Civil War
{
This web page contains two journal entries by Rachel Cormany.{
It also has an analysis of the two entries.{
This web page contains the poem " In Dixie's Sunny Land " and it's analysis{
This web page was created by: AliciaFisher Jr./Sr. High School
Picture of Rachel Cormany.
Journal Entry’s
The following two journal entries were by: Mrs. Rachel Cormany. It appears that she had one small daughter at the time. Rachel lived in a town called Chambersburg, near the Potomac River. Chambersburg's local militia units were evacuated during the civil war leaving the town undefended. The advancing southern army, the confederates, rapidly occupied it
.June 16, 1863
Retired at 11 o'clock. All was very quiet, so we concluded that all those reports must be untrue about the Reb's being so near,or that they had struck off in some other direction. Mr. Plough took his horse away so as to be on the safe side. So Annie and I were all alone. At 11 1/2 I heard the clattering of horses hoofs. I hopped out of bed & ran to the front window & sure enough there the Greybacks were going by as fast as their horses could take them down to the Diamond. Next I heard the report of a gun then they came back faster if possible than they came in. But a short time after the whole body came. the front ones with their hands on the gun triggers ready to fire & calling out as they passed along that they would lay the town in ashes if fired on again. It took a long time for them all to pass, but I could not judge how many there were--not being accustomed to seeing troops in such a body--At 2 o'clock A.M. all was quiet again save an occasional reb. riding past. We went to bed again & slept soundly until 5 the morning. All seemed quiet yet. We almost came to the conclusion that the reb's had left again leaving only a small guard who took things quite leisurely. Soon however they became more active. Were hunting up the contrabands & driving them off by droves. O! How it grated on our hearts to have to sit quietly & look at such brutal deeds--I saw no men among the contrabands--all women & children. Some of the colored people who were raised here were taken along--I sat on the front step as they were driven by just like we would drive cattle. Some laughed & seemed not to care--but nearly all hung their heads. One woman was pleading wonderfully with her driver for her children--but all the sympathy she received from him was a rough "March along"--at which she would quicken her pace again. It is a query what they want with those little babies--whole families were taken. Of course when the mother was taken she would take her children. I suppose the men left thinking the women & children would not be disturbed. I cannot describe all the scenes--now--Noon--The Rebel horses with just enough men to take care of them & their teams, have just passed through town again on the retreat. Wonder what all this means. Just now the news came that the dismounted rebs are drawn up in line of battle out at McClures & expect a fight--so They sent their horses to the safe side of town in case a retreat is necessary. Some are walking or riding by every few minutes. The horses & wagons were taken back again. Evening--Had a good sleep this P.M. So had Pussy, & will retire trusting in God for safety.
June 17, 1863
Had quite a visitor last night. She came and asked whether I was Mrs. Cormany. I told her I was. she then told me she was preacher Millers daughter, & that they had fled from the Reb's & she had no place to stay. So of course I told her I would keep her. I afterwards learned that she was a thief &c but I had promised to keep her so I put all little things out of reach, & frightened her by telling her I always had a loaded pistol near so I could shoot if anyone molested me. She acted quite strangely--before going to bed--wanted me to blow the light & get in bed & she after having shaken off her fleas would lock the door & come too--but I let her know that I lock my own door & that she is to get into bed--she slept all night & left early this morning. All was so quiet during the night that I veryly thought the Reb's had left--but they are still here. All forenoon they were carrying away mens clothing & darkeys. shortly after dinner their horses & wagons were taken on the retreat again. Yes Generals and all went. Saw Gen Jenkins,[3] he is not a bad looking man--Some of the officers tipped their hats to us I answered it with a curl of the lip. I knew they did it to taunt us. The one after he had tipped his hat most graciously & received in answer a toss of the head & curl of the lip took a good laugh over it. There were a few real inteligent good looking men among them. What a pity that they are rebels. After the main body had passed the news came that our soldiers were coming & just then some doz reb's flew past as fast as their horses could take them. we learned since that one of them fired Oaks warehouse & that he was very near being shot by the citizens.[4] Among the last to leave were some with darkeys on their horses behind them. How glad we are they are gone--None of our Soldiers came.
The journal entry June 16,1863 describes the confederates as they took over Chambersburg. Rachel goes on in detail to describe how they hunted up all the African Americans in town, and took them captive. The multitude of them were all women and children no men. Rachel comments on how it grated her heart to see them driven like cattle. In the first paragraph, the fourteenth sentence Rachel explains these events in detail. Rachel ends this entry by saying that the confederates expect a battle and are preparing for one. Some words that I found in this document that are not normally used are Greybacks, which I think is the confederates, the diamond which I believe may mean the town square and Contrabands which I think means African Americans.
The journal entry June 17,1863 describes a conversation with Rachel and a so-called preachers daughter. The sentences one through seven describe this scene. Rachel ends the entry by describing the confederate's actions throughout the day. She also comments on the union soldiers.
I used the following web sites:
http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/vshadow/rcormany.html
Poem
Private John Lauffer fought in the Civil War. On August 19, 1864 the enemy took him prisoner. His poem," In Dixie's Sunny Land " was about this time.
IN DIXIE'S SUNNY LAND
By: Private John Lauffer
(1846-1921)
Come friends and fellow soldiers brave,
Come listen to our song;
About the rebel prisons, and
Our sojourn there so long.
Our wretched state and hardships great,
No one can understand
But those who have endured this fate
In Dixie's sunny land.
When captured by this "chivalry,"
They stripped us to the skin,
But failed to give us back again
The value of a pin --
Except those lousy rags of gray,
Discarded by their band,
And thus commenced our prison life
In Dixie's sunny land.
With a host of guards surrounding us,
Each with a loaded gun.
We were stationed in an open plain,
Exposed to rain and sun.
No tent or tree to shelter us
We lay upon the sand,
Thus side by side great numbers died
In Dixie's sunny land.
This was our daily bill of fare
In that secesh saloon:
No sugar, tea or coffee there,
At morning, night, or noon;
But a pint of meal, ground cob and all,
Was served to every man,
And for want of fire we ate it raw,
In Dixie's sunny land.
We were by these poor rations, soon
Reduced to skin and bones;
A lingering starvation, worse
Than death we could but own.
Three hundred lay both day and night,
By far too weak to stand;
Till death relieved their sufferings,
In Dixie's sunny land.
We poor survivors oft were tried
By many a threat and bribe,
To desert our glorious Union cause,
And join the rebel tribe;
Though fain we were to leave the place,
We let them understand
We'd rather die, than thus disgrace
Our flag, in Dixie's land.
Thus dreary days and nights rolled by,
Yes, weeks and months untold;
Until the happy time arrived,
When we were all parolled.
We landed at Annapolis,
A wretched looking band,
But glad to be alive and free,
From Dixie's sunny land.
At the beginning of the poem Lauffer starts off by inviting his fellow soldiers and friends to listen to his story, about the enemy's prison camp. He continues on to say that the hardships were great and that no one could understand unless they were taken prisoner by the South during this time themselves. Lauffer begins to tell his story by saying that after being captured by the cavalry everything that they owned was taken from them and all that they got back was some gray rags of clothes to wear that had been thrown away by their soldiers. Lauffer then goes on to explain what their prison life was like. They had guards surrounding them, each holding a loaded gun and there was no shelter whatsoever in the prairie. All they had to eat for the whole day was a pint of meal, that was raw. Because of these conditions many soldiers died. The ones who didn't though were often bribed and threatened to leave the union and join forces with the confederates, who were in desperate need of men. Though desperate they were to leave the place they let them understand that "We'd rather die, than thus disgrace / Our flag in Dixie's Land." The day then came that they were all freed and Lauffer ends by saying that though they were all a
shabby looking band they were glad to be alive and free.The rhythm in this poem could be classified as regular beat. I also believe that this poem contains some alliteration and imagery. For example, " stripped us to the skin." would be a form of alliteration. An example of imagery would be "Except those lousy rags of gray." Here you can visualize what their cloths would look like. I have come to the assessment that this poem does not have a exact rhyme scheme but rather has a different rhyme scheme for each paragraph. I have also come to believe that this poem is an example of symbolism, it symbolizes just how hard it was for all prisoners of the war. The setting of this poem is in the south, the prison is on the prairie and there seems to be no living person around except the prisoners and the guards.
Poem and information about poet at the following URL's.
http://users.erols.com/kfraser/sunnyland.html
http://users.erols.com/kfraser/lauffer.html