Dolly Lunt Burge

Dolly Lunt Burge was a Georgia woman who took very close accounts of her life on the plantation during the Civil War. In 1850, she married Thomas Burge, a rich estate owner. Eight years later he died, leaving Dolly to manage the plantation, children, and slaves. She took on many jobs such as sowing oats, planting potatoes, picking peas and cabbage, hauling rails, and raking manure. During the war, she struggled to make a profit off of her crops. In 1865, Sherman's March destroyed much of the estate, only sparing a few buildings. Dolly worked hard and kept the family from starving and managed to keep the plantation running the remainder of her life.