Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Meeting for November 2026 - Confederate Memorial Park

The Dragoons of SCV Camp 1524 held their November camp meeting on Thursday evening the 12th at the Masonic Lodge in downtown Prattville.  Rob Schwartz played his guitar and sang some great songs before the meeting as everyone was arriving, culminating with Dixie.  1st Lt Grooms provided an Invocation and Benediction in the absence of Chaplain Johnson.  Color Sgt Leverette led everyone in the pledge to the US flag and salutes to the Alabama state and Confederate Battle flags.  Commander Waldo then recited the SCV Charge and highlighted upcoming events for the camp including all the December Christmas celebratory events.  The guest speaker for the evening was Calvin Chappelle who is Director of Confederate Memorial Park and Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson of the Alabama Historical Commission.  The AHC was established in 1966 to "Protect, Preserve, and Interpret" Alabama historical places.  Confederate Memorial Park was established in 1964 at the site of the old Civil War veterans home in Marbury AL and exists primarily because of the two veterans' cemeteries there, the final resting place for hundreds of soldiers, officers and non-commissioned officers who served in the Confederate armies. Jefferson Falkner donated 80 acres for the establishment of the Old Soldiers Home and later turned the property over to the state.  Many of the records for the home were destroyed in a 1924 fire at the administration building there and subsequent documentation on the history of the place and its residents was from pension records, the state Archives, private collections, and newspaper sources. Calvin showed photographs from the period of the veterans and their wives on the steps of one of the cottages which served as dorms.  He also showed an example of one of the newspaper clippings which described the tragic fall from a ladder and death of one of the residents there at the home.  Calvin then discussed the upsoming schedule of events.  The April Living History and skirmish will be discontinued and replaced with another event using reenactors to demonstrate music and wet plate photography and other unique historical aspects from the WBTS period. The Winter Quarters is a wonderful event which immerses the reenactors as well as spectators in a camp in Mobile in 1862 including an oyster shucking tent, soldiers' drills, music, sewing, and cooking.  In addition to period reenactments, the camp has recently served as the location for the 100 Alabama Miles fitness challenge and a Bird Walk/Watching activity. In 2027 there will be a Cemetery Tour highlighting eight veterans with reenactors protraying the men either during the War or in later years at the home.  Improvements at CMP include new pavilions opened, replacement steps and ramp at the chapel, new roofs on the post office and the barracks and removal of dead trees.  The wonderful museum there continues to receive on loan/rotation from the state Archives conserved WBTS flags for display from Alabama units. Calvin showed a photo of a recently acquired revolver and a wooden canteen inscribed with the soldier's initials for Henry E Elder who lived at the home after the War. A music book with hundreds of tunes and calls was also displayed. The museum exhibit cases were modified to allow better access to the items for removing and cleaning and replacing them for better preservation. A great presentation on a wonderful Alabama treasure, the Confederate Memorial Park.  

Sons of Confederate Veterans at Battles for the Armory Reenactment in Tallassee Alabama

The 29th Annual Battles for the Armory was held the weekend of November 6-8th in Tallassee Alabama.  The weekend included demonstrations and skirmishes with the reenactors as well as sutlers and other events like a skillet toss contest, a ball with period dancing, a tea, and a church service.  A number of SCV members participated in the event including men from the Shieldsboro Rifles Camp 2263, Lt Gen Nathan B Forrest Camp 153, Bibb Rifles Camp 455, Confederate Greys Camp 523 and, the Prattville Dragoons Camp 1524.  Dragoons Adjutant Doug Butler was in the reenactments including the overnight tent camping and compatriot Tyrone Crowley and his wife Carol spectated the event.  

Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Prattville Dragoons Commander's Column for November 2026 - Artifical Intelligence as a History Teacher

Artificial Intelligence is at the forefront of the news, our industries and economy, and our everyday lives today.  Most everyone has a smartphone and doing a simple search is utilizing AI nowadays – ask Google a question and it will return an “AI Overview”, data found by its Gemini AI system. While surfing social media like X (formerly Twitter), it is commonplace to see debates over topics especially political and posts are rife with “facts” cited, most assuredly found thru a web search leveraging AI.  I recently went down this rabbit hole questioning Gemini about something related to the War for Southern Independence.  I’ve learned from my wife that you have to feed the AI bot very specific questions and even include relevant information, somewhat akin to leading the horse to water, asking leading questions.  Nonetheless, Gemini still frustrated me with the “answer” it returned.  Mind you, Joe Public out there takes AI results to be the God given truth of the matter, not to be questioned.  About three or four iterations into our back and forth, Gemini revealed the key.  AI in this use anyway, is essentially a beefed up search engine.  It stated that its results were the “consensus of mainstream historians today”.  If you disregard Jefferson Davis’ “The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government” as aged or simply put it on even footing with Ty Seidule who has led the attack on Confederate monuments and largely provided the groundwork for removal of those including the Reconciliation monument, you are diluting the preeminent first hand account of the man who led the Confederacy from secession to formation and thru its war for independence. Then when you give greater weight to Seidule’s position of presentism and wokeism by adding on additional modern “mainstream history experts”, mouthpieces like radio personality Mark Levin, an Ashkenazi Jew whose grandparents immigrated from Europe (England and Ukraine) since that WBTS period, you can easily see how the search results start to reflect the same history you were taught in government public schools and which the majority of US citizens believe in their shallow comprehension, that Lincoln’s War was a righteous cause to preserve the Union to free the slaves.  Tidy.  Remember General Patrick Cleburne’s warning, “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; learn from Northern school books their version of the war and, taught to regard our gallant dead as traitors and our maimed veterans as fit subjects of derision.”  The victor writes the history to legitimize and glorify their position/cause.  Where would US patriotism be today if our citizens were taught in their formative education that Lincoln prosecuted the war on behalf of his industrialist cronies to collect tariffs to fund their empire building?  Doesn’t sound as good as The Great Emancipator orating his (revised) “Emancipation Proclamation”, never mind the pesky detail that it didn’t free any of the slaves in the United States or its territories.  Arie De Young states, “Although the text of generative AI might seem like original work at first glance, it draws heavily (entirely) from pre-existing sources of information. Consequently, determining precisely what these sources are is crucial for evaluating the accuracy and utility of any product of artificial intelligence.” (https://emergingcivilwar.com/2026/09/22/history-is-generated-by-the-algorithms/) He did a query of WBTS battles and generals and checked the sources Gemini cited in compiling its AI results (facts to Joe Public) and found the most commonly referenced sources:

The top ten most frequently cited sources, with the percentage of overviews they appeared in were:

1.         Wikipedia (97%)

2.         American Battlefield Trust (80%)

3.         YouTube (65%)

4.         National Park Service (56%)

5.         Encyclopedia Britannica (41%)

6.         History.com (36%)

7.         Encyclopedia Virginia (22%)

8.         Facebook (22%)

9.         American History Central (17%)

10.        EBSCO (16%)

Wikipedia and Youtube dominating the search results’ cited sources is truly disqualifying.  Troublesome certainly.  Even the National Park Service with their (1999 Congressionally mandated) campaign to “contextualize” battlefields and historical sites should cause serious pause.  Facebook… really?  Social media is driven by and based on personal opinions and experiences; how often have you exclaimed, “And they vote” when looking at posts?  “Reddit’s appearance in six percent of searches places it higher than the Smithsonian’s three percent, Library of Congress’s two percent, and National Archives’s two percent. That most prestigious and venerable of Civil War publications, USA Today, appeared as a source in one overview.”  Where was the National Enquirer?  Where was any book by Jefferson Davis or any Confederate General like Longstreet, Early, or Hood?  “This gets at perhaps the largest problem of the Gemini AI Overview as a source of history. While it can cite quality websites, and even an academic article on occasion, books are entirely absent from its sources (at least those that it lists). This is not to say that books are the be-all and end-all of historical information, but it is not a contested contention that they form an important part of it. They can get into more depth of detail and complexity than most webpages typically feature. It does seem wrong to exclude the long-time foundation of humanity’s knowledge from contributing to the new frontier of information.  AI’s frequently questionable sources, circular citations of other AI-produced material, and total exclusion of books as sources is a black mark that should not be overlooked.”  You need only look back at the consensus of the safety and efficacy of the Covid 19 vaccines spouted by the medical community or the consensus of Joe Biden’s 2020 Presidential race victory with an unprecedented 81 million popular votes as legitimate to question mainstream consensus as facts.  An unrestrained AI becoming self-aware and running amok is perhaps one concern we may confront in the near future but the use of AI in “educating” (or indoctrinating) the citizenry is maybe even more dangerous. 

Upcoming Events for Confederate Compatriots

Battles for the Armory – November 6-8^th, Tallassee AL

 

Dragoons Camp Meeting – Thursday November 12^th, Masonic Lodge, downtown Prattville

 

Thanksgiving Food Drive – benefitting the Autauga Interfaith Care Center, til camp meeting on Nov 12^th - delivery Nov 17^th

 

Prattville Christmas Parade – Friday December 4^th, downtown Prattville

 

Children of the Confederacy Christmas in the South – Saturday Dec 12^th, chapel (program) and post office (Santa) at CMP

 

Christmas Social – Thursday Dec 17^th, 6-9pm at the Doster Center, Prattville – SWC Brigade event

 

Vida Christmas Parade – Saturday December 19^th, 2pm from the Vida Community Center

 

Millbrook Revelers Mardi Gras Festival and Parade – Saturday January 23^rd, 9am and noon

Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Chaplain's Column for November 2026 - Servitude to Honor The King

“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”— Revelation 19:6

As autumn draws to a close, the Church turns her attention to one of the great truths of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ is King. In my beloved Anglican tradition, we close out the Liturgical year with the Feast of Christ the King, which fell this year on October 25. The Feast of Christ the King celebrates the sovereign lordship of our Saviour over all creation and reminds us that every earthly authority, every human ambition, and every duty must ultimately be measured against His authority.

Our Lord declared before Pontius Pilate, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth” (John 18:37). Yet Christ’s kingdom is “not of this world.” He did not come to reign through worldly vanity, but according to truth, righteousness, sacrifice, and the willing obedience of His people. Our Lord’s last earthly words to His disciples on the day of His Ascension into Heaven began with “All authority is given me in heaven and on earth.” Christ is not going to be King, nor has He been a King. He is King, now. And will be throughout eternity.

For the Christian man, this feast presents a question that cannot be avoided: If Christ is our King, are we living as His faithful subjects?

Scripture leaves little room for misunderstanding. Christ commands, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). The Christian life is not merely a matter of professing belief, attending church, or identifying with a Christian heritage. It requires obedience. A man must seek to govern himself before presuming to govern others. He must practice honesty when dishonesty would profit him, exercise restraint when anger tempts him, and stand for what is right when doing so carries a cost.

The Christian man’s first duty is fidelity to Christ. From that allegiance flow his duties to his wife and children, his neighbors, his community, and his country. He is called to protect those entrusted to his care, to provide for his household, to speak truthfully, to keep his word, and to serve others without demanding recognition. These are not signs of weakness, but marks of Christian character.

Our Lord Himself taught that greatness is found in service. The King of Kings washed His disciples’ feet, endured the Cross, and laid down His life for the salvation of sinners. Christian manhood must therefore be distinguished from mere pride, domination, or the pursuit of worldly honor. True strength is governed by righteousness; true courage is disciplined by charity; and true dominion embraces responsibility for the welfare of others.

This lesson is especially fitting for those of us who seek to preserve the memory of our forefathers and the history of our Southern communities. We should honor courage, sacrifice, duty, and fidelity wherever they are found. But our highest allegiance cannot belong to an ancestor, a nation, a cause, or a tradition. It belongs to Jesus Christ. Our heritage is best preserved when we approach it with honesty, humility, and a willingness to judge our own conduct by the same Christian standards we profess. Indeed, to do this is to follow in the very footsteps of the forefathers we revere, who shared the firm conviction that service to one’s people, in the mold of Christ our King, is the highest mark of an honorable Man.

The Apostle Paul exhorts us, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity” (1 Corinthians 16:13–14). Here is a worthy rule for Christian manhood: stand firm in the faith, act with courage, and let charity govern all that you do.

As this year draws to its close, each of us examine his conscience. Do our words honor our King? Do our actions reflect His commandments? Are we faithful husbands, fathers, friends, and neighbors? Do we seek justice, practice mercy, and walk humbly before God?

Earthly honors fade. Generations pass. Nations rise and fall. But the reign of Christ endures, and every man will one day answer to Him.

May we therefore strive to be faithful subjects of our heavenly King: steadfast in faith, courageous in duty, humble in spirit, and charitable toward our fellow men. May we order our lives so that, when our earthly service is finished, we may hear those blessed words of our Lord: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

And may Christ our King rule in our hearts, strengthen our families, guide our chapter, and grant us grace to follow Him faithfully all the days of our lives. 

Deo Vindice!

Alabama Division Southwest Central Brigade Sons of Confederate Veterans Fall Muster 2026

The SWC Brigade Alabama Division SCV held their fall muster on Saturday October 24th.  With the establishment of the General James Holt Clanton, the muster evolved from a Prattville Dragoons Camp 1524 event to a SWC Brigade event as both these camps heavily participate.  This was the biggest and best fall muster yet with dozens of members, friends and family in attendance.  Compatriot Philip Edwards and his wife hosted the muster again at their home and it is a perfect setup with their walkout basement available for television viewing for those who still wanted to catch some of the Auburn football game (until the game took a turn for the worse).  It was a beautiful early fall day with not a cloud in the sky and a cool breeze helping moderate the temperatures.  A couple canopies were setup under which tables were set for serving the picnic lunch which included smoked butts from Smokin S provided by Camp 1524 and BBQ chicken from Jim n Nicks provided by the Edwards and Conecuh sausage brought by Dragoons 2nd Lt Karl Wade and all sorts of sides and desserts brought by folks to share including drinks, baked beans, mac n cheese, deviled eggs, cole slaw, potato salad, wonderful pear salad, key lime pie, brownies, cookies, and cakes including a wonderful coconut cake and hummingbird cake and German chocolate cupcakes. What made the day so much more enjoyable were all the children brought by Dragoons Chaplain Johnson and his friend Steve Huffman from the Opelika SCV camp with their wives. Also making a special trip down from Tuscaloosa was Leigh Bearden and her husband Michael; Leigh is the recently elected Alabama Division UDC President.  But many senior members and officers of both camps as well as friends and other ladies were there and were integral to a most enjoyable event with much delicious food, fellowship and of course lots of clay target shooting.  Philip and Todd Rogers, Commander of the Clanton camp brought electric clay throwers and three boxes of clay targets were gone thru with folks shooting before and after the picnic lunch. Tremendous fall muster event on a beautiful fall day.

Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 at the Autauga County Fair

The Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 set up a recruiting booth at the Autauga County Fair which ran Tuesday October 13th thru Saturday October 17th.  Dragoons 2nd Lt Karl Wade again acted as lead for this project including the entry and working every shift, every hour of the fair.  He was joined for setup by Cap 1524 Commander Waldo, Comms Ofc Davis, Quartermaster Dellegar, and former Commander Myrick.  Dale was busy also in the lead-up to the fair getting flags and caps and tags to replenish stores and good sales of these and other items were made throughout the week.  A number of gentlemen stopped by asking for information about the Sons of Confederate Veterans and membership and applications were provided. Bill and Karl worked both shifts on opening night and they were joined by Color Sgt Leverette for the early shift and Commander Waldo for the second shift.  1st Lt Grooms and Commander Waldo also worked Wednesday and compatriot Larry Spears joined for the second shift that night.  Eric and Billy were with Karl again on Thursday and then on Friday there was a crowd of folks working the booth which greeted the crowd of fair goers.  Treasurer Dennis, Adjutant Butler along with compatriots Myrick and Frank Pelt joined Karl that Friday night.  Louis Turner also helped at the late shifts both Friday and Saturday and helped break down the booth on Saturday evening with Dale and Karl.  It was another great opportunity for the Dragoons to get the Sons of Confederate Veterans out in front of thousands of their friends and neighbors at the Autauga County Fair.