The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-26

A. r. encampment a survivor of the
United States corvette Kearsarge, the
destroyer of the Alabama. His name
is William Meek st. Clair, but he en-
listed as William Meek, serving as
such in both the army and navy.
George De Whiting was cook on the
Alabama and William Meek was cox
sw ain on the Kearsarge at the time
the Alabama was destroyed. Whiting
was among those who jumped over
board and swan ashore, Cherbourg
being only about five or six miles dis
tant. Meek and Whiting were born
in London, England, and in the same
neighborhood, and it seems quite re-
narkable that they should have been
on the Alabama and Kearsarge in that
famous naval battle, and then finally
drifted together again, in peaceful oc-
equations in the city of Birmingham.
Meek-St. Clair is a fine, robust looking
man of middle age, and claims to be
the youngest grand army man in the
United States, having gone into the
service when only about IL years old.
Whiting was given a soldiers funeral
by the Confederate veterans of Bir-
mingham, yet he had no more sincere
mourner at his grave than his old
townsman who wore the blue" and
helped to sink the Alabama.
An Atlanta paper that sports
manufactured, department of "Ques-
tons and Answers" tells an inquirer
that a pensioner in Tennessee, who
draws his pension money at Knoxville
will not be allowed to continue to do
so if he removes from the state. This
is not a proper answer. Gen. John T.
Wilder, the United States pension
agent, pays the pensioners in a large
group of Southern States, and dis
burses every quarter some three mill
lions of dollars. His office is in Knox
vile, but it does not follow that he
pays only Tennessee pensioners.
The same paper tells another inquirer
that Gen. Albert Pike was the author
case of the blind leading the blind
Dan Emmett, the negro minstrel, was
the author of the original Dixie" and
he called it II Wish l Was in Dixie's
Land" Somebody, later on, shorten
ed it into Dixie" The first line reads
Il wish I was in the land OBJ cotton"
There was another Dixie" called
THE Dixie War Song" words by H.
S. Stanton and music by A. Noir, pub
lished by Blackman & Bro, in Au-
gusta, Ca. in 1861. The two songs
differ very much in the words and
somewhat in the tune. There was also
still another Dixie, the first line read
ing Hear we not the sounds of bat
tle?" But Gen. Albert Pixies song. to
the tune of Dixie" starts off South
rons, hear your country call you" In
the chorus, however, he uses this re-
frain:
For Dixie's land we'll take our stand,
And live or die for Dixie"
Now, the U. D. c. feel that the song
by Emmett is not such an one as
should be perpetuated in connection
with the tune of Dixie, and I quite
agree with them. 1t is possible that
the U. D. G. of Alabama may bring the
matter Of new words up before the U.
c. V. convention in New Orleans. In
fact, the Florence (Ala) Chapter of
the U. d. c. are using the following
new version already:
I wish I was in the land of cotton,
Cinnamon seed and sandy bottom,
Look away! Look away! Look away!
Dixie Land.
Her scenes shall fade from my memory
never,
For Dixie land, Hurrah forever!
Look away! Look away! Look away!
Dixie Land.
Chorus:
I wish I was in Dixie
Away! Away!
In Dixie land I'll take my stand
And live and die in Dixie
Away! Away!
Away down South in Dixie.
BY foes begirt and friends forsaken,
The faith of her sons is still mistaken,
For Dixie land and Dixie nation,
Well stand and fight the whole crea-
ton,
Look away! Look away! Look away!
Dixie Land.
(Chorus)
Then up with the flag that leads to
glory,
A thousand years twill live in story
Look away! Look away! Look away!
Dixie Land.
The Southerner's pride, the foeman's
wonder,
The flag that the Dixie boys march I'M
der,
Look away Look away! Look away!
Dixie Land.
Chorus: I'll give my life for Dixie,
etc. Sidney Herbert.