Q: Did the soldiers of the Georgia Battalion, commanded by Capt. John Lucas and Capt. William McIntosh, ever fight in Georgia? I know that Georgia enlisted many men from South Carolina to serve under the Georgia flag. I wonder if soldiers from South Carolina, under the command of Captains Lucas and McIntosh, fought in Georgia during the Revolution?
—Linda Robinson, Fayetteville
A: The details are sketchy, but John Lucas was easier to track down, thanks to the research staff at the Georgia Historical Society Library and Archives, which did the legwork, relying heavily on the "Morningstars of Liberty: Georgia Continental Officers During the Revolutionary War 1778-1782, Vol. 2" by Gordon Burns Smith. Lucas was a captain with the Third Battalion of Georgia's Continental Line and was at Augusta with the Fourth Georgia. He was captured at some point, was exchanged, and captured again in James Jackson's assault at the Great Ogeechee Ferry in 1781. Lucas also was a part of the Florida Expedition of 1778. William McIntosh was tougher to track down because it seems there were several soldiers with that name. There was a William MacKintosh who was a captain with the Fifth Company, First Battalion of the Georgia Continental Line who was captured at Savannah in 1778. The staff at the Georgia Historical Society said the records are sketchy detailing who belonged to certain units and even which units participated in certain battles, and there was a huge issue with desertion during the war. An official with the Georgia State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution also said she didn't have sufficient information to answer your question.
Q: Who founded Ansley Park?
A: Would you believe it was named for a man named Ansley? That was his last name, anyway. Attorney Edwin P. Ansley and several other businessmen bought a large tract of land just north of downtown Atlanta from longtime owner George Washington Collier after the turn of the 20th century and began developing it in 1904 He envisioned wide winding streets to accommodate automobiles, which were becoming more popular, and plenty of parks, according to the Ansley Park Civic Association's website. Soon, the city's wealthiest families were building houses and moving there. The state even purchased Ansley's granite estate in 1925 and turned it into the Governor's Mansion. It served as the home for 11 governors until it was demolished in 1968. Ansley Park eventually encompassed 275 acres and was completed in 1930. Even though the metal and glass of Midtown has surrounded the neighborhood nestled between Peachtree and Piedmont, it has maintained its parks, quaintness and its ties to the past, leading to its placement on the National Register of Historic Places.
What do you want to know about Georgia?
If you’re new in town or have questions about this special place we call home, ask us! E-mail Andy Johnston at q&a@ajc.com.
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