How Did The Vicksburg Piano Come To Be Returned?

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We've all heard of flags and swords returned but a piano. This is a GREAT story but I have not been unable to find out how it came to be returned. Does anyone know the back story on its return.

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http://www.washingtonartillery.com/WA Music page.htm
Piano used by the Washington Artillery in the Trenches of Jackson, Mississippi
(Confederate Memorial Hall Museum, New Orleans)
According to Mr. William Hirian Duff, a veteran of the 16th and 25th Louisiana Consolidated Regiment, members of Company B, McPheely’s Louisiana Pioneer Company, of which he was a member, was sent to protect an abandoned house from looting outside Jackson, Mississippi in 1863. Unfortunately, the house was ordered leveled in order to prevent Union sharpshooters from using it as a vantage point to fire into Confederate lines. The lady of the house appealed to McPheely’s Company to save her piano which they did, carrying it back to the Confederate trenches. On their return from burning the house down, they found the piano put to good use by Andy Swain of the 5th Company Washington Artillery. In 1902 children of the owner of that house and piano, William A. Cooper, donated the historic piano to Memorial Hall museum in New Orleans, where it stands and is used still today.


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If you have a Civil War bucket list of places to see, put on it the Confederate Memorial Hall Musem in New Orleans pictured above. Although rather small give yourself a minimum of two hours to visit as every artifact tells an incredible story. Many items are tied to top Confederate generals and top government officials like Jeff Davis. And YES, they'll even let you touch the piano!!!
 
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Yep, If you have never been then skip a Mardi Gras parade (except Fat Tuesday) and go see it. Ive been many times and always see something I didn't see before. And while your in N.O. "Les Bon Temps Rouler" :D
 
https://books.google.com/books?id=y...sic you shan't have any of my peanuts&f=false

That's an awesome story, thanks very much! I mean, a piano in the middle of a battle??? How could it not be a great story?

" The man who has plenty of good peanuts,
And giveth his neighbor none,
He shan’t have any of my peanuts when his peanuts are gone "


Sorry, couldn't stand not knowing what on earth that song was all about.
 
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