USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume I > Part 39
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The monument which served a double purpose for so many years as a memorial to the two distinguished officers of the Revolution was without any inscription whatever until the year 1886, when the two bronze tablets, one with an inscription and the other with an alto relievo portrait of General Greene, were unveiled in connection with the cele- bration of the centennial of the Chatham Artillery.
MAYORS AND ALDERMEN, 1821-24
In 1821 James Morrison was elected mayor of Savannah, and the board of aldermen serving with him were the same as the associates of his predecessor, Charlton, except Dr. W. C. Daniell. M. Sheftall. Sr .. Jacob P. Henry, Frederick A. Fell and Joseph Cumming. Mr. Morri- son was mayor for the second time in 1822, with a board of aldermen composed of R. W. Habersham, Win. C. Daniell, Win. Davies, Moses Sheftall, Chas. Harris. Isaiah Davenport. Chas. H. Hayden, F. A. - Fell, Thos. Clarke. A. B. Fannin, Moses Herbert, Oliver Sturges and Gardner Tuffts. For a third time successively Mr. Morrison was the mayor of the city in 1823, his aldermen being R. W. Habersham, Moses
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Herbert, F. S. Fell, Geo. Sibley, C. H. Hayden, Fred'k Densler, Moses Sheftall, Wm. Davies. JJames S. Bulloch, Philip Brasch, Thos. N. Morel, Oliver Sturges and Chas. Harris. Dr. Win. C. Daniell filled the office of chief magistrate of Savannah in 1824, assisted by aldermen Wm. B. Bulloch, Geo. Shick. Chas. Harris, Jos. W. Jackson, Geo. Miller, Jas. Morrison, JJ. B. Gaudry, Isaac Minis, Wi. R. Waring, Jos. Clay Haber- shan, Fred'k Densler. Jos. Cumming and Wm. C. Wayne. Dr. Daniell again served as mayor in 1825, with aldermen Chas. Harris, Geo. Miller, Jas. Morrison, Jos. W. Jackson, Wm. Thorne Williams, J. B. Gaudry, Wm. R. Waring, Jos. Cumming, Wm. C. Wayne, I. Minis, S. B. Park- man, Sam'l Philbrick and Chas. Gildon.
CANAL PROJECT INAUGURATED
In the year 1826. shortly. after LaFayette's visit, steps were taken in the matter of digging a canal to connect the Ogeechee with the Savan- nah river, and eventually to extend it to the Altamaha. In February the citizens met in mass meeting at the Exchange to discuss the matter of a grant which had been made to E. Jenekes, but it seems that there was not sufficient enthusiasm at that time to produce favorable results. The first real step in advance was made on the 21st of October when couneil consented to the cutting of the canal through the city lands, on petition of the commissioners of the Savannah, Ogeechee and Altamaha canal, when the president of the company showed in a letter to the board that the canal would surely "open new sources of profit to enterprising men, and thus add to the aggregate wealth of the city. It is," he said. "an enterprise undertaken as a measure of public benefit imperiously required by the declining commerce of the City." The city was induced, through the report of a committee appointed to look into the matter, to subscribe for $7,000 of the stock of the company, which represented seventy shares at $100 per share. and that subseription was later on increased to $10,000. The city was interested in the project for many years, but does not seem to have made anything out of its investment. In 1843 council appointed a committee to look into the affairs of the .company, and to report upon the feasibility of the city's taking the canal under its care and completing it ; but no report of that committee can be found.
FORT PULASKI COMMENCED
The next matter of public interest in chronological order is the begin- ning of the building of Fort Pulaski on Cockspur island. The site for this fort was chosen, we are told, by Major Babcock, of the United States Engineer Corps, and it was built by Captain Mansfield of the same corps, work having been begun in 1831, and the cost of it amounted to nearly one million dollars.
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CHAPTER XXIV AS A MILITARY POST
LOCATING THE OGLETHORPE BARRACKS (1834) -MILITARY PARADE GROUND -MILITARY HEADQUARTERS OF CONFEDERACY-UNITED STATES TAKES OGLETHORPE BARRACKS-HISTORY OF FIRST GEORGIA VOLUNTEER, CONTINUED-MAYORS AND ALDERMEN, 1826-1834.
At this point our attention will be directed to the subject of the city as a military post.
It is known that before the year 1823 certain companies. of United States troops had been stationed in Savannah. We have no means of ascertaining where they were quartered; but on the 4th of April of the year just mentioned, the troops having been in part previously removed, council petitioned the secretary of war to make Savannah a military post and consented to furnish land for the location of barracks.
LOCATING THE OGLETHORPE BARRACKS (1834)
Nothing seems to have been done by the government at that time, and the remaining troops were withdrawn early in 1824. Dissatisfied with that action, eouneil resolved, on the 15th of April, to correspond, through a committee, with the war department, urging that at least two companies be kept on duty here at all times. To that appeal the secretary responded that, provided suitable quarters could be secured, he would send the troops baek, and another committee was appointed. to take the matter up with him; but no report was made by the com- mittee.
The next step was taken by the secretary of war in Mareh, 1826, when he inquired as to the best place for the building of a proposed barracks. Then couneil took a more decided stand, and appointed the mayor, Dr. Win. C. Daniell, and Aldermen John Shellman and William Thorne Williams a committee to proceed in the matter; and they reeom- mended for the purpose a point on the Great Ogeechee road a little beyond the one-mile post as the best they could find, and that it could be purchased for about $3,000. They further reported that the city could furnish, free of charge, as long as it should be used for military purposes, a site on the south eommon, should that be preferred. The loeation of this tract of land is just where the city now extends from Gunnnett street to Park avenue. The offer of the city was accepted,
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and, on the 17th of January, 1827, Secretary James Barbour trans- mitted to congress estimates for "an appropriation for barracks and other buildings at Cantonment Oglethorpe, Georgia ; soldiers to perforni labor ; amount of material required."
The buildings were erected by the government and Cantonment Ogle- . thorpe was the abode of the United States troops until the building of barracks on the splendid site where the DeSoto hotel now stands and which barracks stood there from about 1834 to the time they were torn down to make room for the hotel.
At the first session of the 22d congress on the 22d of March, 1832, the following correspondence was submitted to the house of representa- tives, and, notwithstanding the adverse reports, the barracks were erected two years afterwards.
"Mr. Drayton. from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the memorial of the mayor and aldermen of the city of Savall- nah, relating to the expedieney of erecting barracks in that city for the United States troops who are stationed in its vicinity. reported :
"That they have had communications with the War Department upon the subject of the above memorial, as will be seen upon an inspec- tion of the papers herewith filed, marked A, B, and C, from the tenor of which they are of opinion that it would be inexpedient, at this time, to authorize thie erection of barracks in the City of Savannah, They therefore submit to the House the following resolution :
"Resolved, That the Committee be discharged from the further consideration of the memorial of the mayor and aldermen of the City of Savannah.
"To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled : The memorial of the mayor and aldermen of the City of Savannah showeth : That it has been the practice of late years to remove the United States troops from Cantomnent Ogle- thorpe, near Savannah, to a distant post for several months in summer. Your memorialists are informed, and have reason to believe, that this course has been pursued solely in consequence of the extreme unhealthi- ness of the situation : and the permanent location of United States troops among them being of importance to the community they represent, they respectfully invite the attention of Congress to this subject. You me- morialists do not ask for the continuance of the troops at the post they now occupy to the imminent hazard of their lives, but they would with due deference submit to the' consideration of Congress the expedieney and necessity of forming another military establishment, to be located in this city. For years past Savannah has been favored with as much health as most of our Atlantie cities, and has been exempt from any malignant disease: and the professional gentlemen who have been con- sulted on the occasion are decided in the opinion that, under proper restrictions. the troops might enjoy a good degree of health in a position within its limits. An eligible site for barracks could be obtained at a fair valuation ; and your memorialists respectfully and earnestly solicit your honorable bodies to authorize the purchase of ground, and the erection of buildings of durable materials, within the city of Savannah. sufficient for the accommodation of at least one hundred men, in order
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that this community might be benefited by the residence of United States troops among them, and particularly at a time when, from the periodical emigration of many of our white population, a military force is most needed. And your memorialists will ever pray.
" (Signed) WM. R. WARING, Mayor.
"DEPARTMENT OF WAR, March 23. 1832-Sir: I have the honor to transmit a letter from Major-General Macomb, which contains the views of this department in relation to the subject referred to in your letter of the 4th instant.
"With great respect, I am, sir, your obedient servant. .
"(Signed) LEW CASS.
"Hon. William Drayton, Chairman of the Military Committee, House of Representatives.
"HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, WASHINGTON, March 19, 1832-Sir: In pursuance of your directions as to the expediency of abandoning the barracks lately built near Savannah, and ereeting new quarters within the city, as proposed by the mayor and aldermen, as set forth in the memorial addressed to Congress and transmitted to you by the honor- able chairman of the Military Committee of the House of Representa- tives in his letter of the 4th instant, I have to state that, although some years since the present position of the quarters of the troops stationed near Savannah for the protection of that city was visited with disease. it is possible that, owing to the newness of the station, or to some acci- dental cause which might not occur again, the unhealthiness may be attributed as well as to the fact that the troops were unaccustomed to the climate. As the erection of the barracks in the city would be attended with great expense, and as it is doubtful whether, taking all things into consideration, the troops would enjoy better health in the city than in their present quarters. I would respectfully recommend that they con- tinue to occupy the barracks in which they are now quartered, with a view of ascertaining whether there be any improvement in the salubrity of their position ; but should it turn out to be sickly the commanding officer may be authorized to hire quarters in the city in case there should appear among the troops any disease of a character to render the re- moval to the city proper. or quarters in the city might be hired innredi- ately and the troops stationed in them. Then should the city, after a year or more experience, prove to be more healthy than the present bar- racks, a suitable lot might be purchased, and permanent barracks built.
"I am, sir, your obedient servant,
"(Signed) A. MACOMB, Major-General
"Hon. Secretary of War.
"QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, March 14. 1832-Sir: I return you the letter of the honorable Mr. Drayton, chairman of the Military Committee of the House of Representatives, covering a memorial from the City Council of Savannah, praying for purchase of a site and the erection of permanent barracks at that place, and have the honor to state, in reply to the inquiry as to the cost of complying with the request,
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that the expense of erecting barracks and quarters for the accommoda- tion of two companies would be above fifty thousand dollars. With re- spect to the cost of the necessary ground I have no means of forming an estimate. The memorial represents that an eligible site could be obtained at a fair valuation, but what that would be it is impossible at this time to say.
"I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, "(Signed) TH. S. JESUP, Quartermaster-General.
"Hon. Lewis Cass, Secretary of War."
The ordinance following was passed in council on the 22d of August, 1833: "Be it ordained by the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savan- nah and the Hamlets thereof, in Council assembled, and it is hereby ordained by the authority of the same, That upon the payment into the City Treasury of the sum of twelve thousand dollars, a conveyance be inade in fee simple to the United States for the purpose of erecting bar- racks thereon for the accommodation of the troops of the United States, of all that piece of ground or parcel of land situate, lying and being on the South Common of said City, extending from the southern line of Liberty street, as herein after defined: two hundred and twelve feet six inches southernly, and from the eastern line of Bull street continued. three hundred and two feet six inches to the western line of Drayton street continued, embracing within said limits a space equal to the op- posite tything, in Brown Ward, including the lane.
"Section 2. And be it further ordained, That the width of Liberty street shall be one hundred and forty feet, measured from the southern line of lots on said street and extending to the northern line of the piece of ground hereby granted."
The buildings to be occupied by the troops at Oglethorpe barracks must have been erected just after the action of council in granting the land. The military force of the United States army took possession in 1834.
MILITARY PARADE GROUND
Upon the completion of the new Oglethorpe Barracks in 1834 the United States troops abandoned the old cantonment ground which was unoccupied until 1852, at which time the city assented to its being set apart as a parade ground for the military companies of Savannah ; but the actual dedication was not made until the passing of an ordinance in the following year.
Long before that time, namely, on the 7th of July, 1821, a memorial was presented to council by a regimental court of inquiry asking that a . part of the South Commons be granted for a term of years for that pur- pose but nothing was definitely settled. Later on, in 1843. a committee of council recommended the grant of a parcel of land "along the eastern side of Abercorn street 651 feet from the lane south of Liberty street. thence eastwardly 845 feet, so as to form the northern boundary of the negro cemetery, thence northwardly 651 feet until the intersection of the said lane" as the northern line of the parcel of land; and, in 1844, an
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appropriation of $200 was made to help in the work of enclosing this ground which, by resolution, was called the "Military Square."
In November, 1851, the officers of the volunteer companies asked for the twenty acres just purchased by the city, a part of Springfield planta- tion, for use as a military parade ground. In May, 1852, the city proposed to purchase from the United States the site of Oglethorpe can- tonment, and in January following, 1853, the government granted that site to the city of Savannah.
This ordinance was passed in conncil, August 11, 1853 :
"Be it ordained by the Mayor and Aldermen, etc., That nineteen acres of the land known as the old cantonment, lately. granted by the United States to the city of Savannah, bounded on the north by the southern line of Gwinnett street, from Whitaker street to Montgomery street, on the east by Whitaker street, up to New Houston street [now Park Avenue], from Whitaker street to Montgomery street, and west by the eastern line of Montgomery street from New Houston street [ now Park Avenue] to Gwinnett street, to be set apart as a parade ground for the volunteer companies of the City of Savannah, and the same is hereby dedicated to that purpose, under the conditions and limitations in this ordinance hereinafter contained.
"Section 2. That the control, custody and management of the said parade ground shall be vested in the captains for the time being of the several volunteer companies of the City of Savannah who shall have ex- clusive charge thereof, subject nevertheless to the police regulations of Savannah.
"Section 3. That the grant of the aforesaid parade ground and dedi- cation thereof is made under the condition that the several volunteer companies shall have the said parade ground properly cleared, and a neat and sufficient fence placed around the same, within five years from the day and date of the passage of this ordinance, and shall always keep the same in proper order, and the fences in good and sufficient repair, and in case of their failure to do so, or in case they shall use or attempt to use the said parade ground for other purposes than that to which it is dedi- cated, that the same shall revert to the city, and again fall into the con- mon public domain, and all grants, privileges, and advantages in the first section of this ordinance continued shall cease and become void and of none effect."
The above ordinance was amended on the following 19th of November (1853) in this way :
"The above ordinance * is amended by striking out the words in the third section 'and a neat and sufficient fence placed around the same within five years from the day of the date of the passage of this ordinance, and shall always keep the same in proper order and the fence in good and sufficient repair, and in case of their failure to do so, or,' and by adding the word : and' before the words 'in case they shall use' in the same section." Again, on the 6th of February, 1867. eouneil ordained that "the piece of ground known as the Military Parade. Ground, containing nineteen aeres, more or less, and bounded on the north by Forsyth Place. on the east by Drayton street, on the south by New Houston street [now Park Avenue], and on the west by Whitaker
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street, is hereby added to said Forsyth Place, and made a part of the same, and that said Forsyth Place, so extended as aforesaid, is hereby forever set apart as a public place to be called and known as Forsyth Place, in the same manner as the said ground now enclosed is and has been so set apart."
There was much difficulty in getting a definite place for the providing of a suitable parade ground for the Savannah military companies. On the 9th of June, 1859, an appointment of a committee of freeholders was made to investigate the subject, and on the 13th an appropriation of $2,000 was made by council as a contribution towards the expense of erecting a fenee around what was supposed to constitute the place that should be used for military purposes, which was settled upon as the spaee comprised within the boundaries of Gwinnett, New Houston [now Park Avenue], Montgomery, and Whitaker streets; but before building a fence the officers of the companies, npheld by many civilians, found rea- sons for suggesting a change of loeality, and, on the 4th of August, of the same year, Col. Alexander R. Lawton, commander of the First Regiment of Georgia Volunteers, and Capt. John W. Anderson, of the Republican Blues, asked for a hearing before council on a petition desiring that in exchange for the parade ground previously dedicated to that purpose the land just south of Forsyth Park, as far as New Houston street be granted, "so that there should be one large park, instead of two open plaees so near each other." Council did not aet directly on the petition. but referred it to a committee of which aldermen Thomas Holeombe, John M. Guerard and Martin J. Ford were members, and the result was a favorable recommendation, provided that Hall street extend through it and not be enclosed. Although the report was adopted, the military de- clined to accept it on such condition ; whereupon Council, in November, decided to grant the petition as it went to them originally.
We have seen how, in 1867, the military parade ground was made a part of Forsyth Park, and thus became a part of the public domain constituting a pleasure ground for the people of Savannah, and it may be further stated here that on the 31st of December, 1873, Mayor Edward C. Anderson even suggested that "the southern half of the extended park be portioned off into city lots. under a just arrangement with the owners of property bordering thereon, from the northern line of Bolton street to New Houston street, 40 lots, the proceeds arising to be specially appro- priated and set apart as a sinking fund to meet maturing bonds." That recommendation was made a year and a half after the following eommuni- cation was made by the Savannah military to couneil, and it shows that council did not then consider the "Park extension" as in any way to be regarded as having passed into the hands of the volunteer companies. This petition was laid before council on the 5th of June, 1872. .. The undersigned commanding officers of a number of the military organiza- tions of this city, beg leave to represent that by an ordinance passed in Conneil the 11th day of Angust. 1853, nineteen acres of the site of the old Oglethorpe barracks, which had shortly before that time been con- veved to the city by the secretary of war. under a resolution of congress. were 'set apart as a parade ground for the Voliteer Companies of the City of Savannah,' and 'dedicated' for that purpose under the condi-
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tions and limitations set forth in that ordinanee. The second seetion of the ordinance was as follows: 'The control, enstody and management of the said parade ground shall be vested in the Captains for the time being of the several volunteer companies of the City of Savannah who shall have exclusive charge thereof, subject nevertheless to the police regula- tions of Savannah.' The third section prescribed the conditions referred to in the second section, and they were simply that volunteer companies should have the ground cleared, and that if they should use, or attempt to use, the ground for any other purpose than that for which it was dedicated. it would revert to the city.
"The land above referred to lay south of the jail, but on November 10, 1859, a petition was presented to Council by a Committee of the vol- unteer corps of the city, requesting Council to exchange for that land the land south of and immediately adjoining Forsyth Place. The peti- tion was granted, and it cannot be doubted that the land thus described and now known as the 'Park Extension' became thereby subject to the uses specified in the ordinance of 1853. It was improved largely, if not wholly, at the expence of the volunteer corps. It was used as a parade ground and for no other purpose, and was exclusively controlled and managed by the Commanding Officers of the Volunteer Corps until the war. Notwithstanding these publie proceedings of Council and the use of the ground for the purpose specified and the universal recognition of the dedication, an ordinance was passed in Council February 6, 1867, adding the parade ground to Forsyth Place, and declaring that the 'said Forsyth Place, so extended. was thereby forever set apart as a public place to be ealled and known as Forsyth Place.' ete. Upon the publica- tion of this ordinance for information after its first reading, a communi- cation was addressed to the then Mayor by several of the undersigned, requesting his attention to the facts herein before stated. The then condition of the State in its Federal relations, and the apprehension that the land might be lost to the city and the volunteer eorps induced the signers of that communication to refrain from a public protest against the ordinance, and to eonfine themselves to a request that their communieation might be filed in order that they might have the benefit of it at the proper time. At that time the volunteer corps were not in a position to assert their rights. But the recent repeal of the act of congress which prevented them from exercising their ordinary funetions has been followed by a general re-organization under the sanction of the Governor who will supply them with arms as soon as they ean be pro- cured. Having thus a near prospect of again making use of the parade ground for the purpose for which it was dedicated, and desiring to resume that exclusive control of it which was conferred upon their prede- ressors by the original dedicating ordinance, the undersigned beg leave to submit to your consideration the propriety of a repeal of the ordinance of 1867, and of a discontinuance of the planting of trees and the placing of other obstructions upon the ground which may tend to defeat the use for which it was designed.
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