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Letters to the Editor

This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Marker Text: The Battle of Kettle Creek, fought here on February 14, 1779, was one of the most important battles of the Revolutionary War in Georgia. At that time, the State was almost completely under British control. Col. Boyd with 600 British sympathizers (Loyalists or Tories) crossed the Savannah River into present day Elbert County en route to the British Army then at Augusta. Patriots Col. Andrew Pickens with 200 S.C. militia and Col. John Dooly and Lt. Col. Elijah Clark with 140 Georgia Militia marched to overtake the Loyalists. On the morning of the 14th, Boyd and his men were camped here at a bend in the then flooded Kettle Creek. Their horses were grazing, sentries were posted, and most of the men were slaughtering cattle or searching for food. The Patriots attempted to attack the Loyalist camp by surprise but failed and a desperate battle raged on both sides of the creek for three hours before the Loyalists finally broke and fled. Col. Boyd and 20 of his men were killed and 22 captured. Pickens and Dooly lost seven killed and 14 or 15 wounded. Pickens later wrote that Kettle Creek “was the severest check and chastisement, the Tories ever received in South Carolina or Georgia.”
Marker Text: The Battle of Kettle Creek, fought here on February 14, 1779, was one of the most important battles of the Revolutionary War in Georgia. At that time, the State was almost completely under British control. Col. Boyd with 600 British sympathizers (Loyalists or Tories) crossed the Savannah River into present day Elbert County en route to the British Army then at Augusta. Patriots Col. Andrew Pickens with 200 S.C. militia and Col. John Dooly and Lt. Col. Elijah Clark with 140 Georgia Militia marched to overtake the Loyalists. On the morning of the 14th, Boyd and his men were camped here at a bend in the then flooded Kettle Creek. Their horses were grazing, sentries were posted, and most of the men were slaughtering cattle or searching for food. The Patriots attempted to attack the Loyalist camp by surprise but failed and a desperate battle raged on both sides of the creek for three hours before the Loyalists finally broke and fled. Col. Boyd and 20 of his men were killed and 22 captured. Pickens and Dooly lost seven killed and 14 or 15 wounded. Pickens later wrote that Kettle Creek “was the severest check and chastisement, the Tories ever received in South Carolina or Georgia.” David Seibert Georgia Historical Society

Kettle Creek

Hear-ye, hear-ye! The Sons of the American Revolution and Daughters of the American Revolution would like to invite everyone to attend the upcoming 239th celebration of the Battle of Kettle Creek, near Washington, Georgia, during the weekend of February 9-11.

Of the total 42 battles and skirmishes fought during the revolution in Georgia, Kettle Creek was one of the most important battles and a victory for Georgia. It helped establish strong patriot forces that would eventually defeat British loyalist forces later in the war. On February 14, 1779, Col. John Dooly, the namesake of Dooly County, Col. Andrew Pickens, and Col. Elijah Clarke and 400 patriot forces would defeat 600 British loyalist under Col. John Boyd. Col. Boyd was in the Georgia back country to recruit loyalist forces and died in the effort.

During the weekend celebration, the whole family can enjoy a walking tour of the Kettle Creek Battlefield site, the marked trails and interpretive signs. Visitors can enjoy a day tour of downtown Washington, visit the Washington Historical Museum, the Robert Toombs House to enjoy 18th century history and battlefield relics. That morning, the SAR Honor Guard will host a parade around the Courthouse square. Georgia Society SAR Elijah Clarke Militia and other re-enactors with black-powder muskets will present a dramatic portrayal of the Battle of Kettle Creek in Fort Washington Park behind the Wilkes County Courthouse. On Saturday, Feb. 10, at 2:30 pm, the SAR and DAR will present wreathes and speeches to celebrate the Battle of Kettle Creek at the actual battle site. For more information, go to http://www.washingtonwilkes.org/

Also during the same weekend, on Friday Feb 9, Elijah Clarke Park, near Lincolnton, will host a free chili lunch with deserts for visitors. The park will have colonial lifestyle demonstrations, period music, musket and cannon firings, traveling trunk display, book signings and informative speeches. For more information go tohttp://gasocietysar.org/event/elijah-clarke-and-heroes-of-the-hornets-nest/. Please join us for these fun and educational events.

John Trussell,

Warner Robins

Aviation Cadet Museum

Congressman Steve Womack, R-Ark., filed House Resolution 638 on Nov. 30 with all of the delegation onboard. We are very grateful and pleased. This follows the Senate bill that was introduced by Arkansas Republican senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton this summer. Now, to the really hard part. We desperately need your support via publishing our plea for all folks from all states to contact their congressional representatives and ask them to support S. Res. 186 (may be changed to S. Bill. 186) and H. Res. 638, The National Aviation Cadet Museum of the United States.

Most people don’t realize that we are the boys, turned into men, by this great program that built the air arm of this nation from 1917 until the end of the 20th century. We had cadets in all services, and most everyone in our nation has at least one in their family line. We need to get this accomplished now, as we are all getting on in years and would like to be alive to see it happen. I am 77 and considered a “kid” compared to the rest of the surviving men. We all thank you so much for your help in honoring these great men. For more information please go to our web site, www.aviationcadet.org/home.aspx

Errol D. Severe,

President, Aviation Cadet Museum, Inc.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Hatred of Trump

My political views and opinions are influenced by the printed word with an occasional look see at conservative and Christian radio and television programing. Political views and opinions once traded with civility are now venomous. This metamorphosis was brought about not by bias (fake) news, but by the hatred openly expressed by mainstream radio, television and print organizations for President Trump. This hatred is nothing more than demonic temper-tantrums generated by a man whose devotion to the rule of law, country and God terrifies them.

After watching and reading this stuff, off and on, for a few weeks I have concluded this level of hatred exist and thrives because we have become a nation of spiritual eunuchs addicted to materialism and political power — not God.

Travis L Middleton,

Peach Country

Good letters

There were four excellent Letters to the Editor Sunday. The first two were John G. Kelley’s letter on “Golden Pen accounting” and Edward Weintraut’s “Grammer cop.”

I belong to an automotive forum and am often trolled and criticized by someone who considers himself an expert. I finally changed my signature block from, “You’re just jealous because the voices only speak to me,” to “Not respinsible for typois.”

Also congrats to Allyn Snyder’s “Forgotten oath” and Roby Kerr’s “Defending scoundrels” for telling it like it is.

Carl Pirkle,

Byron

Challenge accepted

I accept the challenge! As a soon-to-be-retired engineer anticipating more free time, my goal for 2018 is to break into John Daugherty’s “Top Ten” category of letter writers with this observation. As I have already been volunteering my services in my own areas of interest and limited competence, I hope to expand those activities soon.

In the area of teaching outside work, I hope to do more. In the area of tutoring mathematics, that may continue. In the area of music, I’ll play as long as my hands hold out. In the area of gardening, I hope to make my yard look like a park. In the area of the sad state of our local public libraries, I’ll leave that up to “retired professional librarians,” who might want to do more than merely make their own observations. Volunteering to open a library on “Sundays and national holidays” when the library employees might want to be home with their families could be a good place to start.

Free volunteer labor does not make a significant impact on any organization’s budget, and it just might improve the terrible state of Houston County services.

Dan Topolewski,

Kathleen

This story was originally published January 8, 2018 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, January 9, 2018."

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