Aot - 1865

[RustyBull]

General McCooks command passed through the present day Town of Bear Creek and camped on my great grandfathers farm and, according to his accounts "took his supper with us that night."

 

[larry_cockerham]

General McCooks command passed through the present day Town of Bear Creek and camped on my great grandfathers farm and, according to his accounts "took his supper with us that night."

Is it possible you can accurately describe the location of Lauderdale Mill and dam on Shoal's Creek at the Military Road? I'll be very grateful. It was used by both armies as a campsite just prior to its demise in 1864. WELCOME to the forum. We look forward to learning more from you!

 

[RustyBull]

Have heard of it and looked it up on a historic map (it was called Lauderdale Post Office on the map), it was located on Cypress Creek north of Florence and southwest of Greenhill. As far as the present-day site I'll have to do a little more checking. So much development has taken place in Lauderdale County over the years that hardly any of the historic sites remain except a few in extremely rural parts of the county. Also, much land has been cleared for agricultural purposes as farming is big there.

I have been all over the battlefield at Sugar Creek doing engineering surveys for conservation practices and had permission from the landowner to dig there but never did. Wish I had now. Did lots of work along Lambs Ferry Road from the state line all the way to the river.

 

[TerryB]

Have heard of it and looked it up on a historic map (it was called Lauderdale Post Office on the map), it was located on Cypress Creek north of Florence and southwest of Greenhill. As far as the present-day site I'll have to do a little more checking. So much development has taken place in Lauderdale County over the years that hardly any of the historic sites remain except a few in extremely rural parts of the county. Also, much land has been cleared for agricultural purposes as farming is big there.

I have been all over the battlefield at Sugar Creek doing engineering surveys for conservation practices and had permission from the landowner to dig there but never did. Wish I had now. Did lots of work along Lambs Ferry Road from the state line all the way to the river.

Do you know where Mckernan's Island might have been. I know all trace of it is gone now, but it was originally said to have been in East of Muscle Shoals in the general direction of Athens. I think I've located it on a period map as a big island just west of some other smaller islands.

 

[larry_cockerham]

Have heard of it and looked it up on a historic map (it was called Lauderdale Post Office on the map), it was located on Cypress Creek north of Florence and southwest of Greenhill. As far as the present-day site I'll have to do a little more checking. So much development has taken place in Lauderdale County over the years that hardly any of the historic sites remain except a few in extremely rural parts of the county. Also, much land has been cleared for agricultural purposes as farming is big there.

I have been all over the battlefield at Sugar Creek doing engineering surveys for conservation practices and had permission from the landowner to dig there but never did. Wish I had now. Did lots of work along Lambs Ferry Road from the state line all the way to the river.

Hopefully you saw the description of the mill and dam. There was a housing community associated with the miill that might well (probably did) have a post office. The US Army burned the mill shortly before the end of the war. I don't know what happened to the 410 foot-long dam. One of my ancestors camped there with Edward Hatch and the 10th TN US Cav. I've also read accounts that Forrest used the site on occasions as well. In working on my "book", I've tried to photograph many of these places. Hard to know exactly which way to aim regarding the mill. Do you happen to have photos of the fields in the battle area of Sugar Creek??. I still haven't gotten up the nerve to wade through the west fork water. There is a new owner who has removed most of the barbed wire and the "gate" at the ford coming up from Appleton and the Dobbins graveyard. I also recently noticed that the Noblit house is now vacant. Back to the mill location for a moment: I've seen a period map that shows a mark just southeast of the intersection (bridge) on Highway 47 at Shoal's Creek. I haven't walked that area (some houses) as yet. Guess I need to make another visit.

 

[bama46]

Have heard of it and looked it up on a historic map (it was called Lauderdale Post Office on the map), it was located on Cypress Creek north of Florence and southwest of Greenhill. As far as the present-day site I'll have to do a little more checking. So much development has taken place in Lauderdale County over the years that hardly any of the historic sites remain except a few in extremely rural parts of the county. Also, much land has been cleared for agricultural purposes as farming is big there.

I have been all over the battlefield at Sugar Creek doing engineering surveys for conservation practices and had permission from the landowner to dig there but never did. Wish I had now. Did lots of work along Lambs Ferry Road from the state line all the way to the river.

Well Larry, it appears we were lookin at the wrong creek. We were scouring Shoal instead of Cypress.... last time I will let a Tennessean tell me where to look in Florence!
Now, maybe Rusty can tell us what the pilings in the water on shoal creek, just upstream from St Florain bridge were for! I am still interested in these...
Maybe we have had a treasure join the forum....
Rusty, florence is my hometown, and I return often, but don't know as much as I should about the area

Ed

 

[larry_cockerham]

Well Larry, it appears we were lookin at the wrong creek. We were scouring Shoal instead of Cypress.... last time I will let a Tennessean tell me where to look in Florence!
Now, maybe Rusty can tell us what the pilings in the water on shoal creek, just upstream from St Florain bridge were for! I am still interested in these...
Maybe we have had a treasure join the forum....
Rusty, florence is my hometown, and I return often, but don't know as much as I should about the area


Ed

My theory is that he is confused with the creek choice. No, I can't prove it. I have seen a map showing the mill in the southeast quadrant of the crossing of Shoals Creek and Highway 47. Post office may well have been where he is suggesting. I think your piers are from an old bridge prior to the current one. That, too, is theory on my part. A 410 foot long dam required some space. I think the east side of the current bridge is more likely. Any thoughts?

 

[RustyBull]

My apologies sir, you are right the PO and mill were located on Shoal Creek (going blind in my old age). Therefore I beleive your location to be accurate. As far as the piers I beleive them to be from a previous bridge contructed there.

As far as being a treasure I don't think I'll be of that much help but will try to offer as much as possible. You will be more help to me!

Another side note, I had the opportunity of construcing some conservation practices on a farm just west of the Natchez Trace in the area of Wilson's encampment. Normally I would do the surveys, stake construction and then come back to do final surveys. However, being concious of the location, I stayed with the dozer operator the whole time during construction, inspecting every inch of distrubed ground. When my boss ask me why I was spending so much time there with an experienced operator I told him of the historical significance of the site. Picked up a few buttons, horseshoes and such but had a ball just being out there everyday, never knowing what might turn up next.

 

[larry_cockerham]

Gravelly Springs. One of America's "vanishing" cities.

 

[bama46]

Gravelly Springs. One of America's "vanishing" cities.

NAY.... Gravelley Springs will live so long as one of us can remember .. nd i remember very well... I also stop there every time I go to Panther creek!...Now that, my firend is a destination!
re the Piers,....could be froma n old bridge, but is 1/2 a mile or so from the current one IIRC... due to Malinda's illness, I have not ventured far from home the past year...still hope to soon.... will photograph when I can... water view and land as well

Ed

 

[johan_steele]

I want to bump this thread to the top of the cue in honor of Larry, IMO a sticky in in order but I will leave that to the current mod crew.

 

[rhp6033]

Condensed from a history of the 31st Alabama Infantry:

At the end of January, marched from Tupelo to West Point, Mississipi.

On Feb. 1st, mounted trains at West point for Meridian, Mississippi.

From Meridian, they rode through small towns: "Quitman, De Soto, Waynesboro and Buckatunna. After crossing the state line into Alabama, they steamed by the sleepy little communities of Yellow Pine, Vinegar Bend and Citronelle." (Note: my Mother was from a small town near Citronelle). They then reached Mobile on Feb. 2nd.

Feb. 3rd - boarded steamboats, road upstream 50 miles and then disembarked at Tensaw Depot, boarded flatcars and boxcars to travel through Alabama until they reached Montgomery. Without a pause they boarded another train which traveled eastward through Tuskeegee and crossed the Chattahoochie River at Columbus, Georgia. They continued to travel by train through Fort Valley, Macon, ending up at Milledgeville (the Georgia capital at the time), arriving on Feb. 7th.

From Milledgeville eastward the tracks had been destroyed by Sherman's army. They waited four days for the tracks to be repaired, until it was clear that they would have to march to another point to board trains again. So far during this trip rations had been scarce, and the area had been foraged out, so they had to move or starve. The fifty-mile march across Sherman's path of destruction was an eye-opener for them.

On Feb. 14th they reached Mayfield and found trains waiting for them on recently-repaired tracks. They passed through Augusta, Georgia before stopping at Graniteville, where the tracks had again been interrupted.

On Feb. 16th they marched northward through Trenton, Johnston and Saluda before reaching the railroad at Newberry, South Carolina. It was learned that Sherman had burned Columbus, and travel by rail was deemed too risky so they set out again on the march, only to receive a message that Sherman wasn't heading in that direction. They counter-marched back to Newberry and boarded the trains.

At Pomaria they had to disembark again and resume the march. The marched thirty miles to Union Court House (nobody thought to change the name?), and then another seventeen miles to Chester, S. Carolina where they re-boarded the trains.

From Chester, they passed through Rock Hill before crossing over into North Carolina at Charlotte then continued through Salisbury, Lexington, High Point and Greensboro then curved back southeastward through Burlington, Raleigh and finally halted at Smithfield Station in early March.

On March 7th, Stewart's boys were put back on the trains and sent off to the south. On the 8th, they crossed the Neuse River and halted near Kinston, where they disembarked and went into battle.

 

[Glorybound]

I want to bump this thread to the top of the cue in honor of Larry, IMO a sticky in in order but I will leave that to the current mod crew.

Excellent idea, Shane, thanks.

Lee

 

[Nathanb1]

Awesome! One of my favorite threads of all time! Thanks, Shane....brilliant idea.

 

[pamc153PA]

Nice bump, Shane. Just a good hour re-reading this!

 

[RobertP]

I want to bump this thread to the top of the cue in honor of Larry, IMO a sticky in in order but I will leave that to the current mod crew.

Didn't Larry pass right about the time of the last posts?

 

[richard]

Larry's last post was on Feb 12, 2011.

 

[Nathanb1]

I miss Larry.

 

[ole]

Didn't Larry pass right about the time of the last posts?

That same night, RobertP. He really was a fine southern gentleman an0d never said you did it too.

Larry was North Carolina born. He had antecedents on both sides.

He was into looking at what happened, and when. He was not interested at all in who was evil and who wasn't. And so, his loss is still lamented.

He was commander of the SCV camp Sam Davis, and was also a member of the SUVCW.

Larry didn't have an agenda. He never said you did it too. He just ploughed through of all of that by presenting history that he had discovered.

He was a perfect member.

 

[gem]

who was Larry?