It may sound far fetched, but it really isn't: That's what happened on Aug. 1, 1946 during the so-called "McMinn County War," which is also called the "Battle of Athens." Soldiers who had returned to McMinn County after World War II were fed up with what they perceived to be machine-style corruption there, led by political boss Paul Cantrell. When Cantrell ran for election as sheriff in 1946, he was opposed by former GI Knox Henry. Several of Henry's allies ran against Cantrell loyalists for other races on the ballot.
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| Three ex-servicemen firing at the jail Athens, Tennessee, 1946 Archives Photograph Collection |
About 200 of Cantrell's armed deputies watched the polls on election day, intimidating and in some cases beating people they suspected would vote for the GI slate of candidates. After the polls closed, the deputies spirited the ballot box away to the county jail in Athens. Suspecting voter fraud, the GIs took weapons from the local armory and began firing on the jail. The deputies surrendered to the GIs early the next morning when the GIs began lobbing dynamite at the jail.
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| Crowd gathered at the jail, Athens, Tennessee, 1946 Archives Photograph Collection |
A governing council was established and a special police force was empaneled to keep order in the community. After the GI candidates were certified as victors in the election, they adopted a number of anti-corruption reforms, including the removal of an incentive system that rewarded deputies based on the number of people they arrested.
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| H.E. Gunther looking over a pile of
smashed slot machines and punch boards
which were confiscated by ex-GI forces
during raids on gambling houses in Athens,
following election mob violence
the previous week. Athens, Tennessee, 1946 Archives Photograph Collection |
To learn more about the McMinn County War and other disastrous events in Tennessee's history, visit http://sos.tn.gov/products/tsla/disasters-tennessee.
The State Library and Archives is a division of the Tennessee Department of State and Tre Hargett, Secretary of State.
What a wonderful example of Americanism and the need for the Second Amendment. I wish every household could see this short movie. It gave me chill mumps and inspired my heart..I'm too old, now, to be the leader of such a group, but I sure would walk with, and participate all I could..we are experiencing now in this country, the need for righteous men to walk this walk and 'blast' anyone who wouldn't walk with them!
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