Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 August 1893 — AN OLD CAMP MINSTREL. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AN OLD CAMP MINSTREL.

He Played Simple Melodies For Grant and Sherman. - One of the attaches of the North Dakota senate house at Bismarck is an old colored man named Blakely Durant. His war history was made under the camp sobriquets of “Blake” and “Old Shady,” and the last mentioned: war given to him on account of a song by r ffiat title, wliicli he often sang at the headquarters of the Army of the Tennessee. Grant. Sherman, McPherson and other generals of the western army were entertained by the simple melodies of the musical darky, who accompanied his songs by twanging the guitar, which he handled skillfully.

“Old Shady” was the favorite piece of General Grant, and lie called for it whenever he spent the evening at McPherson's campfire, where Blake was employed as a caterer for the mess. The song oh the lips of a real contraband in the bivouacs of the liberating army was particularly appropriate. It ran as follows: Oli, yak yah, darkies, come laugh with me. What do white folks say—dat “Old Shady” am free? Don’t you see dat de jubilee Am comln, cumin? Hail, mighty day! '... AS’ .' —~—• . ■CHospg.- -nmr Iv- ‘ ' Den, away, away, '•»’ I cannot stay . 'i-r-■ No longer.- ' .-Wit ' Hooray, hooray, 'fiiY,.,.. For X am going home. Ole massa got scared, and so did his lady? •%, Dis clifle breaks for old “tfficle Aby.” Open de gates to’ rout liere’s “Old Shady” 1 Comin, coinin. Hail, mighty day!

Goodby, Alassa Jeff. Goodby.Massa Steve. ’Xcuse dis darky for takin his leave. I ’xpce" soon dat you’ll heah Uncle Aby Comia, eorain. Hail, migb.ty.day! Goodby, hard work without any pay. I’m goia up norf where de good folks say Dat white wheat bread and a dollar a day Am a-comin, comin. Hail, mighty day! Oh, I got a wife, and we got a baby Away up norf in the lower Canady. Won’t dey latigh when dey see “Old Shady” Comin, comin? Hail, mighty day I Blake, or “Old Shadyi” as he was best known, joined the army as cook for the officers of the Seventy-first Ohio regiment and was on the field at Shiloh. He afterward shipped ep the steamer Magnolia, which was used as transport for Grant's headquarters at the opening of the Vicksburg campaign. During that, time “Old Shady” came to the notice of ths commander, and he engaged him as cook; bnt, true to his vagrant nature, tho darky asked for transportation home on a brief visit as a bonus and failed to report hack for duty at the end of his furlough. Subsequently he fell in with the steward of McPherson’s mess, was employed “as cook for a time «nd then became chief caterer.

“Old Shady’s” «ong made a hit by reason of the patronage of the generals and was taken up by the Lombard brothers, who managed a band of lingers that often entertained the soldiers in their camps during the winter season. The Lombards learned the song at McPherson’s quarters, where the colored minstrel sang it for them over and over until they knew it by heart. Finally it became a popular campaign song and had its day with “Suwanee River,” “Ole Virginny,” “John Brown’s Body” and other airs appealing to the sentiment of the hour.

“ OLD SHADY.”