Photography Day 29: July 28th, The Battle of Ezra Church
I had the boys with me today and we had a really good day. The Battle of Ezra Church took place in South West Atlanta in the area from Westview Cemetery on the south side to Turner Middle School to the northwest and toward Mozley park to the northeast. It was a very pleasant day with good weather. We made lots of stops in the area that is mostly residential. We then went into Westview and photographed the small set of remaining earthworks and the grave of Lt. Clingman that sits in front of them. We also photographed the monument to the Battle of Ezra Church, the former location of the Alms House (poor house), and the Confederate section of the Cemetery. We had a picnic lunch at the monument to the battle. I have some relatives buried in different sections of the cemetery, so after a call to may Dad for some hints on their locations, we were able to visit their markers. It was a great day all around.
The boys at Westview Cemetery
Photography Day 30: July 30th, The Battle of Brown’s Mill
This was another great day with the boys, they are always so good for me when we go on the road taking pictures. We started in the area near Six Flags and photographed the site of an old house as well as the location of the small skirmish at Sweetwater Creek Bridge. We then headed towards Campbellton and photographed a home that was McCook’s Headquarters on the night of the 27th before he crossed the river at Smith’s Ferry. The home is still occupied and in use today. We then went to the location of Smith’s Ferry. I was able to photograph the period road, which is still in use as well as the exterior of the period home on the site that once belonged to Ferry owner.
From Smith’s Ferry we crossed the Chattahoochee river into Fulton County and Campbellton. Here, I photographed a period home, the Beaver’s House. I remember when some of our family friends, Mr. and Mrs. Fountain, purchased and remodeled the home. It was occupied by them for some time before being sold to Fulton County for preservation purposes. I remember when they were remodeling the home and would find minie balls in the walls. We also photographed another period structure here, the Masonic lodge, as well as the site of the old Latham House. It has since been destroyed, but as a child, I remember going in the house and seeing the dent in the wall where a cannon ball had come through the window and lodged in the wall. In the 90’s it was used as a set for a horror movie called “Body Parts”. From Campbellton we traveled into the Rivertown and Rico areas and made more images of period homes and the terrain where a small skirmished happened after McCook crossed at Smith’s Ferry.
After Rico, we went toward the Redwine area where Hutchesons Ferry Road and Hwy. 70. Here I photographed the old Redwine Plantation home on the corner, as well as two other period homes in the area. From here we moved to Palmetto and on the way we stopped to photograph a period home on Hearn Road, where Hood’s Army of the Tennessee stopped on their way out of Palmetto in September of 1864. They stopped here and picked up 44 bushels of corn. In Palmetto we photographed the former Palmetto Stage Coach Inn, now Barfields Law Office and we also photographed the railroad tracks, depot and monument in town.
We then moved south to Newnan. Here we stopped for lunch and met an old friend at The Redneck Cafe. The food was great as usual. I photographed the court house square area then we went to the Brown’s Mill Battlefield Park. I gave the boys the point and shoot camera to share and we set out on the trail. There was nonstop laughter along the trail as they made crazy pictures.
After leaving Brown’s Mill we went into town and photographed more period structures, including “Buena Vista”, which was Wheelers Headquarters on the night of the 30th. From here we made a snack stop at the Dairy Queen and then proceeded to the Confederate section of Oak Hill Cemetery.
Since we don’t get to Newnan very often, we met my cousin and her family for dinner and a couple of hours at their neighborhood pool. By the end of the day we were all exhausted and finally made it home after 16 hours.
Boys and I at Brown’s Mill
War Was Here 