The Clock at Vicksburg by Annie Wittenmyer
Vicksburg’s Court House clock, high above the town, remains untouched despite Union artillerymen repeatedly trying to shatter it during the siege. Shot and shell damage its flag, stairway, and casing, yet its hands, pendulum, and chimes continue to mark the hours. After the surrender, the narrator learns from a black preacher that the colored people had prayed for the Yanks and for freedom; when white people destroyed their church, they agreed to pray whenever the town clock struck twelve. He believes the Lord protected the clock so they would have a signal for prayer. Margaret E. Sangster’s poem celebrates the clock’s steady chime amid suffering and battle, portraying it as a divine safeguard and a symbol of the bondsmen’s faithful prayers and freedom.
By Annie Wittenmyer · First published 1895 · Genre: Civil War History, Historical Nonfiction, African American History · 1,140 words
First lines
Vicksburg was situated on a high bluff. In the centre of the town stood the Court House.
On the Court House tower, there was a large white-faced clock, that turned its four white faces to the four points of the compass. Very early in the struggle, while yet the army was on the west side of the river, the artillerymen of the Union army attempted to destroy that clock, and by stopping the time confuse the enemy. There was quite a rivalry as to who should with shot or shell dash that clock to pieces.
Similar titles
- I Have The Best Mother In The World by Annie Wittenmyer
- A Visit To Captain Walkes Gunboat by Annie Wittenmyer
- Visiting Hospitals Under The Guns by Annie Wittenmyer
- Healed Soul And Body by Annie Wittenmyer
- He Died Cheering The Flag by Annie Wittenmyer
- Fred D Grant The Brave Orderly At Vicksburg by Annie Wittenmyer
Genres
- Civil War History — The work recounts the Siege of Vicksburg, Union artillery, the Confederate surrender, and civilian life during a major American Civil War campaign.
- Historical Nonfiction — It presents a purportedly factual postwar observation and interview, using Vicksburg's clock as evidence of events and experiences during the siege.
- African American History — The central testimony concerns enslaved and formerly enslaved Black residents who prayed for Union victory and freedom despite repression by white authorities.
- Religious Literature — Faith, providence, collective prayer, divine protection, and gratitude to God shape both the prose narrative and the concluding poem.
Tags
American Civil War · Siege of Vicksburg · Vicksburg, Mississippi · 1863 · Union artillery · Confederate defenders · Emancipation · enslaved African Americans · Black church · prayer · Christian faith · divine providence
What this Textopian page supports
The Clock at Vicksburg is listed on Textopian as a historical account by Annie Wittenmyer, dated 1895 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Historical account
- Author: Annie Wittenmyer
- Date: 1895 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Civil War History, Historical Nonfiction, African American History, Religious Literature, Inspirational Literature
- Length: 1,140 words
- Structure: 1 section, 39 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Clock at Vicksburg by Annie Wittenmyer
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph