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"A great personal experience" and "great historical success" was the sum of comments shared by all descendents and interested persons that attended the Third Annual Georgia Brigade of Seth Barton & Marcellus Stovall Descedents Congress in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Friday Sept. 3rd:
Beginning at the Ameristar Hotel which is located on the actual grounds of "South Fort" on the banks of the beautiful Mississippi River. The Congress attendees began their "retracing the Confederate steps of the Georgia Brigade " with G.B.S.H.H.A. President, author and historian Gary Goodson with a personal visit to the "South Fort" Confederate Battle Line Markers of the Ga. 40th, 41st, 42nd, 43rd and 52nd Infantry Regiments. This was a once in a lifetime "photo opportunity" of personal and regiment descendent pictures on these "sacred Confederate grounds."
Following the tour of the South Fort Georgia Brigade Battle Line; we became under the great guidance of historian and author Rebecka Drake and Historian and great Artist Jerry McWilliams; of a tour of key Vicksburg Confederate sites (Cobb House, Pemberton's House, Vicksburg Court House, etc); then continuing north to visit the Battlefield of Chickasaw Bayou, the Indian Mound, and Fort Snyder's Bluff on the Yazoo River.
After driving back to the hotel; for a barbeque lunch, Rebecca and Jerry took us southeast to tour the battle site of the Big Black River Bridge.
That Friday evening at the Magnolia Room at the Ameristar Casino we attended history presentations by Ga. 41st Historian David Richardson, and a "Reading of the Champion Letters" by author Rebecca Blake and historian Sid Champion V...an absolutely great first G.B.S.H.H.A. Congress day for all!
Saturday Sept. 4th:
Beginning in the lobby of the Ameristar Hotel; for continued G.B.S.H.H.A.
registrations and fellowship and coffee for all. We then began our 30 minute
drive east toward Jackson, Mississippi to meet our host and historian Sid
Champion V for a fantastic personal tour of his Champion Hill Battlefield. As we all expected this oppoutunity was a "priceless experience!"
Following the tour with Sid Champion and a brief lunch we began brief visits
under light rain and under the excellent guidance of future G.B.S.H.H.A.
President, Historian Mike Griggs to several key strategic bridge sites in the Champion Hill Battlefield area.
That evening we were back to the Magnolia room for great food and a historic presentation of the "life, times and artifacts of Sid & Matilda Champion of Civil War era Champion Hill"; by historian and musician Sid Champion V. Ending this second perfect day; with Sid Campion singing a great rendition of "Dixie." Priceless!
Sunday Sept. 5th:
Beginning the morning by more registration and coffee; then touring with
historian and 2005-2008 G.B.S.H.H.A. President, Mike Griggs to Georgia
Brigade military positioned areas near Redbone Church. located a few miles south of Vicksburg; appropiately finishing the Sunday G.B.S.H.H.A. tour at
he Vicksburg City Confederate Cemetery honoring out Ga. 40th, 41t, 42nd,
43rd and 52nd Georgia Brigade Soldiers by reading the names of all 81 Confederates that never returned home to Georgia..
The afternoon was left free for all G.B.S.H.H.A. Congress attendees; so each could visit the many many historical areas of Vicksburg, Mississippi as they preferred and time allowed....
Thank you to each and all of my G.B.S.H.H.A. Historian Board & Members for your support and assistance in forming the General Barton & Stovall History & Heritage Association..
Gary Ray Goodson Sr. - Georgia Brigade of Barton & Stovall Author/Historian
& Ga. 40th Descendent
G.B.S.H.H.A. - Founder & President - 2002 to 2005
Message from Rebecca Blackwell Drake
From:Rebecca Blackwell Drake <RBDrake@jam.rr.com>
Reply-To: <RBDrake@jam.rr.com>
Sent: Sunday,October 3,2004 8:15PM
To: "Gary Goodson" <garygoodson@hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: Vicksburg Photos Captions
In the months to come, have your group visit www.battleofchampionhill.org
website, owned and maintained by my husband and myself. Our plan is to
involve Sid V more and to start advertising his personalized tours as well
as the sale of my next book, "The Champion Letters." All proceeds from
tours, my book, contributions will go to the "Champion Family Home
Foundation." Sid is thrilled.
I also have the diary of a 24 year old girl who taught at the Freedman's
School at Midway in 1865 - the diary does not say that the freedman school
was at CHAMPION HILL but after 6 years of research I now have positive proof
that "Midway Station" was "Champion Hill." In the diary she described the
burned out home of Matilda and Sid Champion - I will publish the diary and
donate all proceeds to Sid Champion.
My best to you and your group and please convey to them that it was my
pleasure, along with Jerry, to be their tour guide and to have them to be
the first audience to share the reading of the Champion Letters. The
letters we read were just a fraction of the number that I have translated
(approximately 80 in total) All of the letters will be in my upcoming
book.
Rebecca Drake
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