The Civil War was a war, like all wars, that had very few events that can be considered humorous as opposed to tragic. However, there was an event that happened in the town of Washington in 1863 that was more like a humorous story written by Mark Twain

On Wednesday morning April 29, 1863, the citizens of Washington were alerted that the Yankees were in Fayette and would soon be marching into Washington on their way to take Natchez. The local Natchez militia that was comprised of 75 men known as the Silver Greys, (men past military age whose hair tended to be on the gray side) mustered up for service. The citizens later learned the Yankees were actually 70 miles east at Union Church and that a Confederate force would be there before the Yankees. In anticipation of the arrival of their troops in Washington the Confederate government sent a large quantity of flour to the town for the ladies to bake biscuits for the troops.

Yankees were indeed near Union Church on April 29. The Confederates laid a trap for the Yankee cavalrymen at Union Church but they were alerted to this trap and doubled back just before he reached it. With the Union threat gone the Confederate forces withdrew to Vicksburg and none of these troops made it to Washington at that time. However, the Silver Greys did, and the best account of what happened is best told by a resident of the town at that time Emily Douglas. Douglas kept a diary during this time and wrote the following account: “May 1, 1863

The past has been a week long to be remembered by this community on Wednesday our morning slumbers were suddenly disturbed by the not very pleasing intelligence that “Yankees” were at Fayette a town a few miles from Washington and would soon be with us. Accordingly our toilet was hastily made.

Silver and jewels gathered up and various preparations were made to receive the unwelcome guests before the next report arrived, that they were not at (Fayette) but at Union Church about 70 miles from us.

The Confederate force was at the former place and would reach here before the “Federals” also a quantity of flour belonging to the government would be distributed among the families to be baked up in time for the arrival of the hungry soldiers. Oh then what a sifting, mixing, rolling and cutting out was there. I think Washington never saw such a baking the day before. Sure enough the soldiers did come but from a different direction they were Militia (Silver Greys) about 70 men. Hearing of the near approach of the Federals to their homes had “mustered” in Natchez and were now on their way to reinforce the Confederates at Fayette. After they made a stand “upon the (Jefferson) College green a loud call was made for biscuits and soon the large quantity that was made was exhausted…”

History is not clear on whether the Silver Greys made it to Fayette, but if they had they would have found the Confederates gone.

H. Clark BURKETT writes a monthly historical column for The Democrat. He works at Historic Jefferson College.