Track 3: Marion Rebellion of 1861
Artist: Banjo Joe and Danielle
Written by Joseph McCamish
Performed by:
Vocals and Banjo by Banjo Joe
Upright Bass and Background Vocals by Danielle Hartline
Audio Link= https://rivertorivercommunityrecords.bandcamp.com/track/marion-rebellion-of-1861
The town square of Marion, Illinois, is ringed by buildings of historical importance like the old jail, now the Williamson County Historical Society and Museum. The clock tower is surrounded by a roundabout off of which Marion Carnegie Library, the Marion Cultural and Civic Center, and the Marion Police Department are located. Sites of importance to the community reside there, such as the memorial to those who lost their lives in the 1982 tornado. Residents of Marion can recall events of note, both personal and historic, that have taken place around this heartbeat of the town—holiday parades, pep rallies, and commemorative events, to name a few. Things were not always as peaceful as they are now, however. In 1861, contemporary news reports declared a faction wanted to secede from Illinois, join the Southern Confederacy, and create a new state of “Egypt.” These thoughts of rebellion were quashed in a public address in the town square of Marion, IL, by Southern Illinois’s most famous son, John A. Logan. Were it not for a modest plaque dedicated by the Woodmen of the World in 1995, there would be nothing left in situ to remind residents and visitors of how belief in a southern-affiliated “Egyptian” identity could have divided the state. -SD
As a songwriter, I wanted Joe on this album because he finds humor and humanity in the daily struggles and turns those moments into simple, relatable lines. He also embraces the historical knowledge of this area and his personal and familial ties to it. He is a “Williamson County Boy” as his own songs proclaim. I asked if Joe could write a song about a central moment to the theme of this album, the Marion Rebellion. It was a moment that could have divided the region, but ended up uniting “Egyptian” Illinoisans under the banner of the Union. As it turned out, Joe’s great-grandfather had served for the Union, and Joe himself had been a war reenactor; this story immediately resonated with him. -JP
Lyrics
Let me tell you all a story
back in 1861
Down in Southern Illinois
in the town of Marion
A big ol’ crowd had gathered
upon the town square
There were horses and their wagons
there were people everywhere
The topic was rebellion
And the union to divide
It was neighbor against neighbor
It was time to choose a side
Now John Logan was a man
that everybody knew
and down here he was respected
To his country he’d been true
He drove his team into the crowd
And he stood in the wagon bed
And the crowd became so quiet
And this is what he said
Well, you gotta preserve the Union, boys
There is no other way
You can stand up for your country, boys
We can’t divide the state
I’m gonna join the army
And I’m gonna join today
And I want you to come with me
And John Logan led them away
Let me tell you all a story
back in 1861
Down in Southern Illinois
in the town of Marion
