Historic Sites at Heritage Golf Club in Pawley's Island SC

Recently played some golf in the Myrtle Beach SC area and one day the group played the Heritage Club in Pawley's Island, just south of Myrtle Beach.  Beautiful golf course which had holes meandering thru low lying swamps and marshland.  The clubhouse was built to resemble an antebellum plantation house with Georgian and Greek revival architecture.  On one of the last holes on the front nine there was an old graveyard next to the tee box which had an historic marker erected.  It indicated the area was part of the True Blue rice plantation belonging to the Pawleys in the 18th and 19th centuries from when the graveyard dated.  The sign went on to say that South Carolina produced two thirds of the rice for North America and that these plantations were home to the wealthy "rice princes" prior to the War Between the States.  Adjacent to the eighth hole tee box was another historic sign indicating the fenced area immediately in front of the tee box was a former slave graveyard that was used from the early 18th century into the 20th century.  The sign provided information about the artifacts discovered there and the slave's African burial customs.  A surprise historic departure from a round of golf in bustling Myrtle Beach. 

Prattville Dragoons Attend Lee-Jackson Banquet

Prattville Dragoon Officers Harold Grooms and Karl Wade attended the Lee-Jackson Dinner hosted by the Henry C Semple Camp on Friday evening 20 January at GracePointe Church of Christ in Montgomery.  Also attending were Dragoons Dave Thompson, with his wife, and Tyrone Crowley, who as he has done for several years now, read the poem, “Lee At Jacksonville” to those attending.  The poem is always read in memory of its author, Compatriot Joseph Cecil Wingard , an SCV member who wrote the poem in 2007 for the Robert E. Lee Bicentennial.    Compatriot Wingard is buried at Coosa River Primitive Baptist Church just north of Holtville, Alabama.

            The speaker for the evening was none other than SCV National Lt. Commander-in-Chief Larry Allen McCluney, Jr., who did an impressive impersonation of General P. G. T. Beauregard, launching his talk in French with “Bon soir mesdames et messieurs!” and going on to give a brief overview of his life, and of all he and his men experienced during the War Between the States.  Commander McCluney wore a handsome military uniform, complete with handsome riding boots.  His presentation was well-received, and when the Dragoons left afterwards people were still in line to speak with him and ask him questions.  

            A delicious dinner was provided, as always, by the Semple Camp, so everyone went home well-fed and pleased with the evening.  In these troubling times, events such as this are uplifting and encouraging to us all.

(Contribution by Dragoon Tyrone Crowley)

Alabama Division Sons of Confederate Veterans Robert E. Lee Birthday Ceremony

The Robert E. Lee birthday program sponsored by the Alabama Division was a very special way to honor General Lee on his birthday, Saturday 19 January. Division Commander Carl Jones, in the first picture, had words of welcome and mentioned the Division’s decision to place five Confederate monuments in Alabama on private property this year. 

Past National Commander Chuck McMichael delivered the keynote address, describing how the “rebels” of the Confederacy had identical motivation and ideals as did the “rebels” of the American Revolution. The only difference was that the first Revolution was a victory but the second War for Independence was not. He is in the second picture.

The third picture shows Commander Jones and Division 1st Lt. Commander Mike McMurry presenting a check for over $8000 to the Alabama Archives and History Confederate flag conservation fund. The Alabama Division donates ten percent of income from SCV tags to this fund each year.

Many compatriots lingered after the formal ceremony to view some of the conserved flags and other exhibits in the Archives. It was a great time to get together to honor such a man of character as Lee and visit with each other.

Winter Quarters Encampment at Confederate Memorial Park

Confederate Memorial Park and the Alabama Historical Commission are pleased to announce Winter Quarters, 1862. From Jan. 25 – Jan. 27 living historians will portray the 22nd Alabama Infantry, Co. I - “Pike Grays”.  This will be Friday through Sunday noon.  Saturday is the best day to go. 

Using our authentic reproduction Civil War barracks, approximately 100 reenactors will immerse themselves in reproducing what life was like for soldiers during the cold winter months. No cost to attend – donations to the museum are appreciated.

 Confederate Memorial Park is the original 102-acre site of Alabama's only Confederate Veterans' Home. The site operated from 1902-1939 as a haven for disabled or indigent veterans of the Confederate army, their wives and widows. Today, our state-of-the-art museum showcases Alabama's Confederate soldier from enlistment to aging veteran and contains hundreds of artifacts from the Civil War period.    

Robert E. Lee Day in Alabama

The Prattville Dragoons placed ads on two electronic billboards in Prattville to celebrate Robert E. Lee's birthday.

Dr. Grover Plunkett Speaks to Prattville Dragoons Camp 1524 "Why the Truth Matters"

Dr. Grover Plunkett, professor at Faulkner University in Montgomery addressed the Prattville Dragoons as part of the January camp meeting with the presentation "Why the Truth Matters".  Dr. Plunkett began by offering that he is unapologetic-ally a Christian, an American and, a Southerner.  He emphasized that we compatriots have the truth in our hands (including original documentation and first person accounts of the true causes of  The War) but often don't use it when we are challenged by our detractors and instead question our conviction and don't challenge them.  Truth is an absolute and you can't modify it eg. a little faithful or a bit honorable.  An example he gave was "social justice" - justice is absolute but the qualifier "social" would infer you must take justice from one to give to another. 

The truth matters to competent historians. The truth of the SCV Charge is that the Confederate soldiers were willing to die for the defense of their homes and the lie is that they were fighting for slavery.  There were actually seven reasons that Southerners went to war - the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  The lie of slavery as the single issue is a single half truth.  Friedrich Schiller, 18th century German poet, philosopher and historian maintained history can be boiled down to single causes.  Karl Marx maintained history is reducing historical events to single causes as long as it promotes the state.  Our detractors have reduced the cause of the war to one issue - slavery - which ignores all the other problems between the two sections of the country. No one wants to discuss the unfair tariffs and taxation of the South to benefit Northern interests, about the imbalance in Congressional representation, about state sovereignty, about the North invading the Southern states and Southern men leaving their families to defend their homes. 

Those who stand for and fight for the truth often suffer persecution, are the butt of jokes, are politically ostracized, become outcasts, eventually beaten into submission by ridicule.  What is the truth of the Confederate Battle flag and the Alabama state flag?  The St. Andrew's cross is a defiant symbol against tyranny.  The Alabama state motto is "We Dare Defend our Rights".  The SCV motto Deo Vindice translates "God Will Vindicate" (in truth).  The truth will set you free but lies will enslave you.  If we know the truth, are we prepared for the consequences or do we just want to be reconciled to a lie?  Virtue, embodied by General Robert E. Lee is not innate.  It is practiced.  Virtues are not forced upon us, it is something we decide to do. 

Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 Meeting for January 2019

The January Dragoon camp meeting was held on January 10th and attended by nearly 30 people with a number of members absent due to illness and extenuating issues.  Dr. Grover Plunkett, a History Professor at Faulkner University in Montgomery, spoke on "Why the Truth Still Matters". Dr. Plunkett is also a member of the Captain Henry Semple Camp in Montgomery. 

We were honored to have three men submit their applications to join the SCV last night; Jordon Henderson, Pierce Pelt, and Jayson Altieri. Adjutant Wane Sutherland dutifully finished the details of the applications to process these so these men can claim membership very soon. 

Compatriot Bill Branch opened the meeting with a Benediction followed by Commander Waldo who read the SCV Charge and went thru the upcoming events and announcements including the Army of Tennessee workshop upcoming this Saturday in Vestavia Hills which will be attended by several Dragoons.  He also made an announcement that Dragoon Bill Gill had been admitted to a local hospital that day and needs our prayers.  Color Sergeant Dismukes led everyone in the pledge to the US flag and salutes to the Alabama state and Confederate Battle flags.  After Dr. Plunkett's presentation, Commander Waldo read the SCV closing and Pastor Randall Tucker of Prattmont Baptist Church said a closing prayer to send everyone off.  

Pictured below you see a view of some of the early arrivals at our meeting; Commander Waldo making a point; and Dr. Plunkett during his address.

Alabama Secession Day

On January 11, 1861 Alabama legally and methodically Seceded from the voluntary union called the United States of America and became an independent, sovereign State.

Prattville Dragoons Camp 1524 Commander's Column for January 2019

Commander's Column – Political Correctness Amuck

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas and happy holidays.  It seemed it was one celebration and event after another and the holidays just flew by.  I hope it was an enjoyable time for everyone and that you were able to observe and celebrate the true meaning of the season.   The holiday headlines were filled with the latest politically correct nonsense with the main stream media protecting us from ourselves, radio stations censoring “offensive” songs which we have enjoyed singing for generations and the condemnation of joyful holiday family shows.   We’re told “Baby It's Cold Outside” is about date rape.  “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” condones bullying. “Jingle Bells” was blacklisted when it was discovered that one of its first productions was performed in 1857 in blackface in Boston.   The reason for the season? The #MeToo movement found its divine origin when a new perspective on the Christmas story reminded us that Mary was impregnated by God without her consent.  The story of baby Jesus is about migrants finding refuge?   Blasphemous heresy yes but, how can the SCV and Southern heritage survive the absurdity of this PC stupidity, today’s “enlightenment”?  How can our Southern heritage survive examination under the scrutiny of today’s standards and an appreciation and widespread endorsement only of progressive ideals?

Bill Gill forwarded an article pertaining to a November 21, 2018 Washington Post published op-ed written by retired U.S. General Stanley McChrystal entitled “Good Riddance: Americans need to set aside icons like Robert E. Lee to live up to our potential”. 

“While interviewing Southern historian Shelby Foote , J.L. Wall asked the writer if he had been alive during the War would he have fought for the Confederacy?  To which Foote replied:  "No doubt about it. What's more, I would fight for the Confederacy today if the circumstances were similar. There's a great deal of misunderstanding about the Confederacy, the Confederate flag, slavery, the whole thing. The political correctness of today is no way to look at the middle of the nineteenth century. The Confederates fought for some substantially good things. States rights is not just a theoretical excuse for oppressing people. You have to understand that the raggedy Confederate soldier who owned no slaves and probably couldn't even read the Constitution, let alone understand it, when he was captured by Union soldiers and asked, What are you fighting for? replied, I'm fighting because you're down here. So, I certainly would have fought to keep people from invading my native state. There's another good reason for fighting for the Confederacy. Life would have been intolerable if you hadn't. The women of the South just would not allow somebody to stay home and sulk while the war was going on. The women made him go."

The General throws away all of his principles because his wife tells him too. Why does she tell him to? Because "bad" people were protesting the proposed removal of a statue of General Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia and she doesn't want to offend visitors to their home. The saddest part about this story is that she is based her concerns and he caved into her demands on the grounds of a false narrative (about the sequence of events in Charlottesville and those responsible).”

The progressives would seek to reconstruct an America built upon a quicksand of relativism.  Fascist Antifa anarchists pronounce any who oppose their radical ideals as fascists themselves and use violence to silence opposition.  These nihilists “promote the unraveling of American culture by an assault upon our history through the removal of icons of the past and an excess of ‘political correctness.’”  Our Confederate heroes fought and died in defense of their homes and families but they were empowered with a belief in and yearning for liberty.  The Confederate Constitution reinforced the founding principles and sovereignty of the states.  It should come as no surprise that they have targeted vestiges not only of our Confederate heritage but increasingly of our founding fathers to institute their global Marxist utopia.  WAKY in Elizabethtown resisted the holiday PC onslaught playing “Baby, It's Cold Outside” for two straight hours on December 16^th but, the importance of the Sons of Confederate Veterans Charge cannot be minimized as we confront these enemies not only of our Confederate history but of our very Republic. Education and winning the hearts and minds of these anarchists is impossible but we must awaken the millions of freedom loving Americans who value our God given liberty and our constitutional protections which are illuminated throughout our Southern history and heritage.

Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 Chaplain's Column for January 2019

Chaplain’s Column – Turning the Page

Psalm 19:7-11

     The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul. Psalm 19:7

     One day John Strait (father of singer George Strait) distributed Gideon Bibles in a prison in Dilley, Texas. A prisoner accepted one, but later when another worker, Jerry Horn of San Antonio, visited, the inmate needed another copy. The pages were all gone from the old one; only the covers remained. "What happened?" Jerry asked. The prisoner replied, "I used them to make cigarettes."

Jerry brought him a new copy and witnessed to him. The prisoner received the Lord as Savior and signed his name in the book, indicating his decision. After getting out of prison, he went to school and became pastor of a Texas church. "He had a new Bible, a new life, and a new way of living," said Jerry.

     Tomorrow turns the page on a new year. The liberating message of God’s Word is ours every moment. The devil may attack us, but we have the Sword of the Spirit. The world may tempt us, but we can hide God's Word in our hearts. Let's turn the calendar with our Bibles in our hands and the joy of the Lord in our hearts.

     Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.

Benjamin Franklin

Please remember all those that are on our prayer list. 

Upcoming Events for Confederate Compatriots

From the Prattville Dragoons, SCV Camp 1524 Dispatch newsletter:

Upcoming Events

Army of Tennessee Workshop – Saturday January 12th  9:30am, New Merkel House, Vestavia, AL

Semple Camp Lee-Jackson Banquet – Friday January 18^th, 7pm, Grace Pointe Church of Christ, Montgomery AL

Robert E. Lee Birthday Observance – Alabama State Archives, Saturday January 19^th, 9am

Stephen D. Lee Institute – Saturday February 2^nd 8am, Birmingham Marriott

Confederate Rest Statue Dedication  - Saturday February 2nd, Foley AL

Millbrook Mardi Gras Parade and Festival - Feb 23, 2019, 9am festival, 11am parade (line-up)

SWC Brigade Flag Day – Saturday March 3rd