Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 21.djvu/220

 212 Southern Historical Society Papers.

thing before him to the banks of the Potomac, and thundered at Harper's Ferry until the threats seemed to jar the Capitol at Wash- ington, and then by righting, confusing, defeating, or eluding the armies of Banks, McDowell, Fremont, and Shields, he marched back again, laden with spoils, and at Cross Keys and Port Republic closed the campaign "with a clap of thunder."

H. KYD DOUGLAS.

[From the Richmond Dispatch, March 19, 1893.]

"MUSIC AND WORDS OF DIXIE."

Dan Emmett its Author and New York the Place of Its Production.*

13 PLEASANT STREET, \ BALTIMORE, MD., March n, 1893. j

To the Editor of the Dispatch :

I see by your issue of March 5th a question has arisen with regard to the authorship (music and words) of " Dixie." I think I can give you "a straight tip." With regard to Albert Pike's authorship he was too noble a gentleman to have claimed anything that did not be- long to him. When it was written he was practicing law in Arkansas, not in Memphis. As for Captain Mentor and his band composing it at the levee on the Mississippi, that is still more absurd. Mrs. Charles T. White, widow of Charlie White, my life-long friend, is correct.

I will give you now the full particulars as I have received them from Dan Emmett himself and my own recollections.

A "WALK-AROUND."

" Dixie." It was Saturday night in 1859, when Dan Emmett was a member of Bryant's Minstrels in New York. Bryant came to Emmett and said : "Dan, can't you get us up a walk-around ? I want something new and lively for Monday night." At that date

minstrel manager, in the New York Dramatic News, May, 1893, and by others in other journals ED.
 * This statement was substantially confirmed by Kit Clarke, the veteran