This grave is another very interesting find, John. I assume no other segregated graves were close to the white cemetery.

Anybody seriously interested in this topic needs to read John Garst's article in the journal "Tributaries" (2002).

I still see the "Mary Magdalen" hypothesis (discussed in great detail above) as a dead end, but after studying the complete article as well as Norm Cohen's "J.H." chapter in "Long Steel Rail" (1981), I'm happy to say that John's research makes a persuasive case that the Oak Mountain Tunnel on the C & W road (easily transmuted into "C & 0") has the best claim to have been the site of such a battle.

Again, there's still no proof that "John Henry" is closely based on an actual incident, but the circumstantial evidence that John has gathered surrounding the tunnel in Alabama is fascinating and shows that spot to be overdue for further investigation.