Tag: Georgia

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Book Review–Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty written by Charles Leerhsen

Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty book cover

Book Review—Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty

Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty written by Charles Leerhsen

Leerhsen, Charles. Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty. New York: Simon and Schuster. 2015. ISBN 9781451645798 (paperback). $18.99. Index, b/w photos. 449 pages, 404 pages of text.

 

Winner of the Casey Award for Best Baseball Book of the Year as awarded by Spitball: The Literary Baseball Magazine. 

 

Ty Cobb--courtesy Library of Congress
Ty Cobb–Courtesy Library of Congress

On the Mount Rushmore of baseball immortality, you will find Ty Cobb, the Georgia Peach. When your career batting numbers include lines such as 4,189 hits, twelve batting titles, a career .366 batting average, and nearly 1,000 stolen bases, immortality is yours.

Along with his batting prowess however, Cobb has another reputation that is not so glamorous. It is this reputation for fighting, having a short temper, being cheap, claims of his being a dirty player, and racism that former Sports Illustrated editor, Charles Leerhsen attempts to combat in his revisionist biography of Cobb. As reviewer John Williams stated in the New York Times with the books release, “Cobb’s image is not a fixer-upper; it’s a Superfund site.”

 

MagazineValues.com

 

Cobb The Life and Times of the Meanest Man Who Ever Played Baseball written by Al Stump
Cobb The Life and Times of the Meanest Man Who Ever Played Baseball written by Al Stump

Leerhsen has a major bone to pick with Al Stump. Stump, a man with a not so clean reputation himself, was the co-author of Cobb’s autobiography My Life in Baseball, and then more scathing works in True magazine and later the book, Cobb: The Life and Times of the Meanest Man Who Ever Played Baseball, and comes in for repeated criticism, some of it deserved, from Leerhsen. The movie Cobb, based upon Stump’s work is given its share of criticism as well. In his note on sources he states the movie “was no help at all.”

In A Terrible Beauty, we learn of the difficulties Cobb had when breaking into professional baseball. The bullying and hazing of the day are things I hope would never be tolerated in locker rooms today. Some of it bordered on what might be called criminal. Cobb also had to deal with the murder of his father. A murder committed by his mother under mysterious and questionable circumstances.

While Cobb did have many difficulties, these do not allow a biographer to excuse away in any manner Cobb’s actions. He would fight seemingly anyone; from teammates and opponents, to umpires, to team staff, hotel workers, and even fans who catcalled him from the bleachers. Cobb’s admitted actions would probably lead to his banishment from the game today and more lawsuits than his lawyers could attend to.

In trying to bolster Cobb’s reputation, Leerhsen is at times not willing to place blame where it seems to belong, at Cobb’s feet. An example are multiple interactions with Bungy Cummings, an African American groundskeeper, who may have had a liking for alcohol.


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In 1906, what looks to have probably started as a harmless interaction between Cummings and Cobb led to a violent fight with teammate Charlie Schmidt. Schmidt claimed to have seen Cobb choking the wife of Schmidt, who was trying to stop Cobb from beating her husband. Leerhsen seems to shake off the episode calling Cummings a drunk. Cobb is forgiven because “It’s worth noting I think [Leerhsen is the I] that he [Cobb] didn’t claim that beating up Cummings and his wife was permissible because there were Negroes who had become too familiar or aggressive (as is sometimes alleged or suggested); what he said, rather, was that he did not beat them up.” This is a claim that seems most improbable. Schmidt is condemned as a man who had fought with Cobb on at least two prior occasions, thus seemingly making him in the wrong by default.

Cobb is deemed to have not been racist for his praise of stars such as Willie Mays. In 1952, regarding Black players in Major League Baseball, Cobb stated, “The Negro should be accepted and not grudgingly but wholeheartedly.” Easy for him to have said twenty-four years into retirement and five years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Would a Georgia born and bred Cobb have made such a comment during his playing days?

So, what do we make of Leerhsen’s book? Well, first, I have several editorial complaints that should in no way reflect upon Leerhsen, his research, or the text of this book. First is the lack of a formal bibliography. This is a massive oversight on the part of the publisher. The two page “Note on Sources” that is included is unacceptable. What this “Note” is, is two long unusable paragraphs listing secondary sources. The first paragraph includes works on Cobb (with further bashing of Stump of course.) The second is “Other books I consulted,” a listing of authors and book titles in no conceivable order.

My second issue is what pass for endnotes. Rather than have standard endnotes, what readers are presented with is each chapter receiving a single paragraph of text with page numbers and a very brief comment where material came from.  If this material is not included in the “Note on Sources” you are left even further mystified.  These paragraphs are difficult and not user friendly, nor are they endnotes. I get not having footnotes, though those are most convenient for readers, and I am happy enough to at least have traditional endnotes. This type of notation should be avoided by all publishers.


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After reading Leerhsen what am I left with? First, I am left with the nagging feeling I should have read all of Stump’s work prior. Because A Terrible Beauty is so focused on countering much of what has been written about Cobb, a grasp of that literature would have helped.

Secondly, it seems clear that the author has done plenty of research. While a majority seems to come from newspapers, which often have their own slant, Leerhsen is able to combat much of the reputation Cobb has been given (I hesitate to say earned after reading this book.) I would use the reputation for having been a dirty player as an example here. We learn that instances of Cobb being involved in a “spiking” seem to have been rare, and players of the day do not seem to have universally considered him a dirty player. Did you want to have Cobb barreling down on you while stealing a base or stretching a hit, probably not; does it appear he went out of his way to injure opposing players, no.

I might like to have seen a bit about Cobb’s legacy, especially in the Royston, GA area. Cobb’s burial location is discussed, and this is a must see if you are travelling through town.

At the end of the day, who is the real Tyrus Raymond Cobb? Is it the violent, racist, possibly alcoholic of Al Stump; or the more moderate, at times misunderstood, Cobb of Charles Leerhsen? It is probably somewhere in between, but Leerhsen has done a commendable job in righting some of the past wrongs we have assumed true of Ty Cobb.

You may find all of Charles Leerhsen’s books using THIS LINK.

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 This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products. 

 


Baseball America Magazine Subscription – $86.99
from: Magazine Values

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Stovall Mill Covered Bridge located in Sautee Nacoochee, GA dates to the 1890s

Stovall Mill Covered Bridge and historic marker
Stovall Mill Covered Bridge
Stovall Mill Covered Bridge

Located off of Georgia Highway 255 in Sautee Nacoochee, GA is the 38-foot-long Stovall Mill Covered Bridge. The graffiti covered bridge dates to before the turn of the 20th century. As would be expected, parking is free and there is no admission charge to view or walk across the bridge. Picnic tables are on site so you can enjoy the views and sounds of Chickamauga Creek.

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Do you remember the family road trip? Dad, mom, the kids, and luggage all piled in the family truckster headed down the interstate on vacation. Dad wanting to “make time.” Remember stopping at Stuckey’s on the way? Now, straight from Wrens, Georgia, relive those times with a pecan log roll just like you remember. Click the photo or THIS LINK to place your order and to see other delicious candies you have forgotten about. 

Text for the Georgia Historic Marker reads:

Stovall Mill Covered Bridge

Fred Dover constructed a bridge and nearby grist, saw and shingle mill complex here in the late 1800s. The original bridge washed away in the early 1890s and Will Pardue replaced it in 1895 with the present 38-foot structure. Dover sold the operation to Fred Stovall, Sr. in 1917. The mill and dam washed away in 1964. Constructed as a modification of the queen post truss design, the bridge’s trusses have two vertical posts (with iron rods) separated by a horizontal crosspiece. The bridge was featured in the movie I’d Climb the Highest Mountain  starring Susan Heyward.

Erected by the Georgia Historical Society, Georgia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.

Stovall Mill Covered Bridge historic marker
Georgia Historic Marker recognizing the Stovall Mill Covered Bridge. The marker dates from 2000.
Stovall Mill Covered Bridge and historic marker
Stovall Mill Covered Bridge and Georgia Historic Marker
Stovall Mill Covered Bridge
Stovall Mill Covered Bridge

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

For those with more interest in the subject, I recommend the book Vanishing Landmarks of Georgia: Grist Mills and Covered Bridges written by Joseph Kovarik. Vanishing Landmarks of Georgia spotlights 56 remaining gristmills and 16 covered bridges. In addition to stunning color photographs of each structure, the guide provides a history of the site and detailed directions, including maps and GPS coordinates.

 

 

 

I’d Climb the Highest Mountain, starring Susan Hayward and William Lundigan is available on DVD. This simple story directed by Henry King, follows a Methodist minister called to a rural Georgia mountain community. There he and his city-bred wife use their love to help a small town find God. The film has limited reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

 

 

 

 

 

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“Blind Willie” McTell and the 12-String Strut in Thomson Georgia

12-String Strut art exhibit in Thomson, GA.

Blind Willie McTell

Blind Willie McTell Image courtesy Library of Congress
Blind Willie McTell
Image courtesy Library of Congress

William Samuel McTier (McTear) was born in Thomson, Georgia on May 5, 1898, though some researchers contend that he was born in 1903, and his headstone gives the year of 1901. I have yet to find a source on how he became known as McTell. It is also unclear if young Willie was born blind or lost his sight during childhood. The New Georgia Encyclopedia indicates McTell attended schools for the blind in Georgia, New York, and Michigan.

While in his teens, McTell and his mother moved to Statesboro, GA, and it was here where Willie learned to play the six-string guitar.

By the 1920s, McTell had left the family home, taking to the road as a traveling musician, playing carnivals, bars, parties, churches, and street corners to earn a living.

Young and talented, McTell became popular in Atlanta, regularly playing at house parties and similar events. By this time, he had upped his game to the twelve-string guitar, an instrument that helped him project his music better in the crowded areas he often played.

By 1927, recording companies had noticed McTell and other blues musicians and he cut his first tracks for Victor Records, following that with a 1928 session for Columbia. The New Georgia Encyclopedia lists multiple studios that McTell recorded for, often under different names. Musicians of the era would often record under similar, but different, names in order to avoid contract conflicts. 

McTell was wed to Ruth Kate Williams in 1934. They were to later record several tracks together.

John A. Lomax recorded McTell as a part of the Archive of American Folk Song in 1940. These recordings, held by the Library of Congress, have been released under the title The Complete Library of Congress Recordings.

Commercially, McTell’s sales were declining during the 40s, and he found himself playing more on the streets. He did record for Atlantic Records in 1949 and Regal Records the same year. His final known recordings were made in 1956 by Atlanta record store owner Edward Rhodes.

Starting in 1957, McTell served as the preacher at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Atlanta and devoted himself to religious music. Blind Willie was to only live a short time longer and passed away on August 19, 1959, due to a cerebral hemorrhage. McTell is buried in Jones Grove Baptist Church Cemetery in Thomson, Georgia.

McTell’s 12-String Strut

Located in the downtown Thomson, GA area is a public art exhibit titled McTell’s 12-String Strut, honoring the locally born Blind Willie McTell. There are twelve, seven-foot-tall Stella guitars in the installation, each painted by a different artist. The guitar models were created by Icon Poly Studio and are made of polyurethane.

The installation was presented to the public in 2016 after a Georgia Department of Economic Development report suggested a public art component and providing additional exposure for one of McDuffie Counties most recognized citizens as part of the county’s tourism marketing efforts. 

Below, find images of 6 of the 12 guitars that are located throughout Thomson. 11 of these are very easy to find. The 12th however took a bit more digging. It is located outside the McDuffie County Government complex.

12-String Strut
12-String Strut

 

12-String Strut
12-String Strut
12-String Strut
12-String Strut

Posthumous Recognition

The Blues Hall of Fame inducted Blind Willie in 1981 and in 1990, the Georgia Music Hall of Fame bestowed the same honor.

Blind Willie McTell Georgia Historic Marker in Thomson, Georgia
Georgia Historic Marker in honor of Blind Willie McTell, located in Thomson, GA

In 1993, a Georgia Historic Marker was unveiled in Thomson, GA,, near the old railroad station, honoring McTell and his legacy. The text (including a few small grammatical errors) reads as follows

Willie Samuel McTear (1901-1959) was born between Big and Little Briar Creeks in the Happy Valley Community. In 1911, he and his mother moved to Statesboro, where he began his life of traveling and performing. Although blind from infancy, Willie developed a lifelong independence based on his acute sense of hearing., remarkable memory and versatile musical genius.

Willie performed and recorded under many names but favored “Blind Willie” McTell. Best remembered for his blues, McTell, had a remarkable repertoire of blues, spirituals, gospels, rags, fold ballads and popular music. McTell played from “Maine to Mobile Bay”, and at theaters, taverns, road houses, churches, medicine shows, train stations, barbecue joints, house parties, and on the streets.

His blues feature his trademark twelve-string guitar played in rapid and intricate patterns of jagged, shifting rhythms accompanying his clear tenor voice. He started recording in 1927 for RCA Victor Atlantic and the Library of Congress. He last recorded in 1956 and returned to McDuffie County shortly before his death and is buried in the Jones Grove Cemetery. Blind Willie was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1990.

McTell has also played a considerable influence on musicians after him. Performers as diverse as Taj Mahal, the Allman Brothers Band, Ry Cooder, Jack White, and Bob Dylan have covered his songs or singled out the blind guitar player for his influence on their careers.

 

Do you want to learn to play 12-string guitar? Or maybe you are looking to upgrade your equipment. The unmistakable sound of a well-made 12-string guitar is perfect for solo gigs and band performances, especially when it was designed by the founder of influential U.S. punk band Rancid. Tim Armstrong’s Hellcat is based on the old Fender acoustic that was his go-to guitar for songwriting, and quickly became one of the best-selling Fender acoustic artist models ever. With the Tim Armstrong Hellcat-12, that same classic vibe is offered in a 12-string version that simply rocks. Whether it’s alt-folk tunes at the college coffeehouse or slamming punk with a band, the Hellcat-12 combines great acoustic tone with versatile onboard electronics and a satin body and neck finish for smooth playability, all at a surprisingly low cost.

Blind Willie McTell Music Festival

Blind Willie McTell mural located in downtown Thomson.
Blind Willie McTell mural located in downtown Thomson, GA

The legacy of McTell is celebrated each year at the Blind Willie McTell Music Festival held in Thomson, GA. Ticket prices for the event seem quite reasonable. The lineup for 2022 included Jimmie Vaughn, the Texas Gentlemen, Joachim Cooder (son of the legendary Ry Cooder), and more. For more information on the festival check their website.

Sources:

Burditt, Erin. “Guitars are Back.” The McDuffie Progress. April 13, 2021.

Jacobs, Hal. ““Blind Willie” McTell.” New Georgia Encyclopedia, last modified Jun 1, 2020.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

The Rough Guide to Blind Willie McTell is an excellent introduction to the genius that poured from his fingers. It contains 25 key tracks including some of his best known such as Statesboro Blues. Little of the life of McTell is really known and there is no full length biography. To learn more about southern blues I recommend a copy of Red River Blues: The Blues Tradition in the Southeast. Drawing on archives and interviews with musicians, Red River Blues remains an acclaimed work of blues scholarship. Bruce Bastin traces the origins of the music to the turn of the twentieth century, when African Americans rejected slave songs, work songs, and minstrel music in favor of a potent new vehicle for secular musical expression. Bastin looks at the blues’ early emerging popularity and its spread via the Great Migration, delves into a wealth of field recordings, and looks at the careers of Brownie McGhee, Blind Boy Fuller, Curly Weaver, Sonny Terry, and many other foundational artists.

 

 

 

 

 


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from: The Music Stand

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Moses Harshaw Died and Gone to Hell

Moses Harshaw
1794-1858
Died and Gone to Hell

Moses Harshaw Died and Gone to Hell
Moses Harshaw–The Meanest Man Alive
Died and Gone to Hell

The stories and legends surrounding Moses Harshaw are plentiful. One thing we know is that if you visit Old Clarkesville Cemetery in Clarkesville, Georgia, you can see a headstone the likes of which you have probably not seen before. It is both funny and sad at the same time. Funny in that somebody appears to have had the last laugh on Harshaw. Sad in the fact that this person was so evil that family chose to remember him in this way. Moses Harshaw–Died and Gone to Hell.

Moses Harshaw was born in 1794 in North Carolina. He wed Nancy England on June 9, 1814 in Burke County, North Carolina. By 1820, it appears that the Harshaw family was gaining wealth, as they owned seven male slaves, all under the age of 44.

At some point in the early to mid-1820s, Moses led the Harshaw family from their home in North Carolina to new lands in the Nacoochee Valley of Georgia. In 1825, Moses purchased 250 acres from W. B. Wofford for the sum of $1,500. It was on this property that around 1837 Moses would build what is now known as the Harshaw-Stovall House, a property that in 1984 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Harshaw was successful in a financial manner. In addition to his farming and gold mining
operation, he supported his family by working as an attorney in Clarkesville. By 1840, the US
Census shows him owning 18 slaves, 11 females and 7 males. The 1850 US Census lists
Harshaw as owning real estate with a value of $20,000. The Slave Census for the same year
show him having increased his human ownership to 20.

Despite his apparent business acumen, Moses was person few people liked. His antics had earned
him the moniker, “the meanest man alive.” The period of 1829-1844 saw him charged with
assault on seven occasions, being found guilty six times. His cruelty to slaves became legendary.
When he would hitch his wagon to go to town, he would require the services of a slave on the
trip. He would not allow the slave to ride in the wagon however but would instead tie him to the
back of the wagon and make him run to keep up.

Perhaps cementing his legacy as vile person is the story of when a young slave girl passed away,
Moses wife Nancy purchased a dress for the child to be buried in. When Moses discovered the
expense he demanded the child be dug up, the dress be removed and returned to the store.

Unable to live with Moses and his erratic behavior, Nancy filed for legal separation, which the
courts granted in 1857 (some date this separation as being in 1850). She received several slaves,
farm equipment, and lands in Clarkesville. A portion of the separation agreement reads

from an incompatibility of taste and uncongeniality of temper and disagreement of
pursuits, bickering, heartburnings and strife have discovered that it is impossible they
should longer live together in peace and harmony and have therefore agreed to separate
from bed and board and absolve, release and forever discharge each other from all
conjugal rights, privileges, duties and liabilities, further agreeing to live separate and
apart and abstain in all and every way from interfering with or molesting each other in all
and every way their pursuit of present and eternal happiness.

North Georgia Wine Country Tour. Leaving from Atlanta visit 3 different wineries, including a stop in delightful Helen, GA.
North Georgia Wine Country Tour. Leaving from Atlanta visit 3 different wineries, including a stop in delightful Helen, GA. CLICK HERE or the image for details.

 

Moses was to live only a short while longer, passing away in 1859. Despite being a successful
attorney, Moses passed without a will. The courts appointed Moses son Alonzo and E.P.
Williams as estate administrators. His holdings included 11 slaves, farming equipment, produce,
livestock and feed, household furnishings, a lot and house in the town of Clarkesville, and
considerable acreage and a home in Clarkesville and White Counties.

It is possible that Nancy had the last word on their marriage and the life of Moses Harshaw. The
long rotted original wooden marker was carved with the words “Died and Gone to Hell.” A
replica of the marker stands today, reminding us that our worldly actions may not be forgiven
even in death.

Harshay-Stovall House
Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Today, visitors to Sautee Nacoochee, GA can stay in the beautifully restored Stovall House. Owners Jeff Sidwell and Erin Fight opened the bed & breakfast in 2019. They offer six rooms (the Terra Cotta Room is pet friendly room) including king-sized beds, private bathrooms, Wi-Fi throughout the house, and more. Water comes from the 350 foot deep well on property. Environmental concerns are taken seriously with kitchen leftovers being composted; leftover soaps, etc. are recycled through Clean the World, the 27-acre property is pesticide free, and cleaning products are eco-friendly. If you are looking for a wedding or event venue, Jeff and Erin are eager to accommodate your needs.

 

References:
Old Clarkesville Cemetery website

United States Census Reports
1820
1840
1850
1850 Slave Schedule

United States Department of the Interior National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form.
Harshaw-Stovall House. June 28, 1984.

 

This post may contain affiliate links including Amazon links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

Rafting on the Chattooga River near Clayton, Georgia
Here is the perfect opportunity to go rafting in the north Georgia Mountains. Click THIS LINK, or the photo, to book your river rafting excursion on the Chattooga River, near Clayton, Georgia.
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Book Review–Hidden History of Civil War Savannah

Hidden History of Civil War Savannah

Jordan, Michael L. Hidden History of Civil War Savannah. Charleston: Arcadia
Publishing, 2017. ISBN 9781626196438, 159 pages, 131 pages text, b/w photos,
notes, bibliography, index, $21.99.

As author Michael L. Jordan describes Savannah, Georgia, “…Savannah is a Civil
War city, an epicenter of activity in the conflict that southerners like to call “the
War Between the States.” While I might take umbrage with this stereotyped
portrayal of southerners, there is considerable truth to this statement.

In his book, Hidden History of Civil War Savannah, Jordan tells nine stories
allowing readers an introductory, yet thorough enough for many readers, glimpse
of the role Savannah played during the Civil War. Savannah was more than just a
Christmas gift from General Sherman to President Lincoln.

Personalized Push Pin Travel Maps

The first chapter starts out with controversial Confederate Alexander Stephens and
his infamous “Corner-stone Speech” given in Savannah in March 1861. In this
speech Stevens leaves little doubt that slavery and white supremacy were the
drivers of the new Confederate government. He went further calling abolitionists
“fanatics” stating they “were attempting to make things equal which the Creator
had made unequal.” It appears that Stephens’s views were in the mainstream of
Georgia voters. Just twenty years later he served as Governor of the state.

In the following chapter Jordan treats us to the life of Francis Barton, a signer of
the Georgia Ordinance of Secession, who as a brigade commander in the
Oglethorpe Light Infantry was killed during the July 1861 Battle of Bull Run.
Bartow’s remains are interred in Laurel Grove Cemetery.

The life of Robert E. Lee and his strong associations with Savannah, especially his
time as a young engineer helping to construct Fort Pulaski are quickly covered.
The following chapter contains a thorough discussion of the CSS Atlanta and the
problems the ship’s crew faced before the vessel was eventually surrendered to
Union forces. The newly named USS Atlanta served in the Union navy during the
blockade of the James River.

The fate of Union prisoners of war in 1864 is a chapter that I enjoyed considerably.
It left me wanting more however. The next chapters cover the Confederate
evacuation of the city, including the arrival of General Sherman and concerns of
the local residents. The story of the capture of Savannah is followed by a
discussion of Savannah rejoining the Union. Again, the concerns of local residents
and businesses are discussed in detail.

While General Sherman didn’t put the torch to Savannah as he did to others, there
was a major fire in the city during January 1865. The fire is traced to a stable in the
northwestern part of the city. As the fire spread, it reached the naval arsenal
causing major explosions that rocked the city. Union forces helped in removing
shells when possible and in protecting citizens and property. The cause of the
blaze, and other small ones in the city, was not determined. Jordan does not put
forth an opinion or provide any evidence as to who may have been the cause.

The book concludes with a chapter on Savannah’s Confederate Memory. The
importance of the Ladies Memorial Association and their role in raising money for
a Confederate monument is detailed. The story of men taking over the lead on the
creation of the monument and the story of the monument itself are quite intriguing
and well worth the read. The 20th century myths about no “Yankee” products being
used in the creation of the monument is amusing.

This book is a quick and enjoyable read with each chapter standing on its own
merit. These brief vignettes provide an interesting background and introduction
into the role of Savannah before, during, and after the Civil War. The notes and
bibliography are appreciated and allow readers the ability to follow up and learn
more on subjects of interest to them.

This is not a travel guide. No maps, directions, or addresses are included. Rather, a
reader can use this as an introduction to places they may wish to seek out during a
visit to the “Hostess City of the South.”

A wonderful single day tour of the highlights of Civil War Savannah can be found
on the American Battlefield Trust webpage.

Some incredible Savannah related Civil War era maps are available for viewing and download
through the Library of Congress.

You may read other reviews of Arcadia Publishing titles by clicking here.

Savannah Civil War Walking Tour – $26.49

Though it is now known as one of America’s most haunted cities as well as the Garden City for its luscious landscaping, Savannah was once plunged into one of the bloodiest battles in the United States; on the Civil War Walking Tour, you’ll learn all about this city’s role in the greatest battle in US history.

 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

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Pinson Cemetery in Rabun County Georgia: Home to a Revolutionary War Soldier

Joseph Pinson headstone

Part of the joys of road trips are the unexpected finds a traveler can make. This is the story of just
such a find. We have vacationed in Rabun County, Georgia on several occasions and have found
a wonderful short-term rental property we stay at whenever possible. It is not large but has a
larger fenced yard that our dogs love. The views are tremendous and the house has everything
we need for a few days away from home.

Pinson Cemetery sign
Pinson Cemetery Sign

PINSON CEMETERY

On the drive to the house, we have noticed a road sign for Pinson Cemetery. The area is always overgrown and it looks difficult to find. There is no road or easy access point. With this in mind, we have never tried to stop. This past year I decided I had to investigate. My wife dropped me off and parked up the road at a community church while I headed into the brush.

I am glad I made that short hike. Here I found the headstone for Joseph Pinson. According to the headstone, Pinson was born January 30, 1754 and passed away on May 26, 1838. The stone states he was a sergeant in the North Carolina Militia during the Revolutionary War.

Joseph Pinson headstone
The front of the Joseph Pinson headstone

Revolutionary War headstones are not too common in Florida so this was an exciting discovery.

The reverse of the headstone provides some genealogical information. “Erected in memory of Joseph Pinson. Born at Pinson’s Mill on the Haw River in Old Orange County. N.C. Son of Rev. Aaron and Elizabeth Pinson who died in Laurens County, S.C. Husband of Margery Pinson who died in Walker County, GA.

The marker appears to have been installed by the Sons of the American Revolution, possibly in 2011.

SERVICE

According to a pension application filed on July 7, 1834 with the Judges of the Inferior or
County Court of Rabun, Pinson stated that he had served five tours of duty during the
Revolutionary War. Before getting too excited it should be noted that no reference is made to his having served as a sergeant and the total amount of his service time was only eight months and seven days.

Joseph Pinson volunteered for service July 15, 1776 and served under Colonel Isaac Shelby and

Joseph Pinson headstone reverse side
The reverse side of the Joseph Pinson headstone containing valuable genealogical information.

Captain Jacob Womack. During this tour, the only combat Pinson saw was with “a company of the Indians, who had been engaged in massacring the defenseless inhabitants of the Nolichucky River and the frontiers, this Battle was fought on the waters of the River they there killed one Indian the others fled.” Pinson was discharged at Womack’s Fort on the Holston River on October
12, 1776.

Pinson’s second tour began on March 19, 1777 under Captain Joseph Wilson and Colonel John Carter. His role was to help protect the “Frontiers of North Carolina against Indians and Tories. When he was discharged on July 23, 1777, he had seen no battle action.

His third tour was for only eight days but did produce some excitement. Serving under Colonel Benjamin Cleveland, he went on an expedition on the New River where they took one prisoner.
This prisoner was delivered to a Colonel Campbell who had the man executed by hanging.

During Pinson’s fourth tour of duty, he again served under Colonel Cleveland. This time he was
on guard duty, keeping watch over British and Tories captured during the Battle of Kings
Mountain.

Pinson’s fifth and final tour of duty was an uneventful four days served under Captain Benjamin
Herndon.

Joseph Pinson provided an impressive list of character references in his appeal. These included
Senator H. T. Moseley, Representative William Kelby, and Colonel Sam Beck.

Stuckey's Pecan Log Roll--2 ounce bar
Remember family road trips and stopping at Stuckey’s? Relive those days with a delicious Pecan Log Roll from Stuckey’s, direct from Georgia. Click THIS LINK or the photo above to order.

FAMILY INFORMATION

Included in the pension application are later, additional family notices including notice that
Pinson’s widow, Margery, had filed for a widows pension on July 20, 1847. Here it was attested
that she and Joseph had married on September 15, 1775 and that Joseph had passed away on
May 26, 1838.

Further genealogical information included in the file is an 1853 affidavit from Jane Carter stating
she is the daughter of Joseph and Margery Pinson. She continues, stating her parents were
married in Wilkes County, North Carolina in 1773. Margery passed away on August 25, 1852
and that there are four living children from the Pinson marriage: Elizabeth, Mary, Milla, and
Jane.

Reference is made to the appearance in Cass County, Georgia of a Moses Pinson who claimed to
be the younger brother of Joseph.

Joseph Pinson was successful in his pension application. Beginning on March 4, 1831 Pinson
was awarded a yearly pension of $27.44, or roughly $2.30 per month. His widow Margery
received the same amount following her 1847 application.

DIRECTIONS

If you would like to visit the Pinson Cemetery, my first suggestion is to dress appropriately; long
pants and closed toed shoes are necessary. I visited during early winter but I would suggest
insect repellant if you are visiting during the warmer months. From Highway 441 heading north
in Clayton turn left on to John Beck Dockins Road. Travel about a mile and a half and turn left
on Wolffork Road. Follow Wollfolk for just over a mile and you will see the sign on the left
hand side.

You will need to find a place to safely park and the side of the road is not that place.
Return to the church you have just passed and walk back to the sign. Here you will have to make
your way into an overgrown area. Try to keep going straight as you enter the brush. When I
visited there was a bit of a clearing and the headstone was obvious.

Remember, take only photos and leave only footprints.

Sources

Revwarapps.org

 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

Rafting on the Chattooga River near Clayton, Georgia
Here is the perfect opportunity to go rafting in the north Georgia Mountains. Click THIS LINK, or the photo, to book your river rafting excursion on the Chattooga River, near Clayton, Georgia.
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The Ancient Track Rock Petroglyphs in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest

Track Rock Sign

Visitors to the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests  near Blairsville, Georgia, have a unique opportunity to view a large collection of petroglyphs.

Track Rock Sign
The sign indicating the Track Rock Archaeological Area where you can visit the petroglyphs.

What is a petroglyph?

Track Rock Information Panel
Track Rock Information Panel

The first question a reader may have is, just what a petroglyph is. According to the National Park Service “Petroglyphs are rock carvings (rock paintings are called pictographs) made by pecking directly on the rock surface using a stone chisel and a hammerstone.”

How old are they?

Track Rock Gap is located between Thunderstruck Mountain and Buzzard Roost Ridge near the
town of Blairsville in Union County, Georgia. Here, more than 1,000 years ago, Creek and
Cherokee peoples created the soapstone carvings we now enjoy today.

Considered one of the most significant rock art sites in the Southeastern United States, Track
Rock features a diverse grouping of more than 100 figures.

What do they mean?

Track Rock Petroglyph
A legend to some of the markings found on the petroglyphs.

Archaeologists do not believe Track Rock to have had a singular purpose or to have been carved in a singular period; rather, the carvings were made over time and for differing reasons. Some of them may symbolize or commemorate a particular event that happened. Others may have to do with rituals and ceremonies. As the National Park Service states

Furthermore, the setting of Track Rock in a gap places it at a threshold. In numerous Cherokee stories, footprints and tracks signify an in-between or transitional state or condition. More specifically, rocks with footprints and tracks signified the area of transition, a doorway or threshold, into the domain of dangerous spirit beings.

Depictions of footprints and tracks are not only physical testimony that spirit beings were there some time in the past, but that they could still be lingering somewhere close-by in the present, and that they may return unexpectedly at any time in the future.

How do I visit?

You can easily visit this amazing archaeological site. There is no entry or parking fee charged.

You can reach Track Rock Gap by taking US 129 to Blairsville, then US 76 east about five
miles. At the signs for Track Rock Gap Road, turn right for about two miles to the gap. Their
location in the gap makes stopping beside the boulders very dangerous.

Drive on through the gap, noting the Track Rocks on the right, and look for the small parking lot
on your right. Park there and take the trail back to the gap, safely from traffic. The trail is not
long or strenuous but it is through a wooded area so proper footwear is suggested. The path can
be slippery depending upon weather conditions.

Carvings visible in the rock
While not photographed at the best lighting, carvings are still visible in this rock.

The NPS suggests visiting when sunlight is at a low angle. Consider visiting either early morning or late in the day. Brighter sunlight makes viewing the  petroglyphs more difficult. If you click the link below to learn more about the site there are convenient fact and description sheets available to help you navigate the site.

Remember, leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but photos. Let’s make sure this sacred site is available for the next thousand years.

How can I learn more?

To learn more about the petroglyphs visit the forest service site here.

Learn more about the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) by visiting the National Park Service page here.

You can learn more on the subject by reading the account “An Archaeological and
Ethnohistorical Appraisal of a Piled Stone feature Complex in the Mountains of North Georgia”
published in the journal Early Georgia (Vol. 38, No. 1, p. 29-50) in 2010 by archaeologists
Johannes Loubser and Douglas Frink. Check with your local librarian to see if any of their
databases carry this journal.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs or sponsors providing products.

 

Are you interested in hiking in the Chattahoochee National Forest? This map pack from National Geographic is a must have.

National Geographic’s Chattahoochee Bundle Pack combines two Trails Illustrated titles for Chattahoochee National Forest. Located just north of Atlanta, the Chattahoochee National Forest contains the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail along with an abundance of recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts of all interests. The maps’ highlights are: Southern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail, Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway, Cohutta, Raven Cliffs and Rich Mountain Wilderness Areas, White Rock Scenic Area, Brasstown, Ellicot Rock, Southern Nantahala, Tray Mountain, Raven Cliffs Wilderness Areas, and Chattooga Wild and Scenic River.

Click the photo or this link for more information on purchasing the map.

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Library Additions: March 2021 (1)

Cover for Civil War Battles of Macon

Thank you to Arcadia Publishing for providing complimentary review copies of a couple of their newest releases. Reviews will be posted in the future. All reviews will be based upon my own readings and are not influenced by the publisher providing review copies.

Eichhorn, Niels. The Civil War Battles of Macon. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2021. 124 pages, 105 pages of text, bibliography, notes, b/w photos, ISBN 9781467146944, $21.99.

Macon was a cornerstone of the Confederacy’s military-industrial complex. As a transportation hub, the city supplied weapons to the Confederacy, making it a target once the Union pushed into Georgia in 1864. In the course of the war’s last year, Macon faced three separate cavalry assaults. The battles were small in the grand scheme but salient for the combatants and townspeople. Once the war concluded, it was from Macon that cavalry struck out to capture the fugitive Jefferson Davis, allowing the city to witness one of the last chapters of the conflict. Author Niels Eichhorn brings together the first comprehensive analysis of the military engagements and battles in Middle Georgia.

 

 

Bunn, Mike. The Assault on Fort Blakeley: The Thunder and Lightning of Battle. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2021. 158 pages, 139 pages of text, bibliography, notes, order of battle, ISBN 9781467148634, $21.99

On the afternoon of April 9, 1865, some sixteen thousand Union troops launched a bold, coordinated assault on the three-mile-long line of earthworks known as Fort Blakeley. The charge was one of the grand spectacles of the Civil War, the climax of a weeks-long campaign that resulted in the capture of Mobile—the last major Southern city to remain in Confederate hands. Historian Mike Bunn takes readers into the chaos of those desperate moments along the waters of the storied Mobile-Tensaw Delta. With a crisp narrative that also serves as a guided tour of Alabama’s largest Civil War battlefield, the book pioneers a telling of Blakeley’s story through detailed accounts from those who participated in the harrowing siege and assault.

 

 

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I may receive a small
commission. This commission does not affect any price that you pay. All views and opinions provided are
my own and are never influenced by affiliate programs.