Friars Point December 22, 1862

[Biscoitos]

On December 22, 1862, Admiral Porter, General Sherman and his troops from Memphis, and Fredrick Steele and his troops from Helena, Arkansas rendezvoused in the Mississippi River at Friar's Point Mississippi. About 45 transport steamers were required to carry the Union troops to the Yazoo River near Vicksburg where they would participate in the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou.

While in this vicinity, Union soldiers, acting on an unconfirmed rumor that a pro Union civilian had been roughly abused earlier by local citizens, burned almost every building in the town. What was once was a thriving river port became a wasteland of ashes. Bearss, attributes the destruction to the 83rd Ohio, based on that unit's regimental history.

Today, very little evidence of the war is visible in Friar's Point. The Minie Ball House and the Historical Marker documenting the burning of the Methodist church are the only traces, other than some of the exhibits in the local museum.

 

[Biscoitos]

After the war, Friar's Point regained its economic prosperity for several decades, only to lose it with the rise of railroads and the subsequent decline of riverboats.

In 1924, 3 years before his solo transatlantic flight, Charles Lindberg, while "barn storming" around the country ran low on gas and landed in a nearby field to refuel. Indicative of its appearance at the time, in the story of his travels he called Friar's Point a "Haunted House."

In 1930, this decline and the rise of Clarksdale resulted in Friar's Point's loss of being the seat of Coahoma County. The decline has continued to this day. The town has less than 1500 residents, with no school, library, or restaurant. Very little commerce is evident, and the brick storefronts on the main street are long ago abandoned.

But Friar's Point has an interesting cultural history.

Local history states that Jessie James visited the town,

Unquestionably, the greatest cultural achievement of the town has been music.

Robert Nighthawk, a blues musician of the area, has been remembered with a Mississippi Blues Trail marker. The lyrics of Nighthawk's "Friars Point Blues", (1940) include "going back to Friars Point, down in sweet old Dixie Land."

 

[Biscoitos]

Likewise, Conway Twitty, a country singer and a native of Friar's Point, who always kept strong ties to the area, has been honored with a Mississippi Country Music Trail marker.

 

[Biscoitos]

But by far the most interesting and significant musical presence in Friar's Point's history is that of Robert Johnson.

Muddy Waters, who lived about 15 miles away, said that the only time he ever saw the legendary Johnson playing was in front of Hirsberg's drugstore on the main street in Friar's Point. Locals had gathered around Robert Johnson, and Waters said Johnson was "playing ferociously," which so intimidated him that he later remembered: "I stopped and peeked over, and then I left because he was a dangerous man."

The lyrics: "I got womens in Vicksburg, clean on into Tennessee, but my Friar's Point rider, now, hops all over me." are heard in Johnson's record "Traveling Riverside Blues"

Another of Johnson's few recorded songs says "Just come on back to Friars Point, mama, and barrelhouse all night long."


I converted my color photograph of Hirsberg's drugstore to b/w. and I zoomed in on the window on our right hand side of the door.

 

[JOHN42768]

Thanks for info and tour

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

Where is the river in relation to the pictures? Great photos!

 

[Biscoitos]

Where is the river in relation to the pictures? Great photos!

Great question.

The river (to the west) cannot be seen from the town. The levee is immediately to the west of town. Beyond the levee is a mature forest occupying the wide flood zone that extends to the river bank.
From the town, the levee is high enough to block the view of anything but the tops of the trees in the flood zone.
The levee is behind the church, Minie Ball House, and Museum.
Besides the picture below, the levee can be seen in the right background of the photo of the Museum sign and the left background of the tank.

 

[Biscoitos]

Great question.

The river (to the west) cannot be seen from the town. The levee is immediately to the west of town. Beyond the levee is a mature forest occupying the wide flood zone that extends to the river bank.
From the town, the levee is high enough to block the view of anything but the tops of the trees in the flood zone.
The levee is behind the church, Minie Ball House, and Museum.
Besides the picture below, the levee can be seen in the right background of the photo of the Museum sign and the left background of the tank.

View attachment 385947

The "river" side of the levee, as seen from the top of the levee.

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

Thank you for the photos and history. Sounds allot like Bayou Sara in Louisiana, except nothing is left of Sara.

 

[dfostermem]

I just received a digital copy of correspondence sent by Lt Sam Henderson of Henderson's Scouts, CSA, to General Pemberton dated December 17, 1862 that "Our 2nd Lt William M McConnell on his scout via vicinity of Memphis, Horn Lake, and Yazoo Pass, found some of the citizens trading largely with the enemy [Federals] at Friars Point and Wilkinson's Log; and captured sundry wagons and teams loaded with cotton, some 10 to 25 miles from Friars Point and on their way to that place, said to belong to Dr F N Norfleet, Dr W M Lee, R J Clopton, Asa Watson, ? McMullin, and Yarborough- He burned the cotton, left the waggons in the woods (as General Hoveys Federal force was close by) and brot in five negroes and thirty five mules."

Does anyone know what Wilkinson's Log refers to? Log could be something else since the original is hand written script.

I have seen Friar's point mentioned several times with regard to Henderson's Scouts.

Lt Sam Henderson, the brother of Capt Thomas Henderson, led a group of the Henderson's Scouts around Vicksburg up to the fall of the city. In July 1863 the Henderson's Scouts effectively split into two companies that operated separately for the remainder of the war. They were only combined "on paper" for the surrender musters. Sam Henderson's Mississippi Scouts primarily operated around around Vicksburg and Mississippi until 1865.

 

[Lubliner]

The town has less than 1500 residents, with no school, library, or restaurant. Very little commerce is evident, and the brick storefronts on the main street are long ago abandoned.

I am curious to know if anyone has firsthand knowledge of what life is like living in a town such as this? It sounds to me as though it would be a quiet place to settle down, and cheap as far as the cost of living goes. There would be very little crime, very little traffic and noise pollution, and property or rentals would be bottom dollar. If one can put up with the inconvenience of no restaurant or entertainment industry, to me it sounds ideal.
Lubliner.

 

[tony_gunter]

I just received a digital copy of correspondence sent by Lt Sam Henderson of Henderson's Scouts, CSA, to General Pemberton dated December 17, 1862 that "Our 2nd Lt William M McConnell on his scout via vicinity of Memphis, Horn Lake, and Yazoo Pass, found some of the citizens trading largely with the enemy [Federals] at Friars Point and Wilkinson's Log; and captured sundry wagons and teams loaded with cotton, some 10 to 25 miles from Friars Point and on their way to that place, said to belong to Dr F N Norfleet, Dr W M Lee, R J Clopton, Asa Watson, ? McMullin, and Yarborough- He burned the cotton, left the waggons in the woods (as General Hoveys Federal force was close by) and brot in five negroes and thirty five mules."

Does anyone know what Wilkinson's Log refers to? Log could be something else since the original is hand written script.

I have seen Friar's point mentioned several times with regard to Henderson's Scouts.

Lt Sam Henderson, the brother of Capt Thomas Henderson, led a group of the Henderson's Scouts around Vicksburg up to the fall of the city. In July 1863 the Henderson's Scouts effectively split into two companies that operated separately for the remainder of the war. They were only combined "on paper" for the surrender musters. Sam Henderson's Mississippi Scouts primarily operated around around Vicksburg and Mississippi until 1865.

If I recall correctly, Henderson was asked to scout out the feasibility of the federals cutting the levee at Friar's Point and sailing into the Sunflower directly, bypassing Fort Pemberton.

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

I just received a digital copy of correspondence sent by Lt Sam Henderson of Henderson's Scouts, CSA, to General Pemberton dated December 17, 1862 that "Our 2nd Lt William M McConnell on his scout via vicinity of Memphis, Horn Lake, and Yazoo Pass, found some of the citizens trading largely with the enemy [Federals] at Friars Point and Wilkinson's Log; and captured sundry wagons and teams loaded with cotton, some 10 to 25 miles from Friars Point and on their way to that place, said to belong to Dr F N Norfleet, Dr W M Lee, R J Clopton, Asa Watson, ? McMullin, and Yarborough- He burned the cotton, left the waggons in the woods (as General Hoveys Federal force was close by) and brot in five negroes and thirty five mules."

Does anyone know what Wilkinson's Log refers to? Log could be something else since the original is hand written script.

I have seen Friar's point mentioned several times with regard to Henderson's Scouts.

Lt Sam Henderson, the brother of Capt Thomas Henderson, led a group of the Henderson's Scouts around Vicksburg up to the fall of the city. In July 1863 the Henderson's Scouts effectively split into two companies that operated separately for the remainder of the war. They were only combined "on paper" for the surrender musters. Sam Henderson's Mississippi Scouts primarily operated around around Vicksburg and Mississippi until 1865.

Wilkinson's Landing was above Greenville and close to Friar's Point, 715 miles above New Orleans.

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

From the booklet Historic Names and Places on the Lower Mississippi

 

[Biscoitos]

I just received a digital copy of correspondence sent by Lt Sam Henderson of Henderson's Scouts, CSA, to General Pemberton dated December 17, 1862 that "Our 2nd Lt William M McConnell on his scout via vicinity of Memphis, Horn Lake, and Yazoo Pass, found some of the citizens trading largely with the enemy [Federals] at Friars Point and Wilkinson's Log; and captured sundry wagons and teams loaded with cotton, some 10 to 25 miles from Friars Point and on their way to that place, said to belong to Dr F N Norfleet, Dr W M Lee, R J Clopton, Asa Watson, ? McMullin, and Yarborough- He burned the cotton, left the waggons in the woods (as General Hoveys Federal force was close by) and brot in five negroes and thirty five mules."

Does anyone know what Wilkinson's Log refers to? Log could be something else since the original is hand written script.

I have seen Friar's point mentioned several times with regard to Henderson's Scouts.

Lt Sam Henderson, the brother of Capt Thomas Henderson, led a group of the Henderson's Scouts around Vicksburg up to the fall of the city. In July 1863 the Henderson's Scouts effectively split into two companies that operated separately for the remainder of the war. They were only combined "on paper" for the surrender musters. Sam Henderson's Mississippi Scouts primarily operated around around Vicksburg and Mississippi until 1865.

Try Wilkinson's Ldg as in Landing. Steamboat Landing. Log resembles Ldg closely enough to fool ocr or to cause a person to misread it.

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

 

[Biscoitos]

I am curious to know if anyone has firsthand knowledge of what life is like living in a town such as this? It sounds to me as though it would be a quiet place to settle down, and cheap as far as the cost of living goes. There would be very little crime, very little traffic and noise pollution, and property or rentals would be bottom dollar. If one can put up with the inconvenience of no restaurant or entertainment industry, to me it sounds ideal.
Lubliner.

I am very familiar with Friar's Point and other similar towns in the Mississippi "Delta"
and I will be glad to share my knowledge with you.
But my travel schedule won't allow me time to discuss this with you until about Feb 18.
If you feel motivated to do so, why don't you PM me on or after the 18th.

Biscoitos

 

[tony_gunter]

I am curious to know if anyone has firsthand knowledge of what life is like living in a town such as this? It sounds to me as though it would be a quiet place to settle down, and cheap as far as the cost of living goes. There would be very little crime, very little traffic and noise pollution, and property or rentals would be bottom dollar. If one can put up with the inconvenience of no restaurant or entertainment industry, to me it sounds ideal.
Lubliner.

Deeply underfunded schools and poverty wages probably deter younger people, lack of medical facilities probably deter the retirement crowd.

 

[Lubliner]

I am very familiar with Friar's Point and other similar towns in the Mississippi "Delta"
and I will be glad to share my knowledge with you.
But my travel schedule won't allow me time to discuss this with you until about Feb 18.
If you feel motivated to do so, why don't you PM me on or after the 18th.

Biscoitos

I will try to remember this. Thank you very much.
Lubliner.

 

[USS ALASKA]

14 Oct 1863

Mississippi. USS Queen City, Acting Lieutenant G W Brown, had departed from Helena, Arkansas, on 13 October and now landed soldiers to surround the town of Friar's Point. The warehouses were searched and more than 200 bales of cotton and several prisoners were seized.

1863 October 14th

October 14 1863 Wednesday Battle of Bristoe Station, VA (CWSAC Major Battle Union Victory) Second Battle of Auburn, VA (CWSAC Limited Battle – Inconclusive) Cedar Run, VA Siege of Chattanooga…

americancivilwarhighcommand.com

USS Queen City photographed on the Western Rivers during the Civil War. US Navy History and Heritage Command photo # NH 42360.

https://www.navsource.net/archives/09/86/098613301.jpg

Cheers,
USS ALASKA