Upcoming Events for Confederate Compatriots

1.) JROTC Hunley Award Presentations – Thursday March 30th at 6pm at Prattville HS; Wednesday April 12^th at 8am at Stanhope Elmore HS

2.) Flag setting at Prattville's Oak Hill Cemetery for the Confederate Veterans buried there in honor of Confederate History and Heritage month. Friday March 31^st at 6pm.

3.) Annual Prattville Dragoons Camp Picnic – Saturday, April 1st – Confederate Memorial Park  The picnic hours are 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Flag setting for the veterans and widows buried at the CMP cemeteries at 9am.  As an added bonus this year, the Camp 1921 String Band from Tallassee will entertain after the meal.

4.) Confederate Memorial Day Monday April 24th - Alabama Division UDC event at the Alabama State Capital at 10am followed by the Prattville Dragoons event at the Prattville Primary School on Wetumpka St in Prattville at 6pm - come enjoy Pastor Weaver's address, bapgipes and more

5.) Prattville Cityfest – Saturday May 13^th 9am-5pm at the Dragoons booth

6.) 2017 Sons of Confederate Veterans Alabama Division Reuninon – June 9th and 10th in Cullman.

Confederate Flag Day March 2017

The Alabama Division Sons of Confederate Veterans hosted a Confederate Flag Day event on Saturday March 4th at Confederate Veterans Memorial Park in Luverne AL.  Photos of the event which included raising a First National Flag on a new pole complete with color guard and cannon salutes are included here.

Also, a brief history of Confederate Flag Day is presented here:

The Confederate first national flag was raised March 4th, 1861 by Letitia Tyler, the 18 year old grand daughter of U.S. President John Tyler, above the capitol in Montgomery. She is buried in the St. Margaret's section of Montgomery's Oakwood cemetery.

Also, on March 4, 1865 President Jefferson Davis signed a bill passed by the Confederate Congress creating the 3rd National Flag. 

Prattville Dragoons Camp Meeting for March 2017

The annual business meeting for the Prattville Dragoons was held Thursday March 9th at the regular meeting location, Shoney's on Cobbs Ford Rd.  All current officers were re-elected unanimously to another term without opposition. Congratulations to Commander Waldo, 1st Lt Grooms, 2nd Lt Jenks,Adjutant Sutherland, Treasurer Leverette and Chaplain Snowden for serving the camp in their various capacities. 

Chaplain Snowden opened the meeting with a prayer and a devotional.  Commander Waldo then recited the Lee's Charge to the Sons of Confederate Veterans followed by the announcements of upcoming events.  Color Sgt Morgan provided the newsletter report including circulation and expenses. Commander Waldo then provided the report from Treasurer Leverette on expenditures over the past year and the camps current balance in the treasury.  The Commander's report was then presented including camp enrollment and a recounting of all the camp's and member's activities over the past year highlighting the community service projects and initiatives like Salvation Army kettle ringing, foood drives, educational presentations at schools and participation in community events like parades and Prattville's Cityfest.   

Prattville Dragoons Activities Two Consecutive Saturdays

There are two excellent events for your consideration this Saturday and Saturday 1 April. 

1) This Saturday, March 25 the Alabama Division will host the Education Conference in Prattville at the Doster Center, 424 Roster Rd. from 10:00 - 4:00. Cost is $35 or $25 for youth. You can register and pay at the door. This is a state wide event and the public, especially educators, is invited.

The keynote speaker for this event will be none other than the great Dr. Thomas DiLorenzo, author of The Real Lincoln. His talk will be on "Why Lincoln was Hated and Reviled by Americans North and South During His Lifetime.” The other very prominent speakers are Ronald and Donald Kennedy and Dr. Brion McClanhan. If you have not registered but want to attend, come on and join us.

2) The annual Camp Picnic will be on Saturday 1 April at Confederate Memorial Park in Mountain Creek, Alabama.  The picnic hours are 10:00 am - 2:00 pm but at 9:00am we will set flags on all the graves of the veterans and widows who are buried in the park. 

This is a family affair so bring your children, grandkids, spouse, prospective members, etc. to experience a good day of Confederate fellowship. We will set up for our meal at the new pavilion which has restrooms on site. The new pavilion, as you enter the Park’s main entrance, is near the end of the Park road on the left. We will allow time for all those who wish to go through the museum to do so and we anticipate a reduced rate for our group for this day. We will eat our bar b que meal at approximately 12:00. The meat, cups, utensils and napkins will be provided by the camp and we ask each member to bring a covered dish suitable for a bar b que meal, including  desserts.  It is not necessary to make a reservation to attend; just come, bring a dish and have fun.

We need to say a special Thank You to Compatriots Bill Hamner and Skip Ward.  They have donated some Dixie butts to the camp for the picnic and have done so for several years. We salute you, gentlemen!

As an added bonus this year, the Camp 1921 String Band from Tallassee will entertain us after the meal. This is a special treat and they will present several period and newer pieces of music including Are You From Dixie?, Yellow Rose of Texas, Bonnie Blue Flag, DIXIE and many others. This band is lively and you will enjoy a great experience with their music.

"The Gallant” Major John Pelham of Alabama, CSA Artillery Commander for General Jeb Stuart

Today, 17 March 1863, "The Gallant” Major John Pelham of Alabama, CSA Artillery Commander for General Jeb Stuart, died heroically on the battlefield of Kelly’s Ford, Virginia. Mrs. Ellen Williams, a stalwart Confederate, furnished a well written piece on Pelham’s military life.

One of Alabama’s most outstanding young men whose personal bravery and military expertise caught the attention of both Gen. Lee, Ge. Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson, and J.E. B. Stuart was John Pelham, commander of an artillery battery, from Jacksonville, Alabama. He was enrolled in West Point when the WBTS began; he resigned a few weeks short of graduation in order to accept a commission in the Alabama State Militia. State Militias or State Troops were either released by the governor into the regular Confederate Armies or kept locally to defend the state.

John Pelham soon went to Virginia where his well-drilled and disciplined battery caught the eye of J.E.B. Stuart. Thereafter, he was involved in every major military engagement of Stuart’s cavalry from First Manassas to Kelly’s Ford, more than 60 encounters.

Pelham particularly distinguished himself as Chief of Stuart’s Artillery at the Battles of Sharpsburg and Fredericksburg. At Sharpsburg (the deadliest day in the WBTS), Pelham’s battery harassed the flanks of oncoming Union lines causing numerous casualties and breaking up battle formations. Without the Pelham Battery’s constant barrage, Gen. Lee’s army would have been surrounded in Maryland and the war would have ended there. Gen. Stonewall Jackson said of him, “It is really extraordinary to find such nerve and genius in a mere boy. With a Pelham on each flank, I believe I could whip the world.”

General Lee’s army would have been destroyed at Fredericksburg, except for Pelham’s guns positioned well in advance of the main Confederate line which held up the entire flank of the union Army of the Potomac for several hours enabling the Confederates to repel a series of strong attacks. Gen. Robert E. Lee, in his official report commended Pelham for “unflinching courage” while under direct fire from multiple Union batteries. At the time Pelham had only two guns remaining in service with which he enfiladed the entire advancing Federal lines of battle. Gen. Lee himself, used the term “the gallant Pelham” for our Alabama artillerist and that epitaph remains today.

John Pelham was on horseback waving his cap and urging the infantry on: “Forward boys! Forward to victory and glory”; when he was shot and killed at the battle of Kelly’s Ford. He was 24 years old. There is a life-size monument of him in downtown Jacksonville, (Alabama).

Major General Patrick Cleburne Birthday 17 March

Major General Patrick Ronayne Celburne, The Stonewall of the West, born 17 March 1828.

"I am with the South in life or death, in victory or defeat. I believe the North is about to wage a brutal and unholy war on a people who have done them no wrong, in violation of the Constitution and the fundamental principles of government. They no longer acknowledge that all government derives its validity from the consent of the governed. They are about to invade our peaceful homes, destroy our property, and murder our men and dishonor our women. We propose no invasion of the North, no attack on them, and only ask to be left alone." 

Prattville Dragoons Chaplains Column for March 2017

Chaplain’s Column: Avoiding Hurtful Words
Scripture: Ephesians 4:29
Ephesians 4:29 says “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Another resolve that will help you live without marriage regrets is this: “I will avoid hurtful words.” Words are like nails–you can remove the nails, but the hole remains. And it is the same way with hurtful statements you make to your mate. Over life I can remember situations in which a husband or wife will recall a statement the mate made ten or twenty years ago. The offending party has completely forgotten about those statements, but the hurt person remembers the conversation verbatim.

Our words are very powerful. The Bible says, “The tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell” (James 3:6). Just as one spark can destroy an entire forest, so one hurtful word can destroy the spirit of a marriage. That is why it is so important that if we are going to have a regret-free marriage, we need to learn to avoid hurtful words.

Paul gave us a great filter through which to pour all of our speech in Ephesians4:29: “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”

Using that verse, let me suggest an acrostic that will help you remember to filter your speech to your mate, built on the word T-H-I-N-K. The “T” stands for “true.” Is what you are saying true? Paul says we ought to lay aside all falsehood in our speech. By the way, when you say to your mate, “You always,” or, “You never,” usually you are not speaking truth. Make sure your speech is true. The “H” stands for “helpful.” Is what you are saying helpful? Our goal should be to help, not hinder our mate. The “I” stands for “inspiring.” Paul said our words ought to edify. That word “edify” means to build up. Do your words build up, rather than tear down, your mate? The “N” stands for “necessary.” Is what you are saying necessary? You don’t need to express every thought you have. Paul says to speak only a word according to the need of the moment. And then “K” stands for “kind.” Is what you are saying kind? Our words to our mate ought to be laced with grace. In Ephesians 4:32, Paul says, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

Please remember those on our prayer list.