On Saturday, September 28th, 2002, we attempted our second trip in the LeSharo.  An earlier attempt in late August had ended about ten miles from home when the regulator went out and we had to return to our house.  After that repair was done and new cooling fans installed, we felt confident in giving the little LeSharo another chance at proving itself!

 

  Our second trip had as its focus, areas in North Western Georgia.

Click on images for enlarged picture

Map of Travel Area

 

  Our first stop was at the Confederate Cemetery at Resaca, GA.  The photographs below tell the story.

 

Informational montage descriptive of the cemetery and its history with the added image of Bill and the LeSharo reflected in the glass covering the collection.

   

 

 

 

 

Images from the cemetery

 

  After a quick lunch, we traveled on to the National Military Park at Chickamauga, GA

   

Monuments at Chickamauga:

Top: Florida and Georgia

Bottom:  One of many for Wisconsin

 

  Becoming extremely fatigued, we decided to call it a day for Saturday and checked into the KOA at Calhoun, GA.  Early the next morning, we traveled back east and entered the area of the old Cherokee captiol of New Echota traveling along the "Trail of Tears Highway".  We were too early to visit either New Echota or the Vann House at Spring Place, but did get a photo of the house.

 

Joseph Vann, the son of Chief James Vann and his wife Margaret Scott Vann, was a lad of 12 when his father was killed in 1809.  Joseph inherited the "Diamond Hill" estate of his father and from him he also inherited the ability for trading by which he increased his fortune to a fabulous size.  He was called by his contemporaries, "Rich Joe" and many legends of his wealth are still told among the Cherokees.  He built the large brick mansion house at Spring Place, Murray County, Georgia, which stands today as a monument of its owner. On Joseph Vann's extensive plantation, some 800 acres were under cultivation.  This valuable property became a prize for the white man when the laws of Georgia were extended over the Cherokee Nation.  After a bloody fracas in 1834, Col. W. N. Bishop established his brother, Absolom Bishop, on the premises and Vann, with his family was driven out to seek shelter over the state line in Tennessee.

 

   The Treaty of New Echota was the beginning of the infamous removal of the Cherokee along the "Trail of Tears".  To learn a little more about the Treaty, please click the map.

Map of various routes the Cherokee traveled during the removal.

 

  Well, boys and girls...THIS time we had a great trip and the LeSharo didn't let us down!  Next time, we hope to go further and for a longer time!  Wish us luck!

 

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Original background graphics by Elaine Randall English

Copyright ã Elaine Randall English, 1999-2002