Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans at the Vida Community Christmas Parade

Members of SCV Camp 1524 particiapted in the Vida Christmas parade on Saturday December 20th.  The parade starts at the Vida community Center and proceeds down the main street there and turns back to finish back at the Community Center.  It was a beautiful clear December holiday weekend.  Streets are lined with spectators and the Sons of Confederate Veterans entry is always warmly received. Lots of mini Battle flags, SCV coins and of course candy are handed out to the folks lining the roadway.  2nd Lt Karl Wade, Treasurer John Dennis and his wife Mary Jane, Quartermaster Bill Myrick and Color Sgt Billy Leverette all participated to represent Camp 1524 and the SCV.  After the parade, the locals serve all those parade participants and spectators a wonderful BBQ lunch including great desserts there in the Community Center.  Always an enjoyable holiday tradition.  

Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 at the Prattville Christmas Parade

Members and family of the Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 participated in the Prattville city Christmas parade on Friday night December 12th.  That morning Camp 1524 members Larry Spears, Bill Myrick and Stuart Waldo met to decorate the trailer as the float for the entry including a tree and garland with lights and a display of historic flags including the Alabama Secession flag, Dragoons flag which is a swallowtail First National, an Alabama state flag and a Bonnie Blue.  That evening, Camp 1524 Commander Grooms pulled the trailer with his truck and Treasurer Dennis and Comms Officer Davis carried the camp Christmas banner in front.  Brigade Commander Waldo's family was in their Dodge Charger which had a couple of Betsy Ross flags flying from the back windows and an SCV logo license plate in front.  Adjutant Butler brought his golf cart which he decorated with garland and lights and he was dressed in a period soldier's uniform.  Quartermaster Myrick and Larry and Stuart walked along the trailer handing out candy including requisite candy canes to the thousands of parade spectators.  Larry even made a fiend with Montgomery Biscuits mascot Big Mo. It is always a huge parade and a greatr Christmas event where the SCV and Camp 1524 can positively get out in front of their neighbors. 

Prattville Dragoons of Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Attend Alabama Children of the Confederacy Christmas in the South Program

Members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans attended the Children of the Confederacy Christmas in the South program on Saturday December 13th at Confederate Memorial Park chapel in Marbury AL.  Dragoons Adjutant Butler and Treasurer Dennis were a part of a reenactment color guard which posted colors and also provided a volley salute at the laying of the wreath in the cemetery which concluded the program. Alabama SCV SWC Brigade Commander Waldo's children were the only officers in attendance; his daughter, President of the Alabama Division CofC presided over the program leading everyone in the pledges to the US, Christian and Alabama state flags and the salute to the Confederate flag; each was followed by a song of accompaniment, the Star Spangled banner, Faith of our Fathers, Alabama and Dixie respectively.  Brigade Commander Waldo's son then led everyone in the CofC opening prayer and creed.  UDC President Himes was introduced and she in turn introduced the couple of other UDC ladies, past UDC Presidents in attendance.  Park Site Director Calvin Chapelle brought greetings and a brief history of the park and highlighted a couple upcoming events there.  Alabama Division Commander Jimmy Hill was there and he presented a check to the CofC and Dragoon Tyrone Crowley presented a cash donation from former Dragoon Judge Al Booth for the continuance of the CofC mission to foster an understanding and appreciation of the Confederate veterans and their quest for independence.  New Camp 1524 member compatriot Johnson brought his four children to really make it a great event for the kids.  Period poems for the Christmas season and Christmas carols were then sung followed by tree decorating where everyone got to place an ornament on the tree in the chapel there.  A Christmas gift bag was then presented to each of the children in attendance; this contained a yo-yo which would have been a period correct toy as well as a harmonica and Christmas candy.  A wonderful lunch of chicken tenders and nuggets, ham and cheese sliders, macaroni salad, pimento cheese and desserts including carrot cake, cookies, and cupcakes capped off the enjoyable festivities.  That and seeing Santa Claus in the post office there at the park on the way out.  Merry Christmas to all.  

Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Christmas Social

Members and their significant others attended the annual Prattville Dragoons Christmas Social on Saturday December 6th at the Southern Cultural Center in Wetumpka AL.  Cold outside but warm and inviting inside with the SCC decorated for Christmas including a Confederate themed Christmas tree.  Quartermaster Myrick and his wife Peggy manned the table at the entrance and provided each lady in attendance a nice gift.  Mrs Myrick also brought a hummingbird cake which disappeared at dinner time and a number of cute peanut butter cookies decorated as reindeer.  They also gave each person a raffle ticket for a doorprize which included the number of  centerpieces they had purchased and decorated the tables with.   Other doorprizes included a couple of very nice framed prints, Aflac ducks, Confederate playing cards and other nice gifts.  Adjutant Butler and his wife made the delicious General Lee eggnog and served a couple portions of that to everyone who wanted to celerbrate a little more.  Commander Grooms and his wife hosted the program including leading everyone in the singing of a number of Christmas carols after dinner.  Dinner was catered again by Smokin S and included delicious smoked turkey, sweet potato casserole, dressing, mashed and scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole and desserts including peach cobbler and banana pudding.   Harold went thru the program which included a recognition of the SCC members who allowed the camp's Christmas Social to be held in their hall, compatriots Whorton and Boardwine, a reading of the SCV Charge and, after dinner, a recitation of the Cajun Night Before Christmas which is always popular.  Commander Grooms invited one of his church members to play the piano for us during the Social hour and after dinner; she was a very good pianist and played Dixie excellently and exuberantly.  Also in attendance were Camp 1524 2nd Lt Karl Wade, Color Sgt Leverette, Treasurer Dennis and his wife who helped put together the programs, Darrell Haywood, and compatriots Sam Reid and Tyrone Crowley and their wives.  Brigade Commander Waldo was also in attendance and his wife helped Harold with the doorprizes which concluded the night's festivities.  Another enjoyable Camp 1524 Christmas Social. 

Upcoming Events for Confederate Compatriots

 Upcoming Events for Confederate Compatriots 

Dragoons’ Christmas Social – Saturday, December 6th, 6-9pm, SCC, Wetumpka AL

Prattville Christmas Parade – Friday, December 12th, 7pm, Court St and Main St, Prattville AL

CofC Christmas in the South and Santa’s Post Office – Saturday, December 13th, Marbury AL

Vida Christmas Parade – Saturday, December 20th, Vida Community Center, lineup at noon for 2pm parade start

Millbrook Mardi Gras Parade and Festival – Saturday, February 7th, 9am festival start and noon parade

Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Food Drive Donation to Autauga Interfaith Care Center for Thanksgiving

Members of the Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 conducted their annual food drive to benefit the Autauga Interfaith Care Center, making the donation in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Members donated about 200 pounds of food and also a significant amount of cash which the camp matched to present the AICC representative, Mrs. Hicks with a check for $650.  The donation was presented the morning of Thursday November 20th.  Members present included 2nd Lt Karl Wade, Treasurer John Dennis, Color Sgt Billy Leverette, and compatriots Paul Whaley and Tyrone Crowley.  

Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Meeting for November 2025 - The Raid on St. Albans VT

The Dragoons of SCV Camp 1524 held their monthly meeting on Thursday evening November 13th at the Masonic Lodge in downtown Prattville.  The meeting started at 6:45 with Commander Grooms lead the pledges and salutes to the flags and reciting the SCV Charge.  Grooms then covered camp business including upcoming events.  One highlight of the meeting was the addition of a new member to the Camp 1524 ranks. Carson Abbott was officially sworn in as a Prattville Dragoon.  Dale Hamilton from Montgomery was recognized as a guest and for his recent electrical work at the I-65 Battle Flag site to illuminate the new banner billboard.  Next a few Alabama State Division awards were presented by Brigade Commander Waldo to members who have gone above and beyond in service to our great cause. Commander Harold Grooms was presented a Commendation Medal of Service. Adjutant Doug Butler was also presented a Commendation Medal for Service, and longtime compatriot Tyrone Crowley was given the Meritorious Award for Service.  Each award included a medal. 

 A very interesting presentation was made by Ret. Col. Jayson Altieri on The Raid on St. Albans, Vermont, which was the northernmost land battle that took place during the War Between the States, on October 19-20, 1864.  Col. Altieri classified it more so as a battle because militia were involved and shots fired.  By 1864, the Confederate forces and Jefferson Davis' strategy to defend the entire border were in dire straits.  The federal forces were advancing on Mobile and Sherman on Atlanta with Mead moving south toward a siege of Petersburg and Butler toward Richmond from the east. Tennesseee and the Mississippi River were largely under Union control after teh fall of Vicksburg.  Vermont contributed 34000 soldiers to the Union forces from a population of 350,000; VT actually replenished fallen soldiers with new recruits from the state.  Even today one in eight Vermont citizens has served in the military.  

Montpelier is the capital of VT and is a railroad junction/hub.  St. Albans is in the NW corner of VT near the Canadian border and the railroad runs from Montreal down thru St. Albans to Montpelier. St. Albans was something of a banking center at the time also.   As a Private in the 8th KY Cavalry, part of John Hunt Morgan's cavalry, Bennet Henderson Young was captured in 1863 but escaped and fled to Canada.  There, in Montreal he approached the office of Confederate official Jacob Thompson with his plan to raid federal banks in NY and VT. Young also hoped that these attacks would divert federal troops to a northern theatre and away from the attacks on the Southern states. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the CSA. 

On October 11th 1864, Young traveled to Philipsburg Canada, just north of the border and there over the next week twenty men met Young to form the 5th Company CSA Retributors, gathering for the raid, dressed in civilian clothes and posing as vacationers. On October 19th they advanced south across the border and into St.Albans where Young fired his gun in the town center and announced they were taking over the town.  They robbed the three banks there and made some of the tellers swear allegiance to the Confederacy.  They took over $200,000 which would be over $4M in todays dollars. There in the area was a Union offcier Capt. Conger who was on leave and he quickly rounded up a number of local men into a militia to come to defense.  Shooting ensued and one man on each side was wounded. Young and his men escaped and retreated back north to Canada destroying several covered bridges on the way.   Conger and his men surrounded the hotel in Canada where Young's raiders were staying but the Canadian and British authorities intervened.  After a hearing, the Confederates were released and $88000 from the heists was returned.  

As a direct result of this incursion, officers and cadets from Norwich University (the oldest military academy after West Point) were dispatched to Newport VT to defend the state from what they thought would be additional Confederate raids.  A book and an 1954 movie, The Raid starring Anne Bancroft were made based loosely on Young's raid on St. Albans.  As an additional educational point, we learned that Vermont in the 1980’s had a larger cow population, than citizens!