Forrest Escort Camp SCV

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#1239, Villa Rica, Georgia

NEWS FLASHES

FOREST'S ESCORT'S CHARLIE LOTT ELECTED GEORGIA DIVISION COMMANDER

Charlie Lott, the founding Commander of our Camp, is now the Commander of the Georgia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. His plat form included the following:

Continue to work for the restoration of the '56 Georgia state flag
Encourage the locating of all Confederate veterans buried in the State of Georgia
Support Lee's Cadets
Have our own Camp for children
Make 2007 the year of lee
Work to secure the SCV a voice at the State Capitol
Obtain extra funding
Work towards the completion of the Georgia Division Headquarter properly, assuming the details can be worked out

Charlie says that "I will spend your money! But I will not waste your money!

Forrest's Escort Camp was named the 2004-2005 Georgia Division "Camp of the Year" and Compatriot Scott Jackson was named the "Confederate of the Year"!

Visit our 2004 History Camp at Carroll County's McIntosh Reserve

About Our Camp

Its Formation: Seeing the need for a greater SCV presence in the West Georgia area, eighteen Compatriots transferred from another Camp to form Forrest's Escort. Our charter was granted, dated march 29, 1998. Since that time, we have grown to 150 members, with more enlistments coming in weekly.

Our Activities: We are very active in the community, participating in parades, placing markers and holding Ceremonies for our ancestors on a regular basis. Our database contains the names and resting places of over 1,000 Confederate Veterans in Carroll, Douglas, and Paulding and Haralson counties. We have the complete Pension Rolls for Georgia, and also the Roster of all who served in the Infantry from Georgia. We also have muster rolls, etc. of those who served in other branches who lived in this area. We're always happy to share, so if you need information on a Georgia Confederate, please contact us.

We are fortunate to have two full scale pieces of Artillery. An 1841 6-pounder, and a three-inch ordnance rifle that are shown in our picture shooting gallery .(See below.) We fire these pieces at our ceremonies.. Our honor Guard is widely known, and we assist other Camps in their activities.We have several Compatriots who travel to other Camps, Schools, Civic Clubs, etc., telling our Ancestors' story.

Anniston Star article about our Camp

Restoring Wick's Tavern: Our meetings are held in a building behind Wick's Tavern, which we recently finished restoring after having moved it to 212 West Wilson Street in Villa Rica. The picture to the left shows how it looked after extensive renovation that included rebuilding its chimneys and putting on a new roof. We also built the services building behind it that contains a full set of modern conveniences. Both our Camp and other local groups use it for meetings. Originally a bar and hotel for travelers, Wicks is one of the oldest buildings in Caroll County. It is thought to have been built about 1830 in the gold rush days when Carroll County was first settled. We are hopeful of getting it placed on the National Historical Register. We recently finished removing modern fixtures from it and restoring it to look as it did when it was built. We are now in the process of turning it into a museum dedicated to the history of Villa Rica from its gold mining days to the birth of Coca Cola. (Villa Rica was the home of Asa Candler, founder of the Coca Cola Company.) The Tavern was given to us by its owners because they wished to preserve this valuable piece of Carroll County history. We are extremely grateful for the enthusiastic support we received for this project! If you would like to help us with this project, please click on one of the email cannon icons at the bottom of this page.

Wicks Grand Opening

In his 1905 history of Carroll County, Joe Cobb painted a vivid picture of life in early Villa Rica. "[Gold] was...put in a goose quill or small vial and sold to merchants or others for provisions, clothing or liquor at five cents a drink." He told of how "One man laid the foundation and made a fortune selling liquor at five cents a drink from a jug with a corn cob stopper." Back then Villa Rica was extremely isolated. "There was," said Cobb, "no market or railroad for a long time nearer than Augusta...." (Carroll County's western boundary is the state line between Georgia and Alabama. Augusta lies on Georgia's eastern boundary with South Carolina. Atlanta, located about 45 miles away, did not exist at that time.)

The Origin of Our Name: "Forrest's Escort" was a Company of 60-100 men hand-picked by General Nathan Bedford Forrest to serve at his side.. They were charged with protecting the person of Gen. Forrest.. Not an easy task, given the General's habit of "leading from the front" and being in the thick of the fight. They were also very good at "foraging". Mostly from the enemy. Anything the General needed, they got. They were sometimes referred to as "The Forty Thieves", and it was said of them that "They were as good at fighting as there were at foraging.. And, at foraging they had no equal"

Go to a description of General Forrest

Our Belles: Many believe that the most dedicated Confederates were the South's women. After their men went to war, many found themselves running the family farm and figuring out how to make do without a lot of essentials that were no longer available. Others nursed the wounded or took jobs that supported their men, such as turning out uniforms in textile mills and turning out ammunition in arsenals.A few, like the fictional Scarlet O'Hara, may even have shot a few Yankees. We are extremely fortunate to have as Honorary Members, the "Confederate Belles" These ladies are one of our "secret weapons." They dress in period attire, and assist us in our activities.. Membership in the "Belles" is open to any lady related by blood or marriage to a Confederate Veteran.

Go to "Civil War Women"

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