A Kaleidoscope of History A series on the history of Raymond by Rebecca B. Drake, originally published in the Hinds County Gazette The Battle of Raymond General Ulysses S. Grant’s orders to General McPherson as mailed from the Cayuga Post Office May 11 th, 1863 at 1:00 in the afternoon read: “Move your command tonight […]
A Kaleidoscope of History A series on the history of Raymond by Rebecca B. Drake, originally published in the Hinds County Gazette Post Civil War Years For several weeks after the Battle of Raymond the “blue coats” held possession of the town. George Harper, at the time editor of the Gazette, commented… “families were stripped […]
A Kaleidoscope of History A series on the history of Raymond by Rebecca B. Drake, originally published in the Hinds County Gazette Turn of the Century By 1900, the turn into the twentieth century, Raymond was seventy-two years old and had a total population of 506. The mayor was P.J. Dolan. An old timer remembers […]
Private Douglas Cater: Regiment Musician by Rebecca Blackwell Drake Private Douglas Cater, 3rd Texas Cavalry and later the 19th Louisiana Infantry, began his odyssey with the Confederate Army on June 8, 1861. Like others fighting for the Confederacy, the musician turned soldier was full of hope that he could help to save his beloved Southland. […]
Music From The Trenches by Rebecca Blackwell Drake Fighting with the 3rd Texas Cavalry and later, the 19th Louisiana Infantry, was a 22-year old Texan, Private Douglas John Cater, known for his love of music. Pvt. Cater enlisted in the Confederate Army at Henderson, Texas, in 1861 and fought through the Battle of Franklin. His […]
Union Headquarters: The Lum House by Rebecca Blackwell Drake Recollections of Vicksburg from The Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant July 5, 1863, the morning after the fall of Vicksburg, General Grant’s men began viewing some of Vicksburg’s finest mansions, trying to decide which one would best be suited to serve as Union Headquarters. With […]
“Lone Star General: Hiram B. Granbury” By Rebecca Blackwell Drake and Thomas Holder with book cover by Jerry McWilliams, artist On January 8, 2004, James and Rebecca Drake donated their latest book, Lone Star General: Hiram B. Granbury, to Friends of Raymond. All proceeds from the sale of the book will be used […]
~Portraits~ Generals and Commanders by Rebecca Blackwell Drake Colonel Hiram Granbury 7th Texas Infantry 1831-1864 Colonel H. B. Granbury, born March 1, 1831 in Copiah County, Mississippi, commanded the 7th Texas Infantry during the Battle of Raymond. Granbury’s service to the Confederate Army began as early as 1861 when he organized the Waco Guards in […]
By Parker Hills The Vicksburg Campaign has been called “the most brilliant campaign ever fought on American soil” by the United States Army in its “how to fight” manual, the 1986 version of its FM 100-5 Operations.1 Yet, this series of military operations is often overlooked by historians and Civil War aficionados alike, left in […]
1863 Civil War Diary: Osborn H. I. Oldroyd ~ A Portrait of the Diarist ~ Hinds County Gazette, April 12, 2001 by Rebecca Blackwell Drake Sergeant Osborn Oldroyd, whose initials spell OHIO, was only nineteen years old when he enlisted with the 2Oth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He joined the Union Army at Camp Chase, Ohio, […]
Battle of Raymond Script from the 2001 Video Production of the Battle of Raymond by Rebecca Blackwell Drake Brief History of the Antebellum Town Raymond was incorporated in 1829 as the county seat of Hinds County. In its early years, Raymond was recognized for its judicial setting – the courthouse and the numerous colorful lawyers […]
Becky and Jim Drake have pooled their talents and produced a book, The Battle of Raymond and Other Collected Stories. The book is scheduled to go on sale at the Country Fair on May 1st. All proceeds from the sale of the book, now as well as in the future, will be donated to Friends […]
The Battle of Raymond by Parker Hills Brigadier General Parker Hills, USA (Ret), is the founder of Battle Focus, specializing in battlefield tours, and is a regular speaker at Civil War Roundtables, battlefield preservation groups, civic clubs and seminars. General Hills is a recognized expert on the Vicksburg Campaign and other civil war engagements. Script […]
The Diary of Pvt. Arthur P. McCullough Company D, 81st Illinois Infantry Entries from May 1-17, 1863 May 1863 1. The fight which began yesterday at Grand Gulf was renewed this morning near Port Gibson. The Division marched early this morning in the direction of that place. Thought the distance was only eight miles […]