"Ring Ring de Banjo" by Stephen Foster (1851) at historic Strachan House, Point of Rocks, Virginia

“Ring, Ring de Banjo!” by Stephen Foster (1851). "Ring, Ring de Banjo" is an old favorite in my family where I have always heard it as a slow or moderate tempo piece in contrast to most contemporary interpretations which are much faster. My arrangement is heavily influenced by my long time mentor Joe Ayers whose rendition may be heard on his 1986 album "Ring, Ring de Banjo!" for which it serves as the title track. Performed on the front porch of the historic Strachan House at Point of Rocks, Virginia on September 26, 2026. Located near the mouth of the Appomattox River, the Strachan House was built in 1841 by Rev. John Alexander Strachan (pronounced "Strawn"), the founder and pastor of nearby Enon Baptist Church as well as a planter. During the Civil War, the house was damaged by shells from Union gunboats in 1862. Rev. Strachan lived here with his wife and children until May of 1864 when Union forces occupied the house and dismantled the church. The plantation grounds became the site of an expansive Union field hospital during the Bermuda Hundred and Petersburg campaigns. At different points, Clara Barton, Harriet Dame, and Adelaide Smith all played important roles in the nursing of the wounded and dying here. In March of 1865, Abraham Lincoln visited Point of Rocks along with Mary Todd and their son Tad. Ultimately, over 1,300 Union soldiers were buried here along with a smaller number of Confederate prisoners. After the war, the grounds were used as a refugee camp for former slaves. In 1866, the federal government finally acquiesced to Rev. Strachan's applications to have his home back. The bodies of the dead were moved to the National Cemetery at City Point. Descendants of the Strachan family owned the house until 2013 when it was sold to Chesterfield County to become the focal point of Historic Point of Rocks Park. In conversation with Rev. Strachan's great great granddaughter, I learned that the Reverend was very fond of dancing and the house was frequently filled with banjo and fiddle music. On special occasions the main hall of the modest four room frame house would be cleared for the Virginia Reel. The house is currently being restored and the grounds developed to better preserve and interpret the multifaceted history of this location. It was an honor to take part in this milestone living history program for Point of Rocks. As a historic site, Point of Rocks offers a unique opportunity to interpret a wide variety of interesting but frequently overlooked "behind the scenes" aspects of the Civil War from medical, USCC, and USSC, as well as the experiences of Southern civilians, slaves, and freemen, in addition to military. We look forward to future events at the Strachan House and watching the restoration process as it unfolds.