Last Friday was my 16th day of Photography for the War Was Here project. I started the morning at Pigeon Hill and hiked to the top of Little Kennesaw Mountain. Here I photographed Ft. McBride. Not only did I use my regular digital camera, but I actually shot some real film. I used my pinhole camera that takes 120 film and I shot in a 6 by 9 format. The images should be really cool. Got a lot of comments on the camera too and had to explain what it was and how it worked to some people that had never seen one.
Yesterday, I went back out to Kennesaw Mountain and since it was the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Kolb’s Farm, I made images of that area. Not much of the battlefield is left. The Kolb house is still there and is the only period home on park service property. They use it as a residence for a park employee. From here I photographed the Cheatham Hill area, both from the Federal lines and from the Confederate lines. I then went to the 24 Gun Battery that was part of the Union line.
Today I took the boys with me back to the mountain and we went to the top to make images and enjoy the view. After that we went to the visitor center to the museum to cool off and have a snack. From there we went to photograph some of the historic homes that were used by different Generals as headquarters and are still standing today. Some are well kept, others are unoccupied and are in need of preservation and repair. The one that Union General Schofield used, was in the middle of an apartment complex for senior citizens. They had a small community garden in front of it. Over all, the boys and I had a good time today and I was able to make some good images.
Days 19 and 20 will come this Friday and Saturday while I am out at Kennesaw Mountain for the 150th event. It should be really interesting. There will be lots of living history presentations and of course artillery demonstrations. Hope to see some of you there. If you are coming out there, you should bring a lunch because they do not have any food vendors set up. They will only be selling drinks and packaged snacks.
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150 Years Ago Today: June 22, 1864 The Battle of Kolb’s Farm
June 22, 1864: The Battle of Kolb’s Farm
On orders from General Sherman, General Schofield’s Army of the Ohio, was advancing down the Powder Springs Road in the direction of Marietta. Schofield was attempting to go around the left end of the Confederate flank. General Johnston recognized this threat and on the 21st he sent Hood from his right flank to the left in an attempt to neutralize the threat. In the late afternoon of the 22nd, Hood’s Corps met Schofied’s Army of the Ohio near the Kolb Farm. Hood initiated an attack without permission from his commander, General Johnston, and he did not bother to do any reconnaissance of the terrain or the force he was engaging. He unknowingly ordered an advance on a superior enemy force that was entrenched on the high ground. After suffering about 1000 casualties, Hood retreated and dug in. He was successful in stopping Schofield from turning the Confederate left flank, but was foolish in making his assault.
150 Years Ago Today: June 21, 1864
June 21, 1864
General Schofield continues to move closer to the Confederate left flank along the Kennesaw Mountain Line, in an effort to turn the flank and reach Marietta. General Johnston orders Hood’s Corps to move from the right flank to the left flank in order to stop the threat. This sets the stage for the Battle of Kolb’s Farm tomorrow.
Photography days 13, 14, and 15 are done.
Over the last three days I went to multiple locations along the Brushy Mountain, Mudd Creek, Lost Mountain Line. I was able to make images in places that were occupied on those days. The highlight was yesterday, when I went to look at lines of earthworks with Jeffery Wright. He showed me some of the earthworks and artillery batteries the he helped save from destruction due to development and to a new location that he is working to preserve. The area is under development, but the developer has agreed to save the works and has them fenced off. Those works are pretty unique as they are Federal Artillery Batteries. We also visited the Confederate batteries that the Federal batteries were aimed at. We were there yesterday the 18th, which was 150 years to the day, that they were used during the Battle of Latimer’s Farm. There was a thunderstorm moving by about a mile away while we were there. I closed my eyes for a moment to imagine the thunder as the roar of cannons. It is hard for me to describe the feeling I have while being on these battle grounds on the anniversary of the battle. It certainly has a special energy to it. We also went to couple of location that are on private property. We did get permission. One of these other locations was on Pine Mountain and Mr. Wright had not been there, but only had seen part of the trenches from the road. We knocked on the land owners door and got permission to go through their woods. We were both very surprised to find about 300 yards of very well preserved earthworks and what appeared to be a four gun artillery battery. That is a property that needs to be preserved. We also went to one of the largest and most strangely designed set of works I have seen. They are on Brushy Mountain and are in a place that needs to be preserved from development as well. Over all it was a very productive three days. I will start photographing Kennesaw Mountain tomorrow. There is so much there, I think it will take me about a week to photograph, plus a couple of days at the 150th celebration that is taking place the 26th through the 29th.
150 Years Ago Today: June 19th, 1864
June 19th, 1864
The Confederates are entrenched on the Kennesaw Mountain line and have multiple artillery pieces to the top of Little Kennesaw and Big Kennesaw. It took 100 soldiers to move each cannon up the mountain. Skirmishing continues all along the line, Federal and Confederate Artillery Batteries begin dueling back and forth. General Sherman has ordered General Schofield’s Army of The Ohio to move from Lost Mountain, via the Sandtown Road, thus swinging the Federal right over Mud Creek and toward the south western portion of Kennesaw Mountain. On the evening of the 19th, Schofield reaches Nose’s Creek, about half way between Mud Creek and Kennesaw Mountain.
150 Years Ago Today: June 18th, 1864
June 18th, 1864
Heavy fighting happened today around the Latimer Farm portion of the Brushy Mountain – Mud Creek Line. The Marietta Country Club now sits on the former site of the Latimer Farm. The Confederate lines around the Latimer Farm formed a Salient angle, often called Hardee’s Salient, it was vulnerable to enfilading fire. Confederate positions were under near constant bombardment from Federal artillery positions no more than 1200 yards away. Three Federal Divisions, under the command of General Thomas, attacked the three Confederate Brigades at the Salient. The Union troops pushed the Confederate skirmishers back to their main lines and Federal troops soon occupied a trench line in front of the Salient. Once this line was occupied by the Federal troops, General Johnston realized the chances of the being overrun were high. On the night of the 18th, he ordered the evacuation of the line and the Confederate line then moved back to the famous Kennesaw Mountain Line.
150 Years Ago Today: June 17th, 1864
June 17th, 1864,
Heavy skirmishing continued along the Lost Mountain, Mud Creek, Brushy Mountain Line. Heavy engagements happened in the area of Latimer’s Farm, now the Marietta Country Club. Calvary actions were also happening continuously on both flanks. General Johnston begins planning to move to his next defensive position at Kennesaw Mountain. General Sherman, who has become frustrated, begins to contemplate a direct assault on the Confederate lines as opposed to a flanking movement.
150 Years Ago Today: June 16th, 1864
After the fighting at Gilgal Church on the 15th and continued fighting on the 16th, the Union Army has figured out that lines in the area form a salient and begin to pour in enfilading fire on the Confederates. Other Union forces move against the thin line of southern soldiers west of Gilgal Church towards Lost Mountain. Schofield’s XXIII Corps is now in a position to turn Johnston’s left flank, Schofield may or may not realize that he is in such an advantageous position, but Johnston does and orders Hardee’s Corp to pull back at dark, to the far side of Mud Creek and establish a new line. During this retrograde movement, a Union artillery shell explodes near Brigadier General Lucius Polk. He is the nephew of Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk and only two days after the death of his Uncle, Lucius Polk is wounded and loses his leg.
Photography days 11 and 12 are done.
June 14th was my 11th day of photography for my project. I spent the day at several events centered around Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk. I photographed the 5th Indiana Battery where the fatal shot was fired from, as well as the top of Pine Mountain where the General fell. Later I went to an event at the Kirk House. The original home is long gone, but a house is built on the original site and is occupied by descendants of the original homes family. It was used for a Headquarters by Polk until his death. His body was brought back to the house to lay in state until other arrangements could be made.
Today was day 12. I went to photography Gilgal Church and the surrounding area, as well as part of the Mud Creek Line. I will be back out there tomorrow in the same area along the Mud Creek Line.
150 Years Ago Today: June 14th, 1864
June 14th, 1864
Lt. General Leonidas Polk, the Fighting Bishop, was killed by an artillery round while observing Union positions from atop Pine Mountain. Polk was the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana. Dearly loved by the soldiers that served in his command, his death was a great loss to the Confederacy.
War Was Here 