Book Review: The 100 Day War: The Western Front of the Atlanta Campaign

Over the last few days I've had the honor to read Ray Henderson's latest work titled The 100 Day War: The Western Front of the Atlanta Campaign. Ray is a local historian, and the author of the much celebrated book The History of the Pony Club regarding Carroll County.

My initial reaction to The 100 Day War is pleasure. What a great resource for anyone who loves reading about the Civil War! My second reaction involves gratitude for the amount of research and writing that it took to put together all of the resources Mr. Henderson presents.

The book examines the days from July to November, 1864 when the Civil War was front and center in Campbell County (now Douglas) including mentions of Salt Springs, Dark Corner, Villa Rica and Campbellton.

Each chapter of the book zeroes in on just a few specific days giving the reader a broader picture of what was happening and when. Photographs of the military leaders and locations are included along with detailed maps.

Not only does each chapter include a narrative introduction to put things in perspective, Mr. Henderson also includes diary entries from Confederate and Union soldiers who were on the ground, as well as all of the dispatches sent back and forth between the leaders in charge. I was also pleased to see pictures of items found over the years that were left behind by the soldiers including canteens, stirrups and saddle buckles.

This book answers so many questions regarding events that occurred in Campbell (Douglas), Carroll, and Coweta counties during the war including:

*What really happened around the Bullard-Henley-Sprayberry house during July, 1864? Is a Union soldier really buried in the family cemetery that is visible along Highway 92?

*What part did the Dog River play in the movement of soldiers during the 100 days?

*Which families in the area made claims with the Southern Claims Commission due to the Union army confiscating property as they moved through the area?

*Why did the Union soldiers believe the Confederates on the Campbellton side of the Chattahoochee have more troops than they actually had?

*Why did Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America visit Palmetto in September, 1864?

Ray Henderson will be on hand reading sections of his book and signing copies this Sunday, November 10th from 1 to 4 p.m. at Pine Mountain Gold Museum at Stockmar Park located at 1881 Stockmar Road in Villa Rica.

You can also pick up a copy of the book at Douglasville Books located at 7191 Stewart Parkway in Douglasville. The phone number is 770-949-4363.

Hope to see you Sunday!!!

The Rigors and Rewards of Being Raised in Bill Arp

One of the perks of researching and writing about Douglas County history is the fact that I constantly get to meet interesting people. A couple of weeks ago I met up with Neal Beard and his lovely wife Charlotte over lunch.

Neal is known to many in Douglas County as the author of a column that appeared in Chapel Hill News and Views called “Local Lore”. Many more know him as pastor currently leading the flock at Douglasville Baptist Temple.

Neal Beard is also the author of a book titled Buttermilk and Boxer Shorts which detail his experiences as he grew up in the Bill Arp community of Douglas County during the 1940s and 50s.

Neal explains he “writes stories plucked from [his] past…My southern roots drink deeply from a fast fading culture…There are few left who remember the rigors and rewards of being raised in the country – in the south – in Bill Arp.”

These types of first-person biographical accounts are vital to the historical record of a community, and I applaud Neal for his book. Plus, I found it a very entertaining read. More often than not I found myself laughing out loud.

Neal’s book begins with the Beard family’s move to Douglas County in October, 1945. Throughout the book Neal discusses various aspects of living in Bill Arp mentioning he survived “the bloodiest and best seven years” of his life at Bill Arp grammar school. He recalls, “Serious disciplinary problems among us first and second graders were handled in a long skinny room in the back called the cloak room…In this wretched retreat [Miss Floy] lectured longer than it took the Titanic to sink – with no hope of a lifeboat. She then applied the board of education to the seat of learning.”

Neal fondly remembers swimming in Bear Creek and speaks of Kings Highway and Big A Road during a time when asphalt was far into the future.

Describing his home Neal states, “Some homes in Bill Arp had five rooms and a bath. Ours had five rooms and a path.” Neal also introduces us to concepts long forgotten such as the party line and hog killing time which had to be done on a cold day.

Throughout Neal’s story we are introduced to various folks who resided In Bill Arp including Herbert Fouts who had a water powered mill on Bear Creek where Neal worked for a time.

Neal also fondly remembers the hub of Bill Arp’s community – Bart Duke’s Store by introducing us to a cast of true life characters stating, “Over half a century ago Bill Arp was home to some distinguished visionaries, philosophers and profound thinkers. The Supreme Court of the United States with its pomp, pageantry and professionalism wasn’t as impressive to me as were these country sages…Their seats of higher learning were empty upturned Coke and R.C. Cola cases. They smoked cigarettes rolled from Bull Durham, Prince Albert or Country Gentlemen while they deliberated current concerns.”

Among the many stories in his book Neal admits to being “the only male who ever held membership in the WMU at Prays Mill Baptist Church…If you need to know anything about WMU work in the late 40s I’m the authority.”

You’ll have to buy the book for the rest of the story.

I salute Neal on his efforts to memorialize his experiences growing up in Bill Arp. We need this type of historical record to remember times gone by, and to salute folks in our past.  

You can purchase Buttermilk and Boxer Shorts via Amazon including a Kindle version, or you can contact Neal directly at his e-mail address:  nealbeard@bellsouth.net. He advises he might include his autograph inside the front cover!