Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-05
LETTER FROM BAINBRIDGE.
Decatur COunty-SOme of Hts His
tory. Geography and Topography
Two Natural CurIOsIIIes about
BatDbridge - Fort Scots - Battle
with the IOdians-Lands. Lakes.
Rivers. Forests, Etc.

| MOTflInQ AelCS'
In my first letter from here a few days ago
brevity confined me to the railroad extension
question and a few hints about the future
prospect Of Bainbridge and Decatur county. 1
now propose to show solid foundation for TIE
hopes and anticipations of the citizens in that
bright future, by some references to the histo-
ry, geography, topography, progress and ca
| pacitY of both
| Decatur county lies in the extrems south
| western corner and is one of the largest in the
State, having an area Of thirty-five by fifty
miles, nearly equally divided by the Flint river,
navigable to Albany. Its western boundary is
the Chattahcochee river, giving the county the
gr5 at dvantage of two large navigable streams
connecting il with the Gulf Of Mexico, about
seventy se miles distant. Its territory on
| level pine land covered with fine tim
| Der, now attracting the attention of Northern
mill men-one individual now prospecting
with the view or purchasing one hundred thou
| sand acres Of timbered lands for Wisconsin
| firm. The territory on the east of the Flint.
| somew hat the largest, is also much the most
elevated, rising to the altitude of 3;S feet at
| FowltowD South of Banbridge), above tide
water, and 315 feet at Climax nine miles east
| or Bainbridge while the town OF Bainbridee is
perched upon bluff on the east bank Of the
| Flint, 225 feet above The sea level The lands on
| the west side are gently undulating, capable of
| good drainage, and fertile; but those on The
east are peculiarly broken, high hills AMI deep
| valleys, with every variety of SOIL and in many
| localities picturesque and beautiful to surpfiS
| ing degree In addition to the rivers named
| the county has many bold creeks, some OF large
| size and already used for milling pur
poses, upon which border the principal
| hummock lands, alluval and very fertile in the
/ river bottoms. but lighter and not so durable
along the greater elevations of the ere Rs nd
| branches. There are also two or three beauti-
/ full lakes, while in the northern part of the
| county there are two natural curiosities
worthy to be visited by scientists. They have
! been described as follows by Col. Charles J
| Munnerlyn, we'll known distinguished citizen
| of Decatur county, who, am glad to say, still
enjoys life upon his large plantation but a few
miles distant:
| from the fact that there is percep.ible issue
| of wind from its mouth. The other curiosity
| is The Sink called so by pre-emlnence, as il
| is supposed to be the deepest in the county,
| being over one hundred feet deep A beautful
stream of water, upon which are now some fine
mills, erected By Mr.. l.. o. Jackson, emptieS
into the sink and disappears. The sides of
the sink are lined by bold jutting lime rocks,
and they are covered with moses and ferns;
the whole presenting picture of great
beauty"
| county and one deserves special mention. The
Lime Spring. or springs which form Spring
Cree k, some of them covering an acre or more
OF ground, very deep and clear, constitute q
place of summer resort for parties of young
people and others in quest OF sport. Fish of
many varieties,' says Colonel Munnerlyn
''can always be seen swimming and feeding in
their depths. During the summer, when the
water in the creeks becomes warm. the rock
fsh collect in large numbers in the springs,
and furnish great sport, being speared by
torch light"
One of these spearing parties recently can
tured in the springs nineteen fine rocSfsh,
aggregating over three hundred pounds, whiie
one individual drew the scales at thirty six
DOuQdg streams abound
fine fish of many varieties. the fore is
and fields furnish equal attraction in
squirrels rabbits partridges doves snipe and
water fowls on the lakes and rivers. No county
in the State is better provided with natural
means of entertainment for its citizens and the
high order of intelligence and moral tone per
vading the white population sufficiently ind
cate the efficiency of its well supported schools
and academies.
Though the county vas laid out in 1873. max
ing it now about fifty nine years old, it was laid
out in the wilderness, and in dangerous prox-
unity to the fighting grounds OF the Indians.
battle with whom had been fought at FOwltown
in 1918, where Mr. Hughes. fifer of tie com
mand, was killed, the accident Of whose burial
on the high bluff at Bainbridge gave his name
to the fort which occupied the bluff at the time
Bair bridge was surveyed and laid out by John
Dona dson, VIM. Powell and VIM. Chester in
1924, upon a fifty acre lot donated by citizen
Robert Douglass.
The vast vacant territory between this new
town and the settled regions of great State,
to absorb the moving population, was sufficient
reason Tor slow growth, but other localities IN
the county had preceded it in settlement end no.
tably Fort Scott, twelve miles south of Baiu-
bridge, the west side of Flint river, near the
lime, or white Springs" already mentioned.
AS many as twelve hundred noldiers were at
one time at that post, under the famous hero
Of St. Marks, Pensacola and New Orleans, which
concentrated immigration upon that locality
of safety from the Indians, and consequently,
al the trade and Importance Of the new coun-
try. For many years after the removal Of the
troops, Fort Scott continued to command the
trade of two splendid rivers and the adjacent
territory. and until cambridge, much better
located, began to show remarkable growth and
energy. -
Fort Scott then began to dclne, and today
it is one of the dead towns of Georgia with
an unwritten history, so far as l am aware.
Opposite this old fort, on the east side of the
Flint, was Camp Curry, a locality chosen for
the better health of the soldiers stationed at
the junction of the Flint and Chatti hoochee a
few miles below, which was considered very
unhealthy Camp Curry is the resting place of
the rem. ins of ABOUT three hundred of the
heroes who sacrificed all for the happy poDula
tion now enjoying the fruits of their patriotism
and self sacrifice, and am glad 10 announce
even at this late date. that through the inter-
vention of Judge NJ. ONeal, of Bainbridge, and
Hon. William II. Turner, in Congress from this
district the government has ordered the erec
tion OF bef1tting monuments to these noble
dead. One of these monuments will be erected
at Camp Curry. and the other over the remains
of the solitary victim Of the battle of FOwltown,
deposited, as before stated, at Fort Hughes
now cambridge. 1t may be stated as bit of
interesting history that Hughes-whose given
name could not learn-during the blind battle
in the forest, gallsntly mounted to the summit
of an Indian wigwam, from which the enemy
had been driven, and, thus conspicuous play ed
his fife with great vigor. While in this position
he received the fatal bullet. and proved to be
the only casualty of the battle on the side of
the whites. But further remarks must be re- |
served for another letter. B.
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