“Much more importantly, there stands the Cannonball Tree Trunk! This tree (below, left) is from the Battlefield of Chickamauga on the border between Georgia and Tennessee. Even though half of the participants died in that battle, no one from Connecticut did. In fact, no one from Connecticut was even there; except, apparently, an interior decorator named E.S. Yergason. Strangely, he removed the tree trunk, shipped it a thousand miles, and donated it to the state of Connecticut to “show the horrors of war.” Boy, videogames have sure jaded me.”
My goodness, thanks Brendan. Now the question that begs to be answered was what in the world was an interior decorator doing at a battle. Nice thought to show the horrors of war, as we well know War is not healthy for children and other living things.
I doubt very much he was at the battle. For one thing, the Confederates won that battle; any Northerners hanging around the battlefield afterwards would have been prisoners (the Union didn’t retake the area for months). For another, the tree has clearly grown around the ball; either the thing smacked into a previous knot in the trunk or (more likely) it grew for a while around the impact site before it got carted off as a souvenir.
Julio Concepcion
Was it taken at the Capitol?
Kerri Provost
Yes, it was! Congrats and enjoy your 24-hours of smugness 🙂
Mr. David M. Ceder IV
I believe this is found inside the Connecticut State Capitol building.
Richard
So now Kerri you have to tell us a bit about the photo. I have no idea of the why and when. Please fill us in.
Kerri Provost
Err…umm…Let me get back to you on this. There was an explanation provided at the State Capitol, which I read when I visited a few months ago.
I’ll stop up there some time this week and get the full story. The version of the story that I’m recalling right now may be inaccurate.
Brendan
From some blog about Police Quest or something:
“Much more importantly, there stands the Cannonball Tree Trunk! This tree (below, left) is from the Battlefield of Chickamauga on the border between Georgia and Tennessee. Even though half of the participants died in that battle, no one from Connecticut did. In fact, no one from Connecticut was even there; except, apparently, an interior decorator named E.S. Yergason. Strangely, he removed the tree trunk, shipped it a thousand miles, and donated it to the state of Connecticut to “show the horrors of war.” Boy, videogames have sure jaded me.”
Richard
My goodness, thanks Brendan. Now the question that begs to be answered was what in the world was an interior decorator doing at a battle. Nice thought to show the horrors of war, as we well know War is not healthy for children and other living things.
Tom
I doubt very much he was at the battle. For one thing, the Confederates won that battle; any Northerners hanging around the battlefield afterwards would have been prisoners (the Union didn’t retake the area for months). For another, the tree has clearly grown around the ball; either the thing smacked into a previous knot in the trunk or (more likely) it grew for a while around the impact site before it got carted off as a souvenir.