Pulaski County GaArchives History .....Blackshear's Military Road 1935 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 July 28, 2004, 12:43 am BLACKSHEAR'S MILITARY ROAD By Blackshear Military Road we mean to refer to that road cut by General Blackshear and troops from Hartford to Flint River between the dates of December 27, 1814, and January 6, 1815. It is the first road ever to be opened in west Pulaski County and was the only road for several years in this part of Pulaski. Chronologically, it should be the third in our study. We are discussing it last because we wish to identify the route, if possible, from Hartford to Fort Early. After ferrying the 0cmulgee from Hartford, Blackshear began his road at the ferry landing near the foot of Commerce Street, taking the course of Jackson Street, crossing Mile Branch at its foot, it proceeded to near Big Creek along the route of the present Dixie Highway. It leaves the highway to the left at the first curve this side of the present bridge, crossing the Tuscawhachee or Big Creek about 300 yards below the present concrete bridge; it bears hard to the right and follows the Rochelle road, leaving the old Irvinville road to the left; proceeds to the top of the hill beyond the old Pollock cemetery one-half mile this side of Wallace Station, where it leaves the Rochelle highway, following the right fork; thence it continues to the Slade place, passing Antioch Baptist Church, crossing Ten Mile Creek at Rocky Bluff, entering Wilcox County at the Locke place 300 yards east of Friendship Baptist Church. Leaving the Troupville road to the left at J. E. Holt's it enters Dooly County just beyond Bear Creek, passes into Crisp at the Tom Lamb place and, going by Sharon Baptist Church, it enters Cordele from the northeast, and going southwest crosses the Albany Northern Railroad near the Albany highway crossing. It follows the vicinity of the Albany highway on the west side of the railroad, being about a half-mile west of the highway at the widow Culpepper's and Wheeler's places; it passes near old Ebenezer Baptist Church. Between Ebenezer and Albany highway bridge the Blackshear road turns down the creek, crossing Cedar Creek about two miles below the Albany highway bridge, almost directly in front of H. Williams' and about 250 yards above Raines highway bridge over Cedar Creek. From this crossing at Cedar Creek it continues to Fort Early on the banks of Flint River. The established camp points on this military road as given in p. 41 Blackshear's letters, are Camp on the west side of Ocmulgee, December 30, 1814; Camp Creek Nation, January 3, 1815; Camp Twenty-Six Mile Creek, January 4th. The last camp is near Sharon Baptist Church. Then comes Camp within eight miles of Flint River, January 5, and Camp Thirty-Six Mile Creek, January 6th (Cedar Creek), and Camp at Flint River January 7, 1815. At Camp Thirty-Six Mile Creek, now known as Cedar Creek, General Black-shear threw up breastworks which were later used by Major Heard in 1818. On Blackshear's return to Hartford he dates a letter at "camp twelve miles east of Flint River, January 14, 1815." Although the writer is interested in tracing the Blackshear trails through Pulaski County, yet he is confident that the above route will not he questioned, except probably that part from the Old Holly Tree on the Slade place into the city of Hawkinsville. At the Slade place the road forks. One road comes in by way of Fountain's Mill and the other bearing to the right striking the Rochelle high-way, passing to Big Creek bridge, over the Central Dixie Highway and up Jackson Street to the heart of the city. The writer's assumption that the lower route is correct is based on the following facts: first, tradition that cannot be easily set aside substantiates it, and the facts in the case are against the upper route by way of Fountain's Mill; second, a comparison of Blackshear's Memoirs with Jackson's Military Itinerary of 1818 seems to clinch the matter in favor of the Jackson Street route. The following entries are taken from an old county road book used by Mr. W. B. Petty in the nineties while he was road superintendent of Pulaski County. The book was found at the county courthouse by the writer. The entries begin at the Wilcox County line and trace the Blackshear Road into Hawkinsville: "Whitfield District: J. E. Williams, Overseer. Blackshear Road from county line to Ten-Mile Creek 31/2 miles." Whitfield District: Ridge Hobbs, Overseer. Blackshear Road from Ten-Mile Creek to District (Whit-field) line, 21/2 miles. This traces the road to the edge of Dupree District, to a point where the road forks. He continues to record, "Dupree District: to district line 11/4 miles." On the opposite page from the last entry above he makes the following entry concerning the left fork of the road which leads to Fountain's Mill. "Dupree District: T. L. Stevens, Overseer. Fountain Mill Road commencing at the Holly Bush and running to the mouth of the lane" (beyond Fountain's Mill). The next entry about the Black-shear Road is as follows: "Bluespring District: M. H Smith, Over-seer. Blackshear Road from Big Creek Bridge to near Dan Vaughn's place, 3 miles." And the next is "Hawkinsville, Henry Wasner, Overseer : River or Blackshear Road from E. B. Royal's to Big p. 42 Creek Bridge, 2 miles." And last, "Hawkinsville District, S. J. Mitchell, Commissioner and Superintendent. River or Blackshear Road from incorporation line to E. B. Royal's, 2 miles." This old road superintendent of the nineties traces Blackshear Road from Wilcox County line to the foot of Jackson Street via Big Creek bridge. Furthermore, it seems established beyond question that Mr. Green Fountain opened the road by his mill that now bears the name Fountain Mill Road. After he built Fountain's pond and placed a mill there he wanted a road leading there from Hawkinsville. He cut it and then extended it on to the Holly Bush, there intersecting with the Blackshear Road. This act on his part caused certain parties living on the Blackshear Road and operating a tavern to become incensed with Mr. Fountain, as traffic was diverted from the old Blackshear Trail via Fountain's Mill, thus hurting the tavern business. Records in the Clerk of Court office of Pulaski County show that Mr. Fountain did not purchase the Fountain Mill lands until 1828; fourteen years after Blackshear had blazed his trail to Fort Early. Of course, the property was developed after this date, and the road could hardly have been cut before some time in the thirties. This seems to me to eliminate Fountain's Mill Road as a possible route for Blackshear's Trail. If the above route for Blackshear's Road still be challenged, a study and comparison of Memoirs of Gen. David Blackshear, by Stephen Miller, with Assistant Topographical Engineer, Capt. Hugh Young's Itinerary of General Jackson's army, discloses that the Blackshear Road and Jackson's Trail are identical. It may be wise to make an exhibit of what these documents reveal. Memoirs of General Blackshear show: 1. On September 19, 1814, General Blackshear ordered Captain Richard Thomas to ascertain the best practicable route for a road from Hartford to Flint River, striking the latter below the mouth of the We-cuy-wau Creek. On December 8, 1814, Governor Early sends General Blackshear the chart made by Captain Thomas of his route last September. 2. General McIntosh issues detachment orders: "Camp Hope, Dec. 14, 1814. Brig.-Gen. Blackshear will march with Col. Wimberly's regiment of infantry direct from this encampment to Hart-ford on the 0cmulgee River and proceed from thence by opening a road in the most direct way to the Flint river." 3. On December 30, 1814, Blackshear writes McIntosh: "I detached two companies to clear a road and make a bridge across the first creek" (Big Creek). On January 5th he writes Colonel Haw- p. 43 kins: "I have been much impeded in my march in consequence of difficulties that presented themselves in cutting and traveling a new road." January 7th, the General informs A. McDonald: "I am now but forty-one miles from Hartford and on the bank of Flint river and with very little labor in addition to what has already been done will have an excellent road and particularly so in dry weather." This route for the Blackshear Road has been established from General Blackshear's letters and "Memoirs of General David Black-shear," by S. Miller; records of old land grants, and an old county road book by Supt. W. B. Petty on the 1890s. Moreover, Assistant Topographical Engineer Captain Hugh Young's Itinerary of General Jackson's Army, as taken in 1818, discloses that the Blackshear Road is identical with the route followed by Jackson. Itinerary of General Jackson's Army reveals the following : 1. That General Jackson's troops marched from Hartford to Fort Early in 1818. 2. That General Jackson followed a road already established as to be seen from these excerpts: "Excessive rains have rendered the roads so bad." "The road continues." "Cedar creek down which the road runs three miles. Where the old road crosses it." (Cedar Creek.) 3. The road from Hartford to Fort Early is S. E. to the distance of 41 miles. 4. After leaving the ferry landing on the west banks of 0cmulgee, Jackson crosses a small creek in the first mile-water was greatly over the banks, presenting a river of 150 yards in width but in common stages is not more than 25 feet wide. The conclusions at which the writer arrives from a comparison of these two documents and his study of the trail for its entire length, having gone over it from Hawkinsville to Fort Early, are the following: 1. Blackshear opened the only road in West Pulaski County prior to 1821. 2. Blackshear and Jackson had the same point of destination in leaving Hartford, viz.: Fort Early, on the banks of Flint River. 3. There were not two roads leading to Fort Early from Hartford. Blackshear cut one in 1815, and there was no need for another to be cut within the next three years. Therefore, Jackson must have followed Blackshear's road, as it was the only road leading to Fort Early. And again, Jackson continually refers to a road he was following. 4. Blackshear declares his road from Hartford to Fort Early is but forty-one miles. Jackson's Itinerary says: "The road from p. 44 Hartford to Ft. Early is 41 miles." This establishes the presumption of identity as a fact. 5. Both documentary and traditional evidence agree that Black-shear's Road was followed by Jackson. Blackshear bridged one stream-Big Creek. Jackson Bridged Ten-Mile Creek. Blackshear's route passed through Cordele. Jackson camped in Cordele on his march to Fort Early. Jackson's troops were attacked by Indians at Skin Cypress Pond. This pond is located on J. L. Wheeler's place on Blackshear's Trail. Major F. E. Heard retreated to the site of Blackshear's Thirty-Six Mile Creek Camp, using the old Blackshear breastworks as a defense against the Indians when they attacked Jackson's provision train. Does this not establish the fact that Jackson followed Blackshear's Road? 6. Blackshear's Road was down Jackson Street, if the identity of the two routes be established as the same. Again, there was no other road leading out of Hawkinsville to Fort Early but Black-shear's. Jackson crossing a small creek in the first mile-water greatly over banks, presenting a river of 150 yards in width, but in common stages is not more than 25 feet wide-definitely locates the route of the Blackshear Road as Jackson Street. Additional Comments: Extracted from "HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY GEORGIA" OFFICIAL HISTORY COMPILED BY THE HAWKINSVILLE CHAPTER DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION PRESS OF WALTER W. 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