The Dragoons of Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 held their monthly meeting on Thursday May 11th at the Masonic Lodge in Prattville. Rob Schwartz entertained early arrivals playing his guitar and singing some good country ad period songs. He also led everyone in the Invocation to start the meeting. Color Sgt Dennis led everyone in the pledge to the US flag and salutes to the Confederate Battle Flag and Alabama state flag. Commander Waldo then recited the SCV Charge. Brigade Commander Grooms then swore in the remaining camp officer who was unable to attend the previous month's camp picnic, new 1st Lt Tyler Suttle. Stuart then highlighted upcoming events including the Division Reunion and Forrest's Birthday Celebration at Ft. Dixie. Everyone was encouraged to help at the camp's booth at the Cityfest which followed just two days after the meeting and to attend the Reunion as the business session is open to all members.
The presenter for this camp meeting was Tyler Suttle who spoke on Celtic Confederates. Following the Jacobite uprising, many Scots emigrated to America with the Appalachian mountains the destination for many of these settlers. Tyler was wearing a kilt with his family's traditional tartan pattern but explained that there is no historic record of any Confederates wearing kilts into battle during the War Between the States; some Union dress uniforms consisted of tartan pants in some predominantly Scottish units. Confederate General John B. Gordon who was shot and wounded nine times during the WBTS was a descendent of Scots from Aberdeenshire and his family had served in the British army including against Napoleon. President Jefferson Davis' family hailed from Wales his 4th great grandfather emigrating from that area of Britain. Generals J.E.B. Stuart and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson were of Scot-Irish ancestry. Jackson's family emigrated to America following a penal sentence served on a Northern Ireland plantation.
Many Irish American immigrants moved to North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland following the potato famine which struck Ireland earlier in the 19th century. Irish fought on both sides during the War for Southern Independence. Many were granted entry into the United States contingent on serving in the US Army during the War. There were instances reported that Irish refused to fight in some skirmishes when they realized they were literally shooting their Irish brothers. Confederate General Patrick Cleburne was born in Cork Ireland and served in the British Army. He led Confederate troops at Chickamauga and Shiloh often at the front lines handing ammunition to his troops. He was killed in 1864 at the Second Battle of Franklin (TN) with eleven bullet wounds. Cleburne has the distinction of being the highest ranked foreign born Confederate officer. Cleburne was among the first Confederates to endorse the emancipation of slaves for their service in the Confederate Army but this idea was rejected at the time. He was famously quoted as saying, " It is said that slavery is all we are fighting for, and if we give it up we give up all. Even if this were true, which we deny, slavery is not all our enemy are fighting for, It is merely a pretense to establish sectional superiority and a more centralized form of government, and to deprive us of our rights and liberties. Surrender means that the history of this heroic struggle will be written by the enemy; that our youth will be trained by Northern school teachers; will learn from Northern school books their version of the War; will be impressed by all influences of history and education to regard our gallant dead as traitors, and our maimed veterans as fit subjects for derision."
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