In “Duncan’s Posse,” a newly released novel, City Marshal Mathew Duncan of Campbellton, Ga.(c1870) enforces the law and protects the town from the influx of freed men from the North during the Reconstruction years. He falls in love with a mysterious handsome woman (Margaret Selman), and takes on a son (Jody Braswell) who is adopted after the boy’s mother dies. The trio, along with several colorful characters, joins the crew constructing a new telegraph line from Campbellton to Fairburn. Along the way they encounter freed men who attempt to hold up the crew, and other lawless travelers. The National Bank of Atlanta is robbed and the perpetrators make the mistake of heading southwest to Campbellton. The misfit posse of Mathew, Margaret, Jody, and an old one-eyed Mexican War veteran armed with a Whitworth take them on in a bend of the Chattahoochee River. Brown has established a historically correct novel in his descriptions of physical objects, towns, and life during the era.
Dan Jenkins, law enforcement professional and horseman said, “I was excited to read the manuscript of ‘Duncan’s Posse. ‘“Based on past experiences with the author’s attention to detail in his living history efforts, I expected it to be top notch. It did not let me down. I was captivated by a town that is no longer active. His presentation spurred my imagination to relive the past. The story drew me in, feeling that I knew the characters. As a longtime horseman, Civil War re-enactor, and three–time cowboy at Scouting’s Philmont, I felt as though I rode with the posse. The story of this unusual band of characters takes a few twists and turns, with an unexpected ending. Justice is certainly served.”
The town of Campbellton is located in the vicinity of Ga. Highways 154 and 92, west of Fairburn, along the banks of the Chattahoochee River. The once thriving county seat was settled in 1828. Sidney A. Brown, author of “Duncan’s Posse,” is a resident of Coweta County. His ancestry lineage ties him to Campbell County, prior to 1828. The John Henry Giles family, his fourth great-grandfather, lived in a dog-trot style log home where the Dog River meets the Chattahoochee. Brown lays claim to the rural South Fulton County community of Stonewall where he spent the most cherished days of his childhood. Stonewall was originally in Campbell County, until 1931 when it merged into Fulton County. He was influenced greatly by his grandparents, who were settlers of the once thriving community. These multi-talented people, layman lawyer, photographer, farmer, carpenters, auto-mechanic; homemakers who baked, canned, quilted, and were vivid story tellers – nourished the author’s creativity.
The excitement of the nearby railroads drew him into hours of wandering and waiting on the steam locomotives to make their run. The Campbellton Ferry transported his grandfather’s 1932 Ford pick-up truck and the author across the Chattahoochee River many times. His great-grandfather had a soft gray mule and wagon. The two plowed together, rolling the rich earth into a bountiful crop.
Brown’s first manuscript, “The Sun Will Shine”, was submitted to a major TV and movie production company in the early 1970s only to be rejected based on being “too episodic”. This was a term he would grow to live his life by, one adventure after another. His love for a good story was not dampened, only fueled.
Sidney Brown acquired a vast background in historical related fields. He was a curator in an 1850 living history museum village, where he performed blacksmithing, worked as a cobbler, woodworking, open hearth cooking demonstrations, and conducted muzzle loading weapon exhibitions.
He was an active participant in Civil War re-enactments for over fifteen years. The author branched out into a living history impression of the Southeastern Colonial Frontiersman, and finally a cowboy action shooter. In all these living history fields, his specific interest was in the civilian impression. Brown was a mechanical designer for 25 years and retired from law enforcement after 15 years.
“Duncan’s Posse” is available in paperback and e-book through Amazon.com, and also at Createspace.com/4247158, or DogRiverPress.com.
