Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Meeting for May 2026

In the absence of Commander Waldo, 1st Lt Harold Grooms led the camp meeting for May 2026 for the Dragoons at the Millbrook Masonic Lodge.  This was a temporary meeting spot and so the camp meeting was lightly attended.  Nonetheless, those who made it enjoyed compatriot Rob Schwartz playing his guitar and he was even joined by Harold and 2nd Lt Karl Wade in singing two songs.  After the Invocation and pledges and salutes to the flags, Lt Grooms recited the SCV Charge.  Harold then presented the upcoming events including the state and national SCV Reunions.  The guest speaker for the night was Dragoons Comms Officer Eric Davis who spoke on the Brazilian Confederados who fled the country after the fall of the Confederacy to escape Reconstruction and settled in Brazil. Eric found he had an ancestor who was a Confederado sothe topic was of special interest for him.  After the presentation, everyone discussed moving the camp meetings to the Smokehouse BBQ for June and going forward if it works well; Grooms and Wade had supper there before the camp meeting and reported the excellent food and that the proprietors were excited to host our the Dragoons there. 

Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Chaplain's Column for May 2026 - Keep The Ancient Landmarks!

 “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” — Proverbs 22:28

There is deep wisdom contained within this short verse from the Book of Proverbs. In biblical times, landmarks were more than just stones placed in the earth. They represented inheritance, boundaries, memory, and the honest labor of those who came before. To remove them was to erase history, steal identity, and dishonor one’s fathers.

As members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, we understand the importance of landmarks. And that doesn’t just mean the physical monuments and memorials scattered across our Southern landscape, but also the spiritual and moral landmarks handed down through generations. These are the principles of duty, sacrifice, faith, family, and remembrance, which characterized our Forefathers and which still animate the heart of every true Son of the Confederacy.

We must never forget the hardships our Ancestors endured, in times that forever changed both them and their country. We must never forget the nobility of soul and the greatness of heart with which they faced them. Scripture reminds us that there is value in preserving the ancient landmarks. We honor our forefathers not by hatred or division, but by truthful remembrance and by striving to live lives marked by integrity and Christian character.

The world today moves quickly to tear down what previous generations built. Traditions are mocked, faith is weakened, and many are encouraged to forget the foundations upon which their families and communities were established. Yet Christians are called to be caretakers of memory and truth. We are stewards, not only of monuments made from stone, but also of the lessons and convictions passed to us. It is for us to preserve for the world that timeless truth spoken by Donald Kingsbury, “Tradition is a set of solutions for which we’ve forgotten the problem.”

Still, Proverbs 22:28 speaks to more than preserving history. It also challenges us personally. It was our Fathers who set these landmarks for us. What landmarks are we setting for those who will follow us? Will our children and grandchildren find in us examples of faithfulness, courage, humility, and devotion to God? Or will they inherit confusion and compromise?

The greatest landmark we can leave is a steadfast faith in Jesus Christ. Earthly memorials may weather with time, but a life anchored in God’s truth leaves an eternal testimony. If we desire to honor our ancestors rightly, then we must walk in righteousness ourselves — showing charity toward others, defending truth with grace, and placing our trust in the Lord above all earthly causes.

As we gather at camps, memorial services, and commemorations, let us remember that our mission is not merely historical. It is spiritual. We are called to preserve honorable memory while reflecting the love, wisdom, and strength that come from Almighty God.

May we never remove the ancient landmarks of faith, honor, and remembrance.

Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Commander's Column for May 2026 - Rising Above the Race Baiters

April was Confederate History and Heritage month in Alabama and there were numerous opportunities to engage in events to honor our brave and noble ancestors who fought for their independence and in defense of their homes and families.   The Children of the Confederacy conducted their Confederate Memorial Day remembrance program the same day as our spring picnic at Confederate Memorial Park.  That was a well attended very enjoyable event and allowed us to tour the museum at the park which contains an impressive collection of historic flags and weapons and tells the story of many of these Confederate veterans who resided in the Alabama Confederate Soldiers’ Home there.  Pat Godwin and the Selma UDC chapter again hosted a wonderful Confederate Memorial Day ceremony at Old Live Oak Cemetery’s Confederate Circle which has a beautiful array of monuments and cannon arranged in that portion of the historic cemetery with the graves of many of Selma’s Confederate defenders.   The Alabama Division Sons of Confederate Veterans the very next morning held their Confederate Memorial Day observance and program on the steps of the state capitol which was well attended with many Dragoons representing our local camp and that program included speakers as well as impressive cannon volleys firing down Dexter Avenue in downtown Montgomery.  The Ladies Memorial Association on Monday following held their 160th annual service at historic Oakwood cemetery in Montgomery where 800 Confederate veterans are buried including three Confederate generals and William Lowndes Yancey, a key antebellum Alabama statesman. 

Superb events all to “perpetuate, in love and honor, the heroic deeds of those who enlisted in the Confederate Service and upheld its flag through four years of war” as the CofC Creed implores.  That Creed further states members should “act in a manner that will reflect honor upon our noble and patriotic ancestors”.  Similarly, the Charge to the Sons of Confederate Veterans states we should seek to emulate the virtues of our Confederate forebears.  Our Confederate heritage has been under attack for decades now, slandered, vilified and distorted by woke progressives who claim our noble Cause of independence and the perpetuation of a representative republic true to our founding fathers was nothing but a veil of racist white supremacy.  Hate groups masquerading as enlightened proponents and defenders of diversity and inclusion empowered anarchists to destroy our vestiges of Southern history and heritage, our monuments, properties and even graves.  And now the truth is exposed that those like the Southern Poverty Law Center propagated a hoax, fanning fictitious flames of hatred labeled as white nationalism by funding the very extremist groups like the KKK and the Aryan Nation, violating their own “mission statement to dismantle white supremacy and confront hate” by donating funds and inserting paid informants into these organizations as instigators. 

Race baiters for the past half century have sought to fan the flames of racial animosity to gain funding for their own benefit, not to quell malice and bitterness but instead to manufacture racism and provoke and stoke the fire of racial tension to get more donations from NGOs literally to finance endowments for everlasting/perpetual operations and income for their corrupt administrators and their lavish lifestyles.  Multiple members and leading figures along with the founder of BLM have been accused and indicted on fraud and misuse of donations including to build and purchase million dollar mansions for personal use.  Despicable from a personal gain viewpoint but criminal and traitorous from the standpoint of the damage it has done to our society and individuals personal well-being and safety.  Trusting the FBI under the current administration prosecutes to the fullest extent possible those responsible, those agitators, subversives and, true “racists” and, that our magnificent priceless Confederate monuments are restored and protected for future generations.  As we move forward from the Confederate History and Heritage month of April, let us remember to uphold in all we do advancing the Charge, the honorable virtues of our ancestors, “The citizen-soldiers who fought for the Confederacy (who) personified the best qualities of America.”  (scv.org)

Dragoons of the Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 at the Prattville Cityfest

Members of the Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 manned a recruitment and camp stores sales booth at the Cityfest on Main Street downtown Prattville on Saturday May 2nd.  The canopy was erected with a slight drizzle of rain falling but that soon cleared and it wound up being a beautiful spring day with bright sun and a breeze (which did get at least one canopy almost airborne when the windspeed picked up in the afternoon).  Bill Myrick brought the canopy which he gave to the camp for future events along with all the camp stores which he handed off to new Quartermaster Dale Dellegar.  Camp Treasurer Dennis, Comms Offc Davis and Commander Waldo were also present to setup the booth for the cityfest opening.  They were soon joined by Adjutant Butler and compatriot Darrell Haywood.  Sales were brisk for Confederate flags, ballcaps, car tags and shot glasses.  We had some outstanding conversations with a few passers-by with whom we discussed the true history of the Confederacy; we also provided a number of camp business cards, SCV pamphlets and educational posters and, mini-Battle flags.  It was a productive Cityfest getting the camp and the Cause in front of our Prattville neighbors. 

Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 at the Ladies Memorial Association

The Ladies Memorial Association held their 160th service on Monday April 27th at historic Oakwood Cemetery in Montgomery AL as part of Confederate Memorial Day observances. This Confederate Memorial Day event predates the United States Decoration Day which became Memorial Day held in May each year to honor US military members who died in service.  Dragoon Tyrone Crowley represented Camp 1524 at the event and was part of a group photo taken after the service, along with one with the president of the LMA, Mrs. Leslie Kirk.  Main speaker was the Honorable John H. Merrill, Former Alabama Secretary of State.  Montgomery City Councilman Charles Jinright also attended.  A wreath was laid at the Monument to the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors of Alabama there at the cemetery.

  

Prattville Dragoons Attend Alabama Division Sons of Confederate Veterans Memorial Day at State Capitol

The Sons of Confederate Veterans Alabama Division held the annual Confederate Memorial Day program on the steps of the Alabama state capitol on Saturday morning April 25th.  Rain threatened but never materialized and the temperatures were pleasant and attendance was good with about 120 present. The program started with a bagpiper leading in the reenactment color guard for the posting of the colors. The bagpiper also played Amazing Grace.  The Division Chaplain Robert Griffin provided a Benediction.  The salute to the Confederate Battle Flag and the SCV Charge were presented with Commander Jimmy Hill reminding everyone that this day was the 120th anniversary of Gen. Stephen Dill Lee delivering the Charge in New Orleans at the United Confederate Veterans Reunion.  Greetings were offered from the Order of Confederate Rose, Mechanized Cavalry and Order of the Stars and Bars representatives.  The guest speaker was Commander in Chief Donnie Kennedy who looked out from the state capitol and reminded everyone that, as opposed to the Southern Poverty Law Center whose headquarters was just across Dexter Avenue there, the SCV has not donated one cent to the KKK.  CiC Kennedy then went into his presentatiion stating that the Declaration of Independence states unambiguously that it is the unalienable right to form a new government, that government is to be by consent not compulsion. He then discussed state sovereignty which begins with the fact that the states existed before the union. Lincoln waged his War based on his position that the federal govt is sovereign which is actually in agreement with the posiitons of Karl Marx and Adolph Hitler. The Officer Corps in 1776 pledged allegiance to these United States and then named each of the 13 states and that they are sovereign. Treaty of Ghent similarly affirmed state sovereignty. We were a compound republic of individual sovereign republics. Jefferson said if a state wished to leave the union, the states should call a convention of the states and let them vote to be part of the union or not and if the latter "let them go". Yankee Pres John Quincy Adams in 1830 similarly said it would be better if the disunited state(s) would be left alone. Judge St George Tucker was another of the Jeffersonian idea that each state is still a perfect state, still sovereign, still independent. William Rawle who authored one of the first textbooks on the US Constitution and was a friend of Washington and Benjamin  Franklin stated that it rests on the state and the people of that state as to whether they remain a part of the Union. The Massachusetts document which ratified the Constitution fairly reiterated the 10th amendment stating the state's reserved sovereign rights - New Englanders were staunch defenders of state sovereignty and secession early in our nation's history. Our ancestors and Jefferson Davis were right. The program concluded with the singing of Dixie by Dragoons Chaplain Samuel Johnson, an Invocation by Chaplain Griffin and a series of musket and cannon salutes down Dexter Avenue as traffic was halted by state troopers to avoid the blasts and billowing smoke.  Awesome day of Confederate patriotism. 

Prattville Dragoons Attend UDC Confederate Memorial Day Observance in Selma

Members of the Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 attended the Confederate Memorial Day Observance hosted by the Selma Chpater UDC on Friday evening April 24th at Confederate Memorial Circle in Old Live Oak Cemetery.  It was a cool spring evening and rain threatened and lightly sprinkled briefly but it wound up being a beautiful comfortable evening in the beautiful Confederate section of the old historic cemetery.  Pat Godwin, President of the Selma chapter of the UDC opened the program welcoming everyone.  Alabama SCV Division Chaplain Robert Griffin then provided an Invocation and devotional on Philippians quoting scripture, "I thank my God for every rememberance of you" and reminding us all to remember our Confederate ancestors.  A salute to the Confderate Battle Flag was made and then a special solo a cappella singing of Dixie was performed by Dr. Gerald Anderson.  Jay Hinton who is the Auburn SCV Camp Commander was the keynote speaker and presented, "Why Monuments?"  He presented eight points as to the importance of monuments and reiterated Paster Griffin's message that remembering those for whom the momuments were erected is virtuous. Why Monuments?  1) veneration of bravery and heroes (we should seperate your politics from the humanity of your forebears, dont malign these men based on your presentism) , 2) remember the sacrifice of others like these Confederate soldiers defending their homes, 3) mourn with those who mourn, in sympathy, 4) teach coming future generations and defend the Confederate soldier's good name and true history (including Lincoln admitting his actions were unconstitutional), 5) speak for the dead, we are their mouthpiece, 6) vindication of the Cause, our Confederate ancestors fight for independence, that secession and the War was not due to slavery ( prime example the Corwin amendment), the War was propogated by Lincoln for tariff collection and our ancestors fought to defend their  homes - no monuments in the South or North proclaim slavery as a cause, 7) nurture reconciliation..we must save Arlington's Reconciliation monument against irrational wokeism, 8) helps us keep our oath as defenders of history and heritage and champion monuments. A Roll Call of Honor was then conducted where everyone named one of their Confederate ancestors followed by a bell ringing.  Dr. Anderson then led everyone in singing Amazing Grace and Paster Griffin led a Benediction to close the program.  It was a poignant and beautiful program honoring our Confederate veterans and ancestors.