Our campground, Fort Wilderness, lies near historic Qualla Town at the edge of the Qualla Boundary, the designated lands of the Eastern Branch of Cherokee Indians.  At the top of the hill on this property is a small graveyard, about twenty feet square.  Most of the folk who reside there bore the names Conley and Wallace.  The stones are mostly simple and old.  Small tablets, a couple of narrow meter tall spires, and a few small standard round-top blocks make up the display.  A small square well-etched horizontal stone marks the grave of James and Robert T. Conley, CSA.  James, it notes, died in battle in Virginia in 1862.  The Conleys were prominent members and officers of the Thomas Legion, one of the many units raised to defend southern states during the so-called War of Northern Aggression. 

I have previously written of Will Thomas, “White Chief of the Cherokee,” without whom, there would be no Qualla Boundary or Eastern Branch of Cherokee Indians.  In 1861 he supported secession and proposed recruiting a joint Cherokee and White “Highland Rangers” force for North Carolina demanding only that the Cherokee be recognized as citizens by the state.  An initial denial of this demand delayed formation of the unit for six months until the autumn of 1861.  Thomas intended to develop a defensive force, an army with infantry, cavalry, and artillery, to defend the western frontier, and although he did raise a force of a few thousand that ultimately achieved the “legion” structure, the demands of war continually pulled his best units to other attachments and action in Tennessee, Virginia, and Maryland.  The troops were sorely diminished in the doomed campaigns of the Confederacy.

Eastern Tennessee was Unionist and largely Union territory during the war, and Thomas‘ troops were pressed by and well suited for the somewhat guerrilla warfare along the mountain frontier.  They guarded passes and railroad bridges to prevent invasion and sabotage and pursued invaders.  In the end western Carolina became surrounded and the legion counterattacked and overwhelmed a force advancing from the east.  The Union Colonel Bartlett surrendered at Waynesville, but pointed out that General Lee had surrendered his army weeks before at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia.  After weighing this information overnight, Thomas surrendered his small army to Mr. Bartlett and made peace.  The Cherokee, recognized citizens of North Carolina, went home.

This month I enjoyed reading Storm In the Mountains, a treatise on Thomas’ Legion; and remembering seeing the small cemetery here,  we looked finding the grave of the Conleys.  I recognized their names.  Their photos are in the book.  We give thanks that the mountains are now at peace.

The book speaks of Thomas’ troops joining Jubal Early in the Valley Campaign that threatened Washington D.C. in 1864.  I was not really aware of this part of the war.  It was in three parts, an advance of Union forces down the Shenandoah Valley, Early’s counterattack and advance that threatened Washington, and a final Union drive led by Philip Sheridan that resolved the matter.  During the initial Union advance, the Virginia Military Institute was burned in retaliation for cadets joining the resistance.  During the Confederate advance troops were sent to extract a half million dollars ransom or burn Chambersburg, Pennsylvania in retaliation for the burning of VMI.  Chambersburg unable to come up with such a sum, was burned. 

I have learned that Chambersburg was occupied three times during the war, in 1862, 1863, and 1864.   I knew the town had been burned, but I assumed it was during the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign.  So my studies here give light to history about my home.  We give thanks that there is peace there as well. 

We are quietly celebrating the holiday weekend.  Anne is off work on Monday.  We dine out tonight with our old friends who originally brought us here.  We also have shopping planned for today.  No plans yet for the next two days.  We have begun to prepare for our departure to home next weekend.  We’re ready to leave enchanting Cherokee to return to our little log house on South Mountain.

This holiday celebrates a declaration that led to another great war.  The principles on which it is based are noble even if all of the motives of the founders were not.  The fight for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness must never end.  Consider the saddness of Kelo vs. City of New London where the Supreme court supremely misread the simple words of the Fifth Amendment to chip away at our freedom or much more recent court decisions that support the right of government to require we buy a specific product.  Let us contemplate on the need to continue to declare independence or it will soon fade away.