During the heart of the Civil War, Pickens County was torn between sides. The flag that flew over the courthouse yard was a Union flag. Yet, many of the residents fought on each side. Many of the Darnell family fought for the North, while those from the Fields side predominantly fought for the South. And while many neighboring counties were far more aligned with the Confederacy, as with Pickens's history with race and slavery, Pickens was more of a mixed bag.
There were only a few notable incursions by the Union Army into Pickens County. One was near Hinton when soldiers exacted revenge on two of McCollum's Scouts. Several others happened near Talking Rock. In each instance, Home Guards like the Jordan Gang, McCollum's Raiders, or Irregular Units like the Pickens Raid Repellers were involved.
Earlier in August of 1863, A.J. Glenn, having recently enlisted in the Pickens Raid Repellers, had his tanyard raided by a dozen pro-union women, who ran off with "as much leather as they could well carry off." According to Glenn, they intended to steal rather than work for the rest of the war so they could live as well as men like Glenn. The women stated they wished the Yankees would win the war.
Later, in early June of 1864, Andrew Jackson Glenn and two other men were captured by Union forces from the 3rd Kentucky Cavalry near Talking Rock Creek. Other people were shot at, however, none were injured. A.J. Glenn, now a member of the local Confederate Irregular Unit called the Pickens Raid Repellers, also happened to be a major landowner in the county. In this same raid, Union Forces went after James Simmons, but the Jordan Gang thwarted them.
Another Instance happened near Marble Hill when General Joseph Wheeler's men came into the county in mid-August of 1864 and resulted in two deserters being killed in what is known as the 'Covington Hang' on Four Mile Road. Different reports at the time mention as many as 400 Yankees being captured in Pickens County. Other reports mention the Home Guard units of Dawson and Pickens County in a bad light.
In August 1865, Berry and Boswell Collins were murdered in Hinton for their connection with McCollum's Scouts.*
Glenn was later released and came back to Pickens County. He falls off the historical record until about a decade later. Then in 1877, partially in response to the death of Army Lieutenant Augustine McIntyre in Fannin County, an investigation was launched into the relationship between the military, revenuers, government agents, moonshiners, and citizens.
Col. Sam Williams was placed in charge of the investigation by the Legislature of Georgia. After interviewing 100s of people, his conclusions largely placed the blame on the actions of unscrupulous Deputy Marshalls in their overzealous pursuit of tax enforcement.
The most infamous of which was Deputy Marshall Charles B. Blacker. Beginning in the early 1870s he worked for the State of Georgia. Sometimes marshals assisted revenue agents and other times they acted as revenue agents.
In 1876 Blacker ordered revenue agents and soldiers from Fort McPherson, under the command of Lieutenant McIntyre to a suspected still site at John Emory's house near the Santa Luca area of Gilmer County. Several people were detained at the site when Mr. Emory approached and instantly was shot dead by Private William O'Grady. Blacker's men hid the body and left.
O'Grady was to be tried in Atlanta, but was transferred to the Federal Court's Custody at the request of Ulysses S. Grant. Later in the U.S. District Court, O'Grady was found innocent and set free.
In 1877, Deputy Blacker led a small military contingent to the home of a suspected moonshiner in Fannin County. Blacker didn't bring a warrant (as was his normal practice) to the home of Ayers Jones. She and her children were home alone when Blacker and the U.S. Army soldiers came. There was an argument at the house when the moonshiners approached from the outside. Not knowing who was in the house harassing the woman and children, the moonshiners angrily and defensively approached. A gunfight ensued and Lieutenant McIntyre was mortally wounded and left behind.
In 1877, Deputy Marshal Blacker, and A.J. Green were both interviewed by Col. Williams.
Beginning in 1873, several residents of Pickens and Gilmer County reported being visited by Deputies and having their stills destroyed. Subsequently, to help them avoid consequences from Deputy Blacker and others, A.J. Green would suddenly show up on their street and "negotiate their freedom from trouble" for cash. In a case involving Samuel Taylor of Pickens County, Green even demanded the distiller bring whisky and money to Deputy Blacker as payment. Taylor claimed the Commissioner from Cartersville, Aaron Collins had sold Taylor three stills, which he in turn sold to Nelson Ledford, Mr. Frix, and another man.
Green had connections. This shady activity was mentioned over and over in Col. Williamson's report. Green himself admitted to collecting cash from people to assist them and admitted to not being a lawyer. In testimony, United States Commissioner, Judge Aaron Collins freely admitted to selling stills to A.J. Green.
One of the men who testified against A.J. Green, and mentioned Green's receipt of illicit moonshine stills, was Nelson Ledford. The very same man whose house was burnt down by the HMFP some 12 years later. Incidentally, Nelson Ledford also was accused of receiving stills from Mr. Turner, who had gotten them from the United States District Commissioner in Cartersville, Judge Aaron Collins.
It should be noted, that of all the people Col. Williams interviewed in Fannin, Gilmer, and Pickens County, he was only treated unpleasantly by one person. A.J. Glenn
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Aftermath
As a result of Williams's report and the outrage of Georgia Governor Colquitt, the Posse Comitatus Act was passed, placing restrictions on when the military would be allowed to be used in civilian matters.
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A.J. Green
A.J. Green was never tried or arrested for any wrongdoing. He ended up leaving Georgia permanently and settled in Erath County, Texas. He donated land to create the Bluff Dale Tabernacle, to expand the newly renamed Glenn Cemetery in Hood County, (where A.J. and his family are buried), and other land in Bluff Dale, Texas. A.J. Green died in 1901.
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Charles Blacker
Charles Blacker was shot in a confrontation with Cumming, GA tavern owner, Harrison Barker.
Shortly after heretired from the Marshals Service, moved to Pennsylvania, where he died in 1919.
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Judge Aaron Collins and his wife, were nearly murdered in January of 1886, when his home was dynamited by moonshiner Tobe Jackson, from Bartow County.
Aaron was born in North Carolina and immigrated to the Scarecorn Creek/Blaine/Talking Rock area by a wagon train of seven siblings and their children. His father, William James Collins was one of the wealthiest men in 1860 Pickens County. Aaron later sat on the second Petit Jury of Pickens County's first court session. The two men killed at the church in Hinton in 1865, Berry and Boswell Collins, were related.
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