The Magic Power Of Dixie
One Thursday night after a Sons of Confederate Veterans meeting I told Everett, Marty, Rocky, and their wifes bye then loaded up in the truck and took off fer Big Cedar, knowing that I had a three day weekend to do some camping and hiking. Well when I got there first thing I did was setup my tent, the rest of my bunch was gonna be there Saturday morning, then made the ring fer my fire then I started a pot of beans and coffee. Well bout time it was ready I was about to start eating when about 20 yards out a twig snapped so I quietly got up and moved over into the covering shadows of darkness then just as quietly thumbed back the hammer of my ruger vaquero 45. long colt revolver and listened, whoever it was stepped on the twig causing it to snap was coming my way; judging by the heavy crunching of the leaves I figured it was a man that weighed tween 190-200 pounds. As I stood there watching I saw some bushes shaking then a man of 6 ft. stepped passed them and from the looks of him I was right bout the weight, that's when I eased out with my revolver at my right hip trained on him and said," If you'll lay that rifle down you can help yourself to some beans." He slowly turned 'round and layed what looked like an old rifle down then backed off it bout 5 steps and asked," Sir can I sit in one of these chairs?" I just waved my hand then he nodded and sat, then we talked fer a good while and as we did I thought bout his deep drawl was almost like he was from Georgia. Then I asked,"Do ya need some help?" he just got a serious sad look and said,"Sir I know that this gonna be hard to believe, but I'm not just lost but...but...but I'm a ghost." I gave him a questioning look and said,"Oh really, well what's your story?" He just bowed his head and said,"This always happens no one beleives me, you see I was with the 1st Georgia calvary and we was sent up this way to help in the fighting over in the edge of indian territory, and we was awippin 'em good but during the fighting I cut out after a blue belly yank; then just as I caut up with him he turned and fired at me and hit my hoss so I chased after him to an overturned supply wagon and was bout ta shoot him when a wide shot cannonball hit the little ridge we's on and blewup; the next thing I's knowd I was covered with blood, then I started getting real cold like and knew at that moment I's dyin so I burryd my gear with a letter one of which I prayd God would bless with some power then I fell to the ground and as I was layin thar bleeding out another cannonball hit again and when it blew it covered me with dirt." I looked and said,"Do ya have anything to prove your story?" That's when he handed me his rifle and fer the first time I truly looked at it and relized what I was holding a 1865 Spencer Repeating Arms Sharps Carbine chambered in 56-50. So at that point I handed it back to him and said,"I believe you now." I could see he was pleased then he said,"Sir could ya follar me." I shook my head and I left a note saying that I'd be back then I grabbed my rifle, slung my pack on my back and went along with him, we walked bout 5 miles when he started to fade and with one last move he pointed out where he and his gear were then was gone; so the first thing I did was grab my shovel then started digging, I had dug bout two foot down when I felt a thud so when I finally got it uncovered I opened it and there I saw letter on a blanket saying,"To whoever finds this letter, I leave my mere possesions consisting of my 56-50 Spencer sharps carbine, Confederate 44. cap and ball revolver, Lematt 44. nine shot revolver, my bowie, and calvary saber, the extra powder and ammo, in hopes that you be of the great CSA, this is the last letter I shall ever write. Signed lieutenant Jethro Corry of the Georgia 1st calvary, April the 4th, 1865." So I lifted the blanket I saw his Spencer carbine, that looked damn near new sept the little bit of rust on the barrel, and laying next to it was two revolvers one was an opened faced Confederate 44. cap&ball revolver and the other was a Lematt 44. nine shot revolver both were in same condition as the rifle, then there was a Confederate bowie, but I couldn't find the saber, but the rest was there just like the letter said. So then I looked around with my spot light and found a flat stone bout 3ft. tall I picked it up carryed it over to his grave, then I dug a foot&half down then placed it down in the hole and filled in around it and packed it down hard, then I chiseled,"Here lies L.T. Jethro Corry, of the G.A. 1st calvary he died 04-04-1865" Then I carefully stuck the two pistols in my backpack then the powder, ammo, bowie, and was about to slip the sharps through the straps when it hit me on the back of the letter it had said,"P.S. there's mo than meets the eye." so I turned around and looked in and at the box it did look deeper so I reached in and knocked on the bottom and sure enough a hollar sound so I opened it and there before my eyes was a big pouch and his saber with a neatly placed letter in an envelope; so I picked it and the pouch up and put it in my pack as well then I tied the saber to the top strap, then started back to camp. When I got back I checked to see if anything had been messed with or stolen but everything was still there and ok, so I built my fire back up as well as started another pot of coffee, then I sat down and started looking at the saber when I remembered the pouch and other letter so I got them out and opened the pouch only to see that there was a big...big...great big wad of Confederate money, gold coins; so I quietly put it in the truck then I looked at the letter, it had some initials on it in cursive so I opened it, it to was written in cursive and it said,"To who ever finds this young lieutenant's grave and gear, but mainly his saber, in his last words he said,"Please God bless my guns and saber so that someday it may help serve someone else who is fighting fer what he believes in." So I heard his prayer and in death I came back and have blessed it with help from the lord God, with my blessing the person who weilds this saber for what he believes is the truth has the power to raise the entire Confederate army, just say these words"By the power of Dixie and by the authority of the South I call upon the Confederate army." If you truely be of the great CSA Then and then the South shall rise up and aid you in your cause, signed Jeb Stuart'" That's when I understood why I was the only one who believed Jethro that it ment I was truely of the CSA, so I put all the stuff in the truck, got in and left. As I was on my way home I kept thinking of who I could tell all this to, then I knew who would believe me and headed to their house. When I got there I walked up to the door with all of this stuff and knocked, Rocky opened the door and said,"Come on in." After I told him it look like he didn't believe me until I showed him the letter, then he looked at me and said,"Let me make a phone call." after he got off the phone he told me to go to the Poteau museum and talk to head lady there. I told him thanks then headed out, when I got there I went in but left all Jethro's gear covered up in the truck, not sure where to go I asked the lady at the desk and she said,"Well let me show you." so I followed her to the lady's office, when we got to her doorway the receptionist said,"Hey Lory, there is a young man here to see you." Lory said,"Ok send him in." So the receptionist turned around and told me that I could go in, so I went in and introduced myself and told that my friend Rocky Sumpter had called up here to which she said,"So your the one who found some relics you would like to find out if they are real or not, okay if you will bring them through this door right here I'll look at them." So I went to go get everything sept the letter that was with the saber, then brought 'em back into her office she looked them over and said,"These are very old and real indeed, I would like to have a friend of mine who is in town come look at these so let me call him." When he got there he walked in and Lory introduced him to me as Dr.Sebastion Bach Cornelius of the Smithsonian Museum of National History, well after he looked them over he said,"Well Mr. Fowler you seem to have found some very neat items and I would like to put them in our museum." That's when I said,"No I was gona give'em back to his descendants." So he started getting mad and said,"No I am going to put them in our museum." and went to reach fer them but I stopped him and repeated myself then grabbed my stuff then I left. I decided to head back to Rocky's house to tell him what happened at the museum so after we talked he said,"Let me call Everett, his wife maybe able to help locate his decendants." So during the next week I kept getting day dreams bout what it would be like to hand his descendants his gear, but little did I know that something else was going on, one day while we were sitting in the breakroom I was talking to big Johnny, bout my weekend when someone pulled into the parking lot, came in the office and Rocky asked,"Can I help you?" to which the man said,"Yes, is a Mr. Cripps in?" Rocky shook his head and pointed to Billy's door, so the man thanked him, walked in and started talking with Billy, asking him if he knew a Hardy Fowler, to which Billy told him that he didn't and to wait for a minute and he would the rest of his hands if they did; when he came in the breakroom he told to say no and leave as if we were heading back out to work then go get in the trucks and go hide. Well an hour later Rocky sent out the text to come back then after we got back in the breakroom Billy said,"Thank you boys for doing what I asked, the reason is cause that man was looking for you Hardy. Said he is an old friend of yours but I didn't by it for a minute and I figured you didn't even know him." I asked,"Was his name real long and funny sounding?" Billy said,"Yeah, it was, his name was Sebastion Bach Cornelius. Anyway what does he want with you." Then I told them everything including bout the two letters and finished by getting all of Jethro's gear to show all of them and how that man wants them in the museum but I was going to give it all back to his descendants. Then big Johnny said,"Well it sounds to me like they are going to try to make you give it all to them by force. Then if that's the case Hardy I'll help you fight again them." And one by one from Billy, Rocky, big Johnny, Red, Brad, and little Johnny they all agreed to help me fight againist them; I told them thanks. That evening I was at home in the kitchen working to clean the little bit of rust off of Jethro's guns when someone knocked on the door and I heard dad open it then ask,"Can I help you?" The man at the door said,"Yes, I am Dr.Sebastion Bach Cornelius of the Smithsonian Museum of National History, is Hardy home?" Dad told him I was and then asked,"What do you need him for?" the man said,"He has some things for our museum and I am here to get them." Dad said,"Just wait here while I go get him." Then dad who knew bout the whole thing, came in the kitchen and told me to take Jethro's gear and run to the farm; so I grabbed all of it then slipped out the window then to the truck, and got it loaded and left. on the way down there I saw a big black suv following me turn fer turn so when I got on the bypass I turned off onto Pleasent Valley road and followed it nearly to Wister, as I got closer I called Billy and told him what was going on and he told me to drive down his road and when I passed he and his son Cody would block the road with their trucks. I told him thanks and that I was bout turn on their road, so just as I rounded the corner by the blue two-story house I saw them waiting so I sped pass and waved then watched in the rear view mirror as they pulled their trucks side by side and blocked the way of the suv and headed on to the farm, but it wasn't to long till I saw the suv on my tail again so once I got through W-town I put 'er to the floor and lit up the road and did a "Dukes of Hazzard" turn on the dike and then I got to the church I pulled into the parking lot and got the Outlaw out and loaded my 45.L.C. Ruger Vaquaro then jumped back in the truck and as I headed on my way I tucked it under my left leg and drove on. As I was nearing the turn to the farm they pulled a fast one on me by leaning out the window and trying to shoot out my tire so I just went on straight and up and over the hill by my cousin Joe's place and got in my home court area then I passed my cousin Russell's place and got down to the turn around and there I returned fire and hit the back glass and with a fish tailed motion Ipeeled out and drove up half-back and then as I pulled into the farm I saw all my friends already there waiting, so Ijumped out got all my weapons "Cocked,Locked, and ready to Rock Doc" and waited. When they got there and pulled in, they jumped out and drew tasers and pistols alike only to their dismay my whole crew was already there and it was there that the fire-fight started; we were holding our own and doing good when a bunch more showed up and pushed us out in the pasture then Rocky turned to me and said,"Remember these words. To Conquer One Must Know what is True. To Lead One Must have Followed. To Be a King One Must first Be a Man. Explore your Dreams Of the Future. Stand Tall among all Men. Faith in God is The Answer. His Faith in you Comes By Taking His Hand. Have Honor as your Plate for Supper. Distance yourself from Weakness. Speak Of Justice and Have a Firm Hand Fore No Man has Nothing to Offer On His Back Or No Heart for This Land. Deo Vindice or God Will Defend Us. And if you truly believe that giving all of the man's gear back to his descendants is not only the right thing to do but the truth then raise the flag, draw your sword and let be done." So with that I got the sword and drew it from the sheath then as I held it horizonaly in front of me I said,"I aint gona put these things in your museum, but am giving them back to the descendants and your not gona me or else me and my army will stop you." That's when Dr. Sebastion said,"Yes we are, besides you and what army?" Then I shouted the words By the power of Dixie and by the authority of the South I call upon the Confederate army and as I raised the sword verticaly above my head the entire Confederate army rose up and then the ghost of General Lee said,"Me and my army are at your comand sir," So I looked at Dr. Sebastion and yelled,"This army, now you will be sorry you stupid motherfuckers." With that I lowered the sword and said,"charge." And as we neared them, I readied the saber and with a big ole proud from down deep inside of me true Rebel yell I yelled"II-EEE." And we hit them hard till there was none of them left alive, after that one of the soldiers came up and we saluted other it was Jethro and I introduced him to the rest of the crew. Then General Lee came up and asked,"Will that be all sir?" I said,"Yes sir, thank you all." With that they slowly vanished. Two weeks later I handed Jethro's descendants his gear and to my great joy they handed me his sword and carbine back and told me to keep those things in rememberance, so now I've got the carbine on two pegs and right above it is where I keep the sword with the letter so I can remember the Magical Power of Dixie. The End
