Friday, May 8, 2015

Prattville Dragoons Confederate Memorial Day Program - Indian Hill Cemetery Rededication Service

            The Prattville Dragoons Camp 1524, Sons of Confederate Veterans completed work at the historic Indian Hills Cemetery Project including a workday the morning of Saturday, April 11th including final cleanup and monument repairs, fence cleaning and repairs, rehearsals and a rededication program on Confederate Memorial Day, Monday April 27th.  Dragoon Benny Harris coordinated the project again and led the headstone setting and repairs. Stalwarts again included 1st Lt Harold Grooms, Tyrone and Tom Crowley and Bill Branch, Larry and James Spears, Skip Ward, and Allen Herrod. Leaves were raked and burned and the area was mowed and smoothed with a box blade outside the burial plots.
Nearly two hundred folks including Dragoons, other SCV members, friends, family and neighbors gathered for the Rededication Service on April 27th, which started with tours at 5:30pm and music by the Tallassee Armory Guards Camp 1921 String Band. Tyrone Crowley served as the Master of Ceremonies portraying Daniel Pratt and he started the program with cannon fire by the SCV St. Clair Camp 508 crew and lighting of bonfires by Indian reenactors followed by his remarks on the history of the Indian Hill community.  Kathy Beatty portrayed Euphemia Graham, Barbara Gaston portrayed Mary Baxter Graham Smith, Kerri Waldo and Commander Waldo reenacted the Dragoon flag presentation between Abigail Holt and 2nd Lt. A.Y. Smith and 1st Lt Harold Grooms gave a rousing portrayal of 2nd Lt. Dixon S. Hall. Musket Salutes to the Confederate Veterans were provided by an honor guard led by Dragoon Paul Whaley and Bob Miller played “Scotland the Brave” and “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes.   
A modern program followed including a Prayer of Rededication by Chaplian Tom Snowden.  Awards by the Alabama Cemetery Preservation Alliance were made to Mayor Bill Gillespie for the City of Prattville and Commander Waldo for the Dragoons. Descendants of those interred at Indian Hill Cemetery were recognized including a number of Hall family.  The Honor Guard presented arms for the playing of “Taps” by Raymond Keel of Camp 692.  This was a touching meaningful rededication program called perhaps the best event the Dragoons have ever hosted by Comm Ofc Larry Spears and a wonderful culmination to a year of hard work and effort by the Dragoons in reclaiming and restoring this cemetery.
Portrayal Reenactors

Tallassee String Band

St. Clair Cannon Crew

Paul Whaley and the Honor Guard

Dragoons Larry and James Spears

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