by Brendan Hamilton.
Collage of “Spring of ‘65,” traditional ballad (as performed by J.D. Cornett) and Civil War veteran Robert G. Carter’s account of his experiences at the Battle of Fredericksburg
I woke up one morning
long, cold night of waiting
the Spring of ’65
he begged as I never knew mortal man
I thought I was quite lucky
in the gray morning, his body stiff and lifeless
to be found alive.
still occupied the doorway
I gird up my mules
flesh strewed the floors and walls
my business to pursue
half-closed mouth in which his teeth
instead of hauling four loads
still occupied the doorway
I only hauled two
I got so drunk at Harper
Stephen Fitts sank like a log into the mud
I couldn’t haul no more
William Mudgett, shot through the lungs
the men a-telling jokes
brains covered his face
I laughed ’til I was sore
still occupied the doorway
the grocery being open,
paste of clotted blood, mingled with flour
the money spending free
my hand plunged in to the wrist
soon as one glass was empty, boys,
water gurgling from the perforated canteen
another filled for me.
I’ll tell you now, boys,
we lay down among the dead but not to sleep
how our party did commence
one disemboweled by a solid shot
as four of us jolly boys
still occupied the doorway
got on the floor to dance
long, cold night of waiting
the fiddler being willing,
he begged as I never knew mortal man
his arm a-being strong,
he knew he could be saved
he played “The Crippled Kingfisher” about four hours long
if we would only carry him
Sources:
Cornett, J.D. “Spring of ‘65.” Traditional. Mountain Music of Kentucky. Smithsonian Folkways,
- Carter, Robert Goldwaithe. Four Brothers in Blue. Washington: Gibson Bros., 1913.