Military Records: J. M. McCain, Camp Jackson, 1903, Winn Parish, LA
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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From: June 5, 1903 Southern Sentinel

Camp Jackson

An Old Soldier Visits Scenes of Other Days Instead of Reunion

Hon. J. M. McCain, Representative of this parish in the General Assembly and a
Confederate Veteran, instead of attending the reunion at New Orleans in May,
decided to pay a visit to the old camping ground of the Third La. Regiment
near Gravette, Ark.  For the benefit of the Confederates now living in this
and adjoining parishes, Mr. McCain kindly handed the Sentinel a brief report
of his trip which we print as follows:

"I started from home on May 15th, over the Shreveport & Red River Valley
railroad, reaching Shreveport same day at 12 o'clock.  There I took the Kansas
City Southern train at 4:45 p.m. and arrived at Gravette, Ark., at 9 o'clock
a.m. on the 16th.  In the evening I took a buggy and went to Camp Jackson,
near Mayesville, a distance of five or six miles west of Gravette.  On
reaching the old camp ground I recognized its general appearance, the spring,
the prairie in front of the ground on which the Third La. and other troops
drilled.  I then examined into the condition of the graveyard of the Third La.
Regiment where the soldiers who died there are buried.  I found three graves
marked with rough slabs on which comrades marked: 'W. Strother, Co. C, Winn
Rifles, Third La. Reg.'; 'J.P. Lacy'.  To his right and about eight yards away
is one marked 'Gibbs.'  From the best information there are about fifteen
unmarked graves on the same plot of ground.  And to my surprise and
astonishment the public road which ran on the south side of the house used as
a hospital during the war has been changed to the north side of the house
where the graves are located, and the ditch on the north side of the road runs
within a foot of T. P. Lacy's grave, showing that the grave was cut into by
the ditch.  W. Strother's grave is in the corner of the fence, showing that
there had been no regard for the graves in changing the road or running the
fence.

"Messrs. J. A. Jones, W. B. Parkins, and J. B. Eggart, who live near by,
promised me that they would see that no other trespassing on the ground would
be allowed and they would put up four posts to the corners out of substantial
wood and in a way that the ground would be recognized as a grave yard of Ex-
Confederate soldiers.  Also Mr. J. Manwarring at Gravette, who had just sold
the place to E. N. Perry, of Joplin, Mo., told me that he would do all
he could in protecting the ground.  An organization of the Blue and Gray
promised they would take steps to protect the graves.

"I met while there the remnant of a family that cared for my brother A. M.
McCain during the war at Mayesville.  They are Mesdames Young and Phillips,
they were young girls then but are getting along in years now.

"Having done all I could for the protection of the graves, I returned home.  I
found at Gravett a very kind hearted people, I went to church on Sunday while
there at the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

"As I stood in the old camp in the edge of the timber and looked out to the
north and west on the prairie where the troops used to drill, and then to the
northeast on the grave yard where our gallant dead are buried, it seemed to me
that I could hear the command of the drill officers and the beating of the
drums.  But then, when fully realizing myself, all was still and nothing
remained but the silent dead Confederates.  Oh, how sad it was then.  I got
down on my knees and placed my hand on the rough slab over the grave of Lt. W.
Strother, placed there by W. J. Carson, and in my silent prayer could only
say:  Billie, I hope one day to meet you where we will be drilled by the
Heavenly Host.

J. M. McCain