Battlefield And Confederate Flags Under Attack



From: “Rachel Holland” [juiceplusholland@gmail.com]
Date: Sep 4, 2017
Subject: Battlefield and Confederate flags under attack
To: [hk.edgerton@gmail.com]

Dear Mr. Edgerton,

You do not know me, but I have great respect for you and for your work. My name is Rachel, I am a daughter of Dixie, specifically Georgia, and am a War Between the
States historian and reenactor.

We are currently embroiled in a battle here in GA for the preservation of Nash Farm Battlefield which was the location of Kilpatrick’s raid, and the battle of Lovejoy.
I am sure you are aware that this is one of the locations that Holt Collier and the 9th Texas Cavalry fought during the war. One of the county commissioners who
recently took the seat in the district in which the battlefield is located decided that all Confederate flags must be removed from the flag pole as well as within
the museum and subsequently as caused the Civil War museum on the property to be closed. She also demanded that the breastworks be removed from the battlefield and
that order was obeyed. Now they are stating that the battlefield is not a battlefield and must not be so protected (though archeological digs have proven otherwise)
and that the title “Battlefield” must be removed from the park signage. They have also multiplied the rental fees for the battlefield two-and-a-half-times the cost of
all previous years – so much that the annual reenactment has been canceled. It was one of the last ongoing reenactments of the Atlanta campaign. The NAACP has also
become involved, demanding that all flags remain off the property, and that the monument and battlefield be removed due to them being “signs of slavery.” The
commissioner who holds this seat and the one backing her up are both black. We have been fighting this battle since the end of May and it remains ongoing.

Mr. Edgerton, I write to inquire if you would consider coming and speaking at the next Board of Commissioner Meeting? Your status as previous president of the NAACP
and your knowledge of our true history and the honorable service of our black soldiers during the war would be invaluable! I regret to say that we could not pay you
to come. Those of us fighting for the battlefield and the right to have the flags to be shown and the real history told are all paying our own way to each of these
meetings from all over the state, and sometimes surrounding states. Should you consider it, the next BOC meeting is located at 140 Henry Parkway, McDonough, GA
30253-6696 and will take place on Tuesday, September 19th at 6:30pm. However, we must sign in to speak prior to 6:15pm and we are limited to 5 minutes per person. I
will be speaking again, as will several of my fellow reenactor/historian friends. We would be honored to have you among us, and truly sir, I would like to shake your hand.

Below, I am including links to the Facebook page where we are posting all updates and pertinent information relating to this battle, as well as the video of the
last time I spoke to them. If you are able to attend, please let me know and we will answer any questions that we can. We would be blessed to meet you in person.
Thank you for all that you do for our country and our history.

Sincerely,

Rachel Holland
706-255-9391
juiceplusholland@gmail.com
www.thesouthernbelleweb.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/SaveNashFarmBattlefield/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmfl7Nl7aLg