Visiting Mark Twain in Hannibal Missouri

“Mark Twain, whose given name was Samuel Clemens, grew up in Missouri in a slave-holding family. He enlisted 158 years ago this month -- June -- in a Confederate militia, serving as a second lieutenant for two weeks. His desertion led many to describe his loyalty to the Confederate cause as halfhearted. However, Fulton noted the desertion may have been prompted by fear of hanging or confiscation of family property — a threat made to militia members by the Union, which controlled part of Missouri.  While Twain “mustered in and blustered out of the war early,” he used that experience to champion southern culture and values in writings in the 1850s and 1860s. Even in a 1901 speech he said, “We believed in those days we were fighting for the right — and it was a noble fight, for we were fighting for our sweethearts, our homes, and our lives.”  (https://www.newswise.com/articles/mark-twain-staunch-confederate-once-upon-a-time-150-years-ago-baylor-professor-says)  

During our summer travels recently we had the occasion to stay in Hannibal Missouri, the boyhood home of Mark Twain.  There along the banks of the Mississippi we did a short walking tour of the downtown area which has preserved many of the historical structures from Clemens’ 19^th century childhood as well as 20^th century memorials for this iconic American author.  We ate at the Mark Twain Dinette where we enjoyed Maid Rites and house made mugs of root beer.  There in the diner was a model of the steamboat General Lee.  Next door was the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum.   There stands the white fence which inspired Twain to write of Tom Sawyer tricking his friends into painting it for him.  Twain’s home is on the National Register of Historic Places and across the street from the clapboard house was the law offices of his father.   After his death in the 20^th century, a memorial bridge across the Mississippi was dedicated by President Roosevelt with senators and future President Truman in attendance.  The original bridge was closed in 2000 and demolished in 2001, replaced by a new Mark Twain Memorial Bridge.  Close by on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi, the Mark Twain Memorial lighthouse was originally built in 1935 and rebuilt in 1963.  President Roosevelt again dedicated the lighthouse, lighting it thru telegraph from Washington DC in 1935 and, President Kennedy rededicated it in 1963.  Gardens overlooking Hannibal line the walkway and stairs leading up from Main Street to the lighthouse. 

Dragoons Robinson Springs Cemetery Grounds Maintenance for June 2019

A number of compatriots from SCV Camp 1524 helped mow and trim and cleanup the Robinson Springs Cemetery in Millbrook AL on Saturday morning June 15th.  Bob brought his riding lawn mower and was instrumental in quickly mowing down the grass.  Quartermaster Bill Myrick mowed closer around the graves with his push mower.  Adjutant Wayne Sutherland and compatriots Larry Spears and Tyrone Crowley used weed eaters and leaf blowers to do finish grounds maintenance.  Camp Commander Stuart Waldo was prepared to mow some before his mower drawcord broke and so he resorted to using a swingblade along the tree line and removing branches from the lawn.  Beir Butler also attended but similarly had mechanical problems with his weed eater and was unable to get it cranked up.  Nonetheless, the Dragoons of Camp 1524 completed the grounds maintenance at this historic cemetery in just over an hour before the heat of the day to restore the grounds for the final resting place of many of Elmore County's founding families and historic figures. 

Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 Meeting for June 2019 - Dr. Beck Speaks on Lee and Jackson's First Meeting

The Dragoons held their monthly meeting on Thursday June 13th at the Prattville Masonic Lodge downtown.  Chaplain Dismukes opened the meeting with an Invocation and Color Sergeant John Dennis led everyone in the salutes to the flags.  Following the recitation of the SCV Charge, Commander Waldo welcomed three new members and transfers before compatriot Jason Altieri was sworn in.  Jason had already made a presentation at last month's meeting on Washington DC during the War for Southern Independence.  He was certainly dressed for the occasion and explained his attire that he was attending functions celebrating the birthday of the US Army on June 14th.  The Commander then provided information on upcoming events and other pertinent announcements for the 26 compatriots in attendance. 

Dr. Brandon Beck was the guest speaker and provided a presentation on General Robert E. Lee and his first meetings with Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.  Dr. Beck taught at Shenandoah University in Winchester VA where General Jackson's Headquarters Museum can be found.  Dr. Beck found that while there was a lot of research and information about Lee and Jackson's final meeting on May 1st of 1863 during the Battle of Chancellorsville (after which Jackson was mortally wounded), very little was written about the circumstances of their first meeting.  Both men went to West Point at different times but were very different men, Lee being twenty years Jackson's elder. Lee was born of the "first family of Virginia" and Lee was at the top of his class at West Point whereas Jackson was from the West Virginia area and struggled to graduate from the military academy.  Lee was against secession but Jackson saw it as God's providence.

It was the summer of 1862 before the two men actually met but, previously when Lee was sent to put down the uprising at Harper's Ferry, Jackson was subsequently there when he attended the hanging of John Brown with other cadets. Four days after Virginia seceded, Lee and Jackson both arrived in Richmond on separate trains when Lee was offered command of the Army of Virginia and Jackson arrived from Lexington with a corps of cadets to volunteer.  On September 24, 2861, Lee may have sent Jackson his first orders to go to the Shenandoah Valley. The valley was a geographical advantage for the South troop movements could be concealed by mountain ranges on each side and it provided a path directly north toward Washington DC.  A Confederate force positioned between Harper's Ferry and Winchester could invade Maryland, Pennsylvania or move against Washington DC. 

Lee ordered Jackson to fortify Harper's Ferry and troops were moved to the Maryland Heights.  But, in the war's first blunder, Confederate General Johnston who was placed in command of the Army ordered the evacuation of Harper's Ferry and to pull back to Winchester.  A number of Confederate generals also petitioned Johnson to evacuate troops from West Virginia because of the cold winter temperatures and he conceded countermanding Jackson's orders.  Stonewall actually resigned his commission because of this and was preparing to return to Lexington before his wife begged him to withdraw his resignation. 

In May of 1862, Union General McClellan had 125000 troops poised to attack Richmond with another 10000 positioned to attack Winchester and additional troops at Fredericksburg.  Jackson was ordered to not allow any of the Federal troops to leave the valley to help join the Union forces at Richmond so on March 19, 1862 Jackson attached the 10000 Union troops with a force of 3000 Confederates and although technically defeated, it caused the Union troops to pull back.

Lee was not in charge of any troops directly at this time but he was able to find Jackson a brigade as reinforcements to mount a counter attack on the Federals at Winchester to make it look like the Confederates had designs to cross the Potomac which would occupy Union troops at Richmond to counter.  General Johnston at first countermanded Lee's orders but then rescinded these and on May 25th, Jackson crushed Union General Banks forces causing the redeployment of 62000 Federal troops from Richmond.  Jackson was hailed Stonewall and Hero of the Valley. Lee was promoted to commander of the Army of Northern Virginia. 

Prattville Dragoon John Dennis Singlehandedly Works Indian Hill Cemetery

John Dennis and his wife Mary Jane cut the grass and weed-eated around the fencing and tombstones to make Indian Hill Cemetery look good on Thursday June 6th.  John is one of the newer members of the camp and he has taken maintenance of Indian Hill as something of a personal project having worked it on a number of occasions by himself.  John put some PVC pipe in the ground for the Confederate Battle flags marking the graves of Confederate veterans there.  The same day John drove out to the Hall Cemetery (pictured) just west of Autaugaville and did some work out there with plans to continue to cut the growth as this cemetery has not had much attention over the past two years.

Prattville Dragoons Chaplain's Column for June 2019

A private in the Army or Northern Virginia once said, "We talked the matter over, and could have settled the war in thirty minutes had it been left to us".

In our life there are many times we try to solve life's battles on our own. We think, "we can fix it".

However more times than not it does not work that way. Christ wants all of us to lean on him and cast our burdens and worries upon his shoulders.

It is in our nature to try to solve all of life's problems.

General Lee saw a much bigger picture than each individual shoulder marching along.

Sure, we can study 150 years ago and see decisions that could have been made that may have changed the war, but in the moment our ancestors were led by the greatest general in history.

Each of us today is led by the greatest leader; Jesus Christ. He see's the entire picture. Over the next month, let us all focus on letting Him lead us and take control of our worries and cares.

Picturesque Historical Lake Village Arkansas

Visited Lake Village Arkansas recently with the family.  Stayed on Lake Chicot which is adjacent and on the west side of the Mississippi River.  It is the largest oxbow lake in America formed hundreds of years ago by the Mississippi cutting a new channel and isolating this body of water.  Good fishing lake and was able to let my little boy cast some at sunset one evening.  We stayed in some cottages adjacent to an historical marker which designated the spot where the Battle of Ditch Bayou was fought in 1864.  A few artillery pieces and 600 cavalrymen under Confederate Colonel Colton Greene wrought heavy casualties on the 3000 Union troops under Major General A.J. Smith.  Using cover of trees and taking advantage of the muddy conditions slowing the Union troops advance, over the six hour battle, the Confederates lost just four men before conducting an orderly retreat to Lake Village while the Federals lost 132 killed and wounded.  This was the last significant battle of the War in Arkansas. 

While in Lake Village, we stopped by Rhoda's Famous Hot Tamales.  Had to try a few of the famous hot tamales which were delicious.  Ordered a couple pieces of fried chicken and it was cut to order and then deep fried delicious.  Mrs. Rhoda greeted us as she sat in a chair in one corner of the small restaurant.  Almost 90 years old and still working there with her daughter and even her husband who hand patted the burgers.  She was wonderful to chat with and was inquisitive about our travels with the children and made us promise to visit again when we next came into the area.  Rhoda was awarded the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame in 2017 by the Department of Arkansas Heritage for her little restaurant.  She had her award plate hung along with other memorabilia on the wall behind her chair.  Such a pleasure and a treasure for Lake Village Arkansas. 

Prattville Dragoons Camp 1524 Commander's Column for June 2019

One of the reasons suggested for the dissolution of the Union and the secession of the Southern states precipitating the War for Southern independence was that that the populace of the two sections of the United States were quite different from each other in terms of heritage, religion, politics, culture and surely, morality.  Many of those who immigrated to and colonized the Southern states were of Scotch Irish descent who knew only too well oppression from their homeland.  Southern churches were fundamentalist Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian congregations split from progressive Northern churches with pulpits dedicated to abolitionist rhetoric and included non-Christian denominations like Unitarian Universalist.  Perhaps most pointedly contrasting were the Northern Republicans espousing a strong centralized federal government industrial complex and the Democrats of the agricultural South who believed in self-sufficiency and state sovereignty.  These stark differences made cohabitation within the same geopolitical sphere and republic impossible to sustain. 

Contrast with today’s environment.  New York, left coast states and, Lincoln’s Illinois state and federal representatives openly espouse socialism and Marxist philosophies and platforms.   Massive trillion dollar environmental programs like the Green New Deal built on politicized science.  Mandated minimum wages which destroy entrepreneurship and innovation.  A welfare plantation providing for those who don’t wish to work destroying individual liberty and self-sufficiency.  First generation Muslim immigrants implementing Sharia law in an outright affront to and attack on the Constitution and Bill of Rights.  A one world order with open borders diminishing American exceptionalism and the achievements of our European Christian culture in the formation of the greatest civilization in history.  The destruction of the nuclear family and the strength, stability and morality it imparts on our society in favor of an LGBQT rainbow coalition.  A disregard for the sanctity of human life enacting legislation allowing the murder of in utero babies and even infanticide of birthed children.  I perhaps have never been more of a Crimson Tide fan than when the university trustees this week removed from the law school the name of and returned a donation from an alumnus who called for a boycott of Alabama over the state’s passage of anti-abortion pro-life legislation. 

It should not be difficult to fathom the deep sectional divides in 1860 which resulted in the secession of the Southern states from the Union, far from the single issue of slavery.   The Democrats today wish to eliminate a key construct of the framers, the electoral college which was meant to balance the political power between the populace North and the rural states of the South, much as it is thankfully  effectually doing today.   No wonder when these same progressives embrace the label of Democrat Socialists and seek to weaken or reconstruct the Constitution thru judicial activism.  Instead of equal  opportunity in a vibrant capitalistic economic system with liberty for all they seek equal outcomes thru wealth redistribution in a close federally regulated Marxist system with dictates for all.   No wonder that in California and New York and Illinois, there have recently been serious proposals and efforts to divide the states from the liberal population centers to break the political power of these big government progressives.  Not difficult to imagine at all our ancestors reaching the breaking point and exercising the constitutional powers of state sovereignty to secede from a Union heading down the wrong path. 

Upcoming Events for Confederate Compatriots

Upcoming Events

Prattville 4^th of July Parade – Dragoons’ entry, route down Court St and Main St.

National Reunion – Mobile Convention Ctr, July 10-13^th

Division Education Conference – August at Grace Point Church, Montgomery AL

Camp 1524 Fundraiser Dixie Butt Distribution  – August 10th 8-10am, Herrod's Chevron, 101 N Memorial Hwy, Prattville AL

Alabama Division Sons of Confederate Veterans Reunion

The 2019 Alabama Division SCV Reunion opened on Friday May 31st with registrations and a Commander's reception that evening.  Instead of attending the opening ceremonies and start of the business session at the SCV Division Reunion on Saturday morning June 1st, Quartermaster Myrick attended the opening ceremonies of the Children of the Confederacy at the Alabama State Archives in downtown Montgomery bringing greetings from the SCV on behalf of Division Commander Jones.  

This year's SCV Alabama Division Reunion was sponsored by the Henry Semple Camp at Grace Pointe Church, site of the annual Lee-Jackson Banquet.  The Semple Camp does and did a great job of hosting the SCV, the UDC and the Children of the Confederacy.

The Saturday morning session was devoted to Division business.  The Adjutants Report discussed the total membership of the Division and the Treasurers Report showing the Division’s financial status.  Emphasis was placed on recruiting and the need for additional funds.  Next came Division Commander Carl Jones report that emphasized the unpleasant fact we are indeed under attack as never before.  To counter the movement to remove our monuments he stated Division will provide flag poles for erection on private property so they cannot be removed.  He also announced a new Youth Medal to be awarded to any young person that has displayed exceptional loyalty and enthusiasm to the cause.  Next on the agenda was a proposed amendment to the Division Constitution that outlined disciplinary procedures.

Following lunch attendees were invited to a Confederate Memorial Service at historic Oakwood Cemetery which serves as the final resting place of a number of Confederate soldiers.  The ceremony was both moving and highly emotional as all honored our sacred dead.

Last was the Awards Dinner in which our Brigade Commander, Josh Stover, was commended for his numerous ideas at advancing our Division.  

Prattville Dragoons 1st Lt Harold Grooms and Quartermaster Bill Myrick (with wife Peggy) attended the final event of the 2019 Alabama Division SCV Reunion, the Awards Banquet on Saturday night.  National Commander in Chief Paul Gramling attended the banquet and awards ceremony hosted by Alabama Division Commander Carl Jones.  Everyone enjoyed a delicious beef brisket dinner.  SWC Brigade Commander and Dragoon Josh Stover was awarded the Robert E. Lee Award, commended for his numerous ideas at advancing the Cause and the Blakely Camp was awarded the Camp of the Year Award.  This complete, attendees were treated to an inspiring address by CiC Grambling who challenged everyone to become more informed on events nation-wide and to become more pro-active in resisting the political correctness that plagues our nation today.  

It was an eventful day that left us, one and all, proud to be Confederate!