140 Years Ago Today: Assassination of Clerk of Court was Major Event in Jackson County History

Davis-West House

One of the most significant events in the history of Jackson County took place on a Marianna street corner 140 years ago today.

John Q. Dickinson, an officer from the Seventh Vermont Veteran Volunteers, had been appointed the county's clerk of courts during the Reconstruction era. A Republican appointee at a time when such appointees were violently opposed by many former Confederates, Dickinson was shot down by unknown assassins who fired from behind a fence that then surrounded Marianna's historic Davis-West House. Located at the intersection of Madison and Putnam Streets, the house was then the home of Dr. Theophilus West.

The following account of Dickinson's assassination was written by Daniel R. Weinfeld, the nation's foremost authority on the events of the "Jackson County War," the name given to the Reconstruction era violence that shook the county for nearly one full decade.

John Quincy Dickinson

The Assassination of John Quincy Dickinson
by Daniel R. Weinfeld

One hundred and forty years ago, on the evening of April 3, 1871, about 9 P.M, John Quincy Dickinson, Jackson County, Florida, clerk of court, fell at the hands of an assassin.


Dickinson had survived the worst violence of the period from 1869 through 1871 that became known as the Jackson County War. As a Republican official, Dickinson could not avoid clashing with Regulators determined to return the region to white, Democratic control. With prominent Republicans being eliminated one-by-one, Dickinson was an inevitable target.

Dickinson was born in Vermont in 1836. He graduated from Middlebury College, worked for a while as a political reporter, and then spent the Civil War with the 7th Vermont Infantry in the Louisiana theatre. He remained on the Gulf Coast after the War, eventually settling in Florida. After a false start in the timber business, Dickinson accepted an appointment in September 1868 as Freedmen’s Bureau agent for Jackson County, Florida.

As Bureau duties wound down, Dickinson became active as a Republican Party operative. He accepted an appointment as Jackson County clerk of court, replacing his friend, Dr. John L. Finlayson, who was assassinated in February 1869. Jackson County sheriffs came and went, and Dickinson often found himself the only law enforcement official in the region. He signaled his future career plans when he gained admission to the bar shortly before his death.

Site of the Assassination

Dickinson was a serious, but mild-tempered man, determined to perform his duties, no matter the personal risk. His concise, clear writings, particularly his 1869 diary that became evidence in Congressional hearings, contain some of the most vivid and powerful descriptions of Reconstruction era violence. His courage was remarkable: most men would have fled the unrelenting pressure and threats he stoically endured. He also had a wry humor and good-natured side and was dearly loved by many friends. Unlike his Bureau predecessors in Jackson County, Dickinson won the grudging respect of bitter political opponents. Nonetheless, a gunman concealed in the darkness shot him down as he returned home from his office. The assassin was never identified, but speculation focused a few men Jackson County men notorious for their political violence.

His murder drew condemnation across the nation. Crowds of mourners in Florida and Vermont gathered to pay their respects as Dickinson’s coffin traveled North to his hometown of Benson, Vermont. Reports claimed that the funeral for the thirty-four-year-old was the largest ever held in the state. His tombstone, a stout, marble monument on the crest of a hillside cemetery, declares: “Capt. Dickinson Was Assassinated By the Ku Klux Klan Near His Home On the Night of April 3. He Fell at the Post of Duty in the Integrity of a True Patriot.”

Note: To read more of Dan's writings on the "Jackson County War," please visit him online at http://www.thejacksoncountywar.com/. I will post more tomorrow on the national impact of the Dickinson assassination.

Planting by the Signs of the Moon

The Moon Shines over Jackson County

Farmers and gardeners have relied on the signs or phases of the moon for thousands of years in deciding when to plant their crops. It is a tradition that was a part of the daily lives of our ancestors in Jackson County and is still used by some of the best gardeners and farmers today.

There are many misconceptions about this practice. First and foremost, it relies in no way on anything mystical. The practice actually brings a bit of ancient science into modern practice.

Early farmers observed that their plants seemed to grow better when planted on certain phases of the moon. Likewise, they did poorly when planted on other phases of the moon. Over time, they developed a consistent practice for planting on the different phases of the moon's rotation around the earth.

The science behind this is pretty simple. The moon rotates around the earth once each month. At certain phases or times in this rotation, it reflects more light on the earth than it does at others. The times when it gives more light were found to be better for planting crops that produce above ground, while the times when it gives off less light were found best for planting crops that produce below ground.

As a result of this early experimentation, which took place thousands of years ago, the practice became an accepted part of farming and agriculture and remains in use to this day. It is an important part of the history and culture of Jackson County and all of the South. To learn more and see the best days for planting in April, please follow this link:  www.jacksontimesonline.com/gardeningsigns.

New Edition of The Battle of Marianna, Florida is now in print!

The new Expanded Edition of The Battle of Marianna, Florida is now available!

The new edition includes nearly 50 pages of new information as well as maps, additional photographs and expanded casualty lists. The book features a much more detailed account not only of the Battle of Marianna itself, but also of the events of the raid leading to and following the 1864 encounter. A great deal of new information about events in Walton, Holmes, Jackson and Washington Counties has been included.

The Battle of Marianna was fought on September 27, 1864, at the climax of the deepest penetration of Confederate Florida during the entire Civil War. A column of 700 Union soldiers from the 2nd Maine Cavalry, 1st Florida U.S. Cavalry, 82nd U.S. Colored Troops, 86th U.S. Colored Troops and 7th Vermont Veteran Volunteers began crossing Pensacola Bay to what is now Gulf Breeze on September 15, 1864. The crossing took three days to complete and on the 18th the force moved west to the site of Camp Walton at today's Fort Walton Beach where a base camp was established. From there the raid inflicted heavy damage on the settled areas of Walton, Holmes and western Jackson Counties before reaching Marianna.

The fight at Marianna was one of the most intense small battles of the Civil War. Many of the participants were veterans who had served in some of the largest engagements of the war and those who left accounts commented almost to a person on the severity of the battle. One called it the fiercest battle of its size he encountered during his four years of fighting.

The battle ended with the looting of the City of Marianna and the capture of an estimated 20% of its male population. Many of these men were carried away to Northern prisoner of war camps where nearly half died before the end of the war. In addition, an estimated 600 African American slaves were freed by the Union soldiers as they advanced. After the battle, the raid turned southwest through Washington County and back to Choctawhatchee Bay.

The new Expanded Edition is available by clicking the ad at the upper left. Signed copies are now in stock at Chipola River Book & Tea in Downtown Marianna (on Lafayette Street, across from the Battle of Marianna Monument). Amazon.com also has it available as a download in electronic format for Kindle reading devices or those who use their free Kindle software on their computers or smart phones.

You can learn more about the battle at www.battleofmarianna.com.

Kindle version of "The Battle of Marianna, Florida" is now available!!

Amazon has begun the process of releasing the new Expanded Edition of my book, "The Battle of Marianna, Florida." If you have a Kindle reading device or use their free Kindle software on your computer, Ipad, smartphone, etc., it is now available for instant download at the discounted price of $9.95.

The print version of the new edition, which includes 50 pages of new material, a full bibliography, expanded casualty and soldier listings, more photographs and additional maps will be out sometime next week. I'll let you know as soon as it is available.

The Battle of Marianna was fought on September 27, 1864, and was one of the fiercest small battles of the War Between the States. It took place when a column of 700 Union troops attacked the city after advancing from Pensacola through today's Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Holmes Counties. A force of several hundred Confederate reservists, militia, home guards and volunteers tried to defend the city in what turned into a brutal hand to hand fight.

It is a little known fact that the battle concluded the deepest penetration of Confederate Florida by Union troops during the entire War Between the States. The raid to and from Marianna inflicted more economic damage on Jackson, Washington, Holmes and Walton Counties than was suffered by any other Florida counties during the war. The battle also represented the last major effort by Southern forces to defend Northwest Florida.

If you are interested in purchasing the Kindle e-book, you can do so by clicking the ad above. I'll let you know as soon as the new print version is ready for purchase!

Three Rivers State Park once again targeted for Closure!

Three Rivers State Park

For the second time in three years, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has proposed closing Jackson County's Three Rivers State Park. The move would save the state $200,000 but cost the economy of the Sneads area more than $1,000,000.

To save $6.5 million out of its $1.4 BILLION budget, DEP is recommending the closure of ONE-THIRD of Florida's State Parks and Historic Sites. These include both the Olustee and Natural Bridge Battlefields, the only preserved Civil War battlefields in Florida; the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Home, where the famed author wrote The Yearling; San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park, which preserves the ruins of a 300 year old Spanish fort; three parks that preserve ancient Indian mounds; the site of America's oldest free African American settlement; the site of the Dade Massacre which ignited the Second Seminole War, historic homes, museums and more.

Among three parks that DEP recommends closing permanently and returning to their landowners is Three Rivers State Park. Located on State Road 271 (River Road) on the northern edge of Sneads, the beautiful park covers hundreds of acres of waterfront land on the shores of Lake Seminole and features fishing, camping, hiking trails, picnic areas, boat ramps and a beautiful natural setting. It is on the Great Florida Birding Trail and is the scene of a very nice annual Christmas Lighting Display. 

Three Rivers operates at a cost of only around $200,000 a year, but according to DEP's own studies, generates more than $1,000,000 for the local economy. Such an economic loss could be devastating for Sneads and eastern Jackson County, especially with the nation in the midst of a recession. Please click here to read more about the park.

The proposal is currently before the Florida House of Representative's Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee, which is scheduled to meet again on February 9th. To voice your opinion to the subcommittee members, please visit this link and simply click on their individual names: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/committees/committeesdetail.aspx?SessionId=66&CommitteeId=2597

Beating the Drums of War - Jackson County's First Confederate Unit

1861 Sketch of Confederate Camps at Pensacola

by Dale Cox

The first Confederate company to form in Jackson County after the Secession of Florida was a unit known originally as the “Marianna Volunteers,” but later as the “Chipola Rifles.” Organized in March of 1861 with Henry H. Baker as captain and Thomas E. Clarke, Wesley H. DuBose and Francis M. Farley as lieutenants, the company was made up largely of men who had previously served in the county’s state militia regiment.

Sent to the former U.S. Arsenal at Chattahoochee at the end of March, the company was joined with other companies to form the 1^st Florida Infantry Regiment. In addition to the Marianna Volunteers, the regiment included the Jefferson Volunteers, Leon Rifles, Leon Artillery, Prairie Guards, Gainesville Minute Men, Quincy Young Guards, Franklin Riflemen and Madison Volunteers. James Patton Anderson was elected colonel and the men were soon loaded aboard steamboats at Chattahoochee Landing and sent upriver to Columbus, Georgia.

Their arrival there during the first week of April was described by that city’s newspaper:

Our wharf presented a very lively scene on Sunday, occasioned by the arrival of the Florida troops and by the concourse of citizens who continually repaired to the river bank to see them. The steamers Time and Wm. H. Young arrived early in the morning with nine companies…They remained on the boats until 8 of 4 o’clock p.m., when they marched through the city to the Railroad Depot, where they are now comfortably encamped, being aided by our city volunteer companies in the furnishing of tents, etc. Most of these companies are uniformed and armed and have beautiful banners; and they are generally hardy and fine-looking men, on whom their country can securely rely.

Moved by rail from Columbus to Montgomery, the men of the 1^st Florida boarded another train for the trip south to Pensacola (the railroad across West Florida was not completed until after the war).

They arrived on the coast to find the Pensacola electrified by the news of the Southern attack on Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Although many expected an immediate movement to reduce Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island, they instead joined the other soldiers of General Braxton Bragg’s Army of Pensacola for a long summer of drills in the hot Florida sun.

The men were stationed first at Camp Magnolia on today’s Pensacola Naval Air Station and later moved to Camp Bradford at Gulf Breeze. The Marianna Volunteers, by now called the Chipola Rifles, contributed to the force under General Richard H. Anderson that attacked the outer camps of Fort Pickens on the night of October 9, 1861.

Lieutenant Francis Farley of Jackson County was captured at the Battle of Santa Rosa Island, as the action was known, and sent north to a Union prisoner of war camp at Boston, Massachusetts. He was held there until exchanged the following year.

A 12-months regiment, Company E (The Chipola Rifles) remained in the Pensacola area until the end of December when it was sent to Montgomery to serve out the last three months of its term. Three men died of disease, but the rest eventually went home where most signed up for service in other regiments.

The first company to serve in the Confederate Army from Jackson County lost no men killed in action.

Note: To learn more about Jackson County’s role in the Civil War, please read my book, The History of Jackson County, Florida (Volume Two). It is the second in a set of books on local history and is available locally at Chipola River Book & Tea in Downtown Marianna or online here.

Jackson County and the Secession of Florida, January 10, 1861

Adam McNealy, Jackson County Delegate

By Dale Cox

 Today marks the 150^th anniversary of Florida’s secession from the Union. It was the first step that would lead to Florida becoming part of the Confederate States of America and set it on the path to take part in the bloodiest war in American history.

Although it is commonly believed today that virtually everyone in the South was in favor of the movement, this was not the case. In Jackson County, for example, even many of the largest plantation owners opposed the move, as did a majority of the farmers and merchants. This surprised many at the time, as Jackson County planter John Milton, an ardent secessionist, was the state’s governor-elect.

Proof of strong Unionist sentiment in the county is easy to come by. When a statewide election was held on December 22, 1860, to pick delegates to the Secession Convention that was to convene in Tallahassee in January, all four of the delegates elected in Jackson County were strongly pro-Union.

James L.G. Baker, Adam McNealy, Joseph A. Collier and Sidney S. Alderman were elected to represent the county at the convention. All were Constitutional Unionists and their election shocked Democratic Party leaders in the state.

When the Secession Convention convened in Tallahassee on January 3, 1861, the Jackson County delegates were among those who waged a fierce floor fight in favor of delaying any attempt to withdraw the state from the Union.

Defeated in attempt to delay the drafting of a secession ordinance, Baker, McNealy, Collier and Alderman all voted in favor of an unsuccessful amendment that would have given the voters of the state the right to decide on secession. When that amendment failed by a vote of 39-30, they then supported an amendment that would have delayed any action until the neighboring states of Alabama and Georgia decided their course. That amendment failed by a vote of 43-27.

In the end, the secession ordinance passed by a vote of 62-7. James L.G. Baker of Jackson County was one of the seven delegates who opposed the move. Adam McNealy in the end changed his mind and voted in favor of the ordinance, as did Sidney Alderman and Joseph Collier. The latter two men issued a joint statement that was included in the minutes of the Convention:

The undersigned wish distinctly to announce to this Convention and the country, that they have been and are now fully alive to the wrongs perpetuated by the North against the South, as any many member of the Convention, and only differed with the Convention as to the mode and manner of redress.

The ordinance was passed and Florida seceded from the Union on January 10, 1861. The bloody War Between the States or Civil War would follow. In Jackson County, most of those who opposed secession ultimately supported the Confederacy. Their loyalty was to their state first.

Note: To learn more about Jackson County during the Civil War, please consider my book, The History of Jackson County, Florida: The War Between the States. It can be ordered by clicking the link at left and is available locally at Chipola River Book & Tea in Downtown Marianna (on the same block as the Gazebo Restaurant).

Merry Christmas!

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

      The Holy Bible (Luke, Chapter 2)

Book Signing set for Saturday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Chipola River Book & Tea in Downtown Marianna will be hosting a book signing on Saturday to celebrate the release of my new book, A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida.

The event will run from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. (or until the book supply runs out), so if you would like an autographed copy to use as a gift for Christmas, come on down! Copies of my other books will also be available and I'll be glad to specially inscribe them as gifts.

The new book is my first short novel and tells the story of a lonely man named Ben and a Christmas Eve night that forever changes the life of the people of Two Egg. While the story is entirely from my imagination, it does include elements of local history that will be of interest, including some of the stories of how Two Egg got its unusual name. The book is Christian in nature and is the kind of story you can be comfortable reading out loud with your family for many Christmas holidays to come.

The book is specially priced at $9.95 because I know these are hard times for many people and I wanted to make it affordable. It is currently in stock at Chipola Book & Tea, which is located on the same block as the Gazebo Restaurant and has entrances on both Lafayette and Market Streets.  It is also available through Amazon.com with guaranteed delivery by Christmas.


If you are interested in some of my other books, here are links to order them through Amazon.com:

Chipola River Book & Tea now has signed copies of "A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida" in stock!

Autographed copies of my new short novel, A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida, are now in stock at Chipola River Book & Tea in Downtown Marianna.

The book tells the story of a lonely man named Ben, the mysterious stranger he has seen lurking around his barn, and what happens to the people of Two Egg on a magical Christmas Eve long ago. My first work of fiction, it is set in our favorite local community of Two Egg during the days of the Great Depression. The story is Christian and is suitable for sitting and reading out loud with the family this Christmas. It is priced at $9.95.

The book is also available in both print and Kindle versions through Amazon.com (just follow the link at the top of this posting).

I will be available to personally write greetings in books at Book & Tea on Saturday, December 18th from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. They are located in Downtown Marianna on the same block as the Gazebo Restaurant, directly across Lafayette Street from the Battle of Marianna Monument, and also carry a full selection of signed copies of my other books.

"A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida" - New Book is Now Available!

My new short novel - A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida - is now available in paperback through Amazon.com.

My first venture into nonfiction writing, A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida began as a script for a church play and grew into a small book. It tells the story of a man named Ben who finds himself along and forgotten in Two Egg on a Christmas Eve night back in the days of the Great Depression - or at least, so he thinks.

As a rare Florida snow falls, Ben encounters a mysterious man he has seen lurking around his barn for several nights and his world is changed in an instant.

The book is a short Christian novel and I hope you enjoy it. It is available now for immediate delivery through Amazon.com by following the link at the upper left of this posting. It should be available at Chipola River Book & Tea in downtown Marianna by next weekend, for as long as supplies last.

I will be doing a signing at Book & Tea on Saturday, December 18th, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., so if you order now feel free to bring your copy on by and I'll be glad to sign it for you. I'll also be glad to do custom inscriptions in books you would like to give as Christmas gifts. Chipola River Book & Tea is located on Lafayette Street in downtown Marianna, right across from the Battle of Marianna Monument, and is the official local outlet for all of my books.

Best,
Dale Cox

A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida - New Novel now available in Hardcover Collector's Edition!

I'm pleased to announce that my new short novel, A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida, is now available in a hardcover collector's edition! The hardcover edition is only available for order online.

The paperback edition will be released locally at a special signing event on December 18th at Chipola River Book & Tea in downtown Marianna. I will be on hand to sign books from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.

My first venture into writing fiction, A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida, is a short novel about a man named Ben and his life in Jackson County during the difficult days of the Great Depression. Made hard and angry by tragic events that have destroyed his family, Ben finds himself troubled on a Christmas Eve night by a mysterious stranger that has been lurking around his barn.

What follows is a story of a man facing his own life and his own fears and the remarkable gift he not only receives, but gives as well. The hardcover edition is available online at:

http://www.lulu.com/product/hardcover/a-christmas-in-two-egg-florida/14007061

Writing fiction is a big change for me, but I hope you enjoy it!

Dale Cox

The Ice Man Cometh - Dr. Gorrie in Jackson County

Replica of Gorrie's Machine

It is a virtually unknown fact today that Dr. John Gorrie, the Floridian honored in the U.S. Capitol as the inventor of artificial refrigeration, once lived in Jackson County.

Although Gorrie is primarily associated with Apalachicola, where he lived and worked during the 1840s and 1850s, he settled first at the Pope settlement in eastern Jackson County when he made his way south from South Carolina in around 1833. The site of his home was atop what is still known as Gorrie Hill, an elevation adjoining the southern border of Three Rivers State Park just north of Sneads.

Like many of his day, Dr. Gorrie came south in hopes of making a life for himself in the rapidly growing Territory of Florida. Pope's Store, a settlement that would later become Sneads, was then an important trading post and village on the heights overlooking the confluence of the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers (the actual site of Pope's Store is now under Lake Seminole). Having covered the long distance down from South Carolina, Gorrie decided to settle there to ply his profession as a medical doctor to see if he could establish himself in Florida.

It was during this same time, however, that the port city of Apalachicola was entering its boom phase. Gorrie remained at Pope's for only one year before moving on South to Apalachicola, where he would eventually invent a machine that not only could refrigerate or "air condition" a room, but could also make large quantities of ice.

His ties to Jackson County would remain strong, however, as he married a young woman from the Myrick family. Both his wife and son relocated to Marianna after the doctor's death in 1855 and their graves may be seen at St. Luke's Episcopal Church cemetery in Marianna.

You can learn more about his life at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/gorriemuseum.

Blue Moon rises over Jackson County

A legendary Blue Moon is rising over Jackson County tonight. It is the third appearance of a full moon since the beginning of fall and is considered the oldest type of Blue Moon.

In more recent times, the term Blue Moon has come to mean the second full moon in a single month, but long before this use of the term came into use, a Blue Moon was the third full moon of four to appear between a solstice and an equinox. Usually there are only three full moons to appear between the beginning of a season and a mid-point of the year, so seasons when there are four are extremely rare. Hence the term, "Once in a Blue Moon."

The Blue Moon has long been associated with sadness and disaster, and of course the passage of long periods of time.

Seasonal Blue Moons, like the one tonight, are extremely rare. The next two will be on August 21, 2013 and May 21, 2016.

Two Egg gets more National Attention!

The quaint little Jackson County community of Two Egg has once again received the kind of publicity that many larger cities would love to have!

Two Egg, Florida was among the places listed today on Bing.com's list of "Funny Place Names." Please click here to read the brief article.

Among the other locations included in the interactive online article were Toad Suck, Arkansas; Cuckoo, Virginia; Truth or Consequences, New Mexico; Boring, Oregon and quite a few others. Bing is a major search engine and thousands of people took advantage of the opportunity to search for more information on Two Egg. Many of them spent time browsing local website www.twoeggfla.com today to learn more about the community.

Two Egg, of course, is no stranger to publicity. On Easter of this year it was featured in a live report on television in Sacramento, California's capital city, and over the years the crossroads has attracted the attention of television shows including Jeapordy, magazines including National Geographic and Life and numerous radio programs.

You can always learn more about Two Egg in the book, Two Egg, Florida, available for order at the top left of this posting, or at www.twoeggfla.com.

Book Signing tomorrow morning

If you will be in and around Marianna tomorrow (Saturday) morning from 10 a.m. until around noon, I will be doing a signing at Chipola River Book and Tea. Copies of both of my new books, Old Parramore: The History of a Florida Ghost Town and the expanded edition of The Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida, will be available, along with all of my other Florida books. I'll be glad to do special inscriptions for you if you would like to use them as special Christmas or birthday gifts.

Chipola River Book and Tea is located in downtown Marianna on the same block as the Gazebo Restaurant. You can enter from either Lafayette or Market Street. I'll bet there from noon until 12ish.

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month...

Today is Veterans Day, a day set aside on November 11th of each year to recognize the veterans who have served our nation and defended our liberty.

It began as Armistice Day, an observation of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I, the first "war to end all wars." The truce ending the fighting took effect at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918, literally the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

To help remember the veterans of Jackson County who have served their country over the years, the Blue Springs Society of the Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.) placed United States flags on the graves of veterans at St. Luke's Episcopal Church this week. The cemetery is the resting place of nearly 50 known veterans who served from the War of 1812 through the modern era.

The flags will be saved so the veterans can be honored again next Memorial Day. Here are some photos I took today that you might enjoy:

New Expanded Edition of "The Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida" is Now Available!

The new and expanded edition of my book, The Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida: The Confederate Defense of Tallahassee, is now available.

A companion volume to my book on the Battle of Marianna, which will also be released in new and expanded form soon, this book explores the history of the Battle of Natural Bridge, which was fought along the St. Marks River south of Tallahassee on March 6, 1865. The last significant Confederate victory of the War Between the States, this battle not only preserved Tallahassee's status as the only Southern capital east of the Mississippi not captured during the war, it also saved much of North Florida and South Georgia from vast economic devastation.

The expanded edition of the book includes a great deal of new information, including a section featuring original accounts of the battle, expanded casualty lists and the fascinating and mysterious story of the "last casualty" of the Battle of Natural Bridge.

Many men from Jackson County fought in the Battle of Natural Bridge and the book includes numerous mentions of the county and its connections to the engagement.

To order the new book, please follow the link above. To learn more about the battle, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/nbindex.

The True Story of the Ghost of Bellamy Bridge

The story of the Ghost of Bellamy Bridge has been told in Jackson County for more than 100 years, yet it always seems to emerge as a favorite when the first hint of fall is in the air and kids start to think of Trick or Treating.

Bellamy Bridge, for the uninitiated, is an old iron frame bridge that spans the Chipola River a few miles north of Florida Caverns State Park. The wooden floor is long gone and all that remains is the skeleton of iron beams and girders. It is not currently accessible by land, but can be seen from a boat or canoe in the river (the easiest way is to put in at Turner's Landing off Bump Nose Road north of Marianna and paddle upstream until you see the bridge).

There are many stories about what happens at Bellamy Bridge in the middle of the night. Some say that the ghostly figure of a young woman can be seen walking through the thick trees of the swamps bordering the river. Others claim to see balls of fire either falling from the sky into the river or appearing and disappearing along the banks of the rivers. The most vivid tales are of the fire specter of a woman that can be seen screaming and running for the bridge near the river.

All of these stories originate from events that took place in the 19th century and not one, but two weddings of that era. If you would like to read the real story behind the Bellamy Bridge "haunting," then please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamybridge. When you get there, be sure to follow the link to "The Ghost of Bellamy Bridge: An In Depth Account" to read the full true history behind the Bellamy Bridge legend.

You'll also find a photograph of the ghost itself!

Ghosts of the Russ House

The Russ House in Marianna is one of the most beautiful architectural landmarks in Florida. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is a local treasure and is the ideal location for the purpose it currently serves - that of Chamber of Commerce and official welcome center for visitors to Jackson County.

Built in 1895 and remodeled to its present appearance in 1910, the home has been a centerpiece of the Marianna community for more than 100 years. The house has also seen its share of tragedy over the years and perhaps it is this history that contributes to its status as one of the "most haunted" places in Florida.

According to Betty Gilbert Davis of the Big Bend Ghost Trackers, the organization that conducted an extended investigation of the ghost reports in the Russ House, her group found evidence of at least two ghosts in the old house, one male and one female.

Most who believe that the house is haunted believe the male ghost is that of its builder, Joseph W. Russ, Jr., who took his own life in 1930 after seeing the family's fortune evaporate during the early days of the Great Depression. The figure of a man with a mustache has been seen in the house and eyewitnesses have reported hearing strange sounds and picking up odd scents there.  A ghostly figure has also been seen peering through the windows of the tower atop the house, something that would be a remarkable feat for a living person as it opens directly into the second floor of the house and has no floor of its own!

To learn more about the stories and some of the known history of the Russ House, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/russhouseghosts.