~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On April 6, 1865 Gen. Robert E Lee made his last stand at Sailor's Creek Virginia. It was a bloody battle, at the end almost 10,000 lay dead. Hillsman's House pictured here was used as a command post during the battle and field hospital afterward. The poem reflects the day in the eyes of the Hillsman's young son.



Remembering Sailor's Creek
By La Belle Rouge


The April rains they drenched the land
And swelled the Appomattox for a week
When Bobby Lee made his last stand
On sodden banks of Sailor’s creek
The Union planked the trestle wide
Of the Richmond Danville Railroad
And crossed over to the other side
with death in their cannons to sow
The Yankees raided the supply train
Confiscated the Confederate chow
Leaving Bobby Lee in dismal pain
To feed his army he didn’t know how
No choice but southward to retreat
His men battle weary with nothing to eat


My family’s farm was a peaceful home
Perched high on a green Virginia hill
Wanting only to be left in peace alone
Cows to graze and hard red clay to till
Father was physician to the country folk
But he answered Virginia’s war call well
To his patriotic duty he bravely awoke
He was captured and imprisoned in hell
Yankees marched arrogantly onto our land
Like conquerors with cannon and bayonet
And of our farm they took full command
On that black day I shall never forget
In the cellar we heard the bullets fly
And the screams of those who fight and die


Mother carried water, for the wounded men
Tore up her finest white petticoats of cotton
She went to the springhouse again and again
And prayed this day could be somehow forgotten
When the battle ended, side by side soldiers lay
Blood froth thick on each war thirsty mouth
And then they were not soldiers, on that day
Mattered not who was from North or South
Mother sent me to the loft and then she said
“Son don’t look out the window this morn
For I fear the South is defeated and dead
Ten thousand fallen on the hills we mourn
And Little Sailor’s creek is running red”



Music "Good Old Rebel"