Title: Gone With The Wind
Author: Margaret Mitchell
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Scribner
Release Date: May 2011
Format: Paperback
Pages: 959

Daughter of Wealthy Plantation Owner Turns Violent After Elopement Offer Is Denied

By Hannah Vander Top, THE PLANTATIONS  PRESS

Clayton County, Georgia-April 15, 1861

Last night, during a barbecue at the Wilkes home, Scarlett O’Hara, daughter of Gerald O’Hara, a well known drunk, assaulted Mr. Ashley Wilkes after he denied her request for elopement.  Scarlett used the time in which the other women were resting to corner Ashley and confront him with minimal witnesses. Shortly after the incident Scarlett announced her engagement to a local man Charles Hamilton.

According to Rhett Butler, a witness, Scarlett approached him, and proclaimed her “undying love for him.” Ashley humbly declined the offer, telling her of his engagement to his cousin, Melanie. Scarlett became increasingly angry, and proposed elopement to him. He declined, and was leaving, when Scarlett began slapping and abusing Ashley. After a couple of minutes of physical abuse towards Mr. Wilkes, Scarlett began destructing property, and Mr. Butler stepped in.  Ashley and his family are not planning on pressing charges.

Following the event, which occurred at around two o’clock, around seven, Charles proposed to Scarlett. Scarlett, according to leading witness, Honey Wilkes, reportedly looked, “Like she was settling for her second choice.” Charles gave no comment, but did say later that he was looking forward to the wedding.

In an exclusive interview of the staff at the O’Hara’s plantation, her father said these regarding his daughter; “Is it a spectacle you’ve (Scarlett) been making of yourself-of all of us? Have you been running after a man who is not in love with you?”

The head house slave also commented about her recent, frequent visits to the Wilkes home; “I ain’t never see no white lady who eats less then when she was visiting Ashley.”

Scarlett refused to comment on the incident, but did say this regarding the aftermath of her explosion; “And now I find myself in a world which is worse for me than death.”

After sharing these interviews with Ashley, and informing him about her depressed state, he responded like this; “I don’t give a damn.”

Despite this startling event, Scarlett and Charles are planning a wedding in the next few weeks, in order to exchange nuptials before Charles deploys for the war.