It was a long weekend and the whole time I’ve been driving in the rain. I must have passed a half dozen accidents. Thursday night I traveled to my parents house along the Red River and spent the night there. Early Friday (I left before 6:00 a.m.) I drove to Prarie Vista Middle School to present my Civil War program (7 programs). From there, I drove to Plano (only 40 miles, but it took two hours because of Dallas traffic) to present storytelling and music and sign Scottish Alphabet books at Legacy Books at their weekly Pajamorama! There were over 30 children and about that many adults and I found them most receptive.  The store took pictures, which they’re going to send me, so I’ll post more and have more to say about Lorna and Kyle the managers and the rest of the staff, but here is one photo I took with my phone of Alia, the store’s resident storyteller. This beautiful lady is an English and Theatre major and quite a hit with the kids!  If you’re ever in the DFW area, you need to visit Legacy Books (3 stories, free Internet, and great coffee) 7300 Dallas Parkway, Plano. Their website is here:

Alia at Legacy Books

I left Plano and arrived in Monroe at 2:00 a.m. I slept late on Saturday, then rose to face the endless work of teaching my online classes.  Today has been spent in the same activity, but I did manage to attend the Celtic Society’s meeting today for a special presentation on St. Patrick. I know I’m behind on my posts for this blog, but I’ll catch up soon–promise. This week, I’m performing on St. Patrick’s Day  (Tuesday) at the War Veterans Home and at Enoch’s Irish Pub in the Evening.

As Saint Patrick’s Day approaches, my thoughts are on the Irish.  My mental ramblings took me to thoughts of Captain John Riley and his Batallón de San Patricio in the Mexican War of 1846-48. There’s so much about this story that needs to be told. So much in fact, that I’ve determined to write a children’s book about them. I found this song written by two great musicians–Tim O’Brien and Guy Clark–and purchased it from iTunes.  I thought I’d post the lyrics. This song tells one part of their sad story. I follow that with another song about this unit. This is definitely a story I’m working into my Scots-Irish and Texas History presentation.
“John Riley” (from http://www.timobrien.net/Lyrics2.cfm?ID=56)
From The Crossing
(Tim O’Brien, Guy Clark (Howdy Skies Music/Forerunner Music, Inc./EMI/April, ASCAP))

John Riley ©1998 Tim O’Brien and Guy Clark

John Riley came form Galway town in the years of the Irish hunger
And he sailed away to America when the country was much younger
The place was strange and work was scarce and all he knew was farming
So he followed his other Irish friends to a job in the US Army

Adventure calls and some men run, and this is their sad story
Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on glory

They marched down Texas way to the banks of the Rio Grande
They built a fort on the banks above to taunt old Santa Anna
They were treated bad, paid worse, and then the fighting started
The more they fought the less they thought of the damned old US Army

Adventure calls and some men run, and this is their sad story
Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on glory

When the church bells rang on Sunday morn it set his soul a shiver
He saw the Senoritas washing’ their hair on the far side of the river
John Riley and two hundred more Irish mercenaries
Cast their lot, right or not, south of the Rio Grande

Adventure calls and some men run, and this is their sad story
Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on glory

They fought bravely under the flag of the San Patricios
Till the Yankees soldiers beat them down at the battle of Churubusco
Then fifteen men were whipped like mules
And on the cheeks were hot iron branded
Made to dig the graves of fifty more, who a hanging fate had handed

Adventure calls and some men run, and this is their sad story
Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on glory

John Riley stands and drinks alone at a bar in Vera Cruz
He wonders if it matters much if you win or if you lose
“I’m a man who can’t go home , a wanderer”, says he
“A victim of some wanderlust and divided loyalty

Adventure calls and some men run, and this is their sad story
Some get drunk on demon rum and some get drunk on glory

“The Men that God made Mad” – written by Ron Kavanagh. I found the lyrics here:

(Arr. N. Parsons/G. Dunne)
L’Entrada de L’Angustura – written by Graham Dunne

Far far from Clifden’s rocky shore o’er the broad Atlantic sea
The Battalion of St. Patrick tired of harsh brutality
No more abuse or bigotry, their angry cry wholehearted
Near Matamoras lives were lost that’s when the fighting started

Chorus:
Who were those men, what was the crime
For which their lives were wasted
Did they rob or rape, or was their fate
As the poet once related
Were those great Gaels of Ireland
The men that God made mad
Their wars were never merry
But all their songs were sad

Land of the Free meant liberty to the U.S. Army’s Irish
Till James K. Polk he sent them south to civilize the Spanish
In a war to extend slavery and unjust exploitation
They’d not repeat what Cromwell did to their poor Irish Nation

Chorus:

At L’Angustura, Irish blood drenched the sun-baked clay
And Mexico still honours those brave men who died that day
But the worst was yet to come in the hour that war was ended
When General Scott hung the Irishmen to celebrate with vengeance

Chorus:

Here is the flag of the Saint Patrick Battalion as described by John Riley:

You can read more of this unit’s story here and here: Well, this post is long enough. More on John Riley to come.

From the Country Inn motel, Leesville, Louisiana, Monday night.

After a busy but fantastic weekend at the North Texas Irish festival, I returned home about 11:30 p.m. Sunday night. I worked online till 2:00 a.m., then fell into bed. I rose at 6:00 hurriedly packed, and hit the road by 8:00 a.m. for Vernon Parish. I was interviewed on a local radio newspaper by an entergetic broadcaster on a Leesville station. I performed my first “live on the radio” song, “The Water Is Wide,” and talked about my books and the Library Musical Odyssey V program. It seems I’m their last musician for the year. The libraries website is here: The library’s director, Howard, and Gary, the Musical Odyssey director, are doing a fine job serving the community. We had a very large crowd and they were so into the Irish songs and the stories behind the songs and were delightful to be with. It seems everyone loves the Irish. I’m now in my hotel room, giving thought to the tasks that need to be done tomorrow.

It has been one busy week. Thursday, I was with the McComb Public Library. And in a schedule arranged by them, I presented to a middle school there in town, a luncheon for a group of readers who meet in the library, a short presentation to a day-care center, and another middle school in Pike County. It was a wonderful day. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, each table at the luncheon had an Irish potato center-piece. Here is a photo of one of them.

Last Friday, I taught my classes at Delta Community College, and then hit the road for the North Texas Irish Festival. Riding with me were my friends from the Celtic Society, Tom and Michael. We headed out to a pub I’d never been to–Tipperary Inn and had a grand time.

I’ll probably have more posts about the NTIF festival as emails and photos filter in. I signed books at the NELA Celtic Society’s booth the whole weekend. I performed three times and my work seemed well received. Our booth was next to an organization devoted to saving Irish Wolf Hounds, the biggest dogs in the world! You should do a study on these beautiful, gentle with people dogs. Absolutely fascinating. Here is a photo of a tapestry they had of Finn McCool (legendary Irish hero) and his two hounds, Bran and Sgeolan.

In my Irish set, I perform the song, “Rose of Tralee.”  I was delighted and honored to meet Roisin Mulligan who was the 2008 Texas Rose of Tralee. She was born in Dublin Ireland and moved to texas at the age of five. She teaches kindergarden in Burleson, Texas. A beautiful, wonderful lady.

Here is a photo of Rhonda Loeliger, one of the key people for the Austin Celtic Festival which will be held Nov. 7-8 2009.  This beautiful and sharp lady works for the largest Celtic gathering in Central Texas.  They consistently have some of the best of internationally known Celtic performers on their program. You can find their website here: www. AustinCelticFestival.com.

Here are photos of Shelia Hoh, who is with the Scottish Society in Minden, Louisiana. With folks like this beautiful and talented woman working for and leading them, I predict great success for their society.

Tomorrow, I’m at the Vernon Parish Library. I also have a radio interview to do around noon. Next post will likely be Tuesday night.

As I prepared for the North Texas Irish Festival coming this weekend and for my program at McComb MS Public Library on Thursday, I was reading The Irish Brigade by Russ A Pritchard, Jr. and came upon a list of Irish units during the Confederacy and decided to publish it. If you know of any others, please send them my way and I’ll add them to this post.  I’m going to follow up this post with a listing of Federal Irish units.

Irish Battalion (1st Virginia Infantry Battalion, Provisional Army)

Irish Brigade, Company A (Company I, 6th Louisiana Infantry, the “Fighting Tigers”!)

Irish Brigade, Company B (Company F, 6th Louisiana Infantry)

Irish Jasper Greens (Company A, 1st Georgia Volunteers)

Irish Volunteer Guards (a company of the 8th Georgia Infantry)

Irish Volunteers, Company A (Company D, 1st Georgia Volunteers)

Irish Volunteers, Company B (Company E. 1st Georgia Volunteers)

Irish Volunteers (Company F 7th Louisiana Infantry)

Irish Volunteers (Company A, 1st Virginia Infantry Battalion, Provisional Army)

Irish Volunteers (Company C, 1st South Carolina Infantry Battalion)

Irish Volunteers (Company C, 19 Battalion Virginia Artillery)

Sons of Erin, 10th Tennessee Infantry

This is an incomplete listing, for I know the Confederate Army had a high percentage of Scots, Irish, and Scots-Irish in its rank.  These men are the stuff that legends and songs are made of.

Today, as most days are when I’ve just returned from a trip, has been spent trying to catch up. A friend of mine, Carol Murdoch, a writer with an award winning blog, sent me a book, Ghost Riders by Sharyn McCrumb. It arrived today and I can’t wait to get to reading it! I had a grand time last Saturday in Lake Jackson, Texas at the Historic Museum there and will post some good photos when they arrive of that event. I found a new route from Monroe to Houston that is not much further than going to the west side of Fort Worth, so I’ll likely be planning more trips there. Of personal interest were the statues I passed this trip: the small memorial to Jim Reeves on Highway 79, the HUGE statues of Sam Houston (77 ft. high, including base at I-45 Huntsville) and Stephen Austin (Highway 288, 76 ft. high). I also booked a coffee shop for a musical program at a mall in Sherman, Texas and a couple of bookstores and libraries.

JEFF TALMADGE

If Jeff Talmadge isn’t a poet, then I truly don’t know what one is. His songs are constructed with lyrics that can scald or soothe the heart and reflect the voice of experience and wonderfully deep insights into human nature. Here is a song of his about “choices,” entitled, “Wrong Train.”

Wrong Train by Jeff Talmadge

On a train between two cities
I knew that I’d gone wrong
I was headed east
When I should be going west.

And I must have muttered something
‘cause the man beside me smiled
He looked me in the eye
And then he said

CHORUS:
It’s not the wrong train that you’re on
It’s just another way to go.
It’s not the wrong train that you’re on
And you found another way back home.

Well I’ll change at the next station
I said to my new friend
I’m losing time and it’s getting kind of late.

It isn’t lost, he said,
It’s only spent another way
And time is like this train
And it won’t wait.

CHORUS:
And this train don’t care if it’s wrong or if it’s right
But you’re where you ought to be tonight.

Well I finally made it home that night
Not quite the way I planned
Isn’t that the way
It always goes

And now when I get lost
I say I’m just exploring
‘cause life’s a whole lot
like that train I know.

CHORUS:

You found another way back home

I have to thank Harry Sargent of Lake Jackson Texas for this information. I met him at the museum where I did my program this weekend. As my Confederate ancestor was assigned to the Mining and Nitre department that made gunpowder, I was very interested.

The Art of Making Saltpetre

During the American Civil War,  the Confederates, to provide nitrate for making gunpowder, had to resort to all sorts of devices.  This included digging out and leaching the earth from old smokehouses, barns, and caves and making artificial beds of all sorts of nitrogenous matter.  They designated agents for the purpose in every town and city.

The officer at Selma, Ala, was particularly energetic and enthusiastic in his work and put the following advertisement in the Selma newspaper on October 1, 1863.

“The ladies of Selma are respectfully requested to preserve the chamber lye to be collected for the purpose of making nitre.  A barrel will be sent around daily to collect it.  John Haralson, Agent, Nitre and Mining Bureau, C.S.A.”

This attracted the attention of army poets and the first of the following two effusions resulted.  It was copied and privately circulated over the Confederacy.  Finally it crossed the line, and an unknown Federal poet added the “Yankee’s View of It.”

CONFERATE VIEW OF IT

John Haralson, John Haralson—you are a wretched creature;
You’ve added to this bloody war a new and useful feature.
You’d have us think, while every man is bound to be a fighter,
The Ladies, bless the pretty dears, should save their pee for nitre.

John Haralson, John Haralson, where did you get the notion,
To send the barrel ‘round to gather up the lotion?
We thought the girls had work enough to making shirts and kissing,
But you have put the pretty dears to Patriotic Pissing.

John Haralson, John Haralson, pray do invent a neater,
And somewhat less immodest way of making your saltpetre.
For ‘tis an awful idea, John, gunpowdery and cranky
That when a lady lifts her skirts, she’s killing off and Yankee.

YANKEE VIEW OF IT

John Haralson, John Haralson, we’ve read in song and story,
How women’s tears, through all the years, have moistened fields of glory.
But never was it told before, how ‘mid such scene of slaughter
Your Southern beauties dried their tears and went to making water.

No wonder that your boys were brave; who couldn’t be a fighter,
If every time he fired his gun, he used his sweetheart’s nitre.
And vice versa, what could make a Yankee soldier sadder,
Than dodging bullets fired by a pretty woman’s bladder?
They say there was a subtle smell which lingered in the powder
And as the smoke grew thicker and din of battle louder,
That there was found in this compound one serious objection—
No soldier boy could sniff it without having an erection!!

Thanks to Elinor Owens, Editor of the ACS Philadelphis Section’s Catalyst, for digging this up and publishing it first.

Once again I find myself at Panera’s drinking their fine coffee and doing some online work. For once, there’s no shortage of university work. In fact, there’s an overabundance! Maybe the reeling economy is driving folks back to school. My father was supposed to have his pacemaker battery replaced this week, but his white cell count was up due to a respiratory infection and the physician thought it needful to postpone it because the risk of infection from surgery had doubled. So after two days of dealing with the logistics of getting him to the VA in Dallas, I must plan on doing it again soon.
After our baptism in fire in dealing with the big government hospital system–worse than regular hospitals, but not as bad as one might think–I’ve got the process streamlined and figured out. I think too that my mother—a nervous wreck over it all—will do better next time as well. I spent yesterday by working two hours on college classes (again at Paneras) and then helping my mother with chores. One chore was planting two rows of 3 kinds of onions in her garden. I think she’s already planted potatoes. (Valentine’s day is potato planting day here). I think the garden is good for her. It’s exercise, and it gets her outside and close to nature. Plus, what one grows in a garden is just better for you than store-bought food.

After I do a little online work with my classes, I’m on the road to Houston. I’ll spend the night with friends and tomorrow present my programs at Lake Jackson, then back to Monroe by Sunday.  If you check my online calendar, you’ll see I’ve got a very busy spring ahead of me. I need to start booking events in June-July-August. The fall of 09 is already looking pretty busy. Peace, and to you authors, good writing.

News

Today has been busy, as tomorrow will be. I rose at 4:00 a.m., worked my online classes till 6:15 and was on the way to Oklahoma by 7. I picked up my mom and dad and brought them to my Aunt Winnie’s house in Garland. After my aunt treated us to a supper at Cheddars, I left them in her care and headed for the nearest Starbucks so I could make a post and check on my classes. Tomorrow I take my dad in for his surgery, and hopefully (if his pacemaker doesn’t need to be replaced) be on the way back to Oklahoma by tomorrow night. Thursday I’ll spend with them and help with chores, then drive to Houston on Friday. I’ll spend the night with friends there, and on Saturday I’ll make my presentations at the Lake Jackson Historical Museum. Their motto is “Dedicated to the Preservation of Our Heritage.” Here is the article the local paper is running about the event:

Rickey E. Pittman is a 1998 grand prizewinner of the prestigious Ernest Hemingway Short Story Competition. Originally from Dallas, Texas, he earned a bachelor’s degree in New Testament Greek and a master’s degree in English from Abilene Christian University. Pittman has produced numerous plays, works of nonfiction, collections of poetry, and short stories. A certified Gifted & Talented secondary English teacher, he currently teaches freshman English at Delta Community College and the University of Louisiana in Monroe, Louisiana.

The Lake Jackson Historical Museum is proud to host Mr. Pittman as he presents two Civil War programs on Saturday, February 28th at the Lake Jackson Historical Museum located at 249 Circle Way in Lake Jackson.

At 10 am, Mr. Pittman will conduct a children’s program, followed by a book-signing, based on his children’s book, Jim Limber Davis: A Black Orphan in the Confederate White House. This accelerated reader selection tells the true story of how Jim Limber, a free black orphan, was adopted by the Jefferson Davis family during the Civil War. The story offers an example of compassion during this complex time in our nation’s history. Mr. Pittman will recount the Jim Limber Story through period dress, a Civil War ‘show and tell’ table, and period music.

At 2pm, Mr. Pittman will conduct a second program, also followed by a book-signing, based on his third book, Stories of the Confederate South, an anthology of short fiction presenting a variety of Southern characters, events, and issues that capture the spirit and passion of the South. Through careful research of diaries, biographies, historical events, and social trends Mr. Pittman will summarize Texas’ role in the Civil War, discuss the techniques and difficulties of writing about the Civil War, and present a reading from his book.

The Texas 15th Infantry, a Civil War reenactors group, will also be camped outside the Museum to demonstrate life in a civil war camp.

You won’t want to miss these exciting programs! Rickey Pittman promises to captivate, educate and entertain audiences of all ages with his programs.
All books are available for purchase in the Museum gift shop or bring your own copy to have signed by the author.  For more information please call 979-297-1570 or visit www.lakejacksonmuseum.org.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Caulkins
Museum Director
Lake Jackson Historical Museum

Author Event: I’ve always loved the big sky of West Texas, as well as the people, climate, and terrain. Last year, Linda Bagwell interviewed me on her radio program that is devoted to authors and artists of all sorts. She also heads up this:

Books ‘n Authors ‘n All That Jazz VII
Weatherford College Alkek Fine Arts Center
April 25, 2009

I’ve been asked to be a part of this event this year. Here are the descriptions of my workshops, and I may be performing with my guitar as well.

Rickey Pittman: Writing About the Civil War
It’s not Gone with the Wind — there’s still much that needs to be written about the war that forever changed America’s government, culture, and people. Attend this workshop with award winning Civil War author, musician, and storyteller Rickey Pittman and learn how you can write children’s books, magazine articles, stories, family or military histories, and novels about the war America will never forget.  The author will also help you find out how to research your Civil War ancestor, show and tell various Civil War relics, and introduce some period music.

Rickey E. Pittman: How to Write Children’s Books

Children’s books are not just for kids any more. Libraries, schools, teachers, and adults are collecting and creating them. In this workshop, award winning children’s author and learn how to write a children’s book, how to write your query letter to send to a publisher, and how to best market and promote your book.  The author will discuss various types of children’s books and why, if you want to influence your world, you should be a children’s author.

If you’re near Weatherford on April 25, please drop in and see me.