Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Prattville Dragoons Meeting for August 2024 - Battle of Monroe's Crossroads

Members and friends of the Dragoons of SCV Camp 1524 gathered on Thursday evening August 8th at the Masonic Lodge in downtown Prattville for their regular monthly meeting.  Camp Commander Grooms was absent traveling so Brigade Commander Waldo led the meeting.  Chaplain Brantley was also absent caring for his ailing mother in Georgia so compatriot Bill Branch opened the meeting with the Invocation and the closing Benediction.  Color Sgt Dennis led everyone in the pledges and salutes to the flags; he and his wife have also done a tremendous job managing the Dixie butt fundraiser.  Commander Waldo recited the SCV Charge and then went thru the announcements which included a congratulatory recognition of the Division Life Membership of Scott Roberson, Commander John Land of Montgomery who asked for volunteers to help at the SCV library at CMP, membership dues and Dixie butt last calls, a sign-up sheet for volunteers to work the camp booth at the Autauga County Fair and, the date and place for the camp's fall muster in October.  James Barnes, retired Special Forces Sgt and Lt Commander of the SCV Camp in Woodstock AL was the guest speaker who presented on the Battle of Monroe's Crossroads. This was the last cavalry battle of the War for Southern Independence in March 1865 and occurred near what today is Ft. Bragg in North Carolina.  The Confederates under Generals Wade Hampton and Joseph Wheeler were successful in delaying the Union advance on Fayetteville and allowed the Confederate forces to cross the Cape Fear River.  The battle included the capture of a number of Union General Kilpatrick's HQ staff and a series of charges thru the Union encampment by Wheeler's men, shooting into the Union troops' tents in a surprise attack.  Kilpatrick was also almost killed and escaped by horseback after being awakened at the house he was using as his field HQ, deceiving the Confederates into pursuing another Union officer as him to make his escape in his nightshirt.  It was an enjoyable evening of fellowship and education.