In 1912, 47 years after the guns fell silent from the Civil War, veterans still walked the streets of Dalton, Ga. At the center of town that year a statue was placed to honor Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston who had commanded the Army of Tennessee.

Following the fall of Missionary Ridge in 1863 the Army of Tennessee settled into Dalton, Ga to set up their winter camps. While in Dalton these men would get a new commander, General Johnston. General Johnston picked the Army of Tennessee back up on its feet. He also fortified every piece of high ground in the area in preparation for the hard fighting that he knew spring time would bring.

General Johnston's fortifications would be tested by the Union Army in February and in May of 1864. The area would be impenetrable as the Union soldiers made suicidal attempts at Rocky Face Ridge and Dug Gap Mountain. This caused the Union Army to move further south and go through Snake Creek Gap to Resaca, Ga.

Without these fortifications and a dam which flooded Mill Creek Gap the path would have been wide open for the Union army to enter Dalton, Ga. Dalton would have most likely been burned to the ground. The town was saved by General Johnston and his Army of Tennessee.

While the Army of Tennessee was comprised of boys from across the South many of them were from Dalton themselves. One unit of locals was the 39th Georgia. They would be in the fight in the area of Popular Springs and Crow Valley.

Following the war what better way for the veterans and their dependents to pay tribute to their sacrifice than to have a statue erected of their leader. That statue still stands there today and should forever stand there as it was intended.

On the political side the causes of the Civil War are complicated and many. They have been hotly debated for decades and include taxes, states rights and slavery. But to the boys fighting under General Johnston on the sides of Rocky Face Ridge it was clear and wasn't political at all. A Confederate soldier captured during the war said it best when asked why he was fighting with the simple answer, " Because you are here". These men were fighting to defend their homes and their families from an invading army.

While all may not agree with the causes for which these men fought people have the right to honor them for their sacrafice. They have the right to honor General Johnston for his sacrifices and leadership. This is the heritage of many people who live in Dalton and they have the right to have pride in that heritage the same as any else has pride in theirs.

And lastly General Johnston's statue along with any other monument dedicated to a Confederate Veteran or any veteran of the United States is protected by state law. It is illegal to deface or remove any of these monuments regardless of your political motivation.

We ask that you please sign this petition to keep General Johnston's statue from being either moved or removed completely. We also ask that anyone who damages the statue be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law in accordance with Georgia Law. Thank you.