First Memorial Day

National Memorial Day is here.
In the spring of 1866 the ladies of Columbus, Mississippi carried flowers to Friendship Cemetery to decorate the graves of Confederate Soldiers who fell, probably mortally wounded at Shiloh (Pittsburgh Landing.) After the battle, trains moved southward dropping off the wounded in Tupelo, Columbus, Macon, Meridian and all points in between. Many men who died in homes of these communities were buried in those towns.
While decorating graves of our fallen, the women looked over to the graves of the boys in blue with compassion for their sacrifice as well. They too were covered in the fragrance of spring that represents awakening, resurrection.
Other states argue that they were first but it seems to be agreed upon by most that Mississippi was first.
Francis Miles Finch happened to be in Columbus that day and was inspired to write the poem
"The Blue And The Grey"

I need a lear jet

Pink Anderson b. 2-12-1900 in South Carolina. He started singing and playing blues at age fifteen.
Floyd Council b. 9-2-1911 in Chapel Hill N.C. He played blues along with his brothers around town.

Stagga Lee

The song Stagger Lee goes back in Blues history a long way, recorded over 400 times. There are dozens of versions of this song as in many folk songs. It hit big in 1959 when recorded by Floyd Price, a black Korean war veteran.

Saint Louis Globe Democrat 1895 - William Lyons 25, levee worker was shot in the abdomen by Lee "Stag" Shelton.
Lyons died later of his wounds. Shelton was tried but the jury was hung.
(I didn't go into their archives to verify this)

I was standin' on the corner
When I heard my bulldog bark
He was barkin' at the two men
Who were gamblin' in the dark

It was Stagga Lee and Billy
Two men who gambled late
Stagga Lee threw a Seven
Billy swore that he threw eight

Stagga Lee told Billy
I can't let you go with that
You done won all my money
And my brand new Stetson hat

Stagga Lee went home
And he got his .44
He said I'm goin' to the bar room
Just to pay that debt I owe

Stagga Lee went to the bar room
And he strolled across the floor
He said you did me wrong Billy
And he pulled his .44

Stagga Lee said Billy
Oh please don't take my life
I got three little children
And a very sickly wife

Stagga Lee shot Billy
Oh he shot that boy so bad
That the bullet went through Billy
And broke tha bartender's glass

Go Stagga Lee, Go Stagga Lee

Youtube Stagger Lee Floyd Price

Montana fights for State's Rights

Millions of Americans are watching to see if Montana's State's Rights bill will win a future Supreme Court decision. Thomas Jefferson once said and I paraphraise "As long as Govt. fears its citizens our Republic is safe, but when the citizens fear the Govt. we're in deep Sh--.

Being just a cotton picker, I realize that I'm over my head when discussing court decisions, but

Dr. Mark Levin explained "Liberty and Tyranny" If I read it right and heard it again correctly, the Court ruled against a small wheat farmer in Wickard v Filbum in 1941. It ruled against this ole boy for growing wheat for his own consumption. In no way did he violate interstate commerce.

Levin says Roosevelt made one of the greatest power grabs in American History in this decision. Google it if you care to. Montana, I hope the Feds don't sucker punch you. It has an arsenal of power grab brass knuckles to choose from.

High Water Mark At Gettysburg 11th Miss

I have been reading a little book that I picked up from "Books on the Square" in Oxford Mississippi. It is called "The University Greys." So many young men left Ole Miss in 1861 to fight in Virginia the place was pretty much put on hold for the duration. These were Mississippi's best and brightest, future professors, lawyers, physicians etc. On July 3, 1863 they were part of Pickett's charge. They were Co A 11th Miss on the left flank being decimated by 32 union cannon from their left. As part of Heath's Div they made the rock wall just as Pickett's men did. Some crossed the wall against four lines of the enemy. First hand accounts by surgeons, former soldiers and officers place their advance exactly 47 yards past the high water mark that Pickett claimed. A map of the offset wall is proof. But it was Pickett's charge even though there were more from other divisions, and it was Virginia publishers who wrote the history. In three days fighting the University Greys with only 31 men remaining in the 11th lost 14 killed and 17 wounded. There are three glass panels in the Geology building at Ole Miss. They are in one window depicting the Greys.

VMI Cadet Artillery

VMI had four six pounder cannon for training in the 1850's -60's. Thomas J. Jackson was the artillery instructor. He was lackluster in the classroom. The guns first saw action at Manassas Junction or as the Yankees call it Bull Run Creek. (the South named battles for nearby towns etc while the Union named them by landmarks.) At Manassas the guns were commanded by Capt. Wm. Pendleton who would command the Artillery Corps for the Army of Northern Virginia. Pendleton an Episcopal Priest named the four pups - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John because
they spoke a strong gospel.

Separation of Church and State

In 1803 at the request of President Jefferson, Congress allocated Federal funds to build a church for the Kaskaskia Indians and salary for a preacher to last seven years. Most of the Indians became Christians.
Wait a minute. Did this man not understand the Constitution?
Oh, that's right, he wrote that document.