Founding of the Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524

The Prattville Dragoons Camp was chartered May 14, 1990, at a meeting at the Scott House located at 203 South Chestnut Street in Prattville. The camp is named for the first company to leave Autauga County in the spring of 1861, a cavalry company outfitted by Daniel Pratt.  Charter members were Rodger Williamson II, John K. Brown, Leonard Morrison, James David Coleman, Rodger M. Williamson, Larry Owens and M. L. Bulger. Rodger Williamson II was elected the first commander of the new camp.

The purpose of the camp was found in the words of Lt. General Stephen D. Lee in his commission to the Sons of Confederate Veterans, "…to your strength will be given the defense of the Confederate soldier's good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those principles he loved and which made him glorious and which you also cherish. Remember it is your duty to see that the true history of the South is presented to future generation."

In its effort to follow this charter the camp has worked to mark the graves of Confederate soldiers, clean up cemeteries, celebrate Confederate Memorial Day, participate in events that honor our ancestors, and teach the true history of the War Between the States.

From its humble beginnings the camp has grown in January 2020 to number about 75 members and is well-known and respected in the state.

Alabama Division Sons of Confederate Veterans Robert E. Lee Birthday Observance January 18, 2020

The SCV Alabama Division hosted their annual observance and celebration of the birthday of Robert E. Lee on Saturday January 18th at the Alabama State Archives in Montgomery.  Alabama Division Commander Carl Jones led the program and introduced special guests and honorees and addressed those in attendance for this special occassion.  Prattville Dragoons 1st Lt Commander Harold Grooms was present to receive an award for Camp 1524 supporting the Division's efforts to conserve General Joseph Wheeler's uniform which was recently placed in the Archives collection.  Other members of the camp also attended this wonderful event which brings together compatriots to honor one of the great Americans and Confederates.

Prattville Dragoons of SCV Camp 1524 Attend Lee-Jackson Dinner in Montgomery

Lt. Commanders Harold Grooms and Karl Wade, together with Dragoons Tyrone Crowley and Dave Thompson and their ladies, attended the Lee-Jackson dinner hosted by the Henry C Semple Camp at Sinclair’s East in Montgomery on Friday evening 17 January.  Semple Camp Commander John Land welcomed everyone to the annual observance of the birthdays of these two great and honorable Americans and Confederate generals. Semple Camp Chaplain Philip Davis led everyone in opening and closing prayers and in the blessing of the food - everyone enjoyed a delicious dinner at Sinclair's, a Montgomery dining tradition.  

Army of Tennessee Commander Jason Boshers gave a spirit-filled and inspiring explanation of what The SCV Charge means to us and how we should respond to it.  Following the annual tradition, Dragoon Tyrone Crowley read the poem, “Lee At Jacksonville”, written in 2007 for the Lee Bicentennial by Compatriot J C Wingard, an Alabama native.  The meeting ended with an enthusiastic singing of “Dixie” by all present.  It was a very pleasant evening of fellowship, good food, and commemoration of our Confederate ancestors.

Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Prattville Dragoons Camp Meeting for January 2020

The Dragoons enjoyed their monthly camp meeting at Milestone's Cafe on Thursday January 8th with about 24 compatriots and their wives.  In the absence of the camp chaplain, Larry Spears opened the meeting with a nice prayer.  Color Sgt Dennis led everyone in reciting the pledges and salutes to the U.S. flag, the Alabama state flag and the Confederate Battle Flag.  Commander Waldo then read the Gen. S.D. Lee's Charge to the Sons of Confederate Veterans and provided an update for upcoming events.  A new member packet was presented which provided information about the camp and the SCV - hard copies and electronic copies were made available to any members.  The electronic billboard advertisement which was run over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and the upcoming Robert E. Lee holiday was highlighted along with the new social media initiative to tape camp meeting presentations and post them on a camp YouTube channel.

Dragoon Communications Officer Doug Beir Butler and Andy Bodenheimer were the speakers who presented information on War Between the States reenactors.  Between the two of them, they have over fifty years experience doing reenactments and Andy has participated in events from Gettysburg to Texas.  Beir donned a Union infantrymen's uniform while Andy depicted a Confederate dismounted cavalry Captain. All elements of the uniforms was discussed including the wool coats, gloves, shoes and accessories like holsters.  Beir showed a handmade haversack made of tapestry material and a Confederate soldier's kepi.  They showed examples of Enfield and Springfield rifles and illustrated the difference between the shorter cavalry rifle and those like sniper rifles of the infantrymen.  The cavalrymen also carried swords and revolvers like the Remington and Griswold some which utilized quick change cylinders for reloading.  Andy emphasized the need for more reenactors and the importance of living histories and reenactments as they bring history to life for young school aged children as well as adults, very important today as American society struggles against an ignorance of American history and an appreciation of Southern heritage. Reenactors can include those of soldiers, civilians and, politicians, men, women and children.  Government grants are available to help sponsor reenactments but SCV camps are needed to organize and plan these important events.

Commander's Column for January 2020

The Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 has done a great job embracing various social media platforms in order to get information about the camp and the SCV out in front of the public as an educational tool and to carry forth the Charge.  Recently, Communications Officer Beir Butler started an Instagram page for the Dragoons (@dragoons1524) and posts photographs from events to share.  Former Comms Officer Larry Spears has maintained our Facebook page (Prattville Dragoons SCV, @prattville.dragoons.7)  for many years now updating it with news of our camp activities and sharing posts with other camps across the SCV with over 750 “likes” and over 770 “followers”.  We are starting an effort to record presentations of our camp meeting guest speakers and post these on a YouTube channel so that not only the interested public but also members who cannot make a particular meeting including shut-ins can view the presentations.  Of course, the camp website (theprattvilledragoons.blogspot.com) provides updates of camp activities as well as posts of all the Commander’s and Chaplain’s columns from the monthly newsletters.   Permanently displayed on the page are the SCV Charge and links to a history of the Prattville Dragoons, Alabama and Confederate pledges and creeds, a pictorial history of member’s Confederate ancestors and, of course a link to “Dixie’s Land”; links are also provided for viewers for the National SCV website and the Alabama Division website.   Each post on the website (1250 in total since the blog’s inception) is set to automatically tweet on the camp’s Twitter account (@SCVDragoons).   Many Confederate compatriots enjoy the Twitter platform including the Virginia Flaggers and SCV camps and many who appreciate our stand for the Cause.  Your camp Twitter account has made 2378 tweets with many commenting on the relentless media attacks on our Confederate history and heroes and Southern heritage.  Each month these tweets receive 3000-4000 or more impressions on viewers feeds including our 581 followers. 

President Trump has brought Twitter to the forefront of social media platform exposure but it is vitally important to counter the mainstream media (MSM) that we sustain a continuous positive presence utilizing all these tools and it’s important for SCV members to engage and support these efforts.  I thought it might be enlightening and entertaining to share some of the recent tweets posted by @SCVDragoons:

1) MSM story lead: Students lead protest over Confederate flag, dress code

@SCVDragoons Tweet:  Seriously,  do these main stream media one-world-order socialists just regurgitate these same stories of clueless imbeciles making a statement just to keep stoking the fire?

2) MSM story lead: Why Virginia must amend its law protecting Confederate statues

@SCVDragoons Tweet: To appease politically correct, historically ignorant, constitutional revisionist, anarchist blowhard socialists. And the Main Stream Media Antifa apologists.

3) MSM story lead: Kehinde Wiley’s Anti-Confederate Memorial

@SCVDragoons Tweet:  It takes a deluded infantile mind to believe this statue of a thug in a hoodie is of equal importance as artwork commemorating some of the great Americans who fought for constitutional liberty & self-determination.

4) MSM story lead: Residents ponder removing Stonewall Jackson's name from school

@SCVDragoons Tweet:  Mr. Rodriguez of Puerto Rico needs to learn some true history of the South and that Stonewall Jackson was one of the most outstanding American generals ever and an exemplary Christian man.

5) MSM story lead: Confederate Christmas ornaments are smaller than statues – but they send the same racist message

@SCVDragoons Tweet: This fascist would come into my home and confiscate keepsake family heirloom Christmas ornaments for their own ignorant misguided bigoted agenda.

6) MSM story lead: Students can wear Confederate symbol to school. Some Buncombe students want that to stop

@SCVDragoons Tweet:  Out of the mouths of ignorant bigoted babes. The Confederate Battle Flag was a battlefield banner of soldiers fighting for their homes, not the CSA flag.

7) MSM story lead: Missouri High Schoolers Fly Confederate Flag in Cafeteria After Classmates Hand Out Pride Flags

(Retweeted without comment)

8) MSM story lead: Sally Field arrested while protesting climate change with Jane Fonda

@SCVDragoons Tweet: No truer words. Fields and Fonda get arrested protesting and Hanoi Jane says those in jail are there because of mental health issues. The pot calling the kettle deranged.

9) MSM story lead: Group calls on Amazon, Google to remove 'white supremacist, pro-Confederate' materials

@SCVDragoons Tweet: CAIR Director of Government Affairs Robert S. McCaw needs a history lesson spouting his 2nd grade public school revisionist history garbage. Secession was Constitutional.

10) MSM story lead: How the Daughters of the Confederacy Spoiled Christmas

@SCVDragoons Tweet:  Most definitely outside agitators. We don’t apologize for the valor and honor of our Confederate Constitutional-patriot ancestors. Our SCV camp leads in community benevolent outreach.

11) MSM story lead: Civil War log cabin discovered during house demolition

@SCVDragoons Tweet: Obviously a slave owning plantation baron built this home of hand hewn logs.  Probably fought in that battle not to defend his home but to preserve his right to own slaves??

12) @NC_Confederate Tweet: It is against the law to remove the Confederate Monument in #Pittsboro

@SCVDragoons Tweet: The anarchist left does not care about laws.  They are progressives and believe even the U.S. Constitution is open to their twisted perverted interpretation and "evolution".

13) @AbbevilleInst Tweet: Joe Wheeler explains why slavery was not the cause of the War.

@SCVDragoons Tweet: Who is this (primary source) Gen. Joseph Wheeler character?  Chelsea Clinton said it was singularly all about slavery.   She ought to know better.

        Get engaged and support your camp’s efforts to advance the Cause, the vigorous advocacy of our honorable brave Confederate ancestors defense of their homeland and fight for liberty and independence.   Younger generations of Confederate compatriots are plugged in and online and we must utilize and embrace all available platforms to reach these potential members and hopefully educate them as to the true history of the South.  We are now two decades into the 21st century and the Sons of Confederate Veterans must adopt all technological tools to combat the incessant attacks on our Confederate history and Southern heritage.  Make Dixie Great Again is a National SCV tool providing great videos and advertisements which can be used in promotions and online posts.   In addition to our personal outreach thru community events, we must continue and grow our internet outreach.   Get involved in posts and submittals and when you read a relevant article online, comment.  It is our duty. 

Upcoming Events for Confederate Compatriots

Dragoons January Camp Meeting – Thursday, January 8^th, 6:45pm Milestones Café, 1534 S Memorial Drive, Prattville

Camp 2002 Semple Lee-Jackson Dinner - Friday, January 17, 2020; 7:00pm, Grace-Pointe Church, Montgomery AL

Robert E. Lee Birthday Celebration - Saturday, January 18, 2020, 10:00 am, Archives and History Bldg, Montgomery

Stephen Dill Lee Institute - Friday, Saturday, February 14, 15, 2020, Raleigh, NC

Alabama Division DEC – 9:30am Saturday, February 8^th, Grace Point Church, Montgomery AL

Millbrook Mardi Gras Parade and Festival - Saturday, February 15, 9am festival and noon parade, Main St, Millbrook

Army of Tennessee Workshop - Saturday, February 29, 2020, 10:00 am, Oxford Civic Center, Oxford, AL

Confederate Flag Day Observance - Saturday, March 7, 2020,

Alabama Education Conference - Saturday, March 21, 2020, 10:00am – 3:00 pm, Doster Center, Prattville

Living History Weekend - Friday, Saturday, April 24, 25, 2020, Confederate Memorial Park, Marbury, AL

Confederate Memorial Day Observance - Monday, April 27, 2020, Confederate Monument, Alabama Capitol

Alabama Division Reunion - Friday, Saturday, June 5, 6, 2020, Foley, AL

National Reunion - Wed-Sat, July 15-18, 2020, St. Augustine, FL