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The Sylvania Times
Wednesday, November 9, 2022 - Page 9
Editorial
Take time first thins to visualize an incredible da
Editor’s
Desk
Joe Brady
Editor
Can you believe
Thanksgiving is only
three weeks away? It
seems like just yesterday
we were sweltering in the
August heat. This time of
year always puts me in a reflective mood.
A recent conversation with my friend Marie
had me almost in tears as she and I talked about
family and traditions during Thanksgiving. Of
course, you all know who I talked about...you
guessed it: Granny.
I guess it’s true what they say about as long as
you remember loved ones they live forever. As I
join the crowds at the grocery stores looking for
just the right turkey and all the trimmings Granny
is with me, carefully selecting the turkey, green
beans, and sweet potatoes.
Every holiday was spent at Granny’s and
Thanksgiving was certainly no exception. I always
thought Thanksgiving lasted two days since Mama
would always cook a dinner the day before the
actual big day just so we would have leftovers.
Once Daddy got home from work, we all loaded
up and headed to Millen. I don’t know to this day
where we all slept; it seemed the little house was
bulging as cousins by the dozens descended on
the green cinder block home.
We all gathered in the tiny kitchen as Granny
prepared the turkey. She always put her turkey in
the oven the night before so the stove would be
free the next morning, a trait I still do today.
We went to bed late, talking around the big
table, and then rose early the next morning to
the sound of pots and pans rattling in the kitchen
and the smell of cooked turkey wafting down the
hallway.
Granny was there at the stove, mixing the
cornbread for stuffing and directing everyone
to the freshly brewed coffee. It was during
Thanksgiving that I learned the valuable lesson
that every cook believes their dressing is the best
and woe unto anyone who disagrees with them.
After Granny passed away, my extended family
stopped getting together for Thanksgiving. In
fact, it’s been over 25 years since I’ve seen most of
them.
I wonder, as I pull out Granny’s old recipes
for souffle, dressing and cranberry sauce if they
remember Thanksgivings all those years ago.
I wonder if they can almost hear Granny like I
do, offering instruction as I prepare the turkey
the night before. I wonder if they are flooded with
memories like I am and realize that the “glue” that
held our family together is still there, helping each
of us prepare the Thanksgiving meal.
May we all be thankful for our memories and the
people who influence us the most. That’s all for
now, take care. Happy Thanksgiving!
From the
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Pastor Bill Kent,
Memorial Baptist Church
Sylvania, GA
“Friend of
Sinner”
Before race day,
mechanics look under
the hood to check
every aspect of the
cars to maximize
performance. They
make sure the
vehicles have proper
amounts of brake
fluid, transmission
JOURNEY
Faith
fluid, oil, and antifreeze.
They look at and feel
every belt and hose to
make sure everything
is in proper working
condition. They also test
tire pressure. Plus, the
car is washed and waxed
until it sparkles like a
jewel in the sunlight.
When Jesus lived in
this world, he shined
like a perfect diamond.
He had no blemishes
on his record. He did
good in every way and
all times. Even though
Jesus lived a spotless
life, he reached out to
all kinds of people like
a famous driver who
takes time with the fans
even after becoming
rich and famous. If we
stop and think about the
greatness of Jesus, it's
amazing for him to be
our friend and Savior.
Jesus' Disciples were
sinners like us. Yet
Jesus spent a lot of time
with them. After Jesus
showed supernatural
powers by showing the
Disciples where the
fish were under the
water, Peter knew Jesus
did a miracle and felt
unworthy. "And when
they had done this, they
caught a great number
of fish, and their net
was breaking. So, they
signaled to their partners
in the other boat to come
and help them. And they
came and filled both the
boats, so that they began
to sink. When Simon
Peter saw it, he fell at
Jesus' knees, saying,
depart from me, for
I am a sinful man, O
Lord," (Luke 5:6-8).
Therefore, we rejoice
in our Redeemer who
reaches down to where
we are and cleanses us
of all our sin. Though
we are undeserving,
Jesus does not despise
us. He loves us and
offers forgiveness
and eternal life. As
many people rejected
Zacchaeus but Jesus
accepted Zacchaeus
when he turned to
Christ with a tender
heart, Jesus accepts us
when we come. "And
Jesus said to him, today
salvation is come to this
house, because he also
is a son of Abraham;
for the Son of Man has
come to seek and save
that which was lost,"
(Luke 19:10).
Unearthing
Camp Lawton
Dr. Ryan McNutt, Ph.D,
“Disease and
Disarticulation”
In addition to the
potential human remains
from the multiple
disinterment and
internments at Camp
Lawton, and Lawton
National Cemetery,
human remains likely
exist on site from a
uniquely other context. In
this case attempts to stave
off death, though often
through drastic medical
intervention. On the site
of Camp Lawton were
three hospitals, two for
prisoners of war, and one
for those Confederates
who guarded them. Out
of the two hospitals
for prisoners of war,
one scarcely warrants
the name: it was less a
hospital and more of a
triage station. It is also
the only one which we
can locate with any
reliability. Located inside
the stockade, close to
the ‘eastern comer’—
probably roughly in the
vicinity of the splash
pad in the modem park—
prisoners would bring the
sick and the dead here.
Discussions of it by POWs
who served as hospital
attendants seem to indicate
it was a pole structure with
a potentially canvas roof.
The Confederate medical
staff and surgeons would
conduct daily rounds
through this structure,
assisted by prisoners from
United States Colored
Troops who were pressed
into service as hospital
attendants. Medical
evaluations were made as
to the severity of illness,
and the need for removal
outside the stockade to
the second secure prisoner
hospital. Men suffering
from scurvy, gangrene, and
those needing intensive
care were removed here.
Despite the limited ability
and resources of the
Confederate medical staff.
And these medical
issues often led to human
remains. Or at the least,
bits of humans. As a result
of unsanitary conditions in
the camp and of the POWs,
any wound that broke the
skin ran a risk of infection
and thus gangrene. This
included even beneficial
interventions that broke
the skin: the Confederacy
initiated a vaccine
campaign after a smallpox
outbreak in the prison
camps. The need to break
the skin for the inoculation
procedure often led to
infection and gangrene.
Prior to the discovery
of germ theory and
antibiotics, once gangrene
set in, amputation was
often the only option.
As a result, the hospital
for Union POWs would
have been surrounded
by what were known as
limb pits. Which are, in
essence, exactly what they
sound like. Arms, legs,
fingers, and all appendages
were sawed off with no
anesthesia but liquor, if
they were lucky. These
limbs were than disposed
of around the perimeters of
the hospital in pits hastily
dug to shallow depths and
sprinkled with lime to
hold off wild animals and
vermin. As we have no
real indication of where
the POW hospital was
located, we thus likely
have human remains still
present at Lawton. And
then we have the potential
for scattered burials left
when war arrived on the
doorsteps of southeast
Georgians with Sherman’s
March to the Sea. The roll
of those buried at Lawton
and removed to Beaufort
National Cemetery include
multiple Union soldiers
who were originally buried
‘near Alexander’, ‘near
Waynesboro’, ‘Thomas
Station’, and ‘Lumpkin
Station’. Many of these
soldiers are known unto
God alone. And of course,
these are only Union burials
who were recovered. The
Confederates who died
fighting the Union advance
to the sea were by and
large far from home—
Alabamians, Floridians,
and even the Georgians
weren’t locals, with no one
to identify their remains,
much less lead relatives
to their place of rest when
the war ended. It should
be readily apparent then,
that while the bodies of
the prisoners from Lawton,
and many of those soldiers
who gave the last full
measure were interred in
peace in South Carolina,
there is still the potential
for human remains—
disarticulated arm and
leg bones from limb pits,
small bones and bits
from burial trenches, and
whole burials of killed in
action. There likely remain
buried and unrecovered
Union and Confederate
dead from the myriad
skirmishes and encounters
between warring sides in
short, sharp, and confused
engagements between
Sherman’s inexorable
advance and the sparse
and chaotic Confederate
resistance. While I’m a
sceptic when it comes
to the paranormal, in a
real way, the specters
of the Lawton dead
haunt the archaeological
approaches and planning
for uncovering the story of
Camp Lawton.
I’ll close with a request:
if anyone encounters
what they suspect to be
human remains (historic
or prehistoric), please
immediately contact local
law enforcement and
the Office of the State
Archaeologist, via email at
rachel.black@dnr. ga.gov
or by phone at: 770- 389-
7862.
A word from Rep. Jon Burns
Friends,
As the husband of an
educator, I know how hard
Georgia teachers work
across this state to help
our young people succeed.
That’s why I was so proud
of both our students and their
teachers when I recently
learned that Georgia’s high
school students are beating
the national average on both
major college admissions
tests - the ACT and the SAT.
Academic achievements
like these will continue to
position many of Georgia’s
students for success - but just
as important to the future of
Georgia students are strong
efforts to focus on education
and community, and not
politics in the classroom. For
example, this past session
I supported legislation that
creates a Commission on
Civics Education at the state
level. This commission is
designed to enhance students’
knowledge of the importance
of civic engagement and
public service, the study of our
state and local governments,
ensure the teaching of
financial literacy, and provide
for collaboration with
private sector organizations
conducting civics education.
Unfortunately, despite the
best efforts of our teachers,
sometimes politics gets in
the way. For instance, recent
press reports out of our state’s
capital indicate that Atlanta
Public Schools administrators
may have hidden concerns
over the qualifications of a
prospective candidate for
principal from the hiring
panel, only disclosing
those concerns after being
confronted by concerned
parents. Incidents like these
highlight the importance of
two pieces of legislation we
enacted this past session. SB
588 requires that school board
meetings be open to the public
and include a public comment
period, while preventing
removal from a meeting
absent an actual disruption.
HB 1178, the Parents Bill
of Rights, ensures that the
primary decisionmaker
regarding the upbringing
of Georgia’s children are
parents - not the government.
As we saw in Atlanta, active
and involved parents are
fundamental to the success
of our students and our
schools. While these issues
are certainly not a concern
in House District 159, we
want to ensure transparency
in ah our counties in
Georgia. Conclusion I
hope as we move past this
election and into our next
legislative session, we
can focus our efforts on
preparing Georgians for
future opportunities, and
not partisan politics. And
once again, I’m proud
to have supported a
$5000 pay raise for
our teachers. Always
remember that should
you have questions,
comments, or concerns
about issues affecting
District 159, you can
always reach out to me
at 404.656.5052, Jon,Bunii|
house.ga.gov, or on Facebook
at www.FB.com/JonBurnsGA
