Forrest A Bluff Beats a Streight - at Blount Plantation

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Before the Civil War, it was a typical southern home, dating back to 1854. The two-story brick colonial sits on U. S. Highway 411, just 11.1 miles from downtown Gadsden. Today, there are few who know the house was once know as the "Blount Plantation" and even fewer who know it was the scene of an important skirmish during the civil war. On May 2, 1863, the troops of General Nathan Bedford Forrest and Colonel Abel D. Streight clashed there.
Blount Plantation.JPG


From an article in the Gadsden Messenger, by Danny Crownover, The Vagabond, "History of the Old Blount Plantation," November 13, 2016: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Gadsden/permalink/10154125805556693/

"The action was of the rear-guard nature but it was a sharp fight and many regard it as the turning point in Col. Streight's futile attempt to reach Rome, GA., where he had orders to destroy the extensive munitions factories in the city.

The day following the skirmish at Blount's Plantation, Colonel Streight surrendered to General Forrest at Lawrence in Cherokee County. When Colonel Streight surrendered with his 1,466 men, he was surprised to discover that General Forrest had only 600 men. After the battle ended, the Blount house was used as a field hospital where wounded Union and Confederate soldiers received treatment and care.

The soldiers who were killed and who died from their wounds were buried on a hillside to the right of the Blount house. Colonel Gilbert Hathaway, of the Seventy-Third Indiana was among the fatalities. (Hathaway's body was buried in the rose garden directly behind the house and was later retrieved by family and reinterred at Pine Lake Cemetery LaPorte, IN.)

Excerpt from Streight's Report to Brigadier General William D. Whipple, from Chattanooga, Tenn., August 22, 1864.
"The engagement at Blount's plantation revealed the fact that nearly all of our remaining ammunition was worthless, on account of having been wet. Much of that carried by the men had become useless by the paper wearing out and the powder sifting away. It was in this engagement that the gallant Colonel (Gilbert) Hathaway (Seventy-third Indiana) fell, mortally wounded, and in a few moments expired. Our country has seldom been called upon to mourn the loss of so brave and valuable an officer. His loss to me was irreparable. His men had almost worshiped him, and when he fell it cast a deep gloom of despondency over his regiment which was hard to overcome."

Confederate sharpshooter, Corporal Joseph Martin, was the one that picked off Col. Gilbert Hathaway, commander of the 73rd Indiana infantry. Martin was posted on a ridge nearby and it was his duty to shoot and kill enemy officers. He made a perfect shot with his carbine and the bullet struck a fatal spot in Col. Hathaway’s body.

It is not determined the names of anyone buried at the cemetery on the hill, but it is believed there could have been 25-30 graves marked with rocks at one time. The book, "History of Etowah County" reports that 20 union soldiers, including Col. Gilbert Hathaway, were killed and no doubt the south lost a few men.
Also it is believed that slaves of the Blount family buried those which were killed in this battle and possibly other skirmishes as well. Therefore, some or all of the soldiers killed were buried in this cemetery, and of course others including slaves, could have been buried there.

Deed records at the courthouse show that most of the land comprising the Blount place, about 660 acres, was entered by William Lay in 1848. Since then, some small acreage has been added and the plantation had a total of 887 acres.

On Jan. 18, 1854, Mr. Lay sold the place to Joseph E. Blount and David E. Blount. On May 24, 1854 David E. Blount sold his interest to Joseph G. Blount. The latter created one of the finest and most productive plantations in the county. The estate borders on the Coosa River.

In 1878, Joseph G. Blount sold the property to James A. Blount, son of Joseph G. Blount. James A. Blount died in possession of the estate and the next record shows that Snowden McGaughey, active vice president of the first national bank of Gadsden, sold the property to H. C. Hopkins on Dec. 28, 1911.

The Hopkins family turned the plantation into a beef cattle farm which contained the first white-faced Hereford cattle in the Etowah County area. The Hopkin's sold the plantation to Joe L. McClain on July 29, 1944.

The McClains's converted the beef cattle farm into a large dairy farm. The McClain's sold the plantation on November 3, 1950 to Ralph Bowman. Mr. Bowman changed the property into a beef cattle farm on a large scale. Ralph Bowman sold the house and farm to James B. Allen on July 12, 1954.

The property was sold to Clyde and Henry McCleskey on November 28, 1956. The McCleskey brothers, who were reared on an adjoining farm, developed the Blount Plantation into the largest white-faced Hereford cattle farm in Etowah County. The house still stands today but is bricked over."
Blount Plantation house.JPG

Below: Colonel Gilbert Hathaway, 73rd Indiana, mortally wounded at the Blount Plantation.
Killed at Blount Plantation resized.jpg
 
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Great post! That's quite a story about the plantation.

It was too bad about Hathaway - his men were fond of him and greatly disheartened when he died. Forrest was advancing sharp-shooters at this time to conceal the weakness of his command and they did very good work at making themselves seem like many more as well. Streight ran on for a few more miles and finally had to give it up not far off. His men were so exhausted they mostly couldn't be roused from sleep and the few he got awake he put on the ground to shoot - the order was given and nothing happened. They were all asleep! Streight himself went inside and was having ham and eggs with fresh strawberries - and Pointer showed up to spoil a pretty nice breakfast. :laugh:
 
Bucket list. Yet another. North Alabama is really worth exploring. Thanks for posting.

It really is @Drew :bounce::dance::bounce: Let me know when you plan to come and I will try to take a day off to show you around.

In case anyone missed previous threads about Streight's Alabama adventures:wink:, here are links to some previous ones that may be of interest:
A Bluff Beats a Streight - Surrender at Cedar Bluff http://civilwartalk.com/threads/a-bluff-beats-a-streight-the-surrender-at-cedar-bluff.109526/
A Bluff Beats a Streight - The Murphree Sisters http://civilwartalk.com/threads/a-b...-alabama-forrest-incident.106439/#post-992806
Streights Alabama Raid http://civilwartalk.com/threads/streights-alabama-raid.25947/
Emma Sansom thread http://civilwartalk.com/threads/alabama-confederate-heroine-emma-sansom.77457/
Emma Sansom Monument http://civilwartalk.com/threads/emm...t-2-p-m-in-gadsden-alabama.92193/#post-990863
Streights Sword http://civilwartalk.com/threads/forrests-sword.82769/page-4#post-1047277
 
Let's make a plan... Laura knows all and we should pick her brain in person...
Would love to have yall visit.:bounce::dance::bounce: ....I would be happy to show yall around. I am no expert but I do know a local who "knows all" and, with sufficient notice, could persuade him to join us.
 
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