Alabama Division Reunion June 8, 2013 - Part 4

Following the Business Meeting of the Division Reunion and the Luncheon, a Memorial Service was held at Confederate Rest in Point Clear, AL.  Confederate Rest is in the Eastern Shore Memorial Cemetery near the Grand Hotel in Point Clear and is a beautiful resting spot underneath some grand oak trees and actually within a stone's throw of the Robert Trent Jones Lakewood Golf Course.  The Memorial Service began with the posting of the colors while there were many small Confederate flags around the grounds and a large one on a flagpole in the Confederate portion of the cemetery. The program began with a welcome from Blakeley Camp Commander Tommy Rhodes and an invocation by camp Chaplain Jerry Rowley.  Then the pledges to the United States, Alabama State and Confederate flags were made.  A memorial wreath was placed by UDC members Mrs. Mary Beth Majesty and Mrs. Barbara Alphin followed by the first of three rifle and cannon volley salutes.  The Roll Call of Honor included recently deceased SCV member Price Legg of the Ft. Blakeley Camp and Mrs. Barbara Jenkins of the UDC Chapter 2390.  Another volley salute followed.  Alabama Division Commander Gary Carlyle provided a Memorial Address dressed very dapper in a light blue Seersucker suit and a straw hat. He also led everyone in singing some good ol' Southern heritage songs playing his guitar and at the conclusion of the program he joined in the music accompaniment for the singing of Dixie.  Chaplain Rowley provided the Benediction which was followed by Taps played by bugler Tom Robinson.  A final triple volley rifle and cannon salute and the retiring of the colors brought the program to a close. 

Memorial Wreath Placed Near the Cannon in Confederate Rest Cemetery

Roll Call of Honor Under the Oaks of Confederate Rest

Rifle Volley Salute

Division Commander Gary Carlyle's MemorialAddress

Commander Carlyle and the Rifle Squadron

The Musicians Play Dixie

Confederate Rest Historical Marker

Alabama Division Reunion June 8, 2013 - Part 3

The Division Reunion business meeting concluded with the reports from the Commander and Lieutenants and the votes on the proposed Amendment and Resolutions.   2nd Lt Carl Jones provided news from the Cadet Muster where despite a disappointing turnout of cadets, over fifty people from the general public attended the event at the Cullman museum including many children.  The annual budget allocation for the educational heritage posters but that emphasises the popularity and it was decided to move up the publication of the posters so that they will be available soon after the start of the school year instead of in the spring.  Lt. Jones concluded saying that when we want to promote our heritage as badly as we want to breathe, we will be unstoppable.

1st Lt Jimmy Hill announced the one joint Division Brigade workshop held thus far with the goal of three this year.  He also encouraged more applications for the Wheeler Scholarship as the only two applicants were awarded the stipend.  Jimmy spoke about the Streights Raid memorial service where the Forrest monument was rededicated at Cedar Bluff AL where despite adverse weather, twenty men of the Mechanized Cavalry attended.  Jimmy also petitioned for submittals for the Division newsletter. 

Commander Carlyle began his speech to the convention by reminding everyone that General Nathan Bedford Forrest had 28 horses shot out from underneath him demonstrating his persistence, fortitude, leadership and bravery.  Forrest recruited all his soldiers and Commander Carlyle reminded us that if we want to ride with Forrest, we need to recruit like him for new SCV members. The Hunley awards were endorsed as a great way to promote the SCV at schools as the JROTC award is held in high esteem by recipients, teachers and administrators.  The educational posters and issues of the Alabama Confederate should be provided to schools to reverse the propaganda.  It is our duty to educate ourselves and the public that the SCV is a virtuous organization whose ideals can help save our society.  The SCV National website forms and documents section provides an SCV graves resource and the Joe Wheeler camp website maintains a list of Alabama Confederate veterans to assist in genealogical research for memberships.

Army of Tennessee Commander Tom Strain presented Amendment changes clarifying committee responsibilities.  Lt. Hill submitted that the 2009 Awards guidelines were never placed in the standing orders so that was rectified.  The Grant Request Guidelines amendment was also put in the standing orders, passing unanimously.  These guidelines specify that the committee must get grant requests 30 days in advance of the EC meeting so the request proposal can be sufficiently investigated as to qualifications and the project planning. Commander Strain also presented the resolution whereby the Alabama Division and the delegates of the convention submitted that the board room at the Confederate Memorial Park library be named after Leonard Wilson and a plaque hung on the wall so proclaiming.  Another resolution was passed honoring Connie Morrie as a long time Alabama Division vendor who will be retiring from this capacity.

The Division EC meeting will be held August 24th at Confederate Memorial Park and the 2014 reunion will be held May 2-3 in Athens.

Commander Gary Carlyle

1st Lt Jimmy Hill

Army Commander Tom Strain

Alabama Division Reunion June 8, 2013 - Part 2

The Business Meeting of the 2013 Alabama Division Reunion was a fast paced efficiently directed meeting which concluded before the scheduled luncheon.  Division Commander Gary Carlyle moved the Brigade Commander presentations up in the agenda to the first item.  Dragoon Bill Myrick was among the eight Brigade Commanders to make reports.  Bill brought great news that a new camp in Lownesboro is forming.  He also mentioned the great camp meeting at Marion where H.K. Edgerton visited - see the related blog here.  Bill also mentioned the Selma camp and their recruiting booth at the Battle of Selma reenactment and the good turnout they had for their annual Lee-Jackson banquet in January. Of course the activities of his home Prattville camp were also highlighted.  The SW Brigade Commander (where Foley AL is located) spoke about a Beauvoir donation and renovations for Confederate Rest Cemetery in Point Clear.  Beatle Bailey provided information regarding an October reenactment at and benefiting Beauvoir. 

Mike Williams, Adjutant for the Division, reported that we have 1802 members, an increase of 103 members over the past year!  He mentioned the renewal system as a possible contributing help to this statistic.  He also mentioned that every camp was assigned an email address for communications from the Division such as EC meeting minutes. 

Tyrone Crowley provided the Confederate Memorial Park Library report.  The library was established by Leonard Wilson and with his passing, there appears to be a void in the direction and mission and ownership for the library.  The library contains over 2000 volumes.  From Dec 2012 thru June 2013 the library was opened by volunteers 83 days and saw 174 visitors.  It was recognized that the library is a Division treasure but that with the paucity of visitors and difficulty scheduling volunteers, the days the library is actively open should be reduced to Friday thru Sunday and the proposal was accepted.

Commander Carlyle summarized the last EC minutes from the meeting in Prattville.  There are 1600 SCV car tags issued in the state of Alabama which funds the I-65 flag project.  This number of tags represents almost 90% of the 1800 SCV members in the Division.

Division Chaplain Dr. Baker provided the Chaplains report beginning by saying he will pray the library will continue operating.  The Chaplains Handbook was among the volumes he had available and said it was a must for each camp Chaplain.  He also spoke of the Morning Exercises, a set of devotionals by Rev. Jay from Bath, England and The Perfect Lion, a biography of John Pelham, the great artillery commander praised by General Lee and his staff.  He encouraged everyone to email hrrumbrg41@gmail.com to subscribe to Dr. Rumberg's Chaplain's Chronicles. Dr. Baker has been a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans since 1980 serving as Division Chaplain for numerous years and also as Commander. He mourned the passing this past year of Mitchell Denny on March 6th at the age of 91 who was the last documented Real Son in the Division and also of course the passing of past Commander Leonard Wilson at whose funeral he preached.

Just prior to the morning break, the Treasurer's Report was presented.  The Alabama Confederate magazine is a primary expense for the Division but the new glossy page format was commended.  The Forrest Monument project at Cedar Bluff went slightly over budget but the renovation project was completed this year with the help of seventeen volunteers whereas prolonging the completion would have resulted in greater additional expense.  The monument site includes three informational kiosks, walls to focus attention to the monument and an 8" thick sidewalk.  The monument was rededicated with attendance including the Mechanized Cavalry.  Two Wheeler Scholarships were awarded this past year but applications are further encouraged by eligible students.

The reports from the remainder of the staff officers as well as the presentation of and voting on amendments and resolutions concluded the business session and will be summarized in our next blog.

Brigade Commander Myrick Presents his Report

Dragoon Tyrone Crowley Reads his Library Recommendations Letter

Dr. Baker Addresses the Reunion

Alabama Division Reunion June 8, 2013 - Part 1

Attended the Saturday business session of the Alabama Division reunion on June 8th which was held at the Civic Center in Foley AL, hosted by the Fort Blakeley Camp 1864.  The Prattville Dragoons were well represented at the convention with Brigade Commander Bill Myrick, Flag Chairman Larry Spears, Commander Stuart Waldo, Adjutant Wayne Sutherland, Quartermaster David Brantley and Benny Harris.  We were joined at our table by Philip Davis of the Montgomery Semple Camp.  Registration began at 7am and the vendors in the convention hall were all set-up including a silent auction with a variety of items all along three rows of tables. The opening ceremony brought the convention to order and this included a reenactment color guard which posted the flags and Dixie was sung to begin the schedule of events. Tommy Rhodes, Commander of the Fort Blakeley Camp welcomed everyone and went thru the schedule and Chaplain Jerry Riley of the Ft. Blakeley Camp provided the invocation. Pledges were said to the U.S., Alabama and Confederate Battle flags and then the Stephen D. Lee's SCV Charge was read.  Announcements included highlighting the upcoming commemoration of the Battle of Gettysburg which has events scheduled between June 28th and July 11th and they are expecting 15,000 participants for the battle reenactment.  A proclamation was read which was issued by the Alabama State House of Representatives recognizing the annual Alabama SCV Division Reunion and a resolution was also read by Representative Steve McMillan from House District 95 which reiterated the Charge, that the SCV is responsible for presenting the history of the War, the Confederacy and the Southern Cause to future generations.  Regrets were conveyed from Lt. Commander Kelly Barrow and the Mayor of Foley for not being able to attend but it was announced that the month of June was declared Confederate History Month for the city of Foley in recognizing the Reunion. Army of Tennessee Commander Tom Strain brought greetings from Commander in Chief Givens in which he prompted everyone to take a stand for Dixie and what is right, prepare for a counterattack and resist federal domination.  Commander Strain also welcomed everyone on behalf of the Army of Tennessee which is the largest army in the SCV with 362 camps, 11600 members and 300 cadets and stretches from Michigan to Key West and including South America.  The final portion of the opening ceremonies brought Mrs. Maddox with the Order of Confederate Rose to the podium.  She said that the SCV and OCV have done better working together to fight our common enemies to save monuments and our heritage; she implored wives to form an OCR chapter affiliated with each camp. The Opening Ceremony was followed by the Business Meeting, a luncheon, a memorial service at Confederate Rest in Point Clear and an Awards Banquet Saturday evening - check back here for summaries and photos from these events.

Vendors Setup in the Foley Civic Center for the AL Division SCV Reunion

Members of the Prattville Dragoons at the Reunion in Proximity to the Stage

Color Guard Posting the Flags

Ft.Blakeley Camp Commander Tommy Rhodes Welcomes Everyone to the Reunion

Army of Tennessee Commander Tom Strain Addresses the Convention 

Highlights from the Car While Leaving Washington DC

Had the displeasure of visiting Washington DC recently for a business conference and although we didn't have an opportunity to do any tourist site-seeing, on the way out of town I drove through the National Mall area and was able to get a few photos of a few interesting sites.

Headquarters of the United Daughters of the American Revolution

Jefferson Memorial from Bridge

Washington Monument with Scaffolding for Ongoing Renovations

WBTS Historical Site Highlighted in Comfort TX Visitor Guide

During our recent vacation travels to Texas we happened to notice a visitor guide newspaper in the lobby of our hotel for the community of Comfort TX.  On page 6 of this edition we noticed an interesting article regarding the Treue der Union Monument located in Comfort.  The following is the historical account of the story surrounding this monument site from the texastripper website (http://www.texastripper.com/comfort/treue-der-union.html ). 

Comfort was first settled in 1854 by German immigrants who were followers of the "Freethinker" philosophy. These settlers felt an intense loyalty to their new country.

Things went well in the new land until the Civil War broke out, and Texas began to talk of seceding from the Union. The German immigrants strongly opposed secession, both because they were against the institution of slavery and because of their feeling of allegiance to their adopted country.

Some of the German farmers openly backed the Union government, an act that the Confederates considered treasonous. To make matters worse, the local residents of Comfort formed the Union Loyal League to protect themselves from Indian and outlaw attacks. A nervous Confederacy felt that the group might be a serious threat to their government.
Finally, martial law was declared, and the Texas Rangers were sent to order all males over 16 years old to take an oath of allegiance to the Confederacy. When many refused, some dissidents were lynched. Some accounts say as many as 150 citizens were killed.

With these mounting troubles and threats to their families, a group of Comfort men decided to leave Texas and head to Mexico where they hoped to join with Union troops and fight for their adopted country. A band of 60 left on August 1, 1862. They did not know that the Confederates had been told of their move by an informant.

The Unionists were followed to the banks of the Nueces River before the attack began. When it was over, nineteen Comfort citizens had been killed in battle. Nine others were captured, but they were later executed for treason.

On October 18, eight other Unionists were killed while crossing the Rio Grande near the Devil's River. In 1865 the remains were returned and buried in a mass grave in Comfort. The next year, on August 10, 1866, the first monument in Texas was erected at the gravesite to remember this grim battle. The Treue der Union or True to the Union Monument was a simple obelisk, inscribed with the name of the men who were killed. Outside of National Cemeteries, this remains the only monument to the Union erected in a state south of the Mason-Dixon line.

This monument, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is also noteworthy for another unusual feature. The flag flown here is the thirty-six star American flag, the one flown at the dedication of the monument over 125 years ago. The inscription on the monument also notes that "It is said that only this monument and Arlington National Cemetery are permitted to fly the American flag at half staff the year round."

Comfort TX Vistor Guide Front Page and Treue der Union Monument

New Letter to the Montgomery Advertiser Editor Corrects Errant Professor's Myths Regarding Lincoln and the WBTS

Prattville Dragoon Charlie Graham felt compelled to correct the politically correct spin and myths regurgitated in a recent column by Dr. Daniel Haulman in the Advertiser entitled "Correcting Civil War Mythology" in his own letter to the editor.

Federalist spin on history isn’t accurate. 



Daniel Haulman’s recent blather expounding upon his shallow federalist spin on American history is simply more of the same useless rhet­oric exemplary of his genre.



The U.S. Constitution was written so as to not prohibit secession. The citizens of the original 13 colonies that seceded from England would have it no other way.



The Morrill Act imposed import tariffs up to 40 percent on the South to force it to buy more expensive products from the North. When it was signed relative to the initiation of secession or Lincoln’s inauguration is a moot point. The Southern politicians knew it was coming a long time before it was signed.



The epitome of perfunctory reasons for the War Between The States is that the South fired the first shot. The true history is in why the shot was fired. Tricked into firing was a terrible word choice. Coerced and provoked are better words. Read complete histori­cal accounts written late 1800s to early 1900s and decide for yourself.



Haulman continues the federal legacy of esteeming the refabricated Lincoln. In order to respect Lincoln as the Great Emancipator one has to disregard much printed history. It’s like picking passages out of context from the Bible to make a point. The Emancipation Proclamation was a political war ploy to incite insurrection in the South, nothing more.

Haulman is so accustomed to a federal government that disregards the U.S.Constitution that he misses the entire point of the Confederate Constitution - slavery would be a state issue.



More Confederate Heritage in our Texas Vacation Trip

After our vacation stop in Mississippi, we went further west into Texas to visit relatives, a brother, aunt and cousin.  I had the opportunity to visit my cousin previously years ago and remembered their home was more of a museum and I was delighted to see it again and note the numerous Confederate and WBTS artifacts.  My cousin's husband was formerly in the armed forces and a police officer and evidently took an interest in historical military weapons and artifacts.  He has mannequins throughout the upstairs rooms which are donned with uniforms from the Allied and Axis forces from WWII and even numerous suits of armor and pikes, swords and many guns including 19th century revolvers and rifles and even reproduction non-firing 50 caliber machine guns.  The room dedicated to War Between the States artifacts has numerous weapons including original and reproduction revolvers and rifles as well as reenactment uniforms and even two original uniform jackets.  The entry to the plantation style house as well as a door to a dining room wing are adorned with a brass emblem emblazoned with the Great Seal of the Confederacy.  Obviously we had a nice discussion regarding his collection and also the possibility of their joining the SCV and UDC heritage organizations and they mentioned their interest in the Alamo Defenders Descendant's Association.  Wonderful time perusing their home and all the amazing treasures contained therein. 

Dining Room Fireplace Mantle

One Corner of the Room Dedicated to the WBTS

One of the Original Uniform Jackets in the Collection

The Great Seal of the Confederate States of America

Confederate History Discovered During a Visit to the Mississippi Delta

My family just returned from a vacation which included travel thru the Mississippi Delta and a stay in Greenville MS out west on Hwy 82.  Leland Mississippi just east of Greenville is the birthplace of Kermit the Frog and the kids enjoyed seeing that little museum.  Greenwood Mississippi is just east of Leland on Hwy 82 which meanders all the way back to Prattville AL, home of the Dragoons.  Greenwood is home of the Confederate Memorial Building, one of only two such designated buildings in the United States.  Greenville on the western edge of the state itself sits on the Mississippi River and the town was destroyed during the War when Confederates in Greenville fired upon Union gunboats in the river which were making their way downstream for the siege of Vicksburg.  The Confederate action was only successful in provoking the Yankees to stop long enough to raze the small town.  But the town today, known for it's numerous small roadside tamale shacks has some nice Confederate heritage monuments and sites.  The Washington County Courthouse and Arboretum has a beautiful monument with a Confederate soldier atop and quotes from President Jefferson Davis and General Robert E. Lee inscribed on sides of the base.  The monument was erected by the local UDC chapter, "To commemorate the valor and patriotism of the Confederate soldiers of Washington County" as inscribed on the south face of the monument.   The East face contains this quote from Charles B. Galloway which parallels the SCV Charge, "It is due the truth of history that the fundamental principles which our fathers contended should be often reiterated in order that the purpose which inspired them may be correctly estimated and the purity of their motives be abundantly vindicated."  The North face contains the quote from Lee, "The sublimest word in the English language is duty."  On the west face, President Davis is quoted, "For those who encountered the perils of war in defense of the sacred cause of states rights and constitutional government."  The Greenville Cemetery is a beautiful old wooded cemetery near downtown and the courthouse and it has many Confederate veteran's graves and one section where many are buried which also contains an obelisk monument again erected by the local Taylor Rucks Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and on sides of the monuments are listed all those Confederate Veterans interred there from Mississippi and from other states.  The Greenville History Museum was not visited while we were there but it supposedly houses some artifacts from and provides information regarding this period of the Confederacy and the War Between the States.

Washington County Courthouse and the Confederate Monument in Greenville MS

Courthouse Monument Inscriptions NE Corner

Courthouse Monument Inscriptions SW Corner

Greenville Confederate Cemetery with Obelisk Monument

Greenville Cemetery Monument Inscriptions

New Book by Texas SCV Member Chronicles the Life of Captain John D. Kirkpatrick

Thomas Stevens is a member of the Jerome B.  Robertson Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp in Brenham, Texas, and the author of a new book, Tennessee Preacher, Tennessee Soldier, the Civil War Career of Captain John D. Kirkpatrick, CSA, One of Morgans' Men.   It may be purchased at either Amazon or Barnes & Noble.  Here is a summary of the book: 

 In early 1861, young Cumberland Presbyterian minister John D. Kirkpatrick, following in his grandfather and great-grandfather's footsteps, was preaching at his first church near Nashville, Tennessee.  At that time, war fever was raging in the South, and even before Tennessee seceded, John heeded the call to arms and joined the First Tennessee Volunteers.   It was no surprise that John would enlist in the Confederate Army; like many in the South, his family had a long tradition of military service to their country.  A year later, he became a Captain in the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry, which soon was attached to Confederate General John Hunt Morgan's Cavalry Brigade.  He was with Morgan at the Battle of Hartsville and on the Christmas Raid into Kentucky. Captured in Gallatin, Tennessee, he was able to escape.  At the battle of Vaught's Hill, near Milton, Tennessee, he commanded his regiment. On Morgan’s famous Indiana-Ohio raid, John was with the first troops that crossed the Ohio River at Brandenburg, Kentucky. When the Union forces finally defeated Morgan on the banks of the Ohio River at Buffington Island, John narrowly avoided capture because he had been sent across the river just before the battle to secure the east bank.  He then led 110 men to safety through the mountains of West Virginia, arriving in Confederate territory in time to fight under Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest at Chickamauga. He commanded a battalion of Morgan’s men on General Joseph Wheeler’s raid through Middle Tennessee, and, as Wheeler retreated into Alabama, commanded the rear guard at a bloody fight at Sugar Creek.  John fought at Missionary Ridge, Ringgold Gap, and again under Wheeler at Charleston, Tennessee. He rejoined Morgan after his escape from prison, and commanded a battalion at the Battle of Cove Gap, and on Morgan’s Last Kentucky Raid.  Although severely wounded at Cynthiana, Kentucky on that raid, he miraculously escaped capture and, with his right arm disabled, made his way back to Wytheville, Virginia, a two hundred mile trip through the mountains of eastern Kentucky. Undaunted, he spent the last few months of the war trying to get authorization from Richmond to raise a regiment of cavalry to fight under Forrest.  After Lee's surrender at Appomattox, he appears to have been a part of General Basil Duke’s force that escorted Confederate President Jefferson Davis into Georgia.  When Duke dismissed his troops near Washington, Georgia, John headed west.  He surrendered at Marion, Alabama, five weeks after Appomattox, and then headed home.  After the war, he successfully led several churches in Nashville, taught theology at Cumberland University in Lebanon, and published a newspaper.  When General Morgan’s daughter, Johnnie Hunt Morgan Campbell, died, he helped officiate at her funeral at the Lebanon Cumberland Presbyterian Church.  On his death, Cumberland University named their new home Kirkpatrick Memorial Hall. This book is his story.

In the event that you are interested in finding out more about this book, go to http://tennesseepreachertennesseesoldier.com/.  You can even listen to some outstanding authentic Confederate cavalry music there that will make you wish you had been born a hundred years earlier.

Prattville Dragoons Camp Meeting Program for June 2013

The Prattville Dragoons will again hold their monthly camp meeting at the Shoney's restaurant on Cobb's Ford Road in Prattville on Thursday, June 13th at 7pm.  Come early as everyone gathers at 6pm to partake of the delicious Shoney's food including their buffet.  The program for June was to include a presentation by Mr. Will Dismukes.  He is a student at Faulkner University and just returned from Idaho where he played in the Small College World Series.  His family owns land in the Millbrook area which served as a campground for Confederate soldiers during the War Between the States.  Will has excavated a number of items which he will show and tell about but, unfortunately he had a late conflict and will be unable to make this camp meeting.  We look forward to his presentation soon and hope he will continue his involvement with Confederate history and heritage and consider joining the Dragoons in this pursuit.  Alternatively, those members of the Dragoons who attended last weekend's Alabama Division Reunion in Foley AL will provide comment on the events there.  Dragoons who attended included Commander Stuart Waldo, Adjutant Wayne Sutherland, Brigade Commander Bill Myrick, Flag Chairman Larry Spears, Communications Officer Tyrone Crowley, Quartermaster David Brantley and Benny Harris.  Bill will give his Brigade Report and Larry can provide his reflections on the Reunion and the Banquet.  Tyrone will talk about a letter he addressed to the DEC regarding the library at the Confederate Memorial Park.  Check back here for additional columns which will provide details and images from the convention.   Join us on Thursday for the Dragoons camp meeting and help us to keep the Confederate memory alive and the Charge answered by each generation.

Prattville Dragoons Camp News

From the recent JUne issue of the Dragoons Camp Dispatch:

Camp News

Barry Wyatt As Camp Genealogist More Than Just A Label.  Our Camp Genealogist Barry Wyatt is most adept in that capacity, and proved it recently.  A young man who had left his name on our list at CityFest gave us some basic info on his family tree which we passed on to Barry.  Within hours Barry had used the US census and online Confederate records to identify the young man’s Confederate ancestor.  Great work, Barry!

Bill Branch Recovering From Back Surgery. Past Quartermaster and Chaplain Bill Branch is recovering well, after back surgery on 23 May.  He's already out walking his dog Tippi and expects to be driving again by the time you read this.  Good work on the recovery, Bill!

QM David Brantley Creates Facebook Page For Dragoons.  Newly-appointed Quartermaster David Brantley has stepped up and offered additional service to the Dragoons:  providing a Facebook page for our Camp.  Look for “Prattville Dragoons” on Facebook and let David know what you think.  He’s at wareagle1972@gmail.com

Prattville Dragoons Chaplain's Column for June 2013

From the Dragoons Camp Dispatch newsletter, Chaplain Tom Snowden's column for June 2013:

Chaplain’s Column:  America Has Changed

            I believe there are those who are in leadership in America who have set as their goal to destroy America. It seems they have achieved every goal they set out to win, short of disarming the American people. The primary objective is to change America.

            God was banned from the public arena. The Founding Fathers warned us that only an informed and moral people could sustain a constitutional republic. Only a moral people can know the difference between right and wrong.  As we look at our present culture, wrong has become right and right has become wrong.

            We lost the public school system. Once God left the schools, the liberals took over the education of our young. They have captured our present and future generations. They are churning out students that are low-information voters. And since God was kicked out of our schools, it was easy for liberal teachers to sell many of our children a menu of selfish immorality. You see, without God we have no compass. We lost the media. We once could depend on them for fair and unbiased reporting.

            We have always relied on informed voters with integrity and moral fiber. We no longer have enough voters capable of making prudent, wise decisions. It seems that over half our electorate is now composed of people who vote for their own selfish interests.  

            So where does that leave us? Is there any hope at all for America? Some believe that Thomas Jefferson was correct when he said, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.” I sure hope our Almighty God will answer our prayers soon and show us how to bring this country back before it is too late.

            Let’s pray for our country that we will wake up from our evil ways and gain back the Old USA that had some moral fiber, politicians that made sense, told the truth, and placed God first.

            I would like to ask our membership to keep praying for those on our Dragoon prayer list.

           

1.  Jeff Potts

            2.  James & Ann Spears

            3.  Bobby Carter & wife Merrill

            4.  James Little’s wife Nita

            5.  David Brantley’s wife Jennifer

            6.  Allen Herrod

            7.  Whitson Waldo (Stuart Waldo’s dad)

            8.  Wayne Sutherland

            9.  Past Division Commander David Allen

            10. John Durden’s son David Fail

            11. Cecil Williamson

            12. J. J. Oakley

            13. Billy Parker and Stan Stuckey

            14. James Whittington

            15. Bill Branch - recovering from surgery

            16. David Brantley's mother Mary

            17. Harold Grooms’s mother Sue

Yours In Christ,

Tom Snowden, Chaplain

Upcoming Events Including Alabama Division SCV Reunion in Foley AL June 7-9

From the Dragoons Camp Dispatch newsletter, we have a number of upcoming events of interest including:

Alabama Division Annual Reunion - Foley, Alabama - 7-9 June 2013.  All business sessions are free to Alabama Division members. The Reunion includes a Commander's Reception on Friday night at the Gift Horse Restaurant - recall they have a crawfish bisque which is to die for.  On Saturday the Opening Ceremony starts at 8:30am with the Business Meeting following; the Reunion will be held at the Foley Civic Center.  Lunch is at noon and a Memorial Service will be held at 3pm at the Confederate Rest Cemetery in Point Clear.  An Awards Banquet will be held at the Civic Center at 6pm and the following morning at 10am a private tour of the Blakely Battlefield will be offered.  Foley has great outlet shopping as well as fishing and beach activities nearby.   More details at http://www.aladivscv.com/reunion.htm. 

SCV National Reunion 17-20 July 2013, Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  See details at http://2013scvreunion.homestead.com/

General Forrest Birthday Party - 13 July 2013, 3:00 pm til ya wanna go home - at Fort Dixie (home of Butch & Pat Godwin).  Menu:  the best Southern-fried catfish this side of the Big Muddy, all the fixins, and ice-cold watermelon served all day long, plus the best Christian Confederate fellowship.  No charge; donation only.  RSVP by Saturday 6 July to Pat Godwin at 334-875-1690 and to get directions to Ft. Dixie.  Y'all come on down to Ole Bedford's 192^nd birthday party!

Dixie Butt Distribution, 10 August 2013 - Dixie Butts will be exchanged for ticket stubs from 7-9 a.m. at Fatman's BBQ, Main Street and Memorial Drive in Prattville.  Tickets will be distributed beginning with our July meeting, and each member of the Dragoons will be asked to “Buy One and Sell One”.  This is our only fund-raiser of the year, and the proceeds allow us to continue successfully to answer the SCV Charge.  See page 5 for a list of how we used funds in the past year.

Prattville Dragoons Commander Column for June 2013

Recently I was listening to Kevin Elkin and Barbara Mays on Mr.Elkin’s First Call morning radio program out of Montgomery.  His talk show can be enlightening as his listener-ship and his callers are primarily from the Montgomery black community.  Elkin is a refreshingly conservative black voice who is a military veteran and business owner in Montgomery.  This particular show he had Barbara Mays in the studio co-hosting and the topic turned to the problems with the black community and Barbara stated that many in the black community believe integration is detrimental to blacks and whites although she sees the benefits of understanding one another if we are to live in the same community.  Kevin further asserted that there are cultural differences between blacks and whites and used the analogy of apples and oranges.  They both agreed that the solution to the crisis in the black community with crime and unemployment is that blacks must embrace their heritage and demonstrate pride and love for themselves and each other. 

It struck me the admission of these black community leaders that the integration experiment has failed the very people that the conjurers had sought to benefit.  Kevin and Barbara recalled there were formerly black and white communities that got along and respected each other better than the disharmony and racial tensions that permeate society today.  It also struck me the remarkable recognition that there are differences between the black and white (as well as Asian and Latino) races.  Why then the blind eye cast toward interracial unions and the continued impropriety of affirmative action (racial quota) initiatives and indoctrination attempts at diversity?  Whereas these and most black leaders embrace black culture and seek to create black commercial and business prosperity zones where blacks endorse and patronize black businesses, such practices by whites are condemned. 

We as Sons of Confederate Veterans are attacked and slandered as racists for embracing our Southern heritage and culture.  The Charge implores us to perpetuate the true Southern historical record and Confederate heritage and defend the ideals and beliefs of our veteran forefathers. These beliefs form the foundation of our shared Southern heritage and culture.   But today in these current politically correct times, our Southern Anglo-Saxon peoples and culture are being diluted and revisionists incessantly attempt to erase and dismiss our Southern heritage as in Memphis and Selma and in the very history books which indoctrinate our children in the schools our tax dollars support as Confederate General Patrick Cleburne warned.  We should celebrate shared mutual interests and common beliefs with everyone throughout our nation and including all the races in this great mixing pot but we must preserve and be proud of our Southern heritage.  We should honor those black Confederates who served alongside our great grandfathers and appreciate responsible black conservatives today who espouse and promote the same virtues of our forefathers, limited government, personal liberties, self-responsibility and self-reliance. While socialism and government dependency and Islamist ideals are permeating mainstream society, we need to treasure and cling to our cultural Christian foundations and support our compatriots.  The Alabama Division is holding our annual reunion in Foley this month – join us in this Sesquicentennial as we continue to honor our Confederate ancestors in deed and action, to preserve their beliefs and principles and the virtue of our Southern culture and heritage.