This County Had Everything--Guerillas, Guard, the Works By Col. Thomas Spencer I have been asked by many of those who read my articles to give a definition of such terms as ‘’bushwhackers’’, ‘’guerillas’’, ‘’home guards,’’ ‘’Union sympathizers,’’ etc. I have also been asked if Bartow had all of these. The answer is --YES. I promise you first--that to answer all of these questions--that I will wreck the pure old English as you know it. not to mention what will happen to good ‘’grammar’’ as you know it. There is no other way to define any of the above words. Please do not refer to our dictionary--for the answers there will not be the same as mine. ‘’Synonymous’’ words hardly exist --but I will make them do just that. Let’s say--I will handle the good old English, plus ‘’grammar’’ a bit loosely. A ‘’bushwhacker’’--as had to do with the War between the States--was a ‘’non-combatant’’ who fought who happened to be his enemy. In the South the ‘’whacker’’ usually sympathized with the South. Probably not too many in Georgia. These ‘’birds’’ fired on the ‘’enemy’’--usually --a deserter from the Union or the Confederacy--often resorting to unqualified brigandage. Your dictionary might tell you he was a ‘’partisian, or partizan.’’ The ‘’home guard’’ was organized for the protection of certain communities. Probably not enlisted at all--yet, often recognized by law. The ‘’guard’’ was --all too often either a ‘’bushwhacker’’ or a ‘’guerilla.’’ And according to hundreds of official records, the words, ‘’guerilla,’’ ‘’home guard,’’ and ‘’bushwhacker,’’ were SYNONYMOUS, that is, so far as reports were concerned, all three words meant the same thing. In a report, dated July 7, 1864, at Kingston, it was reported that ‘’the citizens, unceremoniously hung a guerilla.’’ Another report has it that it was a ‘’bushwhacker’’ who was hung. Well, someone was hung, that is official. In a nicer report--the 23rd Regiment Illinois Infantry pushed out several men to capture some ‘’guerillas’’ at Euharlee. Certain citizens--termed as ‘’guerillas’’ were brought in but received ‘’nice’’ treatment. Gillem’s bridge-not burned by Joe Johnson-- was a favorite crossing for Federals--who were on the ‘’go’’ to capture ‘’guerillas.’’ Another Federal outfit was always troubled with ‘’bushwhackers.’’ Those ‘’whackers’’ captured several of the Federals--and in some cases ‘’murdered’’ the Federals. Many homes were burned, because of this. One Federal was ‘’murdered’’ near Cassville. Federals became angry and burned some parts of Cassville. Once again Federals became angry and --ordered Kingston, Cassville, and Cartersville be burned to the ground. Most of these orders were never carried out. Canton was another town ‘’burned’’ dozens of times. It was actually burned once. Cartersville-as most of you know-was NOT burned, as ordered. There is standing in that fine city--this day-- many houses which never felt the Sherman torch. ‘’Unionists’’ or ‘’Union Sympathizers’’ are other words I have been asked to define. Well, there were some of these ‘’sympathizers’’ in Bartow. No names--please. This class was hated by those ‘’at home.’’ This we will not talk of. Some of the favorite spots where ‘’guillas’’ or ‘’bushwhackers’’ crossed and recrossed the Etowah were: Murchison’s Ferry, Woolley’s Bridge, Tomlin’s (Tumlins), Island Ford, Gillem’s bridge, Gillem’s ford, Milam’s bridge and ferry ford, Shellman’s ford, Roland’s (Rowland) Ferry, Quinton’s Ferry, Dowthait’s Ferry or bridge, Rackett’s ferry, Sally Hugh’s ford, Howard ferry, Island ford, Hardburger’s ferry, and others. (Names are official--and not always rightly spelled) I want to call attention to the fact that there was a ford near the Etowah Mounds--also that the Confederates did not destroy Woolley’s bridge, Gillem’s bridge, or Douthit’s. Milams bridge was burned by the Confederates. One man--picked up by Federals--in Bartow was taken to Chattanooga and there ‘’allowed’’ to die from ‘’exposure.’’ This man is buried in the middle of highway 41 as one enters Chattanooga. Two ‘’alleged’’ Confederate officers were hung by Federals in Bartow. Dozens of houses were burned while the Federal General Smith commanded at Cartersville. The owners were accused of giving aid to the Confederacy. One fine lady of Bartow ‘’acted’’ as a spy during May, June, July, August, September, October and November of 1864. She drew ‘’excellent’’ maps. This answers many who have written me about ‘’definitions’’ as outlined in this article. The old Etowah--often called the High Tower--was a natural barrier, both to the Confederates and to the Union. What tales that old river could tell--if it could talk. I do not recommend that my ‘’definitions’’ be used in any grammar class. I am but following the line of reasoning--as reported in the Official Records, Confederate and Union reports, newspapers of the day, letters written by Federals who stayed months in Bartow, regimental histories, and other documents. Reference to the ‘’home guards’’ in this article can in no way be construed to be a reflection on the many brave men of Bartow who did act as real ‘’home guards,’’ and in many instances fought with the regular armies. Reference to any Confederate, guerillas, bushwhackers, Unionist, or Union-sympathizer, is not meant to reflect on any person or persons, or any family, living or dead. I merely answer the many honest requests by the readers of this valuable paper. Names are not spelled ‘’right’’ in many instances--but are as shown in records, as listed above. Daily Tribune April 18, 1950 **note: The man buried under the road at Chattanooga is said to be William Crowe from Crowe Springs. ~B.A.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 22:46:16 +0000
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