Confederate
dead in front of Battery Robinett at Corinth – The bearded man on the
far left is Colonel William Rogers of the 2nd Texas Infantry – Library
of Congress
I found the following article in The Weekly Democrat of Natchez, which was published on May 14, 1866. The writer was not identified, but whoever it was painted a graphic picture of Corinth one year after the war ended:
Not the least mentionable of the ‘pitched battles’ of the late war was that which was fought in front of this grand ‘intrenched camp’ that we call Corinth, on the 3d and 4th days of October, 1862. During the past two days a portion of my sojourn here has been spent as a partial exploration of that part of the battlefield which lies in the Northwestern angle formed by the crossing of the Memphis, Charleston, Mobile and Ohio Railroads.
Brock,
ReplyDeleteIf you were to think back to the first Border Ruffians CD2002 (just a bit after we started communicating), there was a song on it called "Quiet at Corinth". Pam, Mayme and I spent a week in Corinth. It was the first and only real vacation we ever truly had.
When the security guy, Ranger, tour giver, whatever his title was drove off to lunch, and the handful of other people there drifted off in the distance, with my family doing guard duty,I most respectfully entered the battery, lay with my back to it, and within seconds was moved with a flood of emotions.
I swear it was like I was there with those had fallen. I whispered to gain Pam's attention asking if she has any writing materials, she handed me a large brown napkin and a pin from her purse and I began...."There's a lull in the fightin', the cannons are quiet and I am thinking of home, of walkin' down that dirt road where I first did court you, I wonder how my children have grown? I never dreamt when I enlisted that it would be this way, the old men told me, as I was signing it'll be over in days........so take me back to the rivers and fields where I did play as a boy, I can almost smell my Momma's fried chicken and life was filled with such joy."
That napkin got misplaced for over a month, and I was devastated that I had lost those words. They turned up in a camera bag I think, anyway, I put the music to those words, wrote a couple other verses and recorded it as the first song on the CD.
What a year that was, 4 Southern Heritage Music Award nominations, of which we won 2; single of the year for Border Ruffians and Best new group of the year. I had no idea there would be 6 more Dixie Beacon Music Awards over the years.
All that, beginning with a few lines hastily scratched out on a napkin at Battery Robinett, while hoping not to be arrested for trespass. My thanks to you and SHNV for jogging this old old man's memory, and unfaltering respect to those venerable CSA troops who gave their all there, and countless other places as well.
I assure you I will honour their memory all my days.
T
.."There's a lull in the fightin', the cannons are quiet and I am thinking of home, of walkin' down that dirt road where I first did court you, I wonder how my children have grown? I never dreamt when I enlisted that it would be this way, the old men told me, as I was signing it'll be over in days........so take me back to the rivers and fields where I did play as a boy, I can almost smell my Momma's fried chicken and life was filled with such joy."
DeleteWonderful words and I am sure you will. Thanks.