![\"mcgavock051415\"](\"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/mcgavock051415.png\")
\n(Colonel Randall McGavock, 10th Tennessee Irish Regiment, CSA)<\/p>\n
\n(Colonel Randall McGavock, 10th Tennessee Irish Regiment, CSA)<\/p>\n
We walked back up the asphalt path that surrounds the core area of the battlefield at Raymond slowly. Both of us are having some mobility problems these days- I beat my knees into submission and the arthritis is painful, amplified by that damned ruptured quadriceps a couple years ago. My pal took a bad fall in an adventure on his mountain property a few years ago, and the rehabilitation has been long and not complete.<\/p>\n
But we were both happy to be someplace where history had been made, and there were stories that were told about what had happened here. A local approached us, headed for the old disused concrete bridge over Fourteen Mile Creek.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowdy, all ya\u2019ll,\u201d he said as we passed, and we responded the same way.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe probably knew we were Yankees,\u201d my pal said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have no doubt. But I had kin on the field, maybe on both sides. I wish I could remember what Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment Great Grandfather was in. I saw on the sign that the 20th Ohio was right here, in the center of the Union counter-attack.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTantalizing thought, but you should be able to do the research when you get home.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish I had a copy of his service record. I held in in my hands years ago at the National Archives. I was pretty amazed that they were able to whistle it up in a half our. I wouldn\u2019t think there would be that much call for the original records these days.\u201d<\/p>\n
We approached his white car in the parking area at the north end of the field. \u201cI will show you the Texas Monument across the road. It is on private land, but the battle itself extended almost a mile in that direction, along the high ground.\u201d He described and arc with his hand. \u201cI trespassed the last time, but the gate was open and the owner showed me up to the signs that describe what happened up there. The Friends of Raymond had them placed there in the last few years.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that is the \u2018non-contiguous\u2019 property they were talking about? Do we have to trespass to get there?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the gate is open we can just ask the owner if it is OK. I am sure they will understand if you tell them the story.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I didn\u2019t get it from Uncle Patrick\u2019s account of the fight. I didn\u2019t understand that the combine 10th\/30th Tennessee Irish were the extreme left flank of the Confederate line.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, the understrength 10th had been augmented with the 30th to bring up their TOE to something near combat effective. They got here on the 11th, marching from Port Hudson to Jackson, and then the twelve miles to Raymond.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey did a lot of marching. They must have been fit- and particularly in those woolen uniforms. I heard that Colonel Randall McGavock bought them for his men out of his own pocket- fine things. Patrick said the jackets and pants were Confederate Gray with a scarlet line running down the pant legs. The hats were gray with scarlet trim. The shirts and insides of the jackets were also scarlet. The officers got crimson and gold trimming on their jacket sleeves.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot many got uniforms that fancy. General Gregg found this position to give fight, with the creek in front and the high-ground to his back. The 10th was up there,\u201d he said pointing. We got in the car and drove back toward the modern route of Highway 18. Directly along what would have been the front lined there was a granite memorial to the right of a well-tended gravel drive with a gate that was firmly closed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will have to try it from the other side,\u201d said my pal. \u201cI think I can find it.\u201d
\n![\"texas-051415\"](\"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/texas-051415.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
I said that I needed to get out and see the Texas monument.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Texans have been doing that lately for their Civil War battles. I guess it is because their economy is going pretty well.\u201d<\/p>\n
This one was relatively small- a little taller than me, and with a dense long inscription on the side facing the highway. The words read:<\/p>\n
UPON THIS FIELD ON MAY 12, 1863, SOLDIERS
\nOF THE 7TH TEXAS INFANTRY, LED BY REGIMENTAL
\nCOMMANDER COLONEL HIRAM B. GRANBURY, AND OTHER
\nREGIMENTS OF BRIGADIER GENERAL JOHN GREGG’S
\nBRIGADE FOUGHT WITH GRIM DETERMINATION AGAINST
\nTWO DIVISIONS OF FEDERAL FORCES UNDER COMMAND
\nOF MAJOR GENERAL JAMES B. MCPHERSON.
\nTHE UNION ADVANCE WAS PART OF A LARGER
\nCAMPAIGN DESIGNED TO CAPTURE THE STRATEGIC PORT
\nCITY OF VICKSBURG ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
\nLEADING THE CONFEDERATE ASSAULT AGAINST THE
\nFEDERALS, GRANBURY’S TEXANS STEPPED FORWARD
\nAT NOON AND SURGED ACROSS FOURTEENMILE CREEK,
\nWHERE THEY MET THE ENEMY IN FORCE.
\nTHEY VALIANTLY STRUGGLED WITH REGIMENTS
\nFROM OHIO AND ILLINOIS, WHILE ALL ALONG THE
\nBATTLE LINE THE SOUTHERN SOLDIERS OF GREGG’S
\nBRIGADE FACED THREE TIMES THEIR NUMBER.
\nDESPITE THEIR COURAGEOUS EFFORT, THE
\nCONFEDERATE TROOPS WERE CHECKED AND
\nFORCED FROM THE FIELD AROUND 4:30 P.M.
\nTHE ENGAGEMENT AT RAYMOND WAS A PRECURSOR
\nTO THE INTENSE FIGHTING TO FOLLOW
\nDURING THE SIEGE OF VICKSBURG.<\/p>\n
IN THE BATTLE OF RAYMOND, THE TEXANS LOST
\n22 MEN KILLED, 73 WOUNDED, AND 63 MISSING IN ACTION.<\/p>\n
A MEMORIAL TO TEXANS WHO SERVED THE CONFEDERACY.<\/p>\n
I had to take several pictures of the inscription to get it all in. I got back in the car and we backed up and got pointed toward the highway again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am pretty sure I know how to find the plaques,\u201d he said. \u201cBut it might be a long walk in the woods. We turned onto the highway and proceeded north to the first road that seemed to lead in the right direction and drove past some houses. We didn\u2019t want to park in anyone\u2019s driveway, but there was a derelict house almost completely overgrown with some fields behind, revealed by a tractor cut through the thick underbrush.<\/p>\n
We pulled into the gravel of what had been the driveway, parked and dismounted. We walked toward the field, passing the overgrown house.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow is it that something with a roof on it could become so worthless that they walked away?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe it is just the farmland that has any value, or maybe it was part of the battlefield property that the Friends of Raymond bought. I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust so long as no one minds we are traipsing around their property,\u201d I said. We walked on to the middle of the field. No markers visible. We didn\u2019t know whether to go left or right at the tree-line, and decided that right was the best possibility. The next field was likewise barren of interpretive signage. I was starting to lose hope when my pal let out a whoop! \u201cThere it is! Come on!\u201d<\/p>\n
Actually, as we approached, we saw there were two of the red metal plaques set on sturdy poles and sunk in concrete.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo this was the extreme left of the line?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was until the 10th started to move in echelon back toward the creek where we were before. The plaques had additional information:<\/p>\n
\u201cAt noon, Gregg charged with the 7th hitting the 20th Ohio and the 3rd hitting the 23 Ind. surprising and driving back the Yankees. At 1:00 p.m., the 50th and the 10th were ordered forward. Lt. Col. Beamount of the 50th then saw what Gregg had not yet seen. Two Yankee divisions were massing to attack in his front. He withdrew his regiment to the rear. This left a 400 yard gap in the line with the 10th all alone. By 1:30, the Confederate right began to collapse. McGavock’s vision was blocked by the woods and had no idea that the 50th was gone. When Gregg discovered that the 50th had disappeared, he ordered McGavock to stop the Yankees. With his sword in his hand, he turned toward his faithful Irishmen to signal to advance. With a deafening Irish-rebel yell, they surge into the oncoming Yankees. After making the signal to advance, McGavock turned to face the Yankees. At that moment, a single Yankee Minie ball struck him in the heart, knocking him to the ground, mortally wounded.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"griffin2-051415\"](\"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/griffin2-051415.jpg\")
\n(Patrick Griffin, in the day).<\/p>\n
We read the words in silence. \u201cThis is where Uncle Patrick comes in, at least according to his version of the story. He said he was standing about two paces in the rear of the line and Colonel McGavock was standing about four paces behind him. They had been engaged for about twenty minutes when he heard a ball strike something. He realized it was his Colonel, wearing that red shirt of his under his gray frock coat. The Colonel was about to fall. He caught him and eased him down with his head in the shadow of a little bush. Patrick knew he was a goner, and asked if he had any message for his mother. The answer was: ‘Griffin, take care of me! Griffin, take care of me! He lived only for a few minutes. Must have been right here. Would you take a picture of me here?\u201d I looked skyward\u2026\u201dPatrick!\u201d I shouted. \u201cIt took a while, but I made it!\u201d
\n![\"Vic's](\"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Vics-pic-051415.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
We looked around the tree-line, seeing where Colonel McGavock would have led his wild Irishmen, if he had lived.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that was it or Patrick\u2019s part of the war in the west. He continued to fight until the \u2018Bloody Tinth\u2019 withdrew from the field. Then he went to the Lt. Colonel who had risen to command with McGavock\u2019s death, and told him he was going back to get McGavock\u2019s body. He told him he had made the promise as the Colonel died and he was going to ensure he got a proper burial, whatever the consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n
We started the long trudge back to the car. My legs were feeling a little rubbery. \u201cI am glad I am not carrying you on foot back to Raymond,\u201d I said to my pal.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I am equally glad that I am not carrying you, my friend. Perhaps we should stop at the Confederate cemetery on the way back to town.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI assume that is where Randall McGavock was buried, the first time. At least that is where Patrick put him. The dead used to move around a lot more than they do these days. I looked around the green fields and the shadows from the trees that hugged the high ground.<\/p>\n
In a strange way, I felt quite at home.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2015 Vic Socotra<\/p>\n
www.vicsocotra.com<\/p>\n
Twitter: @jayare303<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(Colonel Randall McGavock, 10th Tennessee Irish Regiment, CSA) We walked back up the asphalt path that surrounds the core area of the battlefield at Raymond slowly. Both of us are having some mobility problems these days- I beat my knees into submission and the arthritis is painful, amplified by that damned ruptured quadriceps a couple […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-socotra"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10477"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10477\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10482,"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10477\/revisions\/10482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vicsocotra.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}