The Big Gun - Rock Hill, S.C.

Sue and I have passed by an old abandoned American Legion Post in Rock Hill several times now. Each time we do I always mean to get out and have a closer look at the Vickers 6551-A anti-aircraft gun that sits outside of the old brick building. There are literally hundreds of such guns, cannons and the like displayed at the thousands of VFW’s and American Legions across the country. And I have always been fascinated with each and every one.

This one was most likely assembled from an original pre-war Vickers, and then outfitted with an automatic fuse igniter at a later date. The nameplates; or nomenclature; on the gun bear me out as far as the dates are concerned. The gun was manufactured in the opening years of the war, and then refitted in 1943. The latest plate affixed to the weapon bears the year 1943.

Most likely this gun came from duty on the Carolina coast after the War had ended. It probably did see some action, as the U-boats were only 10 miles off shore and sinking ships off Cape Hatteras on a regular basis at the time. These guns could fire at surface vessels as well as aircraft. 

When the war ended and the government found itself with a surfeit of weaponry, much of it found its way to the local VFW’s and Legion halls which dot the land. They make impressive markers. Actually, I would love to have this baby in the back yard. I know just where I’d put it, right off the brick patio on the lawn. Man, that would be something!

Here's picture of a fully manned and ready Vickers in the early days of World War Two;

And for more information about this weapon, which played such a large part in the war, go to;

http://www.wwiiequipment.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86:37q-anti-aircraft&catid=41:anti-aircraft&Itemid=58 

Fort Sumter - The Outbreak of Civil War

The following was first posted here in 2010. I hope that no-one is bothered by my occasional “re-posts”, but there are new readers who may not have read this before, and of course, I get to have the day “off”.

On April 12, 1861 Confederate batteries opened fire on Fort Sumter, S.C. triggering the American Civil War. The attack came after months of talks and 2 days of demands by the Confederates that the fort be surrendered. When Major Anderson refused, the Rebels attacked. The photograph shown here was taken on April 14th; one day after Major Anderson was forced to evacuate the Garrison.

The battle was not a ferocious one by any standards. It was a bombardment of over 3,000 enemy cannon balls, which severely damaged the fort. There were no actual casualties inflicted by the enemy. One Union artilleryman was killed and two soldiers were injured when their cannon misfired. This was small change in comparison to the carnage that was yet to come.

Although this engagement is often cited as the beginning of hostilities for the Civil War, that is not quite the truth. In December of 1860 South Carolina became the first state to leave the Union. Within 6 days Major Anderson took his men from the badly situated Fort Moultrie and secretly removed them to Fort Sumter. He did so of his own volition and with no authorization from Washington.

By January the Government of South Carolina, as well as Brigadier General Beauregard, were both calling for the fort to be turned over to the Confederacy. On January 9th, 1861 when the Union attempted to resupply Fort Sumter via a shipment aboard the merchant vessel Star of the West, Southern troops opened fire, resulting in the ship turning about without resupplying the fort.

In Washington, President Lincoln was faced with the first serious test of his Presidency and the challenge to his campaign promise that he would keep the Union whole. Fort Sumter had supplies which would hold it until April 15th. By April 6th, with no diplomatic relief in sight, Lincoln dispatched a fleet of ships to resupply and defend the fort. Under the Command of Gustavas Fox, the Cutter Harriet Lane, with the Sloops of War Pawnee and Powhatan, and Steamers Pocahontas and Baltic along with 3 tugs, set sail for Charleston. They would arrive on April 11th at the sand bar which comprises the natural abutment around which Fort Sumter was built.

Andrew Jackson

There are quite a few of our earlier Presidents, who, unlike Washington and Jefferson, were not raised on plantations, but rather came from the ranks of the settlers who were expanding our borders through sheer sweat and hard toil. Abe Lincoln comes immediately to mind in this regard. His boyhood home has been long gone, although there is a cabin at Knob Creek in Kentucky which belonged to a neighbor which is similar to the one in which Lincoln would have been born. Andrew Jackson’s story is somewhat the same.

Jackson, our 7^th President, was born in Waxhaw, which is on the border of North and South Carolina, making it hard for historians to accurately pin down the exact location, on March 15, 1767, just in time for the Revolutionary War. Although too young to serve as a soldier; as did his 2 brothers; he did serve as a courier in the final year of the war when he was 13.

This was the year in which a British officer ordered him to clean his boots, which the young Jackson refused to do. The British officer used his sword on the boy, leaving him with a severe gash in his hand. The hand would heal, but his hatred of the British would remain with him until his death. This was also the year in which he lost both his brothers and his mother to smallpox and ships fever, leaving him orphaned at the age of 14. For the next few years he lived with relatives and served time apprenticing as a saddle maker.

The Andrew Jackson State Park is located just about where he was born. There is no structure to replicate his boyhood home, although there is a small school cabin which served the children in the area when they were not working on the family farms.

The biggest attraction at the site is the massive sculpture done by Anna Hyatt Huntington. It’s an equestrian statue, showing Jackson astride a horse, much as he is often depicted at the battle of New Orleans in 1814. It’s a quiet and peaceful place with campgrounds, walking trails and even a lake for fishing. There is a modest $2 charge to enter the grounds, but it’s worth it.

It’s interesting to compare the palatial Presidential “Libraries” of today; which began in the late half of the 20^th Century; to these old homesteads, where so little remains to note the humble beginnings of some of our most illustrious Presidents. There is often much more to be said by the quiet and contemplative surroundings of these parks than by all of the documents, films and holograms which can be viewed at those more “modern” facilities. Sometimes, when viewing the past through the lens of modern technology, more becomes less; and the story of the individual becomes obscured.  In the quiet surroundings of this State Park, I found the soul of Andrew Jackson.

Landsford Canal State Park - Revisited

This is the same area that Sue and I visited to look at the turtles and walk in the old Landsford Canal about one month ago. There was not a single lily in sight then. Just rocky rapids; which is why the canal was built in the first place. So, when we heard that the change was really remarkable to see, we weren't skeptical; but let's just say that we were reserving our judgement until we saw it for ourselves. Well, now we have.  As you can see from this photo, although it is still early in the season, it is all it is cracked up to be.

And, with the scent of honeysuckle hanging in the air, it is a remarkable place. The lilies bloomed a bit earlier this year, due to an exceptionally mild winter. They usually start blooming in late April, reaching their peak in June and then lingering on through August, as the weather changes. This is a beautiful place to go, even when the lilies are not in bloom. But, somehow, with their annual appearance, these exceptional plants make it even more so.

Landsford Canal State Park, S.C.

The Landsford Canal, located in the Lansford State Park, just outside of Lancaster, in South Carolina, is about an hour south of our house. After having eaten the requisite amount of chocolate to fulfill our annual obligations to the Chocolate God, we were left with nothing much to do on a beautiful Easter Sunday. So, we did what we usually do; hopped in the car and headed out. Sue had a desire to see the old Landsford Canal, and, as I had no real objection, having a love of old canals myself, we set forth.

It was everything it was purported to be; historic, idyllic, inspiring and also there were turtles everywhere! On the rocks midstream, and all along the banks, were turtles, some small, some large, sunning themselves. Absolutely oblivious; or perhaps somewhat immune to the presence of humans; they lay all about.

The Catawba River, at that point, is choked off into rapids by the fallen, aged trees which block the normal gentle, and somewhat smooth flow of the river. In the early portion of the 19th century, the Catawba was a main inland commercial route, used for shipping cotton and tobacco from up north, as well as to bring goods back up river from the ports in Charleston, and also Norfolk. But the rapids were a problem, often the cause of financial loss, as well as the toll it took in human lives.

Still, it is an idyllic place. There is something in the air which makes you feel younger, and more vital. Here I am trying to walk out on this limb over the water; it looks simple, but to tell the truth, it was not that easy coming back! And to boot, Sue went much further than I did! But, in spite of some limited mobility, I still insist on climbing things that I know will do me absolutely no good. Oh well, you can't teach an old dog new tricks, so I'll take the aches.

Sometime around 1810, the canal was hand dug to by-pass the rapids. The dirt was loaded into carts and used in creating the embankments for the locks, which raised, or lowered, accordingly, the barges which traversed the canal. The canal was also a safer way to navigate the river during times of flooding, allowing the bargemen to have more control over their movements.

It's a beautiful area, also known for its annual explosion of water lilies, which usually occurs in May. Judging by the mild weather and early spring, it may happen sooner, rather than later. At any rate, we will be back for that event. The lilies are said to spread from bank to bank on the Catawba, and is one of the few places in the world where this happens.

For more on this beautiful place to spend an afternoon, visit their site at;

http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/landsfordcanal/introduction.aspx

The Ancient Art Of Sawgrass

This drawing is titled "The Basket Lady Sketch" by Randy Leibowitz Dean. It hangs in our kitchen. The woman in the sketch represents the Gullah people, who, descended from African slaves, and live on the outer islands of Georgia and South Carolina. They practice the art of sawgrass weaving, producing highly coveted baskets of all shapes and sizes. The art form is ancient, first being done to make baskets for the sifting of grain, and then for the storage of that same grain. With time came competition, with villages competing with one another to produce the finest baskets. Then slavery came and almost obliterated this art form, which fortunately was handed down for generations.

And the passing of the torch continues, with the yougsters of the area obtaining their licenses to sell in public, like this young man who was posted at the entrance to the Aquarium in Charleston the other day, busy weaving sawgrass into roses. There are also market places where specific strawgrass artists sell their own unique baskets and other forms of strawgrass art. It's amazing to watch them weave with such expertise, changing them from simple blades of grass into useful, and also beautiful, objects.

These roses will never wilt, or fade away. And having seen them made makes them all the more special. Historically, the Gullah are the remains of an African tribe which settled near Savannah, Georgia. They located themselves by the Ogeechee River, which gave birth to the name "Geechee", which is usually a derogatory term employed by others when referring to the Gullahs. Of all the African tribes affected by slavery, the Gullah have been the foremost in retaining their cultural roots. Even their language is based on their African heritage, with many words adopted during the "Middle Passage", lending an influence of Jamaican and Creole, along with Bahamian dialects thrown in, giving the language a musical, lilting sound. Along with the arts and crafts that have been passed down, Gullah stories, food and folk beliefs still make up this unusual community, which spans the coast from Georgia to North Carolina.

Sabbath Candle Water Fountains and Other Stuff

This is the water fountain just outside the entrance to the Aquarium in Charleston. I couldn't help but try to light it, due to it's uncanny resemblance to a Sabbath candle holder.

Sue and I took a few days off to celebrate our anniversary. We went to Charleston, and then on to Myrtle Beach. The first night we stayed in this beautiful Civil War Era bed and breakfast.

Inside the aquarium there was the usual assortment of coral reef exhibits and all the fish that inhabit them. This spiny looking fellow, with a long Latin name, which I can't spell, was one of my favorites. It must be a lonely life, covered with spines like that. With whom can he cuddle?

I love the old Customs House. It's identical to the one in Baltimore, though this one is located on a wide avenue and surrounded by palm trees, which gives it a whole different look.

From Charleston we headed to Myrtle Beach, about an hour to the North. This was the view from our room. Usually we get a room on a higher floor, but these palms gave the room a sense of privacy, so we were happy to share the balcony with them. They came with some small greenish lizards and we did our best to make them feel welcome, or maybe it was vice versa.

On the way out of Myrtle Beach we stopped at Huntington State Park. It's a very beautiful nature preserve where you can watch egrets, herons, and other wading birds as they play cat and mouse with the alligators. No feeding of the animals is allowed, so you never can tell which one is going to try and eat someone else, people included!

We left Myrtle Beach at 11 AM for the 4 hour drive home. After several unmarked detours, a flat tire, an ignorant tow truck driver, and a couple of rain storms, we arrived home 11 hours after starting out. This is the longest ride on record from Myrtle Beach to Charlotte since about 1925. In spite of the long trip home, it was great to get away for a few days.

Hope everyone had a fabulous Fourth of July!

Brattonsville - Stepping Back In Time.

Sue and I took a trip to Brattonsville, South Carolina yesterday. We have been meaning to visit this 38 structure town for quite awhile, but never seem to have gotten around to it. The town is a unique collection of buildings, most of which once belonged to the Bratton family. The 5 Bratton brothers came to America from Ulster in Northern Ireland sometime around 1730, first settling in the Pennsylvania area and then Virginia, before William Bratton and his wife Matha, purchased these 770 acres in present day York County in 1766. They immediately began to build for their growing family, which would eventually number 14 children. Not to mention William's 4 brothers.

The first home reflected the urgency of building something for a dwelling. It is a simple log cabin with a hearth on the first floor and an upstairs loft area for the kids to sleep. The most unusual part of this building is the latch on the OUTSIDE of the doorway leading to the children's sleeping area in the loft. I suppose that when Momma and Papa wanted to have some time alone, they just latched the kids in upstairs. Not a bad system when you think about it!

Eventually William and Martha needed a larger home, and so, they built one right next door. When that one grew cramped, they built an annex to it. After awhile, with all of the outbuildings, and dwellings, along with a store run by the family, there were 38 structures in all!

Historically, the property is significant, in that it played a key role on the road to Yorktown and the British surrender there. Brattonsville was the site of what is known as the "Battle of Huck's Defeat", which was fought on July 12th, 1780. William Bratton's slave, Watt, chanced upon the British troops under Huck's command. He was able to get back to William Bratton in time to summom all the local militia and defeat Huck, who was on his way to re-inforce Cornwallis in Virginia. A victory for him at Brattonsville might have changed the outcome of the war. There is a marker to Watt erected on the site of the Visitor's Center.

The real pleasure of this visit was the unhurried, and unescorted, pace. There were no tour guides moving groups of people about. It was a relaxing way to tour an historical site, an approach which allows the visitor to really absorb the novelty of living in the woods, far from the main roads. The property is still home to some goats, and I heard some chickens roosting about in one of the outbuildings.

But, the lizards were the best. Sue spotted them first, and I was lucky enough to become friendly with this red headed lizard, who allowed me to take numerous photos of him. Of course, I expected him to speak in an Australian accent and sell me insurance, but I would be a liar if I were to tell you that is what happened.

This little village really was self sufficent. Along with the hen house, the pastures for the sheep and cattle, alongside of the vegetable and herb gardens, and the smokehouse, was the most important building of all- the gin house, which allowed them to gin their own cotton, resulting in a larger profit from the cotton crop, which was the mainstay of the village. They even had a loom house, where they spun their own cotton into cloth.

This is a wonderful place to visit for a look back at what life was really like in the last days of the 18th Century. With it's lack of regimentation, it is the perfect way to spend a spring afternoon in the past.

For more about this historical village visit the website at;

http://south-carolina-plantations.com/york/brattonsville.html

The Civil War - Fort Sumter

On April 12, 1861 Confederate batteries opened fire on Fort Sumter, S.C. triggering the American Civil War. The attack came after months of talks and 2 days of demands by the Confederates that the fort be surrendered. When Major Anderson refused, the Rebels attacked. The photograph shown here was taken on April 14th, one day after Major Anderson was forced to evacuate the Garrison.

The battle was not a ferocious one by any standards. It was a bombardment of over 3,000 enemy cannon balls, which severly damaged the fort. There were no actual casualties inflicted by the enemy. One Union artilleryman was killed and two soldiers were injured when their cannon misfired. This was small change in comparison to the carnage that was yet to come.

Although this engagement is often cited as the beginning of hostilities for the Civil War, that is not quite the truth. In December of 1860 South Carolina became the first state to leave the Union. Within 6 days Major Anderson took his men from the badly situated Fort Moultrie and secretly removed them to Fort Sumter. He did so of his own volition and with no authorization from Washington.

By January the Government of South Carolina, as well as Brigadier General Beauregard, were both calling for the fort to be turned over to the Confederacy. On January 9th, 1861 when the Union attempted to resupply Fort Sumter via a shipment aboard the merchant vessel Star of the West, Southern troops opened fire, resulting in the ship turning about without resupplying the fort.

In Washington, President Lincoln was faced with the first serious test of his Presidency and the challenge to his campaign promise that he would keep the Union whole. Fort Sumter had supplies which would hold it until April 15th. By April 6th, with no diplomatic relief in sight, Lincoln dispatched a fleet of ships to resupply and defend the fort. Under the Command of Gustavas Fox, the Cutter Harriet Lane, with the Sloops of War Pawnee and Powhatan, and Steamers Pocahontas and Baltic along with 3 tugs, set sail for Charleston. They would arrive on April 11th at the sand bar which comprises the natural abutment around which Fort Sumter was built.

Realizing that the re-supply of the fort would only prolong the situation, General Beauregard ordered the bombardment. The first shot to be fired has always been claimed by Edmund Ruffin, who was not a Revolutionary War veteran, as widely taught in school, but was an ardent secessionist. In reality the first shot was fired by Lt. Henry Farley, commanding 2 mortars from nearby James Island at 4:30 AM. The Civil War had begun and Charleston, one of the most beautiful cities in the country, would be under seige for the duration.