Purely by accident did I run across this cannon demonstration. I decided to take the kids for a short hike on Kennesaw Mountain Labor Day weekend. As I got the little one in his backpack carrier, they announced the demonstration. I wish they had fired the cannon more than twice. This was the second. Man was it loud too. I think the boy is a future tanker or artillery man. All he wanted to say after this was “Cannon” and “Boom Crash”.
150 years ago, after the end of the Civil War, Fort Pulaski was turned into a prison for Confederate prisoners. The spaces in the walls for the cannon were closed off and used for housing the prisoners. This is a shot looking into the prison cells.
It has been a while since I visited a Civil War park and this is a continue of my Silent Guns of the South series.
Built in the early 1800’s and finished in 1847, this fortification has a long history. It was named after Count Casmir Pulaski and, at one point, commanded by Robert E. Lee before the beginning of the Civil War. During his command, Lee commented that the fort was impenetrable. However, that was to be proven wrong years later during an assault by Union soldiers using rifled cannons. After a 30 hour assault, Confederate commander, Col. Olmstead, surrendered the fort.
This shot is from the rear of the fort and the demilune. During the Civil War, this was flat with a surrounding parapet and held different support buildings. Between the demilune and the fort, is another portion of the moat.
Just outside the heart of downtown Marietta Georgia is a single knoll surrounded by chest high walls. It is a quiet place among the bustle of a modern 21st century town. On top of the knoll is a flag, a rostrum and a memorial to those who have fought and died for the sake of freedom. Looking from outside the cemetery, you see row upon row of headstones lined up around the hill in orderly fashion.
Visiting a normal cemetery is not the same as visiting a military cemetery. Yes, there is still lots of history and many stories behind the people under each headstone. However, there are not many cemeteries that can match the orderliness. There are row upon row of …Continue Reading Here…
This old stone house sits in the middle of one of the first battlefields of the American Civil War. On the top of the ridge beyond the house, the first bullets flew. When the battle started, the battle was treated like a Sunday afternoon outing with many from [Continue Reading…]
When I think of something happening 150 years ago, I think that is a long time. However, when you look at it as compared to the history of mankind, it is very recent history. On the other hand, for the United States that is not …Continue Reading Here…
I have been fascinated by and a student of history since a very young age. My favorite time period is the dark ages, but unfortunately, living in the United States prevents me from making it a regular recreational hobby. Well at least the visiting of …Continue Reading Here…
One of the best parts of working on the Silent Guns of the South series is really getting to know the history of our country. I ran across the Illinois Monument completely by design. However, I got a surprise with where the monument was located …Continue Reading Here…
