Residents and authorities in Pickens County had to carefully navigate history's surprise return when an artifact, potentially charged with old conflict, surfaced. As reported by FOX 5 Atlanta, a device appearing to be a cannonball was found near Swan Bridge Road on Wednesday evening, propelling the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Bomb Disposal Unit to respond promptly.
The unit was tasked to not only disarm, but also to safely dispose of the old munition. This kind of ordinance can still contain explosives, even after decades or centuries, making it important to quickly secure the area. While the discovery itself is shrouded in mystery, Atlanta News First reports that the sheriff's office confirmed the presence of the GBI Bomb Disposal Unit at the scene near Swan Bridge Road.
The region's past is steeped in the armed struggles of the Civil War. Although General Sherman's forces did not directly engage the area during his march in 1864, local Confederate Home Guard units found themselves outdone by the Union's Third Kentucky Cavalry in the area surrounding Talking Rock. The same environs witnessed smaller contests between opposing forces around that period, setting a historic backdrop to this recent unearthing.
Despite the excitement of retrieving a piece of history, the cannonball's past lingers undefined—it remains unclear who came across this relic or how long it was buried before its uncovering.
