other interesting things

Monday, October 9, 2023

Slavery on the Clover Bottom

Slavery on the Clover Bottom is the memoir of a young man born into slavery on the Hoggett’s Clover Bottom plantation. He shares his memories of the farm and all the people living there. He had a very unflattering opinion of Mrs. Hoggatt.
Johnny lives with Hanna and several other boys. Her house was on the Lebanon Pike in the north field. One day while he was in the south field working a few mules, down the Lebanon Pike came the 13th Michigan, heading into Hermitage on a foraging mission.   Johnny climbs the fence to watch them pass.  One of the soldiers called out to him "Come along with us Johnny and we will set you free." The boy was surprised they had called him by name, not knowing that Johnny Reb was a common name Northerners called some Southerners.
Johnny hops over the fence and onto the back of the yankee wagon, leaving Clover Bottom and slavery behind forever. He was 11.
Johnny travels with the 13th Michigan until the end of the war. He worked as a mule wrangler and was said to be very good with mules. He helped the surgeons frequently.
Johnny was at the battle of Murfreesboro, Chicamauga, and Lookout Mountain. He was with Sherman through Atlanta and beyond. When  it was done, he marched with the 13th in the victory parade in Washington DC.
It’s a good story, both for civil war aficionados and those who enjoy reading history of places they’ll recognize.
https://amzn.to/2OcunD2

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Local Civil War history

Nashville - 
Interesting video detailing the story of a local soldier in the 20th TN Company I -The Hermitage Guards. 
If you are from this area, might just recognize the names of the Captains of Company I - John Watkins, Timothy Dodson, Willis Cotton and William Binkley. Organized June 1861 and assembled at Camp Trousdale with 880 men. Less than 40 would return home after the war. 

The 20th TN Colonels were Joel Battle, Thomas Benton Smith and William M Shy. Those names also should be familiar - there’s a Benton Smith rd and  Shy’s Hill in the area where the final battle of Nashville was fought. 

I’ve been to LC Hessey’s grave and I’ve walked all over the very farm where he raised his family. 
I’m very proud to call his great grandson my friend. 


https://youtu.be/gvNWsx3M_vw


Wednesday, October 9, 2019

1970 Stewarts Ferry

Interestingly enough, if that driver on Stewart's Ferry had crossed over the new Percy Priest dam, odds are very good that his passage was recorded by undercover FBI agents.  They kept a running list of every vehicle over the dam - make, model, color, year, tag number and registration. A redacted copy is available on our facebook page, link on the right. Check the FILES section.

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

about the cover image ...

The image I chose for the background here was taken along the Stewarts Ferry pike in 1970.  I like the stark black and white, the mist and the lone driver...




Monday, October 7, 2019

Well hello and here i am ...

Setting up a new gig here, wanting to stay and play in Donelson.

want to help me?

I'm setting up a few small home businesses.  Check back in a bit to find out what I'm doing and see if maybe I can be of service to you.