This is the battle flag of Co. F, 5th South Carolina Volunteer Infantry, King’s Mountain, South Carolina. I’m going to be making replica’s of this rare flag for sale, so if you want one you need to let me know, rickeyp@bayou.com. I’ll really try to keep the price down, as I want the message of this flag to go across the nation, even though the flag is so complex I won’t be able to mass produce it. The photo of the flag came with permission from Walter D. Kennedy’s book, Myths of American Slavery. As Kennedy says, the motto on this Confederate battle flag points to the real issue between the Federal government and the Southern states: “Like Our Ancestors–We Will Be Free.”

The Civil War Sailors and Soldiers System (site) says this of the 5th SC:

5th Regiment, South Carolina Infantry
5th Infantry Regiment, assembled during March and April, 1861, contained men recruited in Laruens, Lancaster, Spartanburg, and Union counties. It was ordered to Virginia and, serving in D.R. Jones’ Brigade, saw action at First Manassas. Later it was placed in General R.H. Anderson’s, M. Jenkins’, and Bratton’s Brigade. It participated in the campaigns of the army from Williamsburg to Fredericksburg, then served in Longstreet’s Suffolk operations and with D.H. Hill in North Carolina. Moving again with Longstreet, the unit did not arrive in time to take part in the Battle of Chickamauga, but was engaged at Knoxville. Returning to Virginia, it was conspicuous at The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor, in the trenches of Petersburg, and around Appomattox. This regiment reported 3 killed and 23 wounded at First Manassas and totalled 650 men in April, 1862. It sustained 21 casualties at Williamsburg, 81 at Gaines’ Mill, 73 at Frayser’s Farm, 39 during the Maryland Campaign, and 102 at Wauhatchie. In 1864 it lost 18 killed, 95 wounded, and 16 missing during The Wilderness Campaign, and from June 13 to December 31, there were 11 killed and 65 wounded. On April 9, 1865, the unit surrendered 19 officers and 263 men. The field officers were Colonels A. Coward, John R.R. Giles, and Micah Jenkins; Lieutenant Colonels Andrew Jackson, G.W.H. Legg, and John D. Wylie; and Majors Thomas C. Beckham, William M. Foster, and William T. Thomson.

You can also find a record  of the unit’s casualties at Lookout Mountain here:

Here is a song, well-known to most adults, but not known at all to the modern generation. It was a very popular song during the Civil War. Here are the lyrics and a brief history of the song.

Listen to the Mockingbird

Last night I dreamed of my Halley
Of my Halley, my sweet Halley
Last night I dreamed of my Halley
For the thought of her is one that never dies

She’s sleeping now in the valley
In the valley, my sweet Halley
She’s sleeping now in the valley
And the Mockingbird is singing where she lies

Listen to the Mockingbird, listen to the Mockingbird
Oh the Mockingbird is singing oe’er her grave
Listen to the Mockingbird, listen to the Mockingbird
Still singing where the yellow roses grow

How well do I yet remember
I remember, I remember
How well do I yet remember
For the thought of her is one that never dies

It was in that sweet September
In September, I remember
It was in that sweet September
That the Mockingbird was singing far and wide

Listen to the Mockingbird, listen to the Mockingbird
Oh the Mocking bird still singing oe’er her grave
Listen to the Mockingbird, listen to the Mockingbird
Oh the Mockingbird still singing in the spring

“Listen to the Mocking Bird’ was written by Septimus Winner, the man who also gave us “Whispering Hope,” “Ten Little Indians,” the words to “Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone,” and a score of other songs. He was twenty-seven years old at the time, a music teacher and the owner of a music store in Philadelphia. Winner was acquainted with a young Negro boy, Dick Milburn (called Whistling Dick), a beggar who collected coins for his whistling and guitar playing on the streets. His whistling often turned to a beautiful imitation of a mocking bird, and this attracted Winner’s attention and thought. It gave him an idea for a song and he promptly went to work on it. He finished “Listen to the Mocking Bird,” gave Whistling Dick a job in his store, and published the composition in April, 1855, using the pseudonym Alice Hawthorne. Pseudonyms were common practice in those days, for example Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) and Artemus Ward (Charles Browne). Winner chose Hawthorne after his mother’s maiden name. He never explained the “Alice” part of it.

Within months this song hit all parts of our nation and people everywhere went wild over it, especially in the South where the mocking bird is a common sight. For years afterwards Southern mothers named their baby girls Hally (or Hallie) after this song. President Abraham Lincoln said of this song “It is as sincere as the laughter of a little girl at play,” and King Edward VII of England remarked, “I whistled ‘Listen To the Mocking Bird’ when I was a little boy.”

The song became popular all over Europe and it is estimated that by 1905 total sheet copies sold ran approximately twenty million. This song’s immense popularity has struck solidly for over a century. It is truly one of our old-time, all-time song hits.

Retrieved from p. 141 The American Song Treasury http://www.mi5th.org/Songs/Listen.htm

A Civil War Song about the Siege of Vicksburg

It is fitting that this close to the fourth of July that we make a few comments on the siege of Vicksburg. Vicksburg National Park is about an 8 hour drive from the Texhoma region, but a very profitable experience.  The loss of Vicksburg was a tremendous blow to the Confederacy.  It is also a heartbreaking example of how the Northern Army waged a relentless war against the civilian population of the South, something I’m proud to say the South did not officially do.

There are many websites devoted to this siege. The finest book on the subject I could recommend is The Defense of Vicksburg: A Louisiana Chronicle  by Allan C. Richard, Jr. and Mary Margaret Higginbotham Richard (Texas A&M Publisher). I was fortunate in that I recently met Ms. Richard and obtained a signed copy.

The following song was very popular after the siege of Vicksburg. It is sung to the tune of “Listen to the Mockingbird.”

‘Twas at the Seige of Vicksburg,

Of Vicksburg, of Vicksburg,

‘Twas at the Seige of Vicksburg,

When the Parrott shells were whistlin’ through the air!

CHORUS

Listen to the Parrott shells!

Listen to the Parrott shells!

The Parrott shells are whistlin’ through the air!

Listen to the Parrott shells!

Listen to the Parrott shells!

The Parrott shells are whistlin’ through the air!

Oh, well will we remember

Remember, remember,

Tough mule meat, June sans November,

And the minie-balls that whistled through the air!

CHORUS

Listen to the minie-balls!

Listen to the minie-balls!

The minie-balls are singing in the air!

Listen to the minie-balls!

Listen to the minie-balls!

The minie-balls are singing in the air!

In spite of the fact I wrote, “For Librarians Only,” I knew you’d read it anyway. That’s okay. These are things writers, school teachers, and librarians should know in order to have a successful signing. In all fairness, I must say that much, if not most, of what’s in this list I learned from the very talented librarians I have worked with.  These are only suggestions, but I feel they may be helpful to author and librarian alike. Recently, I was broadcast by Region VII, and this was one of the handouts I shared with the librarians who were in attendance and who were watching the broadcast.

Checklist for Successful Author Event in School Libraries

•    Ask author to acknowledge all (every one) correspondence from you.  File or print each email and make notes on phone calls.  Obtain phone as well as email contact information. (If the Internet server goes down, you must have phone contact!)
•    Author should sign and fax W-9 form if required by your district.  Find out district/school policy on payment as authors generally expect payment on the day of program.
•    A written contract for the event should be created.
•    Find out what the author will need for the event (tables, etc.)
•    A schedule of event day should be sent to author. This way he/she will know what to expect.
•    Ask author for bio and other press information, including photo. File this information as you receive it.
•    Obtain handouts, giveaways (like bookmarks) photos, etc. from author if they have them.
•    Notify local media of the event. Ask author what he/she can do to help with publicity for the event (his blog, website, newspapers, etc.)  Community publicity is good for the image of your school and library.  Obtain an extra copy of any articles and send to the author. Authors do appreciate that.
•    Obtain author’s book(s) before the event if possible and read (or have teachers read) the book(s) to the children and discuss them.  Students are much more excited about the program.
•    Send a brochure or letter home to the parents of students attending the program, informing them of the author’s visit and his/her books, including price if they are able to purchase them.
•    Communicate to the author any specific expectations or requests.
•    Talk up the event with school newspaper, school announcements, and with school staff. Encourage teachers to drop by and meet the author. A pre-program display can also be effective to build interest.
•    Decide if you want to sell the author’s books as a fund-raiser, or if you don’t want or need to fool with that, have author bring his/her own books to sell. Or you can just focus on the program.
•    Offer lunch to the author and provide water during program(s).
•    Contact author a few days before the event.
•    Take photos or record program on video for records, school website, and posterity.  Get as much mileage out of the event as you can.
•    Share your impression of the program with other librarians. (Texas Library List Serve, etc.)

Children’s Parade

Here are some photos of the Monroe July 4th Children’s Parade at Triangle Park. The paper said that over 1500 people were there. I so enjoyed this. The children and spectators were excited, the weather perfect (but warm), and thankfully the event was well reported. It’s good when positive things are featured in the news, instead of the usual digging for dirt to feed the toxic gossip craving many people have.

Here is the parade sign in Triangle Park:

Here is my grandson, Mason, who proudly rode in the parade:

Here is the John Adams of the Parade:

Here is Mason with his father Stewart, waiting for the parade to begin.

BOOK SIGNING

My signing at the new Barnes & Noble in Arlington on Cooper Street on Saturday afternoon was a success. The store is very busy and I was able to tell at least two hundred people the story of Jim Limber. One thing I enjoy about signings is the people I meet. Here is a photo of me and one of the workers, Amanda. Amanda is a writer herself and we had a good talk about writing.

Here is one of the managers, Erica. She was very helpful and encouraging.

Today’ entry concludes the lessons for the study guide for my collection of historical short fiction.  Tomorrow, I’ll have an entry featuring Mason (my grandson) for the Monroe Garden District’s Annual Fourth of July Children’s Parade at Triangle Park!

Lesson 11: Stories of the Confederate South –
“Prayer from Little Round Top”

Questions and Topics for Discussion, Papers, and Projects:

1. Research the 15th Alabama and their assault on Little Round Top. How would the battle (and perhaps the War) had been different if this unit had taken and held this mountain?
2. Create a map or model of the Battle of Gettysburg. Illustrate the role of the 15th Alabama.
3. Research the units on both sides involved in the battle for Little Round Top.
4. Research the close relationship of twins and how this story illustrates this closeness.
5. Research the Irish allusions in the story, including the song “The Rose of Tralee,” Connemarra, the Potato Famine, and the Coffin Ships.
6. Write a comparison/contrast paper of the two famous commanders in this battle, Joshua Chamberlain and William C. Oates.

Resources:

Online:
http://15thalabama.org/
http://www.15thalabama.com/

Books:
The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara.   This is a historical novel and made into the movie, Gettysburg.
Storming Little Round Top: The 15th Alabama and Their Fight for the High Ground, July 2, 1863 by Phillip Tucker.

This is a story inspired by Jed Marum’s song, “Prayer from Little Round Top.” Here are the lyrics and notes by Jed Marum. Discuss them and discuss how they guided the writing of the short story.

This song was inspired by reading shiplists and genealogy web sites, and by researching the history of the 15th Alabama. Author Rickey Pittman has written a short story based upon this song and the history. His book of short stories is called “Stories of the Confederate South” and you can find more information at his website http://www.rickeypittman.com/

Prayer from Little Round Top
© Jed Marum 2000

As a child standing by her graveside, I recall
many years ago, we said our last goodbye.
My loving twin sister Sarah left me that day,
torn away by hunger and the blight of ’45.
My father said the Lord would send a mighty wind
to fill our sails and take us ‘cross the sea to Americay
We left behind the pain and famine, we left behind
the land I love, and through the years I remember every day, and

CHO:
In dreams I see the mountain tops of my lovely Connemarra
I hear the waves roll gently on the shores along the bay
I dream I travel home again
And I want to stay forever
And I only need a gentle breeze
And I’ll be on my way

From Ireland to Talladaga Alabama,
Carried on the wind, welcomed at my uncle’s farm.
Through the years now, I’ve learned new ways but little Sarah’s lovely face
I’ve carried in my heart since we were young.

When the bells rang I joined the 15th Regiment
fighting for my home and adopted country.
Many battles now I find myself on this Pennsylvania hilltop
I draw deep from gentle the summer breeze CHO

With a sharp crack from a Yankee rifle a bullet burns
deep within my chest and I’m sinking to the ground
and my eyes find the new horizon while musket fire is
passing overhead in waves of muffled sound.

FINAL CHO: Here I see the mountaintops of lovely Connemarra
I hear the waves roll gently on the shores along the bay
and I can see my home again
where I’m running free with Sarah
Now I only need a gentle breeze
And I’ll be on my way

Lesson 10: Stories of the Confederate South – “Freedom: An Allegory”

Opening Epigraph by Benjamin Franklin:

1. Discuss Benjamin Franklin, his life, and writings.
2. Discuss the symbol of the eagle in history. What other nations/empires have used the symbol?

Questions and Topics for Discussion, Writing, and Projects

1. Free people of color in the South before the War (Antebellum South) and during the war. (The minister in the story was a free person of color) Many were born free, and many became free. For more insights read Myths of American Slavery by Walter D. Kennedy (Pelican Publishing).

2. According to this site, <http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/allegory.html> an allegory is a form of extended metaphor, in which objects, persons, and actions in a narrative, are equated with the meanings that lie outside the narrative itself. The underlying meaning has moral, social, religious, or political significance, and characters are often personifications of abstract ideas such as charity, greed, or envy. Thus, an allegory is a story with two meanings, a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning.  Some famous allegories are Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, Paul’s allegory in the New Testament in Galatians 4, and perhaps, The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. Discuss how this story can be thought of as an allegory. What are the ideas of the story? What or who does the eagle represent?

3. Have the class sing together, “Poor Wayfarin’ Stranger.” Discuss its meaning.

Vocabulary:

1. eulogy –  a speech praising someone who had died.
2. talons – claws
3. rogue foragers – violent, out of control Federal soldiers
4. nanny – one hired to take care of children.
5. regal – royal

Study Guide Lesson 9: Stories of the Confederate South – “The Yankee in the Orchard”

This story is set in modern times along the Red River, near Alexandria, Louisiana. However, the backdrop is the Red River Campaign during the Civil War. The story is based on a family legend. The legend is true, but the modern day application is fictional. The orchard is still on the family’s farm and perhaps someday the story will be vindicated by archaeologists.

Topics and Questions for Discussion, Papers, and Projects:

1. The Red River Campaign. Use the school’s data base for further research. However, here is a good site: http://www.civilwarhome.com/redriverrecords.htm  Students can construct an illustrated map of the campaign. Another good  resources is One Damn Blunder from Beginning to End: The Red River Campaign of 1864, by Gary Joiner.

2. Students can discover, record, and present a family legend.

3. Students can analyze modern differences between Southerner and Northerners.

4. Research the story of Louisiana’s Catahoula Cur dog.

5. Research and discuss the Southern view of treatment of women and contrast the South’s  chivalric view to that of other views. What view does Billy have of women?  What does he not know of these women? What does he not know of history?

6. Research Reconstruction from a Southern point of view.

7. How does this story define the Southern Woman?

Lesson 8: Stories of the Confederate South — “The Hanging of David O. Dodd.”

This story is about one of the two boy martyrs of the Confederacy, David O. Dodd. (The other child-martyr is Sam Davis, who was hanged in Pulaski, TN, and whom you can read about here: http://www.tennessee-scv.org/samdavis.html) David O. Dodd was a seventeen-year-old boy who was hanged by the Yankees as a spy in Little Rock, AR. Like the story of Sam Davis, Dodd’s story is a tragic one. He and his father were sutlers, merchants selling goods to soldiers. David also knew Morse code as he worked in a telegraph office in Monroe, Louisiana for a while. Dodd recorded all kinds of things he saw in his journal in code, and this of course was what got him in trouble. Here is a photo of David O. Dodd:

The Epigraph:

“Stand fast, good Fate to his hanging!
Make the rope his destiny our cable . . .” – The Tempest I.1.16

Discuss how the quotation relates to the message of this story.

Further Research:

Here is a photo of David O. Dodd Elemntary School in Little Rock, AR.

You can read in greater detail about Dodd at these websites:

http://www.civilwarbuff.org/dodd.html and at

http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2536

http://www.onlinelittlerock.com/content/historic/civil-war-david-o-dodd.htm

http://users.aristotle.net/~russjohn/warriors/dodd.html (this site has several photographs)

Project Ideas:

1. Here is a site where your students can learn and practice Morse code. http://www.omniglot.com/writing/morsecode.htm

Have students construct a small David O. Dodd or Mary journal with notes, letters, drawings, photographs, clippings, etc. Also, here is a site with an online translator: http://morsecode.scphillips.com/jtranslator.html
2. After researching his life, draw an illustrated map of Dodd’s travels.
3. Have students reeanact the trial of David O. Dodd. A school in Arkansas, using students about Dodd’s age, did this. See http://www2.arkansasonline.com/events/2008/jan/12/4954/
See also http://www.civilwarbuff.org/trial04.html

Vocabulary and Allusions

1. miser – a greedy stingy person
2. fur muff – a small cylindrical fur or cloth cover, open at both ends, in which the hands are placed for warmth.
3. magical runes – Any of the characters in several alphabets used by ancient Germanic peoples from the 3rd to the 13th century. A similar character in another alphabet, sometimes believed to have magic powers.
4. gallows – constructed platform used to hang people from
5. muleskinner – one who drives mules or drives a wagon pulled by mules.
6. provost marshal – The head of a unit of military police.
7. martinet – a puppet on a string
8. cipher – a secret code
9. Tyburn Tree – A famous hanging tree in England. See this site for more information: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/place-london/A988833
10. insurrection – a rebellion, riot.
11. “Women at the foot of the cross” – See Matthew 24:54-56

Stained glass from the Little Rock Arsenal in the Museum of Natural Science and History.

Here are photos of Dodd’s tombstone and footstone:

Lesson 7: Stories of the Confederate South– “Moses”

This is an Underground Railroad story, loosely based on the well-known Harriet Tubman. However, I wanted to reveal some lesser-known insights into her character and into the Underground Railroad.

Epigraph: “O Liberty, how many crimes are committed in thy name” — Madam Roland.

For Discussion and Study:

1. Madam Roland and her husband were outspoken supporters of the French Revolution, but they too fell out of favor with those in power and died by the guillotine. Research her life and discuss the meaning of this epigraph and how it relates to this story.

2. Some servants (slaves) like Daniel were allowed to earn extra money. Many were able to even buy or earn their freedom. Discuss how this is a different perspective from the stereotypical view of slavery in the South. See Myths of American Slavery by Walter. D. Kennedy (Pelican Publishing) for even more insights.

3. Harriet Tubman was called the Moses of her people. Discuss the comparison of this woman leader to Moses. Like the Moses in the Bible, this Moses had good qualities and bad ones. Find and discuss the Biblical allusions she uses.

4. While the other servants are running away from slavery and their masters, Daniel is going with them for another reason. What is the reason for Daniel’s journey?

5. Discuss why escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad often had to go to Canada. Most are unaware of “Black” laws in many of the northern states and of the prejudice against black people that existed in the North as well as in the South. For more information go to this site on black codes.

http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Black_Codes_in_Northern_USA/id/1933573

6. Discuss the irony in the scene of Jacob’s death. Did Moses have a right to kill him? Daniel wanted to return, but is not allowed to. Does Daniel “truly” have freedom?

7. “Go Down Moses” is an old spiritual. Find, discover, and with your own voice or with recording, present some of these spirituals to your class. Here is a site devoted to Negro spirituals: http://ctl.du.edu/spirituals/Times/times.cfm

You can find some lyrics for 21 spirituals here: http://newdeal.feri.org/fwp/fwp05.htm

LESSON 6: Stories of the Confederate South “Lily”

This piece of short historical fiction is based on events recorded in the diary of William McCarter. He was a Federal soldier in the famed, Irish Brigade. By telling the story of a young girl who was killed when Charleston, Virginia was shelled, his story illustrates the sad effects of the North’s war on the civilian population of the South. For more examples read War Crimes Against Southern Civilians by Walter Brian Cisco and published by Pelican Publishing.

TOPICS AND PROJECTS FOR WRITING AND DISCUSSION:

1. History of West Virginia – West Virginia was founded by Abraham Lincoln’s presidential decree, June 1863.  As this story takes place in October of 1862, Charleston was still part of Virginia, though the opening says (to facilitate modern understanding of geography) the setting is in Charleston, West Virginia. The following site has a good summary of the history. http://www.wvtourism.com/spec.aspx?pgID=149 and one can find a summary of West Virginia’s role in the Civil War.
2. The Suffering of the Innocent in Times of War.
3. The Irish Brigade – Read about their history, uniforms, commanders, and role during the Civil War here: http://irishvolunteers.tripod.com/index.htm
4. The flag of the Irish Brigade: (This information and image of the flag is from: http://www.anyflag.com/history/irish.htm)

This flag is one of five regimental designs  carried into battle by the New York State Volunteer Regiments. The motto written in old Irish tongue means: “Who never retreated from the clash of spears” The motto is thought to have been suggested by the Irish scholar John O’Mahoney.
5. The Richmond Howitzers:  There is a modern day reenactment unit that honors the history of this unit mentioned in the story. You can learn more of them here: http://www.howitzers.com/
6. You can find a biography of General Thomas Francis Meagher at this site: http://irishfreedom.net/Misc.%20news%20items/TFMeagher%20headstone.htm
7. Fenian Brotherhood – One site to learn a little about them is here:
8. Have children sing, “Listen to the Mockingbird.” Read about the origin of the song here: You can find the lyrics here:
9. Have students play a game of checkers.
10. civility – Courteous, polite in word and action. For some thoughtful insights, read this article:

VOCABULARY:

1. transcribe – to listen and record in writing.
2. poncho – in these days rubber coated canvas with a hole that the soldier slipped his head through.
3. gabby – talkative
4. dilemma – A situation that requires a choice between options that are or seem equally unfavorable or mutually exclusive.
5. hamlet – a small village.
6. memento mori – a reminder of death.

RESOURCES:

Mc Carter, William. My Life in the Irish Brigade: The Civl War Memoirs of Private William McCarter,

116th Pennsylvania Infantry. Ed.Kevin O’Brien. Cambridge, MA: De Capo,     1996.

Jed Marum, an internationally known Irish musician, wrote a song about the little girl mentioned in McCarter’s journal.  You can learn more of Jed Marum at his website:

LYRICS to “Mama’s Lily” by Jed Marum

She was just her Mama’s Lily
A pretty child, curious and bold
As I stood there with Michael O’Reilly
She might have been seven years old
She’d been placed high atop the piano
And arranged there with love and with care
By an African servant, her nanny
Cutting locks of the little girl’s hair
There were tears soaked locks of here hair.

CHORUS:
And it’s a hard cold edge to the wind tonight
It’s a bitter wind, cuts to the bone
& cruel is fate when its power and its might
To both guilty and innocent are shown
To both guilty and innocent shown

Charlestown was easily taken
Federal batteries had helped clear the way
When we went down to see,
Michael Reilly and me
The Rebel force had melted away
She’s been standing alone in the window
Watching soldiers retreat south and west
There was nothing to do,
When a cannonball flew
Through the window,
And on through her chest
Tore her arm and her heart
From her breast

CHORUS

Now I know we must fight for the union
But what a terrible price must be paid
And to make this land free,
Michael Reilly and me
Well we joined with the Irish Brigade
Now I look through my tears on this Lily
Shattered before she could bloom …
Still through death on her face
Shine her beauty and grace
Though she died from a terrible wound
And no child should ever die from such a wound.