As I sipped from my Hellfire Club coffee mug thinking about tonight’s dramatic Stranger Things’ mini-movie episode, one of the Season 4’s two “final” episodes, I was hit with a flash of inspiration respective of a direct tie-in to Bonaventure Cemetery. I’m ever fond of saying “All roads lead to Bonaventure,” as the history has shown me at each and every turn, but never thought it might have some connection to the cult hit TV series, Stranger Things. But it does, and at levels I wonder if all of the rabid fans of the show may ever truly come to realize. For good and for evil.
I decided this video should come to pass as a way of telling a passion play of war, romance and doom. While its a cute video with a wonderful song from my teen years by Kate Bush, “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God),” its meant as a personal devotion to history so powerful yet in so many ways gone lost from America, the world, and perhaps most oddly, France who’s connection to the story runs so deep. When telling this story on Bonaventure’s river bluff, its not unusual for my voice to crack, tears surface. It is haunting if just because of all things I hate war between brothers who without war, might otherwise be good friends. So the video while for fans of Stranger Things, its my humble attempt to re-tell stories of old or re-insert them into the consciousness of the youth or anyone of any age made curious for it. I hope you enjoy!
Tag Archives: mass grave
The Long Cane Indian Massacre, C.1760
If you’re ever driving up 221 from Augusta to McCormick, SC and you see a brown arrow sign with a tantalizing, “Long Cane Indian Massacre Site?” If you should follow it? Better have 4 Wheel Drive. What sounds like just a jiffy up the road is actually the longest, weirdest gravel dirt road in all of the woods of these here parts. You’ll also drive over 2 rather rickety old wooden bridges praying your vehicle doesn’t plunge below. But if that’s just your cup of tea? Then you may (optimal word here), just find a surreal and tragic place in the middle of nowhere that holds the remains of 23 women and children butchered by Cherokee who felt that the camp of 260 settlers was just too close to them 40 miles away. But when warning arrived, they felt it would be wise to track to Augusta for safer living. Unfortunately there was the dreaded bog in which their wagon became stuck and camping for the night was their undoing. There were 56 fighting men on hand but when The Cherokee assailed? The gun wagon was too far from them and after 30 minutes of fighting with what they could, a hasty retreat was made. Crazily, 9 children survived being scalped to the pleasure of some wig maker in Augusta I might think, but 23 women and children remained behind. Among them? The 76 year old grandmother of none other than John C. Calhoun (All Southerners must stand and bow for a moment of silence). Calhoun placed the etched marker himself to commemorate the spot. And if you do find it? You walk over a little metal foot bridge and stand among 100ft pines and it is so remote all there is in this place is the sound of wind whipping by you and through the treetops. Not a bird, not a squirrel. Just wind and it feels like spirits at war and even during the day, like screams all around you that you can’t truly hear, but you feel the force from the beyond clawing at your soul. I’m just glad it was the daytime.
