In September 1863 war came to Georgia in earnest when Federal and Confederate armies clashed at Chickamauga. The following year, Sherman’s armies campaigned to Atlanta and from thence marched virtually unhindered to the sea. On May 10, 1865, the same day the new U.S. president proclaimed the end of armed resistance to Federal authority, the Confederate president Jefferson Davis was captured near Irwinville.
To learn the story of the war in Georgia from beginning to end, students of the Civil War can follow driving routes established by Georgia Civil War Heritage Trails. Established in 1999, this nonprofit corporation was the brainchild of Steve Longcrier, who has led the organization since its founding. GCWHT has created three historical driving trails that crisscross the state, placing interpretive markers describing numerous episodes about the armies that fought battles and the civilians caught in the war’s path.
In the two decades since its founding, GCWHT has marked driving trails following the route of the Atlanta Campaign and the
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twin paths by which Sherman’s force marched to Savannah. A third trail leads travelers along the route Jefferson Davis took in his failed effort to reach the Trans- Mississippi and continue the fight. “Along these three routes are interpretive markers that explain not only the battles, but also the cultural, political, and social history,” Longcrier said.
Georgia is a large state and much of its territory was a battleground. “The sheer size of the project has perhaps been our greatest challenge,” Longcrier said. He pointed out that the two initial trails, covering the Atlanta Campaign and the subsequent march to Savannah, stretch diagonally across the state for more than 1,000 meandering miles. These two trails, first planned for 82 markers, now include a hundred. The Jefferson Davis Trail, when complete, will bring the total to 130.
With a true Civil Warrior’s enthusiasm, Longcrier described some stops along the war’s pathway. “One fascinating location is Tunnel Hill, where a 1,500-foot railroad tunnel connects Atlanta and Chattanooga. Completed in 1850 with slave labor, the tunnel was key for both sides.” He added a reminder that the Andrew’s raiders in the General raced through the tunnel with the Confederates in the Texas following in hot
Further south along the Western and Atlantic is Marietta’s Kennesaw House, where the raiders spent the night before boarding the General’s train. “Our marker details the hotel’s history, including its later use as a hospital, morgue, and, briefly, as General Sherman’s headquarters,” Longcrier explained.
A marker in Atlanta, in what is now Grant Park, describes Fort Walker, part of the works protecting this vital Confederate city. “This is the only remaining earthen fort of the 19 that ringed the city,” Longcrier said.
The final battle before Atlanta fell was at Jonesboro, where a marker is placed at the Patrick Cleburne Confederate Cemetery. Longcrier said that the cemetery is a stone’s throw from the Warren House, “the epicenter of the battle’s second day of fighting.”
The trail along Sherman’s route to the coast takes the visitor to Griswoldville, an important manufacturing center and the site of the largest battle between Atlanta and the sea. There are several
Antique print of “The Famous War Engine ‘General’ of the Western & Atlantic R.R. on Exhibition in Union Depot, Chattanooga, Tenn.” Today the General is located on exhibit at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, Kennesaw, Ga. stops in Milledgeville, the state capital during the war. Here few structures were burned; both the governor’s mansion and the capitol building still survive.
Nearer the end of Sherman’s march is Ebenezer Creek, near Springfield. Longcrier explained that “hundreds of slaves had been following the Federals, seeking food, protection, and freedom.” The engineers were ordered to remove the pontoon bridge after the Federal force had crossed the creek. Many desperate slaves drowned attempting to cross the frigid, rain-swollen stream. Longcrier said that his organization “was honored to be chosen to help create the first-ever interpretive marker at the site of this tragedy.”
Not everything of significance is located along the routes trampled by marching armies. “Two markers are located in Augusta,” Longcrier said, “near but not on the route of Sherman’s left wing. These markers describe in detail the story of the Confederate Powder Works and the Augusta Arsenal, two of the Confederacy’s most important industrial facilities.”
The Jefferson Davis Trail runs through 13 counties along the route taken by the Confederate president and his wife, cabinet members, and their escort in the Confederacy’s final days. “In the 150 years since the war, the story of the lost Confederate gold is the subject of many fictitious tales and half-truths,” said Longcrier. “Two markers along our Jefferson Davis Trail unravel this age-old mystery.” Longcrier was mysterious himself, and gave no further information. Readers will have to visit Chennault and read the two markers there to learn more.
Longcrier is a Georgian, by way of South Carolina, by way of Texas, by way of his native Virginia, where at a young age he developed an enthusiasm for the Civil War. “I was totally fascinated by everything,” he said, “when our family visited the Virginia Civil War Centennial Center. “I was hooked.” His family moved to Dallas when he was 11, but even in faraway Texas he stayed hooked.
He studied communications at the University of Texas and after graduation worked in radio. Later he earned a master’s degree in sports management and pursued a career in that field, He maintained his interest in history, however, and began teaching adult education courses.
A trip to Pennsylvania and back in 1993, and a new job that took him to Georgia, eventually led him to the specific mission that has occupied him for over 20 years.
Longcrier visited Gettysburg for the battle’s 130th anniversary. On his way home he stopped to visit Petersburg National Battlefield. There he met park historian Chris Calkins. “As we chatted, Chris mentioned his involvement with the creation of a driving trail, labeled Lee’s Retreat, following the historic routes of the Confederate and Union armies in the last week of the war in Virginia. I was intrigued.”
As Longcrier continued to work at his day job, he began to develop his plan that eventually led to
forming GCWHT. A new position with the state of South Carolina, where he helped create an historical driving trail and managed the state’s program to promote Civil War tourism, served as a prelude to his Georgia project.
In 1999 Georgia Civil War Heritage Trails, Inc., was formed. The following year the corporation obtained 501 (c) (3) status from the IRS and Longcrier began to work full time for his brainchild.
Longcrier stressed that GCWHT is a “bottom-up organization.” Local participation has been critical to the program’s success. Local volunteers help decide what events are chosen for interpretation and write the text for a marker. Longcrier explained that careful review ensures accuracy. “Our history committee of national and state park historians,
university professors, authors, and excellent amateur historians review each draft and recommend proper maps, photos, and other graphic content for each marker.”
The markers along the trail are made to last, built to the same standard as the markers used by the National Park Service. “But nothing lasts forever,” Longcrier said. “Ongoing maintenance is essential. Weather, vehicle accidents, and other concerns are constant. Even commercial lawnmowers striking the legs of the markers and trailblazer signs can become maintenance headaches.”
In addition to the markers themselves, GCWHT has installed over 1,000 directional signs on the state’s highways and byways. “Each trailblazer sign helps guide motorists along the trail. They often followed the same historic roads used by
Union and/or Confederate soldiers,” said Longcrier. “Same roads,” he joked, “but now most are paved and striped.”
GCWHT’s work is done largely through volunteers. The organization is governed by a board of trustees. The history and advisory committees assist with the effort. As one purpose of the program is to promote tourism, there is also a marketing committee composed of tourism professionals.
GCWHT operates with grants supplemented by funds appropriated by the state legislature. The work requires coordination with numerous governmental agencies, federal, state, and local; the inevitable red tape has sometimes posed challenges. These challenges were initially underestimated, Longcrier said, but “ultimately were navigated through, over or around.” He named ten state and federal agencies and said that the project also “involves 120 local governments and a like number of local historical organizations, chambers of commerce, tourism bureaus, service organizations, schools, colleges, and more. Plus the public or private landowners who must give written permission for locating markers and trailblazer signs.” That is a lot of red tape and a lot of coordination. A key volunteer carrying a large share of the load is Longcrier’s wife Ginger, who has served as proofreader, webmaster, newsletter editor, and “a willing participant in any other necessary task.”
“With regard to education,” Longcrier said, “countless requests have been made through the website by teachers and students for information about specific sites and for brochures covering the trails as a whole.” He is developing plans to promote field trips and to create lesson plans for schools tailored for the sites in their communities.
Tourism success is hard to quantify, but very real, said Longcrier. Visits to the website have increased nearly every year, with the virtual visitors coming from every state and 186 foreign countries. Requests for brochures have increased even during the pandemic. Longcrier believes there is a pent-up demand and anticipates a “booming 2021.”
I naively asked when the project would be complete. Longcrier mentioned plans to create an additional trail to track Wilson’s Raid. He is also planning trails for South Carolina and Alabama. There is also the ongoing maintenance for the interpretive markers and trailblazer signs. So the answer to my question is something pretty close to “never.”
Georgia Civil War Heritage Trail’s website is at https://www.civilwarheritagetrails.org/ and its Facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/search/ top?q=georgia%20civil%20 war%20heritage%20trails.
