Prattville Dragoons Camp Meeting for July 2015

Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 held their monthly camp meeting on July 9th, 2015 at the Shoney's on Cobbs Ford Road in Prattville.  The Dragoons welcomed what may have been a record crowd, of 43 compatriots including members and their wives, potential members and visitors.  There was strong sentiment from everyone present that the current happenings regarding the attempted erasure of Southern Heritage and culture from the state and this country brought in the crowd. There were at least five potential members present, some potential transfers, some visitors from other camps and family and friends of members. Lt. Commander Grooms did a superb job of running the meeting through the agenda including the Chaplain's opening and closing prayers, pledges to the U.S., Alabama state and Confederate Battle flags, and announcements.  Dixie butt tickets were all distributed to all present as part of the Dragoons annual fundraiser; the delicious Fat Man's BBQ smoked butts will be distributed on August 15th.

Mike Williams, Adjutant of the Alabama Division Sons of Confederate Veterans was the guest speaker and made a very short presentation but mainly allowed questions about the current events regarding the removal of the historical Confederate flags from around the Confederate monument on the Alabama state house grounds including the Governor’s call for a special session on Monday the 13th of July for which it was intended to make a show of support for heritage preservation to the state legislators and present a Monument Protection Bill to solicit support and sponsorship in an effort to get this bill enacted into law.  As usual, Mike was well informed and all questions were answered honestly and factually. This special session was well attended (on Saturday July 13th) by members of the SCV and many other concerned citizens and compatriots who met with their senators and representatives to plead the importance of this heritage protection legislation; the bill was introduced in the Senate and assigned SB-12.

The Dragoons' July 2015 meeting was excellent and refreshing to see so much interest from the large crowd and potential new members. Interest in renewals and new memberships in the Sons of Confederate Veterans has been at a high pitch in the last few weeks, a silver lining to the attacks on the Battle flag and Confederate vestiges throughout the Southern states.