1 Columbus Ledger THE COLUMBUS CENTENNIAL EDITION The Columbus Enquirer-Sun 1828-Columbus, Georgia 1928 Wonderful Interesting Origin Noted: History Revealed Columbus, Georgia, 1828-1865 noisy and monotonous war dance which actually consumed hours. Within a very few years churches were built and schools were organized. A covered bridge to span the Chattahoochee was begun in Mav, 1832. John Godwin, of Cheraw, South Carolina, was the builder. Its location was that of the Dillingham Street bridge of today.
This same spring saw three banks in operation. The opening of a race course in 1834 marked the beginning of a sport which was to afford the town great amusement. In 1832 the national congovernment cluded a treaty with the Creek Indians of Alabama. By its terms they ceded their lands in Alabama and agreed to move west of the Mississippi within five years of the treaty date. The Indians later repented their action in relinquishing the lands and, as an expression of bitterness toward all white men, they began to molest the people of Columbus and its vicinity.
Troubles with the Indians increased, finally reaching a crisis in the Creek War of 1836. In February, 1836, occurred at Bryant's Ferry, fifteen miles below Columbus, a fight between twentv-two white men and forty armed Indians. Two white men were killed and two wounded In this affair, known as the battle of Hitchiti. Thereafter the Indians manifested their hostility by murdering white families which had settled in eastern Alabama, by attacking stage coaches and by firing upon river boats. They burned the bridges across the Big and Little Uchee Creeks.
In Columbus there was great excitement. The Columbus Guards had been organized during the previous year. Now three more volunter companies were quickly formed. United States troops came to the aid of the white people of Georvia and Alabama, and a number of companies of the Georgia militia also arrived to share in the frontier warfare. General Winfield Scott was in command of all military operations.
His headquarters were in Columbus. Terrorized Alabarna settlers came in hordes across the covered bridge, their household effects in hand. The proportionately small number of Indians, who were friendly to the white people, also gathered in or near Columbus. Pen Marshall and Paddy Carr were among them. Of a very different temper was Jim Henry, a wily brave who often led bands of Indians across the river to the Georgia shore, committing depredations wherever he went.
The war, ended late in July, 1836, the Indians having been very thoroughly defeated. Ten years later a number of companies of state troops again assembled in Columbus. It was mid- June of 1846 and the War with Mexico was the topic of paramount interest. The Georgia Regiment of Volunteers, composed of twelve companies, with Colonel Henry R. Jackson in command, had arrived in Columbus.
Here they were reviewed by Governor George W. Crawford, and here they received from the daughters of Major J. H. Howard flag, the handiwork of the young ladies themselves. The presentation of this banner, a pretty ceremony, took place at Major Howard's home in Linwood.
Imagine the columned portico, extending around three sides of the house and on this morning thronged with ladies in dainty summer frocks. Other interested spectators waited in carriages, on horseback and on foot. Imagine the martial music and the spectacular approach of the regiment across the cast commons. The presentation speech called forth duced wool jeans for the uniforms of solgallant response. There was applause, into diers.
The City Mills the which the music broke gaily. Then the Empire and Mills ground corn for army rations. soldiers marched away to leave on the In Columbus several hospitals, estabnext day, Sunday, June 28th, for the lished to meet the emergency, were conscene of fighting. stantly filled with wounded soldiers. The During the forties and fifties Colum- Soldiers' Aid Society, organized the among seems to have known a season of flow- ladies in 1861, served without bus cease.
In ering. This was the age when cotton wooden building at the corner of Broad growing was indeed profitable. Then, and Ninth Streets, they founded the Soleach year saw new manufacturing com- dies' Home. Their own homes supplied panies established beside the river. Steam- much of the hospital equipment.
Here the ers constantly plied between Columbus women nursed the wounded soldiers and and Apalachicola, bringing hither farm clothed the dead for burial, attending tools, sacks of coffee, hogsheads of sugar, them to their When Hood's graves. army salt, silk and woolen goods, tobacco and was passing through Columbus the crockery, carrying away cargoes of cot- women went night after night to the deton. The year 16 5a beheld the operation pot, where they spent long hours in servof a train of cars on the new Muscogee ing food to the troops. Railroad, reaching from Columbus to The Soldiers' Aid Society became after Butler. the war the Memorial Association, and is, Perhaps because of the almost univer- today, an active organization.
Upon the sal interest in politics, which was charac- suggestion of Miss Lizzie Rutherford. teristic of the period. Columbus during member of the earlier organization, the the fifties supported three daily papers first Memorial Day was observed April and one weekly. Great occasions were the 26, 1866. visits of certain leaders of national reputation.
On March for a long while set apart Columbus, 11, 1844, Henry Clay, from the battle area, became a place of the Whig candidate for president of the United refuge for many non-combatants. Among States, rode through the streets of the Columbus in a carriage drawn by six war-time visitors were the interesting Reverend Augustus Bal-Longstreet, of cream horses. When, just five years later, Augusta; Mrs. Clement Clay, of AlaEx -President Polk came here, bringing bama, and Mr. and Mrs.
Zachariah Gorwith him his wife and nieces, they were don, of Nickajack, Georgia, the parents accorded a charming welcome. The visit of General John B. Gordon. of Ex-President Fillmore and Secretary of the Navy John P. Kennedy, April 16, 1865, at On Easter Sunday, in April, 1854, was again for that Columbus occurred the last battle of the a signal display of hospitality in which the old planters war, and the city was captured by Generexcelled.
al James H. Wilson's command. In those days, carefree and was not a surprise. EveryThe attack the life of the gracious one knew that a column was great houses in Colum- cavalof Federal bus and its suburbs. One went in the car- ry vas approaching through Alabama.
to a neighbor's house, there chat and his staff were General Howell Cobb riage to about the novel, "Inez," here early in April, collecting all available written by AuJane Evans about the troops and otherwise preparing to defend gusta or pleasure of riding over Randolph Street since it city. On April 15, Colonel the Saturday, had been made plank, road. If General Von Zinken conducted the brigade Leon James Bethune chanced call, he of ragged and worn soldiers, old men and to was almost sure to be accompanied by his young boys, across the Fourteenth Street blind slave, Tom, and the boy would be bridge and into Girard. A night and summoned to play the the de- half day of waiting followed. Advance and piano elements of Wilson's to light amazement of his audience.
One Corps, commanded went to Temperance Hall when Edwin by General Emorv Upton, reached Girard Booth played there in or on Sunday afternoon at about 2 o'clock. ello," or again when "Lamorah, The first attack by dismounted or The troops Western Wild," written by Miss Caroline drove the Confederates rapidly through Lee Hentz, of Columbus, was acted by Girard to the abuttment of the DillingThe Histrionics. ham Street bridge. Torn Schools and academies up planking flourished, and all learning, but especially halted the progress of the Federals. Then classical learning, of the Confederates on the Georby order was highly esteemed.
gia side the bridge was fired, and that The serene and prosperous regime was mode of entry had to be abandoned. brought to an abrupt close by the War Between the States. On December At about 9 o'clock that night, General 23, 1860, the city was brilliantly illuminated Upton, again leading dismounted troops, in honor of the secession of South made an assault on the Fourteenth Street Carolina from the Union. A month later, Jan- Bridge and forced the Confederates to reuary 21, 1861, an even dis- treat eastward. By 10 p.
m. the Federal more dazzling play celebrated the passage of Georgia's troops were in complete possession of Coordinance of secession. In the early lumbus, together with twelve hundred began the exodus of the spring prisoners, fifty-two field young men. The gins and large Columbus Guards, the City Light quantities of small arms and military stores. Guards, the Georgia Grays, the Muscogee Rifles and many other marched At the time of this battle General Wilbe companies son had not been away to made a of the Confeder- advised of the surrender States Henry part on April 9th ate Army.
L. General Lee's army at of his gave Appomattox. Under his Benning practice at the Columbus bar to direction, thereup become Colonel of the 17th Georgia. fore, the captors of Columbus destroyed the "everything within reach that could be During four years of the war, Co- made useful for the further lumbus manufactures were operated continuance un- of the rebellion." remittingly for the supply of the Confed- On this, the of violence page and decrate Army. The two iron working establishments spair, the history of old-time Columbus were consolidated as the Naval ends.
Iron Works, a government institution. grieve we must for the Though There sorrow of that city of sixty-three years were here small arms factories, an ammunition ago, we may also rejoice, knowing with The wagon shops. what grace and spirit the factory and Eagle Manufacturing Company pro- adapted themselves townspeople to a new order..