Skirmish at Redbone Church - Vicksburg

Tom Hughes

Sergeant Major
Joined
May 27, 2019
Location
Mississippi
We seem to always associate civil war engagements in and around Vicksburg, MS with the campaign which ended on July 4th, 1863.
I wanted to share these relics I found at this small skirmish that occurred 12 miles south of Vicksburg on September 25, 1863 at the old Redbone United Methodist Church.
Elements of the 2nd Wisconsin cavalry were camped around the church and were attacked by Whitaker's Confederate Scouts.
Guerilla warfare was the main threat to the Union once they had finally captured Vicksburg.

Redbone church recently celebrated its 200 year anniversary and even has a Revolutionary War veteran interred in the cemetery. It's a gem.

I found this drawing that was sketched after the war showing the engagement.
The relics are very typical of a cavalry engagement - 2 different varieties of Sharps carbine bullets (dot base and ring tail). Also, some pistol bullets.
The most interesting is probably this nice two-piece wreath sash buckle next to the cemetery.
Thanks for looking!

relilcs.JPG


redbone church.JPG
 
Tom, my G-G Uncle, Eugene Selser, has a memorial stone at Redbone Church. He was a member of Company K, 12th Mississippi Infantry, and died in Virginia in 1862 of disease. Since the location of his actual grave is unknown, a memorial stone was put up for him about 20 years ago by Gordon Cotton.
Now that's cool! Was your relative from that community?
The ladies at the church took me on a tour of the grounds. The cemetery has some super old graves. The oldest is a man who died there in 1814. Huge cedar trees all over the grounds too.
I found it interesting that the church doesn't own the cemetery grounds. It's kept up by a cemetery Association made up of members of the community who have relatives that died there.
 
I’m not sure,@Tom Hughes. His company ( B) was part of the battle of Big Black, and he was injured at some point-I’m still trying to figure out where he got his wounds. I’m a little new to researching. I’ll have to order his record from the archives, when money permits. He said he was mostly in Mississippi and Alabama so I’m hoping to trace his movements.
 
Now that's cool! Was your relative from that community?
The ladies at the church took me on a tour of the grounds. The cemetery has some super old graves. The oldest is a man who died there in 1814. Huge cedar trees all over the grounds too.
I found it interesting that the church doesn't own the cemetery grounds. It's kept up by a cemetery Association made up of members of the community who have relatives that died there.
Tom, he lived in Southwest Hinds County, on the plantation of his father, Isaac N. Selser. (It was near the Bethesda Presbyterian Church). You should read "The Smoked Yank" by Melvin Grigsby - he was a member of the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry, and wrote about the time he spent around Redbone. It can be downloaded from Google Books for free.
 
Tom, he lived in Southwest Hinds County, on the plantation of his father, Isaac N. Selser. (It was near the Bethesda Presbyterian Church). You should read "The Smoked Yank" by Melvin Grigsby - he was a member of the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry, and wrote about the time he spent around Redbone. It can be downloaded from Google Books for free.
Tom, he lived in Southwest Hinds County, on the plantation of his father, Isaac N. Selser. (It was near the Bethesda Presbyterian Church). You should read "The Smoked Yank" by Melvin Grigsby - he was a member of the 2nd Wisconsin Cavalry, and wrote about the time he spent around Redbone. It can be downloaded from Google Books for free.
Thanks! I'll download it.
 
I finally was able to get approved to post and I‘m a rookie at posting, so constructive criticisms are welcome. I wanted to let @Tom Hughes and all here that this skirmish drawing was painted as a mural on the walls of Puempel’s Olde Tavern in New Glarus, WI. It was painted by a true artist who was trading painting for room and board a number of years ago. It was done in color and is roughly 10 ft x 10ft on the West wall. It can be seen briefly in the video on the Puempel’s site at 2:17 of the YouTube video now up. If you go to see it tell the owner, Chuck Bigler I’d sent you. Hope this helps
 
Tom, my G-G Uncle, Eugene Selser, has a memorial stone at Redbone Church. He was a member of Company K, 12th Mississippi Infantry, and died in Virginia in 1862 of disease. Since the location of his actual grave is unknown, a memorial stone was put up for him about 20 years ago by Gordon Cotton.
Why place it at Redbone Church?
 
I finally was able to get approved to post and I‘m a rookie at posting, so constructive criticisms are welcome. I wanted to let @Tom Hughes and all here that this skirmish drawing was painted as a mural on the walls of Puempel’s Olde Tavern in New Glarus, WI. It was painted by a true artist who was trading painting for room and board a number of years ago. It was done in color and is roughly 10 ft x 10ft on the West wall. It can be seen briefly in the video on the Puempel’s site at 2:17 of the YouTube video now up. If you go to see it tell the owner, Chuck Bigler I’d sent you. Hope this helps
Interesting...thanks!
 
Back
Top