Foreword

We are pleased to bring to the public, Fort Benning: The Land and the People. Working in partnership with the Southeast Archeological Center of the National Park Service, Fort Benning's Directorate of Public Works, Environmental Management Division has held responsibility for the conduct of numerous archeological and attendant historical studies conducted on behalf of the U.S. Army. In this volume, the authors, Sharyn Kane and Richard Keeton, ably reprise and make accessible an overview of this research, and more.

Many, if not most of us, do not consider the importance of the way we were to the way we are today and will be in the future. Indeed, the infinite detail of the tapestry of history, in the lives of a multitude of people long gone, cannot be comprehended as a single piece. This popular history highlights and connects important archeological periods and historical events associated with the Fort Benning Military Reservation. More significantly, the volume illuminates the lives of representative individuals and groups of people who have lived, worked, and trained here. Muscogee (Creek) and Yuchi Tribes of Native Americans and their ancestors figure prominently in this account. James Oglethorpe, William Bartram and Benjamin Hawkins represent the expanding Colony of Georgia, soon to be a State in an emerging nation. Black and White settlers in the region such as the Woolfolks, Lees, Mehaffeys, McCardels, Turners, Canteys, and others are noted. Military men, and ultimately military women, including well-known soldiers such as Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley, Marshall, and Powell, all contribute to the story.

The successful efforts of Kane and Keeton presented here lend meaning to the place. Fort Benning: The Land and the People allows its reader to develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of the archeology and history of Fort Benning and the surrounding region. The goals of increased public awareness and education are well met in this work.

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