March 8, 2012 CWC-2 Still in Ashburn, GA

After our own tour of the Crime and Punishment museum we went back to camp and joined the group for a cookout where we had burgers and all the fixin's. Tired we rolled into bed to leave early the next morning to tour the site where Jeff Davis was captured after the war ended and tour the Blue and Grey museum.

Where Jeff Davis was captured is called the Jefferson Davis Memorial Historic Site. Not the place where he was captured. Here we again got a little different story on history. No mention was made that he was a traitor. Anyway two groups of Union solders arrived and shot at each other thinking the others were protecting Davis. Two cavalrymen were killed before things got sorted out. Nevertheless he was captured here.

Next we drove to Fitzgerald, GA to tour the Blue and Grey Museum. This was a delight. It is located in an abandoned railroad depot and stores many authenticated artifacts of the Civil War. The town was actually founded as a place for Union veterans to retire. The local southerners still had a lot of resentment and things did not go too well. A parade was scheduled with the Rebel vets to march first then to be followed by Union vets, both groups dressed in their uniforms.

Folks were worried as to how things would turn out. Well when the time arrived for the marching, both sides marched out dressed in their uniforms as a united effort. Peace was made and people realized they were still brothers and friends after all. This was a unique situation and we had no idea this had ever happened.

The picture speaks for itself

Ah the southern life!

Our attentive group.

For our Yankee friends and relatives.

For our Rebel friends and relatives.

The lunch was a buffet of great southern food at a "restern't" named Nabila's. No body had dinner we were so full, but by the time evening came along we had an ice-cream social at camp and I do believe everyone ate their fill once again.

Tomorrow, we leave for Buena Vista, GA.

See Ya! Barry and Shirley

Maech 7, Ashburn, GA

A quick word on forts: We had visited Ft. McHenry of War of 1812 fame where the Star Spangled Banner was written, We had visited Ft. Knox built after the war of 1812, across from Buckport, ME in 1844 to protect against further enemy invasions and now we visited forts McAllister, Pulaksi, and Old Ft. Jackson in Savannah. The one that held the best was McAllister which was dirt.

Rifled cannon was the difference. Traditional looking forts could not hold up to rifled cannon. Their walls crumbled. Dirt forts did too but could be repaired in a few hours, brick and mortar forts took years to repair. They had become obsolete due to new technology.

Today we traveled almost two hundred miles westward across GA. It is beautiful this time of year and in the truck we were not bugged by bugs. We drove through Vidalia, famous for sweet onions. If you have not had them they are a real treat. Lots of little towns on this route and a very pleasant drive. Arrived at the Ashburn Country Club and RV Park.

Entrance to Ft. Pulaski across moat.

Inside, the walls were 35 feet tall.

The moat still looks formidable, these walls crumbled from rifled cannon and they surrendered.

Old Ft. Jackson, when Pulaski fell it would have had no chance. The ship behind, shows just how much things have changed.

Meanwhile back at Ashburn, after unhitching we still had a few hours before our first cookout so Shirley and I drove to town to see the Crime and Punishment Museum.

Long story here, we had to go over to the Chamber of Commerce and they had to get a volunteer to take us through the museum. It was fun to talk to the locals who were very interested in us.

The museum was the home of the sheriff and his family and the jail too. Built in 1906 it housed 11 sheriffs, families, and inmates. GA has a checkered past with hangings, but the last "legal" hanging here was in the '50's, after that it was electrocution in "Old Sparky."

We had a very entertaining afternoon with happy hour and dinner later in the evening. So far, no bugs and no rainfall.

More later.

Parked at the Country Club

To have eaten here we needed reserations.

Welcome!

A model of a "fire-ant."

Left is a "cat o 9 tails" Right a prisoners "uniform."

Me and "Ol' Sparky."

Yep, the Clan was active.

Our guide breaking and entering.

Gift shops are abundant all over.

A one-way door, DOWN

Lemme out, I'm innocent.

Later addition, had chamber pots earlier.

Rest in peace.

I want a room with a view.

And don't come back!

This is the last neck tie you will need.

The collar donated by the hanged persons family. 

Oops, be careful where you step.

Do drop in.

A home is always home. A child of one of the sheriffs held a gun on an escaped prisoner here.

The court house across the street. The funeral parlor is next door. 

Just a mural in the town.

See Ya! Barry and Shirley

March 4, 5 and 6 at Ft. McAllister

Even though we arrived here on the 4th I did not write until today, the day we are leaving. Something just did not make sense to me. It was the fort. I did not understand how this dirt mounded non traditional fort could be so hard to "crack."

The wind blew the bugs bit and I could not hear or see the movie shown. So I sat and read about it. I understood that the Union ironclad, the Montauk sank the Confederate ship the Nashville here, I understood that the Union bombarded this place for over 30 hours before they surrendered but why was it so hard? It was the fort! Later we went to see Ft. Pulaski a more traditional fort and it all came together. More on this next blog.

So here we are leaving. We were parkers here and the place is so large and strung out we needed walkie-talkies and had none but everyone eventually got parked and we did what we needed to do, ate pizza. Delivered late, but nevertheless delivered. GAM (get acquainted meeting) #2 was part of the evening. Bedtime found us fed and tired, wind blown and bug eaten. This beautiful Spanish Moss all over harbors "chiggers" and they go for the eyes and neck and go right through you window screens and hover around doors just waiting to get at you.

Next blog I will talk more about forts and bring my new found knowledge to a conclusion.

Shirley at the overlook at Ft. McAlliser

An example of what you would have encountered to attack by land.

This is a "hot shot" cannon, hot steel balls were heated and set afire the wooden ships they hit.

Inside the hot furnace.

Another view of the furnace.

Officers quarters in the bunker dug below the dirt walls of the fort.

Mens quarters, deeper in the bunker. Cosy? 

A view from inside the fort.

See Ya! Barry and Shirley

March 3, 2012

Today we rode with Bob and Carol. After yesterdays beautiful weather rain was threatening. We first visited and toured Drayton Hall. This was one of those plantations that actually started before this was a country. The family came from England and considered themselves English. They first went to Barbados and arrived in GA with slaves and lots of cash. The plantations money crop was rice and did well through several generations. One of the family signed the Declaration of Independence and became American. Later loyalties stayed with GA for the Civil War broke out. After the war, things changed radically and naturally the plantation fell on hard times. The money crop became lumber.

From here we ate lunch at a place called the Sunflower Cafe, had what we would call California cuisine. Shirley had seared salmon over fresh spinach and I had grilled chicken with sauteed spinach and tomatoes, penne pasta, and Romano cheese. Just like California.

The afternoon, in heavy rain, we drove to see the Hunley, the worlds first operational submarine. This is worth reading about. The Rebels sank a US ship killing 5 and losing their whole crew of 8. Kinda one sided I guess. But a huge surprise to the Yankees. The Hunley had lost a total of three crews during "practice." How they would get volunteers is beyond me. Probably the only thing I can compare it to is the Mercury Astronauts.

From the grounds of Drayton Hall

Inside the "parlor"

Each room had "central heating"

Probably the oldest "preserved" celling in the US

Inside a banquet room

These old trees are beautiful but the Spanish Moss is full of bugs!

A model of the Hunley, a crew of 8 were the driving power.

This is a model showing a model of the first torpedo.

New enlistees?

Will the real Shirley please stand up?

Shirley and Carol hard at work.

Rained all night, we had a small leak from our sky-light which Airstream will get to fix later this year.

We are parkers tomorrow so I hitched up etc. in a driving rain. Watched a video on the Civil War then tried to get some sleep. The pitter patter was more like a roar, but no hail or thunder storms.

See Ya! Barry and Shirley