Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1913-03-14
Early RecOlleCtiOns
Of Old NOxubee.
Quitman, Miss, March II, l9l'


pitals. there came to .Shuqualak two
army officers wearing the uniform ano
elsiming the rank of captain and lieu
tenant. respectively, with credentials
showing tina, they had been detailed to
90 from town to town and get up con-
certs for the benefit Of the Lauderdale
hospital, the name Of one OF them be-
ing Capt. Seay and the other Lieusen-
ant Treewaller. They were handsome,
hly.educated, dignifea booking gen.
tlemen and their new, flashy uniforms
added to their looks-and their gracsful
correct bearing and polished manners
enabled them to ct once enlist the Co
operation of the young ladies Of the
town, and soon evening ana night re-
hearsals for the entertainments SOM
menced being held, and within two
weeks the concert took place and the
house was crowded. the same proving
great financial success as well as sue
cess in its beautiful carrying out-in
fact so we'll were the people pleased
with it that nothing short of two more
nights repetition would do them.
The first time l ever heard Bonnie
Blue Flag" was at this concert.
remember that when the curtain
rose for this song, there stood upon the
stage 13 young ladies, dressed In spot
less white, each wearing broad. blue
ribbon sash which ran diagonally from
the right shoulder to the waist, on the
left, upon which, respectively, ap-
peared, in sparkling, gold-eilt letters,
the name Of the state represented, and
each of the yonng ladies having in their
right hand a miniature Confederate
flag with single star showing in the
blue field, while over and all around
them larger flags hung and were spread,
these bearing l3 stars, one for each
state that composed the Confederacy,
and it was in the midst Of this gala and
patriotic scene that the song started.
Miss Lucy Nicholson, representing
South Cerolina,ss,ep,,,u further to the
front of the stage end singing the first
verse, then followed the young lady,
Miss Josephine Haynie, representing
Mississippi, then Miss Julia Greer,
{ Florida; Miss Mackie Mcmillan,
| { Alabama y: Miss Matte Haynes,
Georgia.; Miss Julia Hewlett, Uouisi-
ana); Miss Mollie Moore, (Texas); Miss
Rebecca Haynes, (Virginia); Miss Eliza
Murphey. (Arkansas);. Miss Annie Nc
Neese, North Canolina); Miss Tee
Lyle, of Macon, (Tennessee); Miss
Missouri Rawls, (MissourD; and Miss
Mollie Greer, (Kentucky), each render
ing verse (alone) of the 13-verse song,
and after each verse the chorus followed,
participated in by the entire troupe,
during the chorus the young ladies
waving their miniature flags to the
time of the music, the whole making
up scene and concord of inspiring
sound that | can never forget, the
trained tenor and bass voices Of Capts.
Seay and Treewaller adding to the sub
Unity and grandeur of the music.
At that time the first battle Of Shiloh
had not long been fought, and as many
who had been wounded in that battle
were then in the Lauderdale hospital,
among them, Bill LittIepagc, travel
i ing musician who had the year before
enlisted from Shuqualak. the people
who attended felt that their money was
spent for good purpose, even had the
entertainment, from meritorious
standpoint. not come up to their expec-
tation, but it more than met the expec-
tation, being in my opinion the best en-
tertainment by far that l ever attended.
A few of the young ladies who took
part are still living and read the BEACON
each week. though fifty-two years have
passed since then, while those who 'are
gone" have children living who perhaps
some time in life heard their mothers
tell of this concert.
After sending the money to the sur
geon in charge of the hospital at Lau-
derdale, Capts. Seay and Treewallei
left for Greensboro, Ala, where they
organized another troupe and gave ar
entertainment for the benefit OF the
hospital at Huntsville, Ala.
About this time the stores were with.
out goods (and were closed) because
there was no way to get them, and the
items of hats and shoes became a prob.
lem, but the hat problem was not Of
long duration. 80 far as Shuqualak wat
concerned, for there were two young
lady milliners, Of the McFall family
misses Lizzie and Eunice), of north
ern birth who had moved there in 1859
and they struck upon the idea ef max.
ing hats from palmetto, and built up ar
extensive business in this line, anc
these hats were the dependence for both
winter and summer, for men, womer
and childrsn and all falt nroud to xvo,,