Video Tells Story of the Battle of Raymond


Hinds County Gazette, November 22, 2001

Friends of Raymond is proud to announce that the 22-minute video telling the story of the Battle of Raymond is now available. The video features combined photography from the 2001 re- enactment and the 1998 re-enactment.

"Billy Ivy, owner of I-V Productions in Clinton, came out and officially photographed the re-enactment for Friends of Raymond," commented John Barber, committee chairman for the Vicksburg Campaign II. "Many of the re-enactors who came for the event purchased their videos in advance. We sold approximately eighty videos in advance sales."

The script for the 22-minute video was written by Rebecca Blackwell Drake, using her knowledge of the history of Raymond as well as the Battle of Raymond: Parker Hills, Civil War historian, accepted the role as narrator for the production. Quotes from the Confederate soldiers were read by Cliff Nelson, Raymond, and Tim Waltman, Clinton. Quotes from the Union soldiers were read by Terry Fletcher, music instructor at Hinds Community College. All quotes were taken from Rebecca Drake's recent book, In Their Own Words: Soldiers Tell the Story of the Battle of Raymond.


Women dressed in period attire enjoy the Confederate Parade during the 2001 Reenactment of the Battle of Raymond.

"The video begins with photography of the Hinds County Courthouse and St. Mark's Episcopal Church", states David McCain, president of Friends of Raymond. "At the beginning of the video, the narrator briefly tells about the early history of the town. As the video continues it shows the actions of the Confederate and Union armies as they move into position to fight in the Battle of Raymond. This section of the video features an animated map designed by Jim Drake. The map clearly shows the route taken by the Confederate Army as they marched from Port Hudson, Louisiana. At the same time, the map shows the route taken by the Union Army as they marched from Port Gibson. The Confederate Army arrived in Raymond only hours before the Union Army."

"As the battle gets underway, the video really gets exciting" comments Barber, "The photography of the soldiers as they engage in combat fits perfectly with the quotes from the book. "Billy Ivy did a wonderful job with the photography. One of my favorite scenes is the opening of the battle when the Confederate Army fires one of their three cannons. A perfect smoke ring curls in the air."

Following the Confederate retreat, the video turns to the Confederate Cemetery as re-enactors from 2001 pause to pay their respects to the soldiers who lost their lives in the Battle of Raymond. In this final segment of the video, the names of those buried in the Confederate Cemetery scroll across the screen as Lester Senter sings the poignant Civil War song Somebody's Darling.

The video is the first of its kind to tell the history of the Battle of Raymond. "The video is entertaining as well as educational," remarks Isla Tullos. "Friends of Raymond hopes that it will be used in history classes at Hinds as well as in the Raymond public schools. The video would make a wonderful Christmas present for anyone interested in the history of Raymond and the Battle of Raymond."

The video tape can be purchased at the Raymond Drug Store. The price for the video is $15.00 with an proceeds going to Friends of Raymond to help with the purchase and development of Raymond's Civil War Battlefield.

 

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