A Day with Jefferson Davis at the First White House of the Confederacy in Montgomery AL

Prattville Dragoon Tyrone Crowley and wife Carol participated in an event Saturday April 14th at the First White House of the Confederacy, another of many activities for Confederate History and Heritage Month.  Tyrone played the part of President Jefferson Davis in "A Day With Davis", while Carol appeared as his wife Varina.  Also attending were Dragoons Bill Myrick, Larry Spears, Bill Gill, Dave Thompson, and Rob Heyward.  Rob Heyward will be the speaker for the Ladies Memorial Association (LMA) at their Confederate Memorial Day Program at 2 p.m. on Thursday, 26 April 2018, at the Oakwood Cemetery Pavilion in Montgomery.  The LMA has held this commemoration every year since 1866.

               This event was hosted by the Talisi Belles Chapter of the Order of Confederate Rose and managed by Andy Bodenheimer of Tallassee, who also acted impressively the part of Senator William Lowndes Yancey.  The event was attended by reenactors from around the state, who formed the President's Honor Guard, commanded by Colonel Scotty Myers of the 31st Alabama Reenactors group.

               President Davis (Tyrone), led by his Honor Guard, was officially introduced as he came out the front door of the First White House at 10 a.m., flanked by his Honor Guard.  He welcomed the approximately 100 spectators who awaited the start of the event, which lasted 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. and was enjoyed by several hundred visitors to the First White House, who came and went during those hours.  After an invocation, President Davis spoke the same words to the crowd he had said in 1886 when he came to Montgomery to dedicate the cornerstone of the Confederate Monument there.  At noon, also from the front porch of the First White House, President Davis presented the speech which he saw as his last public statement to the people of the South, a speech he made before the Mississippi State Legislature in 1884.

               Those participating and attending all were pleased with the day's activities, as shown by the happy banter and positive comments from visitors.  The fact that there was a Second Amendment rally at the Capitol beginning after noon also added to the patriotic atmosphere yesterday.