Visit Cheaha State Park in Alabama!

Check out the brand new video Cheaha State Park courtesy of www.twoegg.tv!

4th of July Fireworks are underway!

4th of July Fireworks for 2014 are underway!

4th of July fireworks are underway across the South!

Tonight (Saturday, 6/28/2014) is the first big night of the week-long celebration, with shows scheduled for Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. More shows continue tomorrow with the big weekend set to get underway on Wednesday, July 3rd.

As always, you can check out locations, times and dates for the best fireworks in each state in the South by visiting www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fireworks.

An Alamo hero's home in Alabama

William B. Travis home in Alabama

The historic home of William Barret Travis still stands in the unincorporated community of Perdue Hill, Alabama.  The future commander of the Alamo lived here in 1828-1830.

The house was built in around 1820 in the once thriving river port of Claiborne, about 1 1/2 miles west of its current location. In 1828, William B. Travis and his new bride, Rosanna Cato Travis, moved into the charming little cottage.  Their son, Charles Travis, was born there and the future hero of the Texas Revolution practiced law, ran a newspaper and served as an adjutant in the Alabama State Militia while he lived in the home.

Travis was only 19 years old when he and Rosanna were married, but by then had been educated at academies in Sparta and Claiborne and entered the practice of law in the office of James Dellet. That he was popular among his neighbors is evidenced by his election to a post in the state militia (forerunner of today's National Guard).  In those days, militia officers were elected.

The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas

After only two years of marriage and when his young son was only one year old, however, Travis suddenly left Claiborne.  The cause of his sudden departure is debated to this day.  Some say he was so severely in debt that he was unable to meet his obligations.  Others say his decision to lead was the result of marital strife with Rosanna.  The cause also could have been a case of the "Texas Fever." Men from all over the United States then were flocking to Texas hoping to make fortunes for themselves.

Regardless of why he left Alabama in early 1831, Travis became the heroic commander of the Alamo who inspired the world with his determined promise of "Victory or Death!"  He, of course, died at the Alamo alongside James "Jim" Bowie, David Crockett and other heroes on March 6, 1836.

To learn more about Travis and his Alabama home, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/travishome.

Leaf Watch 2013 locations for Alabama & Arkansas

Fall is coming to life in the Ozarks!

The shutdown of America's national parks is partially jeopardizing one of the favorite seasons in the mountains of the South - the Fall Leaf Watch.

Pea Ridge National Military Park, Buffalo National River, Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve and all other national parks in the south, as well as national forest recreation areas, etc., are all closed.  These closures are having a major impact on the fall tourist season in the South as the federal government has blocked American cities from enjoying hundreds of thousands of acres of their public lands to enjoy Leaf Watch 2013.

Thankfully, state and local parks, state forests, etc., remain open.  Here is a list of some places in Alabama and Arkansas where you can still enjoy this year's Leaf Change.  All of these parks are open and ready to welcome you and your family!

A mountainside begins to turn from green to gold and red!

Alabama

• Bucks Pocket State Park
• Cheaha State Park
• DeSoto State Park
• Lake Guntersville State Park
• Monte Sano State Park
• Oak Mountain State Park

Arkansas

• Devil's Den State Park
• Hobbs State Park
• Lake Dardanelle State Park
• Lake Fort Smith State Park
• Mammoth Spring State Park
• Mount Magazine State Park
• Mount Nebo State Park
• Pinnacle Mountain State Park
• Petit Jean State Park
• Queen Wilhelmina State Park
• Withrow Springs State Park

You can check out many other locations across the South at www.exploresouthernhistory.com.

ALL Alabama State Parks remain open.

Cheaha State Park

I've been receiving quite a few questions about the status of Alabama State Parks as we approach the Fall leaf change.

ALL Alabama State Parks are open and ready for visitors!  This includes Cheaha State Park and DeSoto State Park, both of which adjoin Federal lands.  All state park roads, trails and amenities (lodges, cabins, restaurants, etc.) are open.

Federal lands in Alabama, however, have been closed due to the Government Shutdown.  Areas that are closed include:

• Gulf Islands National Seashore
• Horseshoe Bend National Military Park
• Little River Canyon National Preserve
• Natchez Trace National Parkway
• Russell Cave National Monument
• Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
• Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site

Little River Falls

In addition, all offices, recreation areas and trails in the Talladega and Bankhead National Monument are closed due to the federal shutdown. Even the National Park Service website is shut down.

ALL Alabama state historic sites are open as usual. These include Fort Morgan, Fort Toulouse/Jackson, etc.

There is no plan to close state operated parks and historic sites and no definite reopening date for national park and forest areas in Alabama.

Since you can't visit national park areas, feel free to look at photos and read about them (as well as Alabama state parks and historic sites) at www.exploresouthernhistory.com.

Great Southern Waterfalls #2 - Little River Falls in Alabama

Little River Falls in Alabama

#2 in the series of Great Southern Waterfalls is Little River Falls in Alabama!  (To see #1 in the series, please visit Cedar Falls at Petit Jean State Park in Arkansas).

Easily accessible to the public, Little River Falls is part of Little River Canyon National Preserve, a relatively new national park area near Fort Payne, Alabama. The falls are located where State Highway 35 crosses Little River Canyon.

The magnificent falls flow year round and are 45-feet high.  While they are not among the tallest waterfalls in the South, they make up for it in sheer power and scenic beauty.

Formed where the Little River drops over an escarpment as it flows through Little River Canyon atop Lookout Mountain, Little River Falls are free to visit and are open daily during daylight hours. The parking area includes space for cars, RVs and buses and provides access to a short paved trail that leads down to an overlook just above the falls. From there the more adventurous can venture out onto the rocks and the top of the falls.

A nice but more distant view of Little River Falls is also available from the overlook on Canyon Rim Drive, also part of Little River Canyon National Preserve.

Camping is not allowed at the falls, but campsites are available at nearby Desoto State Park.

To learn more about Little River Falls, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/littleriver2.html

200th Anniversary of the Fall of Fort Mims

Fort Mims State Historic Site

200 years ago today, Red Stick warriors stormed Fort Mims, a log stockade in the Tensaw settlement north of Mobile, Alabama. It was one of the most overwhelming victories ever achieved by American Indian warriors in battle with white soldiers and civilians.

To read about the events leading up to the attack, please see yesterday's post Fort Mims 200th Anniversary - The Night before the Attack.

The morning of August 30, 1813, found the inhabitants of Fort Mims gathered inside their stockade near Boatyard Lake in what is now Baldwin County, Alabama. It was a hot day and conditions inside the fort were overcrowded, filthy and unpleasant. Security was so lax that the main gate of the fort stood wide open and one of its occupants even went to a building outside the walls and fell asleep in the hay.

Diagram of Fort Mims
Click to Enlarge

The exact time of the attack has been given as 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 12 noon (people in those days set their watches to the clocks in their hometowns). The sentry was watching some other men play cards when the Red Stick prophets, chiefs and warriors came up from their hiding places in shallow ravines near the fort and began to silently run at full speed for the open gate. When finally noticed, they were only 30 steps away.

The sentry fired a shot and ran into the stockade, his alarm igniting war cries from the throats of hundreds of Creek warriors. Major Daniel Beasley, the Mississippi Territorial Militia officer in command of the fort, rushed forward to try to close the gate but was shot in the stomach before he could do so. The Red Sticks poured through the opening and quickly overwhelmed the militia soldiers encamped just inside to seize control of an interior wall that still divided the fort. It had been expanded to make more room but the old wall had never been taken down.

Meanwhile, other warriors stormed the just finished blockhouse at the other end of the fort and columns attacked from other directions to seize control of the loopholes of the walls. In short, the walls of Fort Mims suddenly benefited the attackers more than they did the defenders. Because the loopholes had been made so close to the ground, the attacking force was able to use them just as effectively - if not more so - than the men inside the fort.

A desperate fight now took place for control of the stockade. As William Weatherford and other Red Stick chiefs and warriors seized control of the walls, the lesser Red Stick prophet Paddy Walsh began to run around the walls of the stockade three times to encourage the men in the attacking force by showing them that he could not be killed by the American bullets. He survived his run, but was struck by a bullet and injured on his third loop around the fort.

Artist's Rendering of Fort Mims Massacre

One group of the defenders attacked the Red Sticks who had occupied the blockhouse and finally drove them back, but it was too little too late. The open gate had given the Red Sticks the advantage they needed and as the afternoon wore on, they exploited it. One by one the defenders of the fort fell.

As the Red Sticks expanded their control of the walls, the defenders were driven back into an area they called the "bastion" (a projection on the north side of the fort). Some used axes to chop almost completely through the logs of the wall so they could break free and try to escape when it appeared that all was lost. Many women and children took shelter in the home of Samuel Mims, which stood in the center of the fort, and Captain Dixon Bailey and the survivors of his company of mestizo Creeks (mestizo means they were of both Creek and white ancestry) knocked out some sections of the roof of the house so they could fire down into the mass of warriors pouring into the fort.

The kitchen of the fort caught fire and the flames soon roared upwards and began to spread to other buildings. Seeing that all was lost, a small group of people broke out through the wall where they had cut away the logs and tried to run for it. Only a handful made it, several of them wounded.

It was later reported that as the home of Samuel Mims burned to the ground - the women, children and wounded trapped inside - blood-covered warriors danced in celebration around to the sounds of their screams.

Monument at Fort Mims

To this day, no one knows how many people died at Fort Mims. Estimates of the total loss to the defenders in men, women and children range from 250 to more than 550. A burial party that came to the ruins of the fort after the battle found the bodies of around 250 men, women and children, but also reported finding the bodies of 100 "Indians."  It is unclear from the report, whether the "Indians" found by the burial detail were Red Sticks or the mestizos who had come to the fort with Captain Bailey. The latter seems probable and if so, then the total loss was probably somewhere around 350 people killed.

Red Stick losses are impossible to estimate. Some accounts suggested that 100 or fewer were killed. Others placed the total loss they suffered at 300 or more.  In truth, no one knew for sure then nor do they know for sure now.

I will post on the magnitude of the disaster and what happened next as we continue to mark the 200th anniversary of the fall of the fort this weekend. If you are interested in attending the reenactments and other commemorative events planned at Fort Mims State Historic Site, they will continue throughout the weekend. Please click here for a detailed schedule and directions to the park: Fort Mims 200th Anniversary Schedule of Events.

To read more about Fort Mims State Historic Site, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fortmims1.

Friday marks 200th Anniversary of Fort Mims attack

Today (August 30, 2013) marks the 200th anniversary of the attack on Fort Mims, Alabama, by Red Stick warriors during the Creek War of 1813-1814.

To learn more about the attack, please visit http://southernhistory.blogspot.com/2013/08/200th-anniversary-of-fall-of-fort-mims.html.

A full weekend of commemorative events is planned at Fort Mims State Historic Site.

Here is the full schedule for the weekend, including times of the reenactments that are scheduled for today, Saturday and Sunday.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

200th Anniversary of Fort Mims

Friday, August 30th

8:00 a.m.     Gates Open

8:30 a.m.     Mules and wagons begin shuttle services.

9:00 a.m.     Music, demonstrations and crafts begin.

10:00 a.m.   Flag raising, memorial and dedication services.

12:00 noon   REENACTMENT ON ACTUAL 200th ANNIVERSARY

1:00 p.m.     Activities, craftsmen, food, music and more.

3:00 p.m.     Events close for the day.

Saturday, August 31st

9:00 a.m.     Gates open, wagons rolling, demonstrations and more.

10:00 a.m.    Flag Raising and Pledge of Allegiance

11:00 a.m.    REENACTMENT OF BURNT CORN CREEK BATTLE

12 noon     Speakers discuss the Tensaw Country and Fort Mims

2:00 p.m.     REENACTMENT OF FORT MIMS ATTACK

3:00 p.m.     Events close fot he day.

Sunday, September 1st

9:00 a.m.     Gates open, crafts and demonstrations begin.

9:30 a.m.     Flag Raising and Pledge of Allegiance

10:00 a.m.    Pioneer Church and old time singing.

11:00 a.m.    REENACTMENT OF BURNT CORN CREEK BATTLE.

12 noon       Speakers discuss the Tensaw Country and Fort Mims

2:00 p.m.     REENACTMENT OF FORT MIMS ATTACK

To reach Fort Mims from I-65, take Exit #34 (Bay Minette/Stockton) and turn north on AL 59 towards Stockton. Follow AL 59 for 47.2 miles to the community of Tensaw. When you reach Tensaw, turn left on Boatyard Road (CR 80) and follow it for 7 miles to Fort Mims Road and turn right. The fort site will be just ahead, but watch for signs for off-site parking as you arrive on location.

To read more about the history of Fort Mims, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fortmims1.

Fort Mims 200th Anniversary - The night before the attack

Monument  at Fort Mims

 200 years ago tonight, a force 700-1,000 Red Stick warriors moved to within range of Fort Mims, a roughly built log stockade in the Tensaw settlement north of Mobile, Alabama.

The evening of August 29, 1813, would be the last night on earth for more than 250 of the inhabitants of the fort. They had come there seeking safety, but on the next day Fort Mims would prove to be a trap from which few would escape.

19th Century Artist's Impression of the Big Warrior

The attack was part of the Creek War of 1813-1814, a conflict that had started as a civil war among the Upper Creeks who lived along the Alabama, Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers. A large segment of the nation had broken away from its traditional leadership - the Big Warrior, Little Prince, William McIntosh and others - and taken up the war club under the leadership of Josiah Francis, a man remembered today as the Alabama Prophet.

Francis grew up in the Alabama towns which were clustered near present-day Montgomery, Alabama. The Alabama (or Alibamo) were an ancient tribe with different traditions and a different language those those of the Muskogee or Upper Creeks. Even so, the Alabamas and the associated Coushatta (or Coosada) had allied themselves with the Muskogees as part of the loosely organized Creek Confederacy.

Tenskwatawa, the Shawnee Prophet

In 1811-1812, however, Josiah Francis converted to the religion of the Shawnee Prophet, Tenskwatawa. A brother of Tecumseh, the Prophet taught that the American Indians should separate themselves from and give up the ways of the whites. Contrary to much 19th century and modern writing, he did not urge war on the whites but instead told his followers they should remain at peace with everyone and should steal nothing from the whites, "not even a bell." He did advocate a strong union of the various Indian nations, but as a defensive measure to halt any further westward expansion by settlers from the United States.

Francis had seen the impact of the "plan of civilization" introduced in the Creek Nation by the United States through the guidance of its Agent for Indian Affairs, Colonel Benjamin Hawkins. Traditional ways were disappearing from the Creeks and the evil influence of alcohol had spread through the Nation. Even though he was the son of a white trader, Francis grew concerned over these influences and listened carefully to Tecumseh when he came to Alabama in the fall of 1811 to spread the word of his brother's religion and prophesies.

Alabama River

Francis did not immediately convert, however, but thought over Tecumseh's message and learned more from the lesser Shawnee prophet Seekaboo, who had remained among the Creeks after the Prophet's brother returned to the Midwest. Josiah Francis became a true believer.

In the late summer of 1812, he announced that he had become a prophet himself. As the warriors in the Alabama towns listened to his preachings, they became convinced that the conversion was real and began calling Francis a "Hillis Hadjo" ("Warrior of Mad Medicine"). From an early group of 60 followers, the Alabama Prophet's following grew dramatically until by early 1813 his converts numbered in the thousands.

19th Century Sketch of a Human Scalp

The U.S. unwittingly ignited the civil war among the Creeks when it demanded the punishment of Little Warrior and a party of the Alabama Prophet's followers who had killed white settlers on the Duck River in Tennessee. The Big Warrior - traditional leader of the Creek Nation - ordered out execution squads to kill the murderers. Francis ordered his own warriors to retaliate and war exploded among the Creeks.

Francis and his followers became known as Red Sticks because they displayed red war clubs in their villages in a traditional sign of war.

As the conflict escalated, a force of 300 Red Sticks went to Pensacola in Spanish Florida to obtain arms and ammunition. The Spanish governor provided them with 1,000 pounds of gunpowder, along with gun flints, other supplies and a corresponding amount of lead shot. As they were making their way back to Holy Ground, the town that the Prophet Francis had established on the upper Alabama River, these warriors were attacked by a force of Mississippi Territorial Militia. The resulting engagement is remembered today as the Battle of Burnt Corn Creek and ended in victory for the Red Sticks.

Reconstructed Stockade at Fort Mims

Blood had been shed between the Red Sticks and the whites, however, and the families of those slain and wounded demanded a retaliatory strike. Since many of their enemies - including a group of mestizos (Creeks of mixed ancestry who sided with the whites) - were sheltered at Fort Mims, it was selected as the target.

The fort was not a true military structure, but instead was a rough stockade with a blockhouse that had been erected around the house of Samuel Mims. Hundreds of white and mestizo settlers had crowded inside, where they were protected by a small force of territorial militia. Because there were so many of them, the occupants of Fort Mims did not really think the Red Sticks would dare attack them. They were wrong.

Artist's Impression of William Weatherford

200 years ago tonight, a force of 700-1,000 Red Stick warriors led by William Weatherford and the lesser prophet Paddy Walsh took up positions in shallow ravines within view of Fort Mims. Weatherford and others even crawled up to the walls of the fort and peered through the loopholes to study the arrangement of the stockade. The fort was so poorly designed that the loopholes were not elevated. This meant that an attacking enemy could use them to fire into the fort just as easily as its defenders could use them to fire out.

Even though slaves had reported the presence of a large Red Stick force in the area and even though hundreds of warriors spent the night within sight of the stockade, Major Daniel Beasley and the officers commanding Fort Mims never saw them coming.

The next day - August 30, 1813 - would end in one of the greatest defeats ever administered by whites by an American Indian force in the entire history of North America.

Please click here to read more about the attack itself: http://southernhistory.blogspot.com/2013/08/200th-anniversary-of-fall-of-fort-mims.html.

You can learn more about Fort Mims State Historic Site at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fortmims1.

This weekend marks the 200th anniversary of the attack on Fort Mims and special events are planned. To see the schedule of events and obtain directions, please visit http://southernhistory.blogspot.com/2013/08/friday-marks-200th-anniversary-of-fort.html.

Fireworks across the South Tonight (7/3/2013)

4th of July Fireworks explode over the South
Courtesy Pine Bluff Festival

Fireworks are set to launch at locations all across the South tonight!  Weather conditions could cause issues in some areas, so be sure to check local conditions before heading out!

Here are some highlights of what is happening and where its happening tonight!


Alabama

Major fireworks displays are set for tonight - weather permitting - in Chelsea, Fort Rucker, Jacksonville and Montgomery! A major highlight is the Fort Rucker Freedom Fest. The post plans to go forward with its fireworks, even though many military bases in the South have cancelled their annual shows.

Please click here to see the full list of fireworks in Alabama for July 3rd and 4th with times and locations.


Arkansas

The skies of the Natural State will light up tonight with fireworks in Bella Vista, Calico Rock, De Queen, Hot Springs, Paris and Rogers. The Hot Springs event features a concert by Lee Greenwood of "I'm proud to be an American" fame.

Please click here for the full list of fireworks in Arkansas for July 3rd and 4th.


Florida

Florida's 4th of July fireworks for this year begin with the Old Apalachicola Independence Day in Apalachicola and fireworks in Aventura.  The Apalachicola event - weather permitting - will feature a parade, ice cream social, live music and more.

Please click here for Florida's fireworks for this July 3rd and 4th.


Georgia

Georgia's 4th of July celebrations launch into high gear tonight with events in Atlanta, Cumming, Dawsonville, Forsyth, McCaysville/Copperhill, Kennesaw, Tifton, Villa Rica and Woodbury. The Tifton event includes a variety of activites at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village!

Please click here for a full list of Georgia fireworks for July 3rd and 4th.


Kentucky

Fireworks launch tonight from locations all over Kentucky.  Events are set for Bowling Green, Dawson Springs, Gilbertsville, Louisville, Madisonville, Somerset and Winchester. Among the highlights are the first night of Louisville's two night Waterfront Independence Festival, the Kentucky Lake Big Bang in Gilbertsville and the Thunderfest Independence Day Celebration at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green.

Please click here for a full list of Georgia fireworks for July 3rd and July 4th!


Louisiana

Four major fireworks shows are set for Louisiana tonight. Events are set in Jennings, Metarie, Ponchatoula and Youngsville. Highlights include the Uncle Sam Jam at Lafreniere Park in Metarie and Youngsville's Independence Day Celebration which will include both fireworks and hot air balloon rides!

See the full list of Louisiana fireworks for July 3rd and 4th by clicking here!


Mississippi

Fireworks take place in Pearl, Mississippi, tonight after the 7 p.m. baseball game between the Mississippi Braves and the Mobile Bay Bears.

Click here for the full list of Mississippi fireworks set for July 3rd and July 4th.


North Carolina

The Independence Day celebration gets underway in North Carolina with nearly one dozen events tonight (July 3rd).  Fireworks displays are set for Asheville, Carolina Beach, Charlotte, Cherryville, Harrisburg, Mooresville, Statesville and Wake Forest (the city, not the school).

Click here for 2013's list of North Carolina Fireworks set for July 3rd and 4th.


Oklahoma

Big fireworks events are set for Oklahoma tonight, including Red White & Boom in Oklahoma City.  Events are also set for Claremore, Talihina and Yukon, with more to come tomorrow!

Check out this year's list of Oklahoma Fireworks for July 3rd and 4th.


South Carolina

Fireworks will launch in Cheraw and Columbia tonight, with South Carolina's main list of 4th of July celebrations planned for tomorrow.

Click here for South Carolina's fireworks for July 3rd and July 4th.


Tennessee

There is a long list of fireworks set for Tennessee tonight, with more to follow tomorrow night!  Fireworks will launch tonight in Bartlett, Chattanooga, Clarksville, Collierville, Collegedale, Copperhill/McCaysville, Dandridge, Hendersonville, Millington and Waynesboro.

Please click here to see Tennessee's fireworks list for July 3rd and July 4th.


Texas

The Lone Star State kicks its 4th of July celebration into high gear tonight with music, events, airshows, fireworks and more!  The Atlanta Rhythm Section will perform live in Arlington, followed by fireworks, with events also taking place in Addison, Coppell, Farmers Branch, Fort Worth, Gilmer, Irving, Sachse and Sherman.

Click here to see the full list of Texas fireworks for July 3rd and July 4th.


Virginia

Fireworks start launching in Virginia shortly after dark tonight, with events scheduled for Chesapeake, Doswell, McGaheysville, Richmond, Ridgeway and South Hill.  More will follow tomorrow!

Click here to read the full list of Virginia fireworks for July 3 & 4, 2013!


Don't forget you can check the full list of fireworks from all Southern states online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fireworks.

4th of July Fireworks continue Tonight!

Fireworks over Arkansas
Courtesy Pine Bluff Festival Association

4th of July Fireworks continue around the South tonight, with a wide range of events scheduled for the next seven days.

My annual list of 4th of July Fireworks in the South is now online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fireworks, so check it out for a state by state guide to the best displays!

Here are some highlights for you from this weekend's planned events:

Alabama (June 29 & 30, 2013)

Boaz, Cedar Bluff, Columbiana, Thomasville and Tuscumbia will all host events on Saturday and Wilsonville's annual God & Country Celebration is set for Sunday.

To learn more about these and other 4th of July Fireworks Events in Alabama for 2013, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/alabamafireworks.

Arkansas (June 29 & 30, 2013)

Texarkana's big Sparks in the Park will take place on Saturday night at Bobby Ferguson Park. Gates open at 4 p.m.for food, activities, contests and more. The fireworks will launch at 9:30 p.m.

Springdale will launch its Fireworks at the Cross at the CrossChurch Pinnacle Hills Campus on Sunday night.  Events begin at 5 p.m. with live music, outdoor baptisms and more. The fireworks go up at dark.

To learn more about this year's 4th of July Fireworks in Arkansas, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/arkansasfireworks.

Florida

Florida's events don't get started until July 3rd, but you can check out the schedule of planned fireworks for the Sunshine State at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/floridafireworks.

Georgia  (July 1, 2013)

Georgia's fireworks for this year get underway on Monday, July 1st, as Auburn (GA) hosts its annual fireworks in the downtown area. The skies light up at dark.

To learn more about the full list of this year's 4th of July fireworks in Georgia, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/georgiafireworks.

Kentucky (June 29, 2013)

Kentucky begins to light up its skies on Saturday night with the Briggs & Stratton Fireworks Extravaganza in Murray. Fireworks launch at 9:30 p.m. on the 29th in the area around Kroger, Wal-Mart and Lowes.

The full list of fireworks in Kentucky is available at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/kentuckyfireworks.

Louisiana (June 29, 2013)

Lake Arthur leads the way this year in Louisiana with its Lake Arthur Freedom Fest on Saturday (June 29th). The gates of Lake Arthur Park open at 8 a.m. for a day of fun.  The Blessing of the Fleet is set for 3 p.m., followed by music from Jamie Bergeron & the Kickin' Cajuns, Travis Matte & the Kingpins and the Bon Journeys.  The fireworks launch at 8:30 p.m.  Admission is $5 with kids 5 and under admitted free.

See the full list of this year's Louisiana fireworks at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/louisianafireworks.

Mississippi (June 30, 2013)

Mississippi's 4th of July Fireworks for 2013 get started on Sunday night in Hattiesburg and Brandon (Ross Barnett Reservoir).

Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg hosts Celebrate America on Sunday night (June 30th). The event begins with a community-wide picnic and fun at 6:30 p.m., followed by the fireworks at 9:00 p.m.

The Annual Independence Day Celebration at Ross Barnett Reservoir also takes place on Sunday. Events begin at 5 p.m. at Lakeshore Park and Old Trace Park in Brandon.  There will be live music at 6 p.m., a boat parade at 8 p.m. and fireworks at 9 .m.

Check out Mississippis's complete list of 4th of July Fireworks at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/mississippifireworks.

North Carolina 

Events don't get started in North Carolina until July 3rd, but you can check out the full list of events in the Tarheel State here:  www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ncfireworks.

Oklahoma (June 29, 2013)

The skies over Oklahoma City come alive on Saturday night (June 29th) with the annual Stars & Stripes River Festival. Taking place in the Boathouse District, the event features river sports, games, activities and more throughout the day followed by fireworks at dark.

Check out the complete list of Oklahoma's fireworks for this year at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/okfireworks.

South Carolina (June 29, 2013)

The big 4th of July Celebration and Boat Parade takes place at South Carolina's Lake Murray on Saturday (June 29th). A popular event in the Midlands, the boat parade takes place at 12 noon followed by the fireworks at dark.

See South Carolina's complete list of 4th of July Fireworks at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/scfireworks

Tennessee (June 29, 2013)

Tennessee's 4th of July Fireworks will begin with three events on Saturday night (June 29th).

Alcoa hosts its FreedomFest on Saturday with fireworks at dark. Andersonville's Sequoyah Marina on Norris Lake is home to Fire on the Water which features food, fun and fireworks. Byrdstown's Independence Day Celebration takes place in the parking lot across from Town Hall on Saturday night and begins with a benefit for Our Troops at 5 p.m., followed by music and games.  The fireworks begin at 9 p.m.

Check out the full list of 4th of July Fireworks in Tennessee this year at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/tnfireworks.

Texas (June 29 & 30, 2013)

Texas begins its 4th of July Fireworks on Saturday and Sunday nights, June 29th and 30th.

Allen's annual Market Street Allen USA Celebration is set for Saturday at Celebration Park. Former Styx  lead singer Dennis DeYoung is among the performers set to entertain the crowds. Music, fun, activities, food and more begins at 4 p.m., followed by the fireworks at dark.

Parker's Celebrate Freedom event takes place at Southfork Ranch on Saturday. The gates open at 8 a.m. for activities, food, fun and more. Live music begins at 10 a.m. and the fireworks will launch at Dark.

Rockwall's Freedom Fest 2013 will take place on Sunday at The Harbor. Food, fun, entertainment and activities kick off at 4 p.m. and will be followed by the fireworks at dark.

Check out the full list of Texas 4th of July Fireworks for this year at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/texasfireworks.

Virginia 

Things don't get going in Virginia until July 3rd, but you can check out the full list of Virginia 4th of July Fireworks for 2013 at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/virginiafireworks.

Remember, you can access the full list for all states anytime at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fireworks.

Two Forgotten Alabama Battles of the Civil War

Reenactors fire a salute commemorating Battle of Fairview

I've just added new pages to the main site on the Battle of Fairview and the Battle of Newton, two all but forgotten Civil War actions that took place in the Wiregrass region of South Alabama.
These two battles were unique in that both were fought by citizens to defend or avenge their communities against outlaw raider gangs, not by soldiers of the Union and Confederacy lining up to fight each other.

Battle Branch, Site of the Battle of Fairview, Alabama

The Battle of Fairview took place on September 2, 1864, in Coffee County, Alabama. A band of outlaws called Ward's Raiders and led by Jim Ward had burned the courthouse in the county seat of Elba the previous spring, trying to destroy the conscription or draft records there. The records were saved, so on the night of September 1 the raiders came back and set fire to buildings all around the square as well as the bridge over the Pea River. Local citizens took up arms and gave chase, cornering the raiders at Battle Branch in the Fairview Community. To learn more about the Battle of Fairview, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fairview.

Battle of Newton Monument in Newton, Alabama

The Battle of Newton took place in nearby Dale County, Alabama, on March 14, 1865. Joseph Sanders was a lieutenant in the 1st Florida Cavalry (U.S.) but exceeded his orders and led a mixed band of U.S. cavalrymen and outlaw guerrillas against the Dale County seat of Newton. His target, as had been the case with the Battle of Fairview, was the courthouse and its conscription or draft records. And just as had been the case in Elba, the citizens of Newton took up arms. The battle evolved differently because at Newton, the citizens were waiting when Sanders and his men rode into town. To learn more about the Battle of Newton, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/newtonbattle.

Sketoe's Hole Memorial

If you are interested in the Civil War in the Wiregrass, you might also enjoy reading the story of Ghost of Sketoe's Hole. The legend revolves around the hanging of a man in Dale County, Alabama, during the closing months of the war and the "hole that will not stay filled." To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/sketoe.

You can also read about many other Alabama battles and forts by visiting www.exploresouthernhistory.com/battlefields.

Fort Morgan State Historic Site - Gulf Shores, Alabama

Flank Howitzers at Fort Morgan

If you've never been to Fort Morgan, you should add it to your list! It is one of the most fascinating places on the Gulf Coast.

The historic old fort was begun in 1819 and stands on the site of an earlier work named Fort Bowyer (see Fort Bowyer - Alabama's Forgotten Battle of the War of 1812). Named for General Daniel Morgan, a hero of the American Revolution, the fort withstood one of the fiercest naval attacks of the Civil War.

Land Face of Fort Morgan

In fact, Fort Morgan has touched so much history it is difficult to summarize its story in less than book form! To offer a few highlights, however, the fort served as a holding camp for unfortunate Creek Indian families making their way west on the Trail of Tears. The fort was seized by state militia forces in 1861 as Alabama seceeded from the Union and the first Alabamian to give his life in the Confederate cause died here.

Confederate forces strengthened the already powerful fort by adding earthwork batteries and other defenses. They even placed "torpedoes" (now called mines) in the ship channel leading past the fort into Mobile Bay and engineered the wires and other mechanisms needed to trigger them when enemy warships passed directly over the devices. This tactic proved deadly to the Union navy when it attacked Fort Morgan on August 5, 1864.

Main Gate of Fort Morgan

Admiral David G. Farragut lashed his ships together two by two and steamed them into the channel leading past Fort Morgan into Mobile Bay. The fort opened fire with fierce salvos of shot and shell and the Union warships responded. As the fleet surged forward, the ironclad USS Tecumseh moved into close range of Fort Morgan intending to batter it with its heavy guns. Instead it steamed directly over a "torpedo" that was triggered from the fort. The ironclad exploded up into the air, rolled over and sank, carrying dozens of U.S. sailors to the bottom with it.

Heavily Bombarded Channel Front of Fort Morgan

The stunning sight caused the other ships in Farragut's fleet to slow to a near stop, directly under the guns of Fort Morgan, as well as long-range fire from Fort Gaines across the bay. The story of what happened next is one of the most famous of the Civil War. Demanding to know what was happening, Admiral Farragut was told the lead ships had encountered torpedoes in the channel. "Damn the torpedoes. Full speed ahead!" he ordered, and the fleet again picked up speed and surged past Fort Morgan into Mobile Bay.

Spanish American War era battery at Fort Morgan

The Battle of Mobile Bay, however, was just beginning. The ironclad CSS Tennessee then steamed out from a sheltered spot behind Fort Morgan and in a heroic defense, engaged the entire Union fleet.

The Tennessee was finally battered into submission and Fort Gaines fell not long after. Fort Morgan, however, held out and did not submit until the end of a long land siege by the Federal army.

In later years new fortifications were added to the old as the U.S. again worried about the possibility of foreign invasion just before and during the Spanish American War. Fort Morgan remained an important coastal defense site until the end of World War II when it was declared obsolete and turned over to the State of Alabama.

Today the site is an intriguing historic site where visitors can explore the history of more than 100 years of coastal defense. Our newly updated Fort Morgan page is now online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fortmorgan. Be sure to take a look!

Fort Bowyer - Alabama's Forgotten Battle of the War of 1812

Fort Bowyer stood on the site of today's Fort Morgan

When history buffs think of a brave stand by outnumbered American troops and a devastating defeat of the British on the Gulf Coast, they usually think of Andrew Jackson's stunning victory at the Battle of New Orleans.

Before New Orleans, however, there was Fort Bowyer. The all but forgotten little fort stood on Mobile Point in Alabama and on September 15, 1814, the men of its garrison withstood a British onslaught to secure a victory that lifted the spirits of Americans far and wide.

Plan of Fort Bowyer

Begun in the fall of 1813 after American troops seized Mobile from the Spanish, the fort was built of earth and timber on the site where the better known Fort Morgan stands today. With a semi-circular front facing the entrance to Mobile Bay, Fort Bowyer was designed to sweep the channel with artillery fire. Its land face was bastioned as an additional defense against an infantry attack.

In anticipation of their coming move on New Orleans, the British initially planned to take Mobile. Its location and bay made the city ideal for an overland move against Baton Rouge, where the Mississippi River could be controlled to break off supplies and other commerce moving downstream to New Orleans. Such a move would make the Crescent City much easier to take.

This view shows the route of the British ships.

Having landed troops and trained Creek and Seminole Indians in Pensacola with the permission of the Spanish Governor there, the British quickly focused their attention on Fort Bowyer. Built on the shifting sands of Mobile Point and still not complete, the fort offered what was expected to be an easy target. Once the fort was taken, Mobile would of necessity capitulate soon after.

Sailing west from Pensacola in early September, British commander Captain William H. Percy put ashore 60 men from the Colonial Royal Marines under Lieutenant Colonel Edward Nicolls. Supported by 120 or so Indians under Captain George Woodbine, this force moved to block land access to Fort Bowyer and Nicolls directed his Marines, almost all of whom were free blacks, to emplace a 5 1/2 inch howitzer on a high sand dune near the fort.

Cannon on display in Fort Bowyer exhibit at Fort Morgan Museum

Nicolls became sick with dysentery after achieving this objective and went back aboard the flagship HMS Hermes for treatment. While he was suffering on board ship, Captain Percy moved forward to attack Fort Bowyer.

On the afternoon of September 15, 1814, the four British warships, led by the 20-gun Hermes formed in a line and closed in on Fort Bowyer. Major William Lawrence and his garrison from the 2nd U.S. Infantry stood to their guns on the walls of the fort and, when the British came into range at around 4:15 p.m., opened fire.

HMS Hermes in Action

The following battle was one of the fiercest land and sea battles of the War of 1812. The rumble of cannon fire shook the ground for miles around as fire and smoke covered both the fort and the leading ships of the squadron. The sick Colonel Nicolls, already known in Great Britain as "Fighting Nicolls" leaped into action on the Hermes, helping Captain Percy direct the fire of the guns. A cannon shot from Fort Bowyer sent a shower of lethal splinters across the deck where Nicolls was standing, wounding him in the legs and head. He went below for treatment but then came back up to continue the fight.

For hours the Battle of Fort Bowyer raged at virtually the same site of the later and better known Battle of Mobile Bay during the Civil War. To learn more about the fight, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fortbowyer.

Faulty Reporting Ignites National Debate over Alabama's Confederate Memorial Park

Confederate Memorial Park

There is a lot of misinformation ricocheting around today about Confederate Memorial Park in Mountain Creek, Alabama.

An Associated Press report on the park has been picked up by newspapers, National Public Radio, the liberal Huffington Post and a host of other websites and blogs. The original report basically takes the premise that the State of Alabama is spending tax money to care for a park located on the grounds of the state's former Old Soldiers Home while other historic sites are in need of funding.

The idea the writer is attempting to convey, of course, is that state money is being spent on a Confederate landmark while other "more deserving" historic sites do not have the funding they need.

Cemetery at Confederate Memorial Park

First and foremost, its name aside, the park is NOT a Confederate landmark nor was the site involved in the War Between the States. In 1901, a new State Constitution was approved in Alabama that included a provision for a small amount of the state's taxes to be used in providing care for its elderly and disabled Confederate veterans. Union veterans received help from the U.S. Government, but Confederate veterans did not and the responsibility of caring for hundreds of needy and elderly veterans fell upon the people of the state. Otherwise, many of these men would have died homeless.

The inclusion of this item in the state's constitution was not intended to memorialize the Confederacy. Instead it was done to care for aged veterans that the U.S. Government had decided to ignore and forget. Over the years, the home provided a place to live and medical care for hundreds of veterans, many of whom were impoverished due to horrible wounds they had received in battle. Its cemeteries provided a final resting place for them.

Despite much of what is being written on blogs and message boards today, the funding was not a "Confederate tax," nor was it tied to the "Civil War." It simply was a humanitarian gesture to care for old men who had nowhere else to turn - a form of government healthcare, if you will.

Museum Exhibits

The park today preserves the historic grounds and ruins of the Old Soldiers Home and maintains the two cemeteries where more than 300 Alabama solders are buried. The museum there, contrary to much of what is being written there, is not a "Confederate museum." It is a museum that looks at Alabama's role in the War Between the States or Civil War from all perspectives. It does include exhibits on slavery, but also looks at how the war impacted the state. It presents a good balanced view of the war in Alabama and a visit is highly recommended to anyone traveling up and town I-65 between Montgomery and Birmingham.

This controversy is absolutely and totally ridiculous. Why should graves not be maintained and what is wrong with Alabama funding a museum that provides a balanced look at the Civil War?

After all, doesn't the U.S. Government do the same thing at its national parks and cemeteries?

To learn more about Confederate Memorial Park, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/confederatepark.

Columbia, Alabama - Historic Sites & Points of Interest

Purcell-Killingsworth House in Columbia

A charming and historic community nestled along the Chattahoochee River in the Wiregrass region of Southeast Alabama, Columbia is an often overlooked heritage destination that is well worth a visit.

Founded in 1820 as settlement spread across lands taken from the Creek Nation by the Treaty of Fort Jackson, Columbia was an important river crossing and port community even from its earliest days. The arrival of steamboat traffic on the Chattahoochee River just a few years later, however, spurred a boom that made the town one of the most prosperous on the river between Eufaula, Alabama and Apalachicola, Florida.

Old Columbia Jail

The cotton and other commerce for a significant area of the Wiregrass region (named for a tough, wire-like grass that grows in the pine woods) passed through Columbia, where it was loaded aboard paddlewheel riverboats for transport up to Columbus or down to Apalachicola on the Gulf. This spurred a strong commercial district with stores, warehouses and other businesses. The town for a time was even the county seat, although that status was lost as the vast expanse of the original Henry County was carved up into numerous other counties as the population of the region grew.

Columbia remained a vital river port until the railroad was finally extended into South Alabama during the last decades of the 19th century. The town on the river was bypassed in favor of a new community - Dothan - and Columbia's commercial interests slowly faded.

Summer House at Columbia Cemetery

The town survived, however, and today is the center of a unique, picturesque and historic area with many points of interest. The historic Old Columbia Jail, for example, dates from the Civil War and is one of the last surviving original wooden jails in the Deep South. The unique summer house that serves as an entrance way to Columbia Cemetery is more than 100 years old.

There are charming historic homes and churches, including the architecturally unique Purcell-Killingsworth House. Just four miles or so away across the river in Early County, Georgia, stands the beautiful Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge. The southernmost 19th century covered bridge in the nation, it spans a charming little waterfall.

To learn more about Columbia and the surrounding area, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/columbia.

A Monument to John Wilkes Booth? Unusual Landmark in Troy, Alabama

The (Former) John Wilkes Booth Monument

Today marks the anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln by actor and conspirator John Wilkes Booth.

For most people of his time, North and South, the anniversary marked a sad day in American history. But for Joseph Pinkney Parker of Troy, Alabama, it was a day to be celebrated.  Parker was a police officer, teacher and Baptist church member, but he was perhaps best known as a hater of Abraham Lincoln.

Called "Pink" Parker by his friends, he would dress in his Sunday best each April 14th to celebrate the day when John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln. Residents in Troy humored or ignored his one man Booth celebration, but in 1906 Parker ignited a national controversy about their town that they could no longer ignore.  He erected a monument to John Wilkes Booth and asked for permission to put it on the courthouse lawn.

City and county leaders in Troy balked at that idea and refused, but Parker erected his monument anyway, in a prominent spot on his own property facing Madison Street in the South Alabama city.

Monument now is Parker's Headstone

The monument caught the attention of the national media and newspapers across the nation did stories on Parker's Monument to Booth.  They often got the facts wrong, claiming it had been erected by the city itself, but "Pink" Parker enjoyed all the controversy and kept his monument right where it was despite calls that he remove it.

It stayed in its spot facing Madison Street in Troy until Parker died in 1921, when his family quietly removed it and had it recarved to serve as his tombstone. It stands today in Troy's Oakwood Cemetery, but with no trace of the original inscription:  "Erected by Pink Parker in honor of John Wilks Booth for killing Old Abe Lincoln."

So far as is known, it was the only monument ever erected to John Wilkes Booth. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/boothmonument.