By Bartee Halie

Sympathetic Georgians rallied at Macon on Nov. 12, 1835 to show their support for the struggle for Texas independence.  At the end of the emotional evening, 32 volunteers stepped forward to form the nucleus of the famed and ill-fated Georgia Battalion.

Despite the crude communications of the times, southerners managed to keep abreast of exciting events in Mexico’s northernmost province.  Since several Georgians played major parts in the distant drama, residents of the Peach...