Gilmer County, Georgia
| Gilmer County, Georgia | |
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Gilmer County courthouse in Ellijay
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 Location in the U.S. state of Georgia |
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 Georgia's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | 1832 |
| Named for | George Rockingham Gilmer |
| Seat | Ellijay |
| Largest city | Ellijay |
| Area | |
| • Total | 431 sq mi (1,116 km2) |
| • Land | 427 sq mi (1,106 km2) |
| • Water | 4.7 sq mi (12 km2), 1.1% |
| Population | |
| • (2010) | 28,292 |
| • Density | 66/sq mi (25/km²) |
| Congressional district | 9th |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website | www |
Gilmer County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 28,292. The county seat is Ellijay. The county was created on December 3, 1832 and was named for George Rockingham Gilmer.
Gilmer County is home of the Apple Festival, a yearly event held in mid-October.
During the Civil War, many men of Gilmer County enlisted in the Confederate Army. They served in the following units as well as the local home guard. Men from Gilmer would also join units in neighboring counties.
The youngest enlisted soldier to serve in the Confederate Army was David Bailey Freeman from Ellijay. He enlisted in Company D 6th Georgia Cavalry with his brother on May 16, 1862 just two weeks before his 11th birthday. He was known as Little Dave and fought not as a musician or messenger but as an actual soldier. He fought at Chickamauga and during the Atlanta Campaign among other places.
Gilmer County was in no way left out of the war. The rough terrain of the North Georgia mountains made a "hideout" for Pro-Union men, Confederate deserters, and men avoiding being conscripted into military service. The state of Georgia fought back against these men by organizing Confederate Home Guard Units.
In 1864 there was an attempt to organize a pro union guerrilla force made up of these men in the mountains, called the 1st Georgia Infantry (US). They were equipped with weapons and supplies. They also stole horses and mules from Pro-Confederate families just as the Home Guard stole from the Pro-Union families. As a condition of their enlistment these men had only agreed to serve in Georgia. As a result, the unit was never recognized by the Federal Government.
On November 5, 1864 the 1st Georgia Infantry (US) went on a raid into Gilmer County near Bucktown to steal horses and mules. Here they met the Confederate Home Guard and the Battle of Bucktown ensued. Twenty-one of the union guerrillas were captured and several others were wounded and killed. In possession of the captured was a list of names of local supporters. Several of the captured turned out to be Confederate deserters who were executed in Gainesville on November 7.
The war would leave deep scars on Gilmer County for years after the war.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 431 square miles (1,120 km2), of which 427 square miles (1,110 km2) is land and 4.7 square miles (12 km2) (1.1%) is water. The vast majority of Gilmer County is located in the Coosawattee River sub-basin in the ACT River Basin (Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin). Three very small parts of the eastern and northern edges of the county are located in the Conasauga River sub-basin of the ACT River Basin, while slightly larger portions of the northern and eastern border areas of Gilmer County are located in the Ocoee River sub-basin of the Middle Tennessee-Hiwassee basin.
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Wikipedia