Unfortunately I will be unable to make the Dragoons June
camp meeting as I will be travelling, combining a work trip with a cross
country National Lampoon’s “Vacation”, piling the family into a rental mini-van
for a trip out to Las Vegas. Our
conference schedule has us busy from the first thing each morning til 9pm each
night so I probably won’t get into much trouble and Kerri will see to that
too. But, I wanted to encourage
everyone to try to put some Sesquicentennial sidetrips and historical activities
into their summer vacation plans.
I just returned from a golf tournament for my daughter and
was pleasantly surprised to find a beautifully framed print of “The Last
Meeting” with Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson hanging on
a wall in the clubhouse of the Greenville Country Club. I took the opportunity to get a snapshot
despite my haggard look from having been chased in from the course by a
thunderstorm. I happened to chat with
Tyrone Crowley that evening and mentioned to him that Greenville Mississippi
was recently referenced by Dr. Brandon Beck in his presentation on the CSS
Arkansas at the May camp meeting.
Greenville was where the hull of the Arkansas was beached before Lt.
Isaac Newton Brown moved all the scattered parts to Yazoo City where assembly
was completed prior to the Arkansas’ amazing voyage and victory at Vicksburg
and its brief but glorious service. We
crossed the Yazoo River travelling westward to Greenville; Yazoo City is
located just south of Greenville on the Yazoo River, a tributary of Old Man
River. I posted a blog on the camp
website this time last year about the marvelous Confederate monument and
cemetery in downtown Greenville MS.
Even Nevada has some history related to the War for Southern
Independence as it was one of two states admitted to the Union during the War
as Lincoln sought to secure the gold and natural resources of the territory and
secure the electoral votes of the new state for his reelection campaign. Two veterans, one Union and one Confederate,
retired to the “village” of Las Vegas and became lifelong friends to the point
that they decided to be buried together in Woodlawn Cemetery there. In July, I will combine a trip to the SCV
National Convention in Charleston with another family vacation immediately
afterward to Florida to see my parents and let the kids enjoy the beach. I am looking forward to seeing the Hunley and
the historic Charleston waterfront battery and attending another SCV Reunion
with hundreds of compatriots.
My mother’s south Florida home is the site of the Jupiter
Inlet Lighthouse which was commissioned in 1860 before the lantern was removed
by Confederate forces for the duration of the War. The lighthouse was designed by Lt. General
George Meade, later a Union commander at Gettysburg. Incorporating historical excursions into your
vacation trips and itineraries makes for memorable highlights and something you
can reflect on in future years as having prioritized for your Sesquicentennial
commemorations. I would invite Dragoons
to carry a Battle Flag with them throughout your travels this summer and take
some photos of yourself displaying the flag in unique places and send them to
me (email Tyrone) with a short note and I will compile them into a blog post or
two.
Here locally, I look forward soon to enjoying another
Prattville 4th of July parade with our Dragoon entry and lining the
streets with Confederate Battle flags followed soon thereafter by our annual
Dixie Butt Sale. We also have fabulous
volunteer opportunities assisting with the cleanup and restoration of the
Indian Hills Cemetery at dates throughout the summer and into the fall, a camp
project led by Dragoon Benny Harris. The
first date is this coming Saturday, June 7th. I hope
everyone has a safe and enjoyable summer with their families and carry the
Charge with you, remembering your Confederate ancestors and the Cause in your
travels in this Sesquicentennial summer.
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| Greenville Country Club, "The Last Meeting" |
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