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Our Fourth Congress kicked off Thursday, Sept 1 in Dalton, GA
at the Courtyard by Marriott. As members arrived, registered, and checked intothe hotel, the
Board of Historians held their first official meeting under thenewly created by-laws.
During the evening session at the nearby Northwest Georgia Trade & Convention Center,
President Mike Griggs welcomed everyone and highlighted the next day's activities.
Friday morning's tour led by President Mike Griggs took us to Lookout Mountain, Sunset
Rock, Cravens House and other points around Chattanooga. In the fall of 1863, our ancestors
serving on detached duty with Gen. Marcellus A. Stovall supported a Maryland artillery unit in
the defense of Lookout Mountain.
At our Bea's Restaurant lunch stop in Chattanooga, where a delicious feast served family style
was promptly devoured, local historians Raymond Evans and Roy Neal joined us. In the afternoon
we continued to the leftflank of the Confederate line on Missionary Ridge where Stovall's Brigade
was last to leave the field Nov 25, 1863.
Friday evening, 43rd Historian Larry Crowe presented a slide show of last year's Vicksburg
Congress including a growing photo record of Brigade soldiers' gravemarkers from a number of cemeteries. Kay Borden, historian for the 40th, gave a brief history of how our solider ancestors
came to be in North GA at the outbreak of the civil war. The presentation included photos
and brief biographical information of 40th GA soldiers and prints from the Library of Congress
collection of Chattanooga area battles.
Past president and historian emeritus Gary Ray Goodson, Sr. covered Gen. Seth M. Barton's
Brigade from the Vicksburg surrender until the five Georgia infantry regements were reassigned
to Gen. Stovall in early November 1863.
Guest speaker archeologist E. Raymond Evans' presentation of Cleburne's Defense of Ringgold
Gap set the stage for Saturday's activities. For beingour guest, Gary Goodson presented Evans
with copies of his three-book series Georgia Confederate 7,000.
Saturday morning, Roy Neal and Ringgold Mayor Joe Barger led a tour of the beautifully restored Ringgold Depot and the new City Hall.
At Ringgold's historic Old Stone Church, a hospital for both Union and Confederate wounded
and now the Catoosa County Historical Society museum, Jemima Shirley of the Society told of the building's beginnings and its significance in the civil war. Situated only a short distance away is
Cherokee Springs, where Raymond Evans described its appeal long ago as a travel destination
and of some of its more colorful visitors.
At the Ringgold Gap highway historical marker we learned from Raymond Evans and President
Mike Griggs of Gen. Patrick Cleburne's rear guard action on Nov. 27, 1863 that saved the Army
of Tennessee (including Stovall's Brigade) from annihilation as it fled Missionary Ridge. At the
Rocky Face Ridge highway historical marker, local artifact hunter, Eugene Hixon, generously gave everyone their pick of mini-balls dug from the surrounding hills. During five days of deadly
skirmishing here, Stovall's Brigade defended the railroad and part of the ridge. The 40th and 41st
Georgia repelled a Union attack on May 8 and the 42nd Georgia made a counter charge down the mountain to hit the Yankees in the flank, in full
view of the 40th and 41st.
Saturday Night's keynote speaker, John Culpepper, city manager for the City of Chickamauga,
told of Georgia's plans to meet a forecasted shift in tourism. After the attacks of Sept. 11,
baby boomers indicated they would be traveling more within the U.S. with history and heritage
sites high on their list of interests. Rich in civil war history, North Georgia towns such as Chickamauga, which is situated six miles south of the famed Chickamauga Battlefield National Park, will be
positioning themselves to vigorously compete for the predicted increase in tourist interest and
dollars, said Cullpepper.
To top off the evening's events, Gary Ray Goodson, Sr. presented autographed copies of his
Georgia Confederate 7,000 book series to Culpepper on behalf of the group. A thank-you gift
of a Hardee Flag was presented by President Mike Griggs to Roy Neal for his assistance in our
tour of the Ringgold area.Goodson was also honored with framed momentoes for being the founder
of GBSHHA and serving three years as our first president from 2002
through 2004.
On Sunday, after a brief stop in the heart of Dalton, GA, for a photo op at the only monument to Confederate Commanding General Joseph E. Johnston, we traveled to the Resaca Confederate Cemetery in Resaca, GA. There we were met by William T. Hobgood, who has worked for more
than a decade to care for the grounds and preserve the memories of the soldiers buried there.
A yummy Sunday buffet lunch awaited us at BJ's Restaurant in Calhoun,
GA, where we were recognized with a special "Welcome Civil War Descendants" sign.
As our Fourth Congress officially came to a close and before heading our separate ways, we
lingered for long goodbyes and promised to meet again next year at Franklin, TN for the Fifth
Congress of the General Barton & Stovall History/Heritage Association.
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