Prattville Dragoons Camp Meeting November 2013 - Part 1

The Dragoons held their monthly camp meeting at the Shoney's in Prattville on November 14th. A great crowd of 32 folks attended this last regular meeting of the year.  Chaplain Snowden opened the meeting with a prayer and Color Sgt Jenks led everyone in the pledge to the U.S., Alabama and Confederate flags.  Stephen D. Lee's Charge to the Sons of Confederate Veterans was then read by Commander Waldo.  Special Guests were recognized which included a number of ladies and the Cofer family. Tyler Cofer was recognized for his accomplishment earning his Eagle Scout badge restoring the Raspberry family cemetery in Chilton County (which was the subject of prior blogposts).  Tyler's proud parents were there to see him presented with a certificate of recognition from the Dragoons as well as an SCV lapel pin.  Dragoon Benny Harris introduced Tyler with a humorous story of his meeting the family while trying to find the remote historic family cemetery.  Dragoon Adjutant Sutherland was also recognized for his hard work digitizing the cemetery plats of Prattville's Oak Hill Cemetery.  These would clarify and preserve the handwritten plats from which the Dragoons work to set flags at the cemetery as part of the annual Confederate Memorial Day observances.  It was further announced that as part of this part of our duty and the Charge to honor our Confederate ancestors in the preservation of their final resting places, the Dragoons Executive Committee authorized a donation toward the removal of dying trees endangering the headstones of graves at the Mount Zion Cemetery.  A summary of upcoming events was announced including the Sam Davis 150th Anniversary Memorial Event in Smyrna TN for which a series of blogs are posted on this page this month telling the story of this Confederate hero. The Prattville and Vida Christmas parades are upcoming, a great family time to celebrate the season.  The Dragoons Christmas Social was announced and early registration was encourages as seating is very limited. This is the social event of the holiday season and one of my favorite events of the year.  The S.D.Lee Institute lecture in Chattanooga TN in February was the final event highlighted. Always a cause for celebration, the latest member of the SCV and the Dragoons was sworn in, compatriot Randall Ray Jr.  Randy was welcomed with hearty applause and immediately after the meeting signed up for the Christmas Social.  Our guest speaker was Regent of the First White House of the Confederacy Mrs. Anne Tidmore and her presentation will be the subject of the next installment of the November Camp Meeting blog.

Some of the Folks Gathered for the Dragoons November Camp Meeting

Commander Waldo Presenting Eagle Scout Trevor Cofer his Certificate of Recognition

Chaplain Snowden Swears in Newest Dragoon Randall Ray Jr

Commander Waldo Presents Randall Ray Jr his SCV Membership Certificate