This is such exciting news that I just had to share. Last week, I wrote about the reinternment of General Forrest and his wife to the new National Confederate Museum in Elm Springs, Tennessee. Now the Sons of Confederate Veterans are raising funds to recreate what was destroyed a few weeks ago by Virginia’s Governor Ralph Northam. This is the guy who, by the way, posed in black face in his college yearbook photo. Anyway, Northam, along with Richmond’s Mayor Levar Stoney, have taken it upon themselves to utterly destroy Richmond’s beautiful Monument Avenue. The last monument to go was that of General Robert E. Lee. But it seems the South, or at least the Confederacy, shall rise again.
It looks like, no matter how hard they try, Memphis and Richmond politicians just can’t get rid of reminders of their past, and they never will. Here’s a lesson to all the folks out there who are trying to erase our history: you can’t and you won’t! You never will.
This was taken from a Facebook post by the Gordonsville Grays SCV Camp #2301.
“After dropping some hints in the last few weeks, we’re excited to announce that we’re commissioning a new Lee equestrian monument. Location has yet to be determined. We have open offers in our area but if a position in a more prominent location became available we’d consider it.
***Now accepting donations via PayPal to GordonsvilleGrays@gmail.com.”
In honor of the reinternments of General Nathan Bedford Forrest and his wife last weekend, I wanted to feature this story about the general’s beloved horse, King Philip. This horse is represented in the equestrian statue that was removed from Forrest Park in Memphis and will soon be relocated atop the general’s grave. I wrote about King Philip in my nonfiction book, Horses in Gray.
ASK RUFUS: KING PHILIP, NOT FOR SALE AT ANY PRICE By: Rufus Ward There were many famous generals and horses that came out of the Civil War. Among the most noted was Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest and his favorite horse, King Philip. In their 1866 history of Forrest’s campaigns, General Thomas Jordan and J. P. Pryor wrote of King Philip this; “conspicuous iron gray gelding…(was)…sluggish on ordinary occasions, became superbly excited in battle, and was as quick to detect the presence of a blue coat as any Confederate soldier, and was as ready to make battle, which he did, by laying back his ears and rushing at the offending object with open mouth.”
Painting by Michael Gnatek
Growing up off of Military Road in Columbus, my grandmother told me that the horseshoes I would occasionally find were from the stables that had been located behind the old Col. T.C. Billups home which had burned during the 1880s. Little then did I realize whose shoes they might have been. One of the more famous warhorses in American history was General Forrest’s King Philip. Few, though, realize that King Philip was a Columbus horse.
The earliest account of where Forrest got King Philip stated that the horse was a veteran of the Vicksburg campaign and a gift from the citizens of Columbus. As a child, I recall my uncle T. C. Billups IV telling me the story of how Forrest got the horse. He related that after being wounded on one occasion, Forrest was recovering at the Billups house in Columbus. While there “Forrest admired a fine saddle horse and asked to purchase the horse, ‘King Philip”.
Billups replied, “General, I could not sell him at any cost.”
On the day he was leaving to rejoin his troops, Forrest called for his horse to be brought around. Instead, it was King Philip, the horse he had admired, that was led to him. Col. Billups presented the horse to Forrest as a gift. When he departed, Forrest left his crutch with his name carved in the side at the Billups home.
As my interest in history developed, I began to track the origin of many of the stories I had heard as a child. The story of King Philip was one of them. The family still had Forrest’s crutch, however, I wondered about the story as Col. Billups had been in his late 50s during the Civil War and did not serve in the military. That raised a question about the Vicksburg Campaign connection with the horse. I soon found the answer.
One of Billups’ sons, T. C., was a lieutenant in the 6th Mississippi Cavalry and served under Forrest. Another son, John, was Captain in the 43rd Mississippi Regiment and had been captured at Vicksburg and paroled back to Columbus in July 1863. The earliest mention of Forrest riding King Philip into battle that I found was in February 1864. That answered the Vicksburg question. I then sought the earliest family account of the story. I found it being told by Mary Billups, John’s daughter, who was born in 1874 and recalled the story in 1936 that she would have heard from her father. Her account was the story I had been told by my uncle.
In addition, I learned that at the suggestion of Forrest, the Billups family had commissioned an artist friend of Forrest, Nicola Marschall, to come to Columbus and paint portraits in the mid-1870s. Marschall painted at least nine Billups portraits while in Columbus. Growing up, I never realized that the horseshoes I found came from the stables that had once been the home of a big gelding, iron gray horse that became one of America’s most famous warhorses. Danyon McCarroll
(Article courtesy of the Jeff Davis Legion, Official Publication of the Mississippi Division Sons of Confederate Veterans, vol. 23, issue no. 8, August 2021)
Last Saturday, September 18, the remains of General Nathan Bedford Forrest and his wife, Mary Ann Montgomery Forrest, were relocated to the National Confederate Museum in Elm Springs, Tennessee. This location is less than 30 miles from General Forrest’s birthplace.
The relocation came after a long battle with the city of Memphis, Tennessee, after they decided they didn’t want the general and his wife buried in one of their parks anymore. The park was known for years as Forrest Park, until the corrupt city government decided to rename the park and pressure General Forrest’s descendants into moving the remains. It’s pathetic and shameful that this was allowed to happen. Apparently, Memphians don’t seem to recall all the wonderful things Forrest did for their city. But it’s for the best that the remains have been relocated to a place where they will be honored forever.
It wasn’t the first time that General Forrest and his wife have been moved. Originally, they were buried in Memphis’ beautiful Elmwood Cemetery, but the people of Memphis wanted to honor the general in a much bigger way, so they dedicated a park to him and moved his and his wife’s remains to Forrest Park.
According to tennessee-scv.org/ForrestHistSociety/equestrian.html, “the bodies of Gen. Forrest and his wife were re-interred from the Forrest family plot at Elmwood Cemetery to Forrest Park on November 11, 1904. The dedication ceremony took place on May 16, 1905 beginning at 2:30 p.m., with 30,000 Southerners from seven States attending.”
Many reenactors were on hand for the reinterment, as well as spectators who wanted to take in the once-in-a-lifetime event. The solemn occasion was also attended by the Forrest family, and members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) and the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).
Now that the general and his wife have been permanently laid to rest, plans are in the making for relocating the beautiful equestrian statue of Forrest and King Philip on top of the gravesite. According to SCV Commander-in-Chief Larry McCluney, Jr., “This will not be easy nor quick. Much more work lies ahead of us, however, be certain we will rededicate this plaza to honor the general and his family.”
Birds are among the most amazing creatures in the animal kingdom in many ways. For starters, birds are direct descendants of dinosaurs and have existed since the Jurassic period. Most birds are well-designed for flight, with hollow bones and aerodynamic structures, and they are also the only animals covered in feathers. Birds are diverse and well-adapted creatures that come in all sizes, shapes, and colours and can be extremely intelligent. Their songs and calls can also be quite impressive!
Birds Don’t Belong in Your Gutters!
But if you’re a bird lover or observer, there’s one place you don’t want to see birds build nests: inside your gutters! Why? Because a bird’s nest can clog your gutter, and a clogged gutter can cause serious damage to your home’s roof and other infrastructure.
How? All of the moisture that accumulates on your roof has to go somewhere. Mounted gutters and downspouts do an excellent job of directing water away from your home’s foundation. That is to say, gutters work well when they can flow freely; a clog caused by a bird’s nest, on the other hand, can easily throw a wrench into the entire system.
A bird’s nest can significantly reduce the flow of water in your gutter. Add some accumulated leaves or other debris, and you could end up with a complete blockage! In this case, water can quickly overflow the gutters and cause serious damage to your windows, siding, and foundation. Water can back up onto your roof, causing damage to the roof’s support structure.
Some Tips for Keeping Your Gutters Clear of Birds Nest
So, yes, birds are wonderful and incredible! But, at the same time, you can’t have them nesting in your gutters. So, what are you going to do about it? Is it possible to address the problem of gutter-nesting birds in a safe and humane manner? There are, indeed!
Here are a few tips you can try:
Install a predator decoy.
Many bird species can be deterred by using visual scares. Because their eyes are trained to recognise predator birds, a well-placed decoy can cause birds to flee in a hurry. A static decoy, on the other hand, will not fool the birds indefinitely, so you will need to change its position and move it around from time to time to keep the birds from catching on. However, you should be aware that some homeowners associations prohibit the use of bird decoys.
Set up some rubber snakes.
Don’t like the look of a large, plastic hawk, owl, or other bird of prey standing guard on your roof? Another lower-profile option is available, and it is not prohibited by most HOAs. We’re talking about rubber snakes, of course. They’re relatively inexpensive to purchase, and you might even find an extra rubber snake or two in your children’s toy box. While not all birds are afraid of snakes, they are wary of snakes near their nests because snakes pose a threat to their unborn chicks. You’ll probably want to put more than one around your gutter area, and you’ll need to figure out how to attach them so they don’t fall off and they won’t blow or wash away.
Make use of a bird repellent.
Bird repellent exists in the same way that mosquito repellent does. No, seriously. It is available in spray, gel, and granule forms, and can be applied wherever you want to keep birds away. Bird repellents are typically odor-based, making birds uncomfortable enough that they will not nest in the immediate vicinity. Because bird repellent can become quite thick and unpleasant to the touch, you should apply it with gloves. You may have to reapply several times during the bird breeding and nesting season.
Make use of a high-pitched noise deterrent.
Don’t want to mess with any liquids or chemicals? You could also use a bird deterrent that makes noise. Some systems attempt to mimic audible predator sounds, while others may include high frequency sounds that humans cannot hear. With either approach, you’ll need to be able to strategically mount the speakers close to your gutters, with enough speaker coverage to cover the entire gutter system.
Release the Bird Scare Attack Spider
This may sound like a joke, but it’s actually a novel approach to bird repellent. Many birds are afraid of larger spider species because they prey on small birds and their eggs. Are you ready to launch your own Attack Spider? This large animatronic spider can detect both sound and movement. When a bird triggers the detector, the spider descends its mounting line and scares the bird away. To make it work, you’ll simply need to find a way to elevate your Attack Spider above the gutter surface. You’ll almost certainly need to install more than one around the perimeter of your gutters.
Physically capture and relocate the bird (s)
If you can’t frighten them, trap them. Trapping birds is not always easy, but it is another somewhat humane approach you can try. It will, however, take some time and effort on your part. After you’ve set and baited the trap, you’ll need to check it on a regular basis. Once you’ve caught a bird (IF you can catch it), you’ll need to transport it somewhere else for a safe release, and then you’ll just have to hope it doesn’t find its way back to your house. To be honest, this is probably not the best solution for you.
Make and install your own steel mesh gutter covers.
If you are unable to repel the birds, you can create your own physical barrier to keep them out of your gutters. DIYers have been known to cut steel mesh (also known as hardware cloth) to size and then wrap it around their gutters. Birds, leaves, and other debris can be kept out of your gutters with these homemade gutter guards. However, they do not have the same lustre as professional-grade Gutter Guards, they’re not nearly as effective, and debris can still accumulate and clog on top of the mesh.
Get gutter guards professionally installed.
If you want a long-term, low-maintenance solution to your bird problem, having gutter guards professionally installed is your best bet. True gutter guards not only keep birds and rodents out of your gutters, but they also keep out leaves, twigs, and other debris while still allowing water to flow freely. And here’s another great advantage: you’ll never have to clean your gutters by hand again!
Conclusion
We hope you find these tips useful as you work to protect your gutters from nesting birds! And if you’re looking for the best gutter & gutter guard solutions in North Carolina and Virginia, Skywalker Windows & Siding has you covered. They manufacture and install custom seamless gutters, as well as the best gutter guard products from leading manufacturers. Give them a call or click today and let their friendly staff show you the Skywalker difference!
About the Author:
David composes for points like Home Improvement, Kitchen stylistic layout, Garden or travel-related themes furthermore; he has an enthusiasm for the metal structure industry for over ten years, Kylo has become an accomplished structure expert in this industry.He will probably assist individuals with his huge information to help them with his best recommendations about various Home Decors, for example, Doors Replacements, Siding, Windows Replacement, siding replacement and business structures.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 September 2021
This was my first time reading any of this author’s work. My knowledge of American history would be fairly scanty but I did find this an excellent read and I will be recommending her books to friends and family, and look forward to more of her books in the future.
Yesterday was a very sad day for Richmond, Virginia, whether they realize it or not. The last monument remaining on Monument Avenue, that of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, was removed and cut into pieces. People were actually cheering when the statue came down. How ignorant! It’s a shame they bought into the woke mentality. Those monuments were erected to memorialize some of the greatest military men this country has ever produced. They were not erected during the Jim Crow era to demoralize and intimidate black people. Anyone can research history and learn this, but the people who have bought into that falsehood are either too lazy or too stupid to do the research themselves. Now, another important piece of history is lost forever.
President Trump released a statement denouncing the removal of the monument. He called Lee a “unifying force.” Maybe that’s why the statue was removed. Because they are trying to divide us by race.
General Lee was deeply devoted to his home state of Virginia, and they have repayed that devotion with disrespect. “If Virginia stands by the old Union,” Lee told a friend, “so will I. But if she secedes (though I do not believe in secession as a constitutional right, nor that there is sufficient cause for revolution), then I will follow my native State with my sword, and, if need be, with my life.”
When Lee read the news that Virginia had joined the Confederacy, he told his wife, “Well, Mary, the question is settled.” He resigned the U.S. Army commission he had held for 32 years.
The Lee Monument was a remarkable work of art, and the largest monument in the country. What the people of Richmond, and all of Virginia for that matter, don’t realize is how this will hurt them in the long run through tourism, destruction of their history, and by allowing history to repeat itself. Their ignorance is apparent and appalling.
General Lee couldn’t have said it better himself:
“The consolidation of the states into one vast empire, sure to be aggressive abroad and despotic at home, will be the certain precursor of ruin which has overwhelmed all that proceeded it.”
Deo Vindice, General Lee. Your memory will live on, and they can’t destroy that.
“I have been ashamed of many things in my life, but the recollection of my course as a Confederate soldier has been for forty years, my chief joy and pride! If ever I was fit to live or willing to die, if ever I was worthy of my father’s name or my mother’s blood, if ever I was pleased with my place, suited to my rank, or satisfied with my sinful self—it must have been whilst I was marching under that white-starred cross upon that blood-red banner against the invaders of my native Southland. For that I want no forgiveness in this world or the next. I can adopt the saying of my great Commander, General Lee: “If all were to be done over again, I should act in precisely the same manner; I could have taken no other course without dishonor.” — James Richard Deering
“General Robert E. Lee was, in my estimation, one of the supremely gifted men produced by our Nation. He believed unswervingly in the Constitutional validity of his cause which until 1865 was still an arguable question in America; he was a poised and inspiring leader, true to the high trust reposed in him by millions of his fellow citizens; he was thoughtful yet demanding of his officers and men, forbearing with captured enemies but ingenious, unrelenting and personally courageous in battle, and never disheartened by a reverse or obstacle. Through all his many trials, he remained selfless almost to a fault and unfailing in his faith in God. Taken altogether, he was noble as a leader and as a man, and unsullied as I read the pages of our history.
“From deep conviction, I simply say this: a nation of men of Lee’s calibre would be unconquerable in spirit and soul. Indeed, to the degree that present-day American youth will strive to emulate his rare qualities, including his devotion to this land as revealed in his painstaking efforts to help heal the Nation’s wounds once the bitter struggle was over, we, in our own time of danger in a divided world, will be strengthened and our love of freedom sustained.”
— President Dwight D. Eisenhower (former General of the Army – 5-star General – and Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Forces Europe in WW II)
“Lee was the noblest American who had ever lived and one of the greatest commanders known to the annals of war.”
It seems that nothing is sacred. Statues that were once renowned as cherished artifacts from the past aren’t even safe in cemeteries anymore. It makes me sick that people have no respect for the dead, or for others’ ancestors. Here’s one example.
Atlanta Council members passed a resolution a week ago Monday night declaring that the city should remove the Lion of the Confederacy statue, which has been vandalized, and place it in temporary storage.
The 127-year-old Lion of the Confederacy statue, built by T.M. Brady and dedicated on Confederate Memorial Day in 1894, was erected to honor the 3,000 unknown Confederate soldiers buried at the cemetery. The lion overlooks the graves. Oakland Cemetery is the final resting place of more than 70,000 residents, including famous Atlantans, mayors and governors, and is also home to a 65-foot Confederate obelisk, built in 1870.
Georgia law includes a statute that can make it difficult for local governments to remove a Confederate monument, because it is considered unlawful to damage, relocate or remove a monument dedicated to the United States or the Confederacy. However, the Georgia General Assembly adopted updates to the law last year that allows for “appropriate measures for the preservation, protection and interpretation of such [a] monument or memorial.”
Local governments throughout metro Atlanta have also simply started ignoring the law over the last two years. Council approved a $33,000 contract with Superior Rigging and Erecting Co. to remove the lion statue. The City has not said where it will be located long-term, and did not say when the statue removal would take place.
(Article courtesy of the Dixie Heritage Newsletter, August 26, 2021 ed.)
J.D.R. Hawkins 