confederate Powder Works.  Many thanks to everyone for their warm welcome.  Before leaving Augusta the next morning, I visited the gravesite of Lt. Col. James O. Clarke, which I wrote about in an earlier post.

The War Settles Down

After the Confederate victory at Greenbrier River, a stalemate settled over the Allegheny Mountains as Federal and Confederate soldiers settled into their camps and began to prepare for winter.  The tedium of camp life was broken by an occasional skirmish, as Union troops probed the defenses at Camp Bartow.  One soldier, writing under the pen-name of "Nestor," described the activities in a letter to the Atlanta Southern Confederacy:

CAMP BARTOW, Green Briar River,

Pocahontas County, Va.,

Tuesday Evening, Oct. 15th, 1861.

Dear Confederacy: The almost painful monotony of our camp was dispelled this morning about ten o’clock, on the reception of intelligence that the enemy was coming down to attack us. Instantly the whole camp presented a most lively appearance, and imposing scene—men rushing from ditches and batteries, where they had been working all the morning, to their tents for their arms and accoutrements—the clear, loud ringing voices of our officers commanding their respective companies to “fall in”—the rapidity with which this order was executed—aid-de camps and scouts rushing across the field under full gallop, coming in from every direction with dispatches to Gen. Jackson, al tended to induce us to believe that there was hot work just at hand; and the cool, determined manner of the men, their resolute countenances, showed plainly how deeply they were impressed with the importance of performing, even at the cost of their lives, the duty expected to be assigned them, and their willingness, yes, eagerness, to enter into the contest.

Having stood under arms for some time, momentarily expecting orders to march out to meet the enemy, it was ascertained that the alarm was in consequence of our pickets stationed on the Green Bank Road, leading south-west from here, being fired upon by a small body of Yankees: and also in consequence of one regiment of Hessians being discovered at a point of the road leading to Cheat Mountain, about four miles distant from this encampment. Some are of the opinion that the enemy is sending out strong reconnoitering parties to find out, if possible, our most assailable point, after which he will attack us; while others believe that he is now sending around parties to flank us on either side, and that a large force will be brought up in front, so soon as these flankers shall have had time to gain their respective positions, when we will be simultaneously attacked from three different points. Whether these opinions prove to be correct or not, time alone can tell. One thing, however, is certain, the indications upon which the belief that we will be attacked here in a few days is predicated, are very strong, and as the enemy is not likely, from his experience on the 3d inst, to attack us without having a vastly superior force, you need not be surprised to hear of a great and bloody battle at this point soon.

Gen. [Henry R.] Jackson’s command occupies the same position now that it did prior to the battle of 3d inst. Since that time we have labored very hard in strengthening our old fortifications and in constructing new ones. The result of this work is, that we are now more than twice as able to repulse an attack from the enemy as we were on the day of the recent battle at this place, with the same arms and force we then had. But since that time we have received four pieces of artillery of the following calibre: Two 12-pound howitzers and two rifled 6-pounders, and we were also reinforced this morning by Col. [Samuel V.] Fulkerson’s Va. Regiment, which has been for some time past guarding a pass in the mountains about seven miles south-west from this place. With this addition in men and arms, and the strong position we now occupy, I dare say we can repulse the efforts of at least 15,000 Hessians to break through our lines; indeed, some are of opinion that with the force we now have here, our position is impregnable against an attack of 20,000.

The health of this division of the Army of N. W. Virginia is improving rapidly. But few cases of fever among the soldiers composing it. The weather for the last five days has been fair and very cool. We have had a heavy frost every morning since the 11th inst. I saw ice this morning one-fourth of an inch thick. If anything is to be accomplished here in a military point of view during this campaign, it must be done speedily; for the deep snows and bleak winds of winter will soon put a stop to all active military operations in N. W. Virginia.

NESTOR.

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I'd like to express my thanks to the Monroe County Historical Society and the Cabiness Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy for their warm welcome during my recent book signing and presentation in Forsyth, Georgia.  Also thanks to the members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans Capt. C. F. Connor Camp #849 who braved the rainy weather to come to my talk in Newton, North Carolina.

Henderson and Monroe Counties

Yesterday I was privileged to have a book signing at the Henderson County Heritage Museum in Hendersonville, North Carolina.  The Museum has a great display of War Between the States memorabilia in commemoration of the Sesquicentennial, and has been inviting local authors of Civil War books to present their works.  I brought along a few of my own relics to display.  Thanks to everyone who stopped by.

Next weekend, I'll be in Forsyth, in Monroe County, Georgia.  Sunday, October 2, I'll be having a book signing from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the Monroe County Historical Society Museum.  The next evening, I'll be speaking to the Society about writing a regimental history.  The Quitman Guards of Forsyth and Monroe County were Company K of the First Georgia Infantry.

Corricks Ford

Today I'm heading up to Parsons, West Virginia, for the 150th Anniversary Reenactment of the Battle of Corricks Ford.  I'll be speaking Saturday about the six companies of the First Georgia which were lost in the mountains during the retreat from Laurel Hill.  I invite all to stop by my table to say hi.  For a listing of events, please visit www.corricksford.com.

Happy Memorial Day

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy and safe Memorial Day weekend, and to express my gratitude for all those in uniform who sacrifice every minute of every day for our country's safety and well-being.  Last year I posted an article I had written about the history of Memorial Day, and have noticed that it is being pulled up quite a bit this year.  It can be read here.

Thanks to Commander Mike McAlpine and the members of the Col. Hiram Parks Bell Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Cumming, Georgia, for their gracious welcome this past Monday evening.  I spoke to the group about the 300 soldiers of the First Georgia who were lost in the Allegheny Mountains during July of 1861.  Mike and his camp oversee the Bell Research Center in Cumming - anyone who is doing research on any aspect of the Confederacy should definitely check out their facilities.

Me and Mike Webb at Scott's Book Store in Newnan, Georgia

Many, many thanks to Mike Webb of the William Thomas Overby/Coweta Guards SCV Camp of Newnan, for arranging a book signing at Scott's Book Store in Newnan on Tuesday afternoon.  Thanks to all who stopped by to chat - I had a most enjoyable time.  An especial thanks goes out to Tom Redwine of the Newnan/Coweta Historical Society for the tour of historic sites in and around Newnan (and the monstrous big lunch, too!).

Upcoming

Got another busy weekend coming up.  Saturday I will be exhibiting I Will Give Them One More Shot at the Blue Ridge Bookfest at Blue Ridge Community College (not far from where I live - nice to have a very short commute).    Monday I'll be in Cumming, Georgia, speaking to the Sons of Confederate Veterans Col. Hiram Parks Bell Camp #1642 at the Bell Research Center.  And Monday I'll be signing books from from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm at Scott's Book Store in Newnan, Georgia.

There's more information about the Bookfest here.  I'd like to invite everyone to stop by and say hi! 

. . . and Back Again

Over the past week or so I put close to a thousand miles on my old car as I criss-crossed the state of Georgia promoting “I Will Give Them One More Shot.”

On Friday afternoon, February 4th, I left the mountains of Western North Carolina in a drizzling, freezing rain. Arriving at the Georgia Archives in Morrow barely ten minutes before closing, I had the great pleasure of presenting a signed copy of “One More Shot” to Archives Director Dr. Steven Engerrand, in thanks for the assistance he and his staff provided while I conducted my research on the First Georgia Infantry.

Saturday and Sunday was the Chickamauga Civil War Show in Dalton, where I met Barbara Keene, the marketing director for Mercer University Press. This was my first time attending this show, and I was thrilled by the number of exhibitors and vendors present. Between book signings at the Mercer Press table I wandered around the exhibit hall admiring the relics and artifacts (and reminding myself all the while of how empty my bank account was). Fellow Mercer author Bruce H. Stewart, Jr., author of Invisible Hero: Patrick R. Cleburne joined me at the Mercer table on Saturday. I had the great pleasure of finally meeting in person Jim Parrish, author of Wiregrass to Appomattox: The Untold Story of the 50th Georgia Infantry Regiment, CSA. Jim had graciously read the manuscript for One More Shot, and provided a highly complimentary blurb for the back of the dust jacket. It was great to see Dr. David Wiggins again. Dave provided much help in my research. It was also very gratifying to have several First Georgia descendents come up and thank me for bringing out the regiment’s story.

Monday morning I headed down to Atlanta, where I had the pleasure of giving copies of One More Shot to Timothy Frilingos at the Atlanta Capitol Museum, and to Gordon Jones at the Atlanta History Center. I also visited Oakland Cemetery, where I found the gravesite of George Harvey Thompson, major of the First Georgia. More on Thompson in a future post.

From Atlanta I headed south to Houston County. That evening I enjoyed the privilege of speaking to the Perry Historical Society about the First Georgia. Several of the folks attending had ancestors in the Southern Rights Guard of Houston County, which was Company C of the First. My presentation was very well received, and I would like to thank Terre Walker for inviting me to visit with the Society.

Tuesday morning, on the way to my next visit, I made a stop at Andersonville National Historic Site. It had been over twenty-five years since I had last visited the camp, and was very impressed with the National Prisoner of War Museum, which opened in 1998. On my previous visits the museum was relegated to a small building next to the cemetery. Out in the area of the prison itself, the main gate has been reconstructed. Walking through from the outer to the inner gate, I felt myself having to stop for a moment as I gazed out over the same landscape that held more 45,000 prisoners over fourteen months in 1864 and 1865. A sense of extreme sadness weighs heavily in the air over the stockade site.

From Andersonville I continued south to Americus. John Carroll, former commander of the Sons of Confederate Veterans A. H. Stephens Camp #78, invited me to come to Americus to speak about the First. Camp #78 represents several companies formed in Sumter County, one of which was the Muckalee Guards, Company A of the Twelfth Georgia Infantry. The Twelfth fought alongside the First Georgia during the Cheat Mountain Campaign and the Battle of Greenbrier River. Many thanks to John and the members of Camp #78 for their gracious welcome (and also the tasty soup!).

Wednesday I turned north toward home, briefly checking in once more at Mercer Press in Macon, then to my final stop at the University of Georgia in Athens. There I presented another book to Mary Linnemann of the Hargrett Library in thanks for her research assistance.

I would like to express my thanks to everyone for their warm welcome and kind hospitality.

Colebrook Historical Society

Have just returned from my trip to New England, where I had the pleasure of speaking to the Colebrook Historical Society of Colebrook, New Hampshire about the two Marshall brothers who served on opposite sides during the Civil War.  The evening went very well, and I would like to thank the members of the Society for their enthusiastic reception. 

Henry Rootes Jackson

Henry Rootes Jackson was born June 24, 1820, in Athens, Georgia, son of a prominent professor at the University of Georgia. Jackson graduated from Yale University in 1839. He practiced law in Savannah, and was appointed U.S. district attorney. In an ironic twist of history, Jackson served as colonel of the First Georgia Regiment during the Mexican War. During the years between the Mexican and Civil Wars Jackson held the offices of superior court judge and United States minister to Austria. In 1860, he was a delegate to the Charleston Democratic Convention, and in 1861 attended the Georgia Secession Convention. That year he was received an appointment as a Confederate States court judge, but on July 4 he was commissioned a Confederate brigadier general. Jackson was enroute from Richmond to Monterey with reinforcements for General Garnett’s Army of the Northwest when he learned of Garnett’s disastrous retreat from Laurel Hill. Jackson was ordered to assume command of the Army of the Northwest as the exhausted and demoralized troops straggled into Monterey. When General William W. Loring arrived a few days later to take command of the Northwestern army, Jackson was given a brigade which included Ramsey’s First Georgia. During General Robert E. Lee’s failed Cheat Mountain campaign, Jackson’s brigade demonstrated against the Union fort at Cheat Pass, and was the last Confederate command to be withdrawn. On October 3, Jackson’s troops were attacked at Camp Bartow on the Greenbrier River. Unable to make headway against Jackson’s entrenchments, the Union forces withdrew, giving the Army of the Northwest a much needed victory. Jackson resigned his Confederate commission in December and returned to Georgia to accept a commission from Governor Joseph E. Brown as a state Major General. Left without a command when his state troops were transferred to Confederate service, Jackson was attached to the staff of General W. H. T. Walker, who commanded a division in the Army of Tennessee. In September of 1863, he was reinstated as a Confederate brigadier, and commanded a brigade during the battles of Jonesboro and Franklin. During the Confederate defeat at Nashville (December 15-16, 1864), his brigade was surrounded and captured. Jackson was first sent to Johnson’s Island, Ohio, then was transferred to Fort Warren in Boston Harbor. Released in July of 1865, Jackson returned to Georgia and resumed his law practice. He served as United States minister to Mexico from 1885 to 1887, but resigned in a dispute over U.S. policy. He was appointed as a director of the Georgia Central Railroad and Banking, and served as president of the Georgia Historical Society. Henry R. Jackson died in Savannah on May 23, 1898.

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On a personal note, I will be traveling over the next week.  On Tuesday night I will be in northern New Hampshire, speaking to the Colebrook Historical Society about my ancestors, William Henry Marshall and Cummings Marshall.  Readers of this blog will remember my posts on the two brothers about how they came to serve on opposing sides in the Civil War.