Cannonball House, Macon, Georgia

[gwb123]

My wife and son had a chance to visit here this summer.

 

It seems many Southern towns have their local "Civil War" house. Like many of them, this one was adopted by the Daughters of the Confederacy for many years, which insured it's preservation.

 

This house had been the residence of a local judge, and had the misfortune of being hit by Union artillery during the attacks on Macon.

 

After the projectile bounced around the house and finally settled, the occupants were quite unhappy to find it resting there. While the battle was still on going, they dispatched one of their servants to find a Confederate officer that they knew was in the area. When he came, much to his surprise he found it was a type of shell that was unknown to the Confederate Army. He gingerly removed it and then later disassembled it. He later made detailed drawings of it and submitted it to the ordnance authorities.

 

Additional details can be found on their website:

 

http://www.cannonballhouse.org/history/

 

 

[gwb123]

Insuring that the Yankees do not return is this Napoleon mounted in the front yard. The dedication plate states that it was manufactured in Macon during the war and used by the Confederate Army of Tennessee in Dalton, Georgia.

[gwb123]

I am hoping to visit here in the coming year, if for no other reason to view the Confederate uniforms that are on display.

 

From the museum website: "Among the uniforms on display in the Civil War Museum, is the Richmond Depot Type II enlisted soldier’s jacket. which belonged to Private Francis M. Freeman. It retains a butternut color because of fading of the original gray. Known as a “cloth saving design”, it was made in a shortwaisted style to save fabric."

 

 

 

 

 

[tankerman]

Hey Gil;

 

Newnan, Ga. had a re-enactment of our battle in town and cavalry battle out-of-town 2 weeks ago. Still some remindersof the War of Northern Aggression. My place was a Confederate cavalry bivouac near the batlefield south of town. there asctually was a skirmish in town. FYI

[gwb123]

Other uniforms are on display as well, which I believe were collected from Georgia veterans:

 

The display placard, while informative, is of course a significant barrier to photography.

 

Also note various swords and weapons on display.

[gwb123]

For our medal collectors, various Southern Crosses of Honor.

[gwb123]

And another:

[gwb123]

Convention ribbons for the United Daughters of the Confederacy:

[gwb123]

The house over the years was used for Daughters of the Confederacy meetings and functions. A reminder of that was a room full of chairs, each with the state seal of each state of the Confederacy needle pointed into the cushion.

 

Far from being a relic, the museum staff actually encouraged people to sit in them because "that's what they were made for!"

[gwb123]

Awaiting in the corner, behind period furnishings, modern flags wait for ceremonial purposes.

 

The Cannonball house features other exhibits about the fraternal societies of local colleges, cloth and textile samples, preserved parlors and other elements of local history. It also sponsors educational programs for grade school kids about life during the period.

 

Hopefully, if you visit the Warner Robins/ Macon area, you can fit this historic site into your visit.

[gwb123]

Hey Gil;

 

Newnan, Ga. had a re-enactment of our battle in town and cavalry battle out-of-town 2 weeks ago. Still some remindersof the War of Northern Aggression. My place was a Confederate cavalry bivouac near the batlefield south of town. there asctually was a skirmish in town. FYI

Thanks for sharing. Fell free to post if you've ever found anything from that period.

 

Lately I have begun to take an interest in local museums. They all seem to have a specific story to tell, and like this one, they often prove to have some unique items.