Shiloh Plain

by Edward Johnstone

An historical, romantic and musical tale, Shiloh Plain is woven around true events that took place in both Uniontown and Gettysburg, PA. during the American Civil War years of 1860-1865. Narrated from local store owner and concert pianist Crispian Mahler’s journal, it is a story of love, infused with the popular music and lyrics of the time.

The tale tells of the lives, the loves and the music – plus the rather naive, good-natured, trouble-making – of a fifteen-year-old dreamer by the name of Carol ‘Corrie’ Vaughn, who sings and dances delightfully to music played from the sheet music of the times. Corrie is aided and abetted by her new best friend Virginia ‘Jennie’ Wade, aged 18, a dress-designer and seamstress. Their effervescent personalities bring their increasingly fragmented community together at the youngsters’ regular Saturday Shindigs, at which the two girls form a duo and perform their favourite songs.

This tale was conceived as a means of creating and expressively linking a wonderful collection of unique songs from the 1860’s, all of which had been written by quality composers and have been brought into the modern day by the author.

Each beautifully crafted song was composed by the people as they lived their lives through the war. Their lyrics establish a direct link to the conflict and inform the story of Carrie and Jennie with absolute integrity. Their words are testament to the momentous events that unfolded on Shiloh Plain.

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About the Author

Edward Johnstone

The Author/Composer

Edward Johnstone is a professional pianist who was born in Kilwinning, Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland. He is married to Elaine. In the mid-1960’s [aged 17] as the organist in a rock band, he travelled down to London to begin a recording career and supported many of the famous bands of the decade. Like so many British groups of the time, Edward and his band also performed in the many ‘Star Clubs’ of Germany. Edward also performed for Todendorf US Army Military Base ‘A’ camp servicemen on Kiel Bay whilst engaged at the Kiel Star Palast, Schleswig-Holstein. It was there that he first heard about Shiloh. Whilst writing Shiloh Plain he utilised his experiences as a pianist / musical arranger by writing / rearranging and playing all of the original songs and re-arrangements from the manuscripts of authentic 160-year old American Civil War songs. Those lyrics now form an intrinsic part of the narrative within the tale of Shiloh Plain.