NATCHEZ — A crowd of approximately 15 people braved the cold and rainy conditions Sunday afternoon at Memorial Park to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Mississippi’s vote to secede from the Union.

Standing in front of the Bonnie Blue Flag, Commander of the Maj. Gen. William T. Martin Camp 590 Allen Terrell started the event by giving a brief history on Mississippi secession.

“During the time of the vote, Natchez was very anti-secession,” he said. “The two delegates, one from Natchez and one from Adams County, voted against secession.”

Terrell said Natchez voted against secession because they did not want to lose their strong trade ties with northern cities.

“Mississippi voted to secede in an 84 to 15 vote,” he said. “The whole process was not a very joyous occasion like it was envisioned to be, it was a very solemn and serious occasion.”

After Terrell spoke, Terry Trovato and his Steamboat Band got out their instruments and played the “Bonnie Blue Flag Song” to the crowd and gave a brief history on the song and the flag itself.

As the rain began to start, Natchez resident Rusty Jenkins gave former Mississippi Senator and leader of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis’ farewell speech in the U.S. Senate.

“It is not a long one,” Jenkins said. “But it had (Davis’) thoughts about the secession.”

The rain picked up during the speech, as all in attendance waited for the end before heading out to avoid the bad weather.

Terrell said it is important for Mississippi residents to understand the importance of the state’s secession from the Union.

“We weren’t out here to re-fight the war or to get involved in political discussions about the causes of the war,” he said. “This was a very important time to the State of Mississippi, whether you agree with it or not, and people need to know the history behind it.”