This past Sunday I took my children with me to the Tunnel Hill Reenactment and we had a great time. Sunday was a great day to go since it was not too crowded. The reenactors put on a great performance for use. What can I say, I love cannons!
The images are on my website here: Reenactment Images
I spent last Sunday photographing locations for the project. Most of them were not critical in a tactical sense and were location that needed to be included. I made a full day of it and shot at locations in Stone Mountain, Lithonia, Decatur, East Atlanta, Emory, Tucker, Chamblee, Brookhaven, and Dunwoody. I was able to photograph nine antebellum structures that used for various thing during the war. It was a long, but fruitful day and I was lucky to have such good weather. Made about 1000 images for the day.
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
I am a little late posting this one, but for day 28 I took my boys on a tour of the Atlanta Battlefield and route of Hardee’s night march. We had a great day together and visited the locations of Sherman’s headquarters and Hood’s observation post as well as the Walker and McPherson monuments. It was a pretty fast paced day and we got to go the Cyclorama and see it on the 150th anniversary of the battle that it depicts.
The next day it was announced that the Cyclorama was going to be moved to a new location at the Atlanta History Center. I hate to see such a historic land mark be moved, but I think in the end it will be for the best. An updated facility and private funds for the care and restoration of the painting are a good thing. I suspect that the Atlanta History Center will be better able to care for it than the city. Mostly due to funding. It will be interesting to see what the new facility will look like.
I thought I would share a few images from my portrait project of reenactors. I have met quite a few recently and really enjoy talking to them about reenacting. They all have such a passion for it and for many different reasons. They have all been so nice, supportive, and enthusiastic about my project. I have a feeling that before all this is over, I to, will be a reenactor.
For day 26, I wrapped up the locations in Roswell that I needed to shoot. A fairly short day compared to some of the days I have had. I made images of the mill area and of the period homes and structures.
Yesterday was day 27 and my son Ian decided he wanted to go and spend the day with me and wanted to take pictures as well. We stopped by Gilliam Park, but the events of the day before were over and the reenactors were packing up. They did give Ian a really cool souvenir, a brass button from a Federal Officers Uniform. Thank you Mr. Jerram for that, he really enjoyed it and it was the first thing he told his brother and mother about when we got home. Ian and I then went to the area of the Battle of Peachtree Creek. We made images at several locations and braved the rain for a walk at Tanyard Creek Park. I made some good images, but may go back for a few more that I missed while trying to keep us dry.
I have spent the last two days making more images along the Chattahoochee River from I-20 up to Roswell. It has been a very hot two days as well and with some of the terrain I have been through, I hope I don’t get poison Ivy. I was able to photograph the last remaining portion of the “Outer Defensive Line” for Atlanta. It is over near Crestlawn Cemetery. It is a beautiful cemetery, it has a great view of downtown and if you go to Casey’s Hill and walk to the back part of the cemetery where the residential area starts, you can get a great view to the Northwest and you can see Kennesaw Mountain. I also shot some images of other earthworks, river crossings and structures. For the last three days I have made about 4,000 images. I am so far behind on editing it’s not funny.
I spent the day doing a very detailed study of the Chattahoochee River Line and the Shoupades. I was able to visit 5 of the Shoupades that are left as well as a seven gun battery. After covering the River Line I moved a little to the North West and made images of the Smyrna Line and the areas around the Battle of Smyrna and the Battle of Ruff’s Mill, including the Concord Covered Bridge. Part of the original mill is still standing as well. It was a grist mill and was spared by the Federal troops. The covered bridge was built after the war to replace the one that was burned by the Federals on the July 4th, 1864. From there I went to the Lovette School and made some images of the Earthworks there and also made some images of the “trading rock” in the river at Pace’s Ferry. On the way home I stopped in Vinings and photographed the Pace house and the railroad tracks. I will be back in that same general area tomorrow to photograph some other locations. A good day, even though it was hot and humid. I had about 29 gigs of data which works out to about 1800 images. I have so much editing to do. I even had someone come up and speak to me, sort of, I was fairly deep in the woods and I was the only living soul around, but I did hear a voice right behind me and I turned to answer them and saw no one there. Creeped me out a little. I have a digital voice recorder that I attach to my tripod for taking notes, it’s faster than pulling out pen and paper, I will have to go back and listen to it see if I can here the voice on there.
I spent this past Friday and Saturday out at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. They were hosting a special event over the weekend to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. I started out Friday morning with a minute by minute real time walk through of the Federal assault at Cheatham’s Hill. Ranger Jim Ogden, led our group of about 100 people through the walk. He is a great speaker with a very vast knowledge of the Civil War. After the walk, I photographed some reenactors at Cheatham’s Hill and then went to the 24 Gun Battery for the Union Artillery demonstration. It was cool to see the batteries being used in the same place they were set up 150 years ago. I also photographed the Federal encampment, complete with a blacksmith, at that location. The next day I went to the Visitors Center and photographed the activities there. Made some portraits of reenactors and photographed the “Fashion Show” that displayed what civilians of different classes would have worn. I also went to the top of the mountain to photograph the Confederate Battery that was doing demonstrations. Saturday night I went to the memorial service at the Illinois Monument. A very moving ceremony with 3400 luminaries in the field to represent the soldiers the fell here in battle.
Yesterday I spent the day with a local Roswell Historian named Michael Hitt. He has authored multiple publications and drawn many maps that show historic elements with modern roads together. He has mapped out all the Civil War entrenchments and earthworks in the Roswell area and many of the works all along the Chattahoochee River. Many of these sites are difficult to find on your own, so Mr. Hitt offered to give me a tour of the locations. We covered all the major spots involving the Civil War and the Chattahoochee River from the area of Island Ford Park all the way down stream to a spot near I-20. He has done some excellent work and I recommend reading some of his publications. Many of them are for sale at Bulloch Hall in Roswell. I can not really say enough about the incredible job he has done of mapping out the actions along the river in Roswell and Vinings as well as Johnston’s River Line. Please visit his site at http://www.michaelhitt.com/
War Was Here 