Montgomery M. Folsom was a poet from Georgia who was born in 1837. The one book that keeps coming up in searches is “Scraps of Song and Southern Scenes; A collection of Humorous and pathetic Poems and Descriptive Sketches of plantation life in backwoods Georgia.”
The Gatewood in the poem might refer to John P. Gatewood, a Confederate Guerilla who led raids through northwest Georgia and Alabama during the American Civil War. He was considered an outlaw by both sides because he perpetrated some pretty violent, bloody massacres and refused to obey orders from his Confederate commanders. Sort of a Confederate “Rambo/Terminator/Die Hard” kind of a guy. It seems to me the overall tone of the poem, which reads as an ode to a hero, doesn’t really fit the historical record of John P. Gatewood. Although Montgomery Folsom, being from Georgia, may have wanted to hail him as a hero. There were a LOT of Gatewoods in the Civil War, so I have more research to do.
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And is there any relationship to your family tree? I can't find him on our www.geni.com.
We probably have a mutual ancestor - John and Amy Gatewood, so he'd be a distant cousin. John & Amy were the first Gatewoods in America and came from England. I believe Amy's mother was a Dudley.
The Dudley line comes from Dorothy (Dudley)Gatewood, wife of Henry Gatewood. I don't have a record of Ami's maiden name.
Just an FYI
One of my great great great grandfathers and 1 of his sons served with Gatewood. Their names are James Gregory and Alexander Gregory. Very interesting story. I am a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Todd Thompson [><]
J P Gatewood was a third great uncle, his brother J Henry being my 2nd great grandfather. I've added him to geni.com in the last year or so.
Larry Stephens, Assistant Librarian at Georgia Highlands College in Rome, GA is apparently writing a book about him. It should be interesting to read when it is finished. contact info is lstephen@highlands.edu
The poem seems more revolutionary war in nature (re: columns, bugles, commander) but you never know. There is another poem/song that relates to the Battle of Dug Hill which he was a part of, a bit darker in nature.
-charles
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