Showing results by author "CL Gammon" in All Categories

This is the true story of three men, each of whom formed one side of a terrible and sordid pyramid of death. It is a tale of drugs, abuse, degradation, and murder set against the backdrop of beautiful small-town America.

This book explores thirteen bizarre “murder” stories that have taken place in Tennessee over the past two centuries. The first story related here takes place around 1798 and the last takes place in 1998. These stories span the breadth of Tennessee from the Smoky Mountains, to the Mississippi River and most points between. Some of these stories are about famous persons and others are about powerful persons. Some are about persons that are unknown to all but a few. One story is about an abused animal.

The preamble to the United States Constitution lays out the mission of the Constitution. By briefly looking at each clause of the preamble individually, we can glean insight into the minds of the authors. The preamble states what the authors hoped to accomplish and to avoid. This book is a phrase-by-phrase explanation of the preamble.

This is a true story about the murders of a man and two boys. It contains so many bizarre elements that it threatens to overwhelm comprehension. The amazing story includes drunkards, outlaws, drug dealing, theft, a pitched gun battle, torture, execution-style murders, baffled law enforcement agents, a crime scene more disturbing than a Hollywood horror flick, a befuddled judge, and a jury so confused that it did not know what verdict it was handing down. Beyond that, this strange tale includes a redneck psychic, a cold-blooded former football star, and a mysterious figure known as the “...

This cookbook is a faithful rendering of old Southern recipes. These 131 recipes span the spectrum from lobster to possum, from shrimp to groundhog, from catfish to fried chicken. Although some of these recipes have been modernized, they all reflect the food of the Old South and give an insight into the people that lived there in times past.

Money is at the root of all evil. Slavery is an evil. Therefore, money is at the root of slavery. Slavery was a business. A horrible business to be sure, but a business all the same. In order to understand the many facets of slavery, it must first be understood as a business. This book seeks to aid in that understanding. This volume looks at the business of slavery in Middle Tennessee between 1812 and 1825.

This brief book profiles the lives of the two American women who worked for the Axis cause during World War II under the name of Axis Sally. Both of these women, one in Germany, and the other in Italy, unabashedly employed their beautiful voices in the service of Fascism. These women boldly attempted to damage Allied (especially American) morale in the European Theater.

The Politics of the Crucifixion is not a religious book in any way. I do know something about the dynamics of politics, however, and it was the political motivations of both supporters and opponents of Jesus that led me to author The Politics of the Crucifixion. Let me note one thing before going on. Here in the United States, we equate politics with popular elections. However, politics is just as prevalent in those nations that do not practice free elections as it is in those that do. In fact, it is often more prevalent. In those lands without popular elections, politicians are just as ...

This book explores the plan of union Alexander Hamilton presented to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Hamilton's plan reveals much about this brilliant and complex man. The book also delves into Hamilton's unsavory beginnings and follows his career until his death at the hands of Aaron Burr.

The Great Mormon War took place between Mormon settlers in Utah and the United States between May 1857 and April 1858. This little known war resulted in the deaths of hundreds of men, women and children. The Great Mormon War of 1857 and 1858 details the causes and effects of the Great Mormon War and illustrates how the decision to engage in the Great Mormon War reflected the attitudes of America at that time. It also details the general buffoonery of the American government at the time, especially that of President James Buchanan.

This book looks at the peace talks between the Union and Confederates commonly known as the Hampton Roads Conference. These talks took place on February 3, 1865 aboard the steamboat River Queen. The author looks at more than just the conference, itself, however. He delves into the motivations of the participants; he answers the question of why the parties agreed to hold a conference at all; and he outlines why the conference failed. He also reviews some of the conspiracy theories that surrounded the conference.

This book takes a look at the slave business in Middle Tennessee between 1826 and 1845. It considers the selling, trading, and renting of slaves. It also details several times when slaves escaped bondage and the efforts of the slaveholders to get them back. This is the second in the multipart series.

The first person to hang for witchcraft in Salem was Bridget Bishop. This is her story. It is also the larger story of the fear that caused otherwise intelligent persons to take leave of their senses and commit horrible acts in the name of preventing horrible acts. This book looks at Bridget Bishop the real person, not the idealized personification of her that so many have presented. It also looks at the attributes that made Bishop the ideal person to be the first to go to the gallows at Salem. In addition, this book considers why the execution of Bishop caused the floodgates of execution ...

This is a cookbook, but it is more than that. It is also a volume on history. Along with each recipe, I add a few details concerning how the food in question related to the events of the time. Where possible, I quote leaders and others who from their comments on the foods of that time give us insights into the Revolutionary Period of American history. One thing to remember: These are recipes, not formulas. A little extra of this or a little less that here or there is fine as long as the result is a dish that tastes good.

America’s First Rules of War covers the 69 rules instituted by the Continental Congress to govern the Continental Army. Historian CL Gammon adds explanatory notes after each rule. In addition, Gammon provides background information and relates how George Washington was instrumental in drafting the rules before he became Commander in Chief.

After decades of acrimony and dispute, in 1861, America erupted into a Civil War that cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of citizens, and billions of dollars in damages. This book presents the reader a series of short snippets dealing with the Confederate efforts to win the war. Additionally, it includes some 120 photos and images – many of them rare – and relates very brief accounts of some of the more important battles. There is also a recounting of the more than 100 Confederate Generals killed, or who otherwise died during the conflict – including one murdered by a jealous ...

This book is not about witch stories. It is a recounting of a few witch trials. Judges presided over some of these trials in courts of law; church officials conducted others. Some of those accused of witchery faced brutality and torture and some remained outcasts after their trials. On the other hand, many of the southern witches won their cases and some of them received damages from their abusers. In those cases where the accused stood before church leaders and their respective congregations, the penalty for witchcraft was excommunication. One can argue that a church proceeding is not a ...

On July 13, 1972, Democratic Party nominee for President George McGovern made the single worst choice of a running mate in the history of the United States. On that day, he selected Missouri Senator Thomas A. Eagleton to share the national ticket with him. This disastrous decision destroyed any slight chance McGovern may have had of running a competitive race against incumbent President Richard Nixon. This is the story of that selection and its aftermath.

Murder, Mayhem, and Moonshine relates 75 true crime stories from Macon County, Tennessee between 1879 and 1939. These stories run the gamut of crime. Some are tragic, some bizarre, some grotesque, and some are a little humorous. Although all of the alleged crimes mentioned here took place decades ago, many of them detail the types of crimes that remain common today across the United States and the world. Besides murder, there are stories about child abduction, rape, bullying, domestic violence, racial problems, drunk driving, confidence games, and others.

This book follows the Sedley Alley case from the night he murdered Suzanne Collins until his execution by lethal injection at Nashville, Tennessee’s Riverbend Prison more than twenty years later. This book presents highlights of Alley’s mammoth court file of more than 50 volumes. It also references many media reports and almost 400 court opinions. The books takes a realistic look at the many defenses Alley adopted – from insanity to innocence – in the twenty-plus years he battled to avoid execution. It also deals bluntly with Tennessee’s current judicial system. However, this book...