THE NATCHITOCHES REBELS - Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana Submitted by: Gaytha Carver Thompson Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana The Southern Publishing Company, 1890 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** NATCHITOCHES REBELS The Natchitoches Rebels were organized September 9, 1861, with John D. Wood, captain; W. P. Owings, Theodul Latier and Emile Cloutier, lieutenants, S. B. Shackleford, T. J. Foster, Felix Sers, J. C. H. Nemitts, and E. B. Roper, sergeants; Joseph Gallion, A. B. Cunningham, J. A. Clark and L. T. Fontenot, corporals, and W. A. Jenkins, musician. Among the privates were L. L. Lynch, P. Rabelais, M. Vickers, and C. Vircher, who died in October, 1861. Two member of the Hertzog and six of the Rachal families served in this command. On January 24, 1865, a resident of Natchitoches wrtoe a poem, entitled "Unmarked Graves," dedication the verses to the women of the South. From this poem the second verse is given thus: Lt Beauty's soft tears, like the dews of the night, Or the diamond's bright rays, reflecting the light, Fall on those lonely graves, love's token so pure, Which mimory keeps green, while time shall endure. While Fame shall proclaim, with his deep, brazen voice, Names of heroes who, in the land of their choice Fell in the strife, on the field of their glory-- Their lives an offering to song and to story.