The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

On this day in 1865, Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the Civil War.

I found the above on one of the websites I surf every day, The Writer's Almanac, by Garrison Keillor (http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/).
Because I am a Southern-american, I prefer to think of the conflict as, more properly, The War of Northern Agression. As Shelby Foote stated so eloquently, "There was nothing civil about that war." I will also accept The War Between the States. Victors write history and by called the bloodletting "civil" the victors make it sound like something is was not.

While living in Hendersonville, located in the beautiful mountains of the great state of North Carolina, a few years ago, I happened to be at the barber shop on main street when an elderly gentleman entered. Judging from his yankee accent I took him to be from New York, and from every thing about him, a former cop, and was right on both counts. He was astounded, asking how I possibly could have known he was from New York. "We Southerners can smell a yankee a mile away," said I. There was much laughter all around, even from the barber, who was from Cleveland, Ohio. "How could you possibly have known I was a former policeman?" he asked. "Because you are as ugly as Abe Vigoda and dumb as 'Wojo'!" (referring to the old Barney Miller tv show).
The yankee cop was now livid. He mentioned something about running me in, "if I was still on the force." So I told the man that he had moved down here; I had not moved to yankee land. "Yeah, well, I seem to recall that WE won the war!" The others there who had been getting a kick out of the proceedings, now turned sullen. The oppressive feeling became palpable.
You do not move down South and bring something like that up in front of Southerners who have lived in the mountains for generations. Memories linger forever in the mountains. Word travels like wildfire in the mountains. I remember thinking that this particular yankee would never have a friend here unless it was a fellow yankee. Once word got around, he would be shunned. Trying to lighten the mood, I asked the yankee cop "Who is the best american general of all time?" He scratched his bald noggin', then said, "I don't know...Patton?"
"Patton?" I said.
"Well, maybe Eisenhower?"
"Eisenhower?"
"OK, George Washington?" The yankee cop was grasping now.
"Look, mister, let me give you some invaluable advice. You're down here. It's like one of those World War II movies...the one where you have got to know the password to cross our line. If asked the all-time home run leader and you don't answer "Babe Ruth", you will be SHOT ON THE SPOT!"
By now, judging from his buldging eyes, I had his attention, so I finished him off with, "If anyone asks you who was the best General of all time, you had best answer ROBERT E LEE!!!"
There was an outburst of noise and patriotism from the fellas, with knee-slappin'and hands over hearts like you ain't never seen!
The yankee cop decided he would leave and come back another day because there were too many waiting...

I cannot call this song my favorite because it is simply too sad. It does, though, evoke strong emotions and passions, not only when I hear it, but even upon thinking about it...I cannot listen to it without tears welling up in my eyes.

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
The Band

Virgil Caine is the name and I served on the Danville train
'Til Stoneman's cavalry came and tore up the tracks again
In the winter of '65, we were hungry, just barely alive
By May the tenth, Richmond had fell
It's a time I remember, oh so well

The night they drove old Dixie down
And the bells were ringing
The night they drove old Dixie down
And the people were singing
They went, "La, la, la"

Back with my wife in Tennessee, when one day she called to me
"Virgil, quick, come see, there go the Robert E.Lee"
Now I don't mind choppin' wood, and I don't care if the money's no good
Ya take what ya need and ya leave the rest
But they should never have taken the very best

The night they drove old Dixie down
And the bells were ringing
The night they drove old Dixie down
And all the people were singing
They went, "La, la, la"

Like my father before me, I will work the land
And like my brother above me, who took a rebel stand
He was just eighteen, proud and brave, but a Yankee laid him in his grave
I swear by the mud below my feet
You can't raise a Caine back up when he's in defeat

The night they drove old Dixie down
And the bells were ringing
The night they drove old Dixie down
And all the people were singing
They went, "Na, na, na"

The night they drove old Dixie down
And all the bells were ringing
The night they drove old Dixie down
And the people were singing
They went, "Na, na, na"


© CANAAN MUSIC INC; WB MUSIC CORP