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**Hank Trent** · 05-07-2011, 01:24 PM

Re: Virginia's Bloody Soil

Searching "virginia's bloody soil" written produced a mudcat thread with this tidbit:

The song posted by Dick Greenhaus is printed in "The Folk Songs of North America," Alan Lomax, p. 99, with music. In the Traditional Folk Index (cufresno), John Galusha is quoted as telling the Warners' that the song was written by a James McCoy. He said it concerned Capt. Dennis Barnes, killed in the Battle of the Wilderness (possibly the May 1864 battle).

Dennis Barnes was a real person, but that's about all I could find in a quick search. Here's his picture and thumbnail bio:

Dennis E. Barnes (late war)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8026096@N04/3560948646/

Dennis Edwin Barnes by Crandell & Conkey of Glen's Falls, N.Y. Barnes (1827-1864) raised a company of volunteers from Minerva, New York, in 1861. Elected captain, he and his men became Company C of the Ninety-third New York Infantry. He died on May 6, 1864, at the Battle of the Wilderness. View another image of Capt. Barnes. And another image of Barnes. This image may not be reproduced by any means without permission.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

**FortyRounder** · 05-07-2011, 08:56 PM

Re: Virginia's Bloody Soil

Thanks, Hank. The regimental history of the 93rd New York has a biography of Capt. Barnes, but alas, nothing about the song:

History of the Ninety-third Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, 1861-1865

http://books.google.com/books?id=E2oUAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=ninety-third+new+york&hl=en&ei=bPfFTZ3NG9D0gAf-6cDMBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

It appears the Warners repeated this information about Capt. Barnes of Minerva, NY in their 1984 Traditional American Folk Songs: http://books.google.com/books?id=Kg7...ed=0CDEQ6AEwAA

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