Dragoons Community Service Camp Project Indian Hills Cemetery Clean-up and Renovation

Saturday morning August 16th the Dragoons conducted their third foray into the Indian Hills Cemetery. Nine Dragoons and one non-member gave one, two, up to four hours in the Alabama summer heat to help with this important and historically-valuable effort between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. This project has been described by some Dragoons as the best project ever undertaken by Camp 1524. The effort is being led by Dragoon Benny Harris, and already several local residents have expressed their appreciation for this community service being provided by the Dragoons with some assistance from the folks who live on each side of the cemetery.  Indian Hills Cemetery pre-dates the city of Prattville so is of great historical importance; several Dragoons including Lt. A.Y. Smith are buried there. The cemetery is located on Autauga County Road 86 about 1 1/2 miles off Hwy 82. 

1st Lt Harold Grooms, Lead Benny Harris and James Spears

Tom Crowley, brother of Dragoon Tyrone Crowley

Adjutant Wayne Sutherland assists Bill Branch with sawing a felled tree

The Tombstone of Dragoon Lt. A Y Smith

Prattville Dragoons August 2014 Camp Meeting

The Prattville Dragoons enjoyed another outstanding monthly meeting camp on Thursday August 14th, with good food, good fellowship, and an excellent speaker. 1st Lt Cmdr Harold Grooms led the meeting, with Chaplain Tom Snowden offering opening and closing prayers along with words of encouragement to all. Outgoing SWC Brigade Commander presented the new Brigade Commander David Brantley with the Commander's Medal. Commander Brantley presented Color Sgt Brent Jenks with a Division Certificate of Appreciation for assuming his role and responsibilities with Camp 1524.   The guest speaker was Alan Wallace of the Montgomery T G Jones SCV Camp who offered and "what if" scenario had the War Between the States began in 1850 instead of 1860.  

1st Lt Commander Harold Grooms

SWC Brigade Commander Medal

Brigade Commander Brantley Awards Color Sgt Brent Jenks

Guest Speaker Alan Wallace

Prattville Dragoon's 2014 Dixie Butt Fundraiser

"Dixie Butt" Fundraiser Another Success

Our annual "Dixie Butt" fundraiser was another success this year, netting the Dragoons almost $2000 to continue to answer the SCV Charge, and falling just behind last year's record. Main workers at bagging and distribution were Wayne Sutherland, Tom Snowden, and Larry Spears, with a strong assist later from Stuart Waldo, Bill Myrick, David Brantley, and George Jenks. Stopping by to pick up BBQ and wish us well were Chris Booth, Skip Ward, Danny Smyth, Wyatt Willis, James Hammonds, and several others.  Together with donations by several Dragoons who declined to take a BBQ butt, proceeds from this year's fundraiser will ensure our operations for another year.

Perhaps the main reason for another success this year is that we have done this type of fundraiser for eleven years now, and have become a "well-oiled machine" when it comes to executing this annual effort. Also, some people buy tickets because they know Fatman's is cooking the butts, and enjoy their delicious smoked pork butts. Thirdly, the usual stalwarts got to work and tried to outdo one another in selling the most tickets.  Commander Stuart Waldo and Treasurer Billy Leverette were the top sellers. Skip Ward, who always buys several butts and donates two back to the Camp (which along with Bill Hamner's donation provides BBQ for our April picnic), says he can't make meetings but is inspired by the sight of his ancestor's grave to do what he can to further the Cause.

Finally, it is quite an accomplishment that we handled the tickets for, and distributed, 110 butts without losing track of a single one!  Thanks to all those Dragoons who donated or answered the call to "Buy One And Sell One"—y’all “got ‘er done”!

Larry Spears, Wayne Sutherland, Ken Allen (owner of Fatman's), Tom Snowden bag up the butts

 Tom Snowden, George Jenks, David Brantley, Stuart Waldo, Bill Myrick, Wayne Sutherland

Tyrone Crowley managing the ticket receipts and butt distribution

Jefferson Davis at Fort Morgan

Dragoon Camp Communications Officer Tyrone Crowley attended the recent reenactment at Fort Morgan near Mobile AL portraying President Jefferson Davis for the weekend.

Dean Mosher and Jefferson Davis. Dean painted picture in background of Confederate Admiral Buchanan ordering the CSS Tennessee to take on the Union fleet

Jefferson Davis confers with Confederate General Richard Page

President Davis with escort - Captain Scotty Myers and son

President Davis with Union General Granger (Bill Rambo)

SCV Tallassee Armory Guards Erect Battle Flag

The Tallassee Armory Guards recently erected a flag pole flying an 8 x 12 ft stitched Battle Flag on Highway 63 and it is up, flying, and greeting drivers as they come around the curve between Montgomery and Lake Martin. A group of compatriots of the camp met around 8:00 AM on 2 August 2014 to finish some ground work and to raise the flag. Compatriots Marion Patrick, Ronnie Brantley, Vann Royal, Steven Hammonds, Tom Spradley, Bill Anthony, Commander Hughey, Larry Warren, Michael Black, and Floyd Meigs all showed up with their shovels, slang blades, wheel barrows and weed eaters to get the job done.

Prattville Dragoons Camp News

From the August 2014 Camp Dispatch.

Camp News

Dragoons In Prattville's Fourth of July Parade - The Prattville Dragoons, led by Commander Stuart Waldo, again walked in Prattville's Fourth of July Parade. Dragoons in the parade included Commander Waldo and family, his son Forrest Waldo, Wayne Sutherland, Bill Myrick.  Dave Thompson and his wife also were there. The Dragoons gave out a couple hundred 3rd National Flags and lots of candy.

Dragoons Attend Forrest Birthday Party at Fort Dixie - On Saturday 12 July, along with over 200 other happy folks, Dragoons Wyatt Willis, Billy Leverette, George and Brent Jenks, Danny Smyth, and Tyrone Crowley attended the Forrest Birthday Party at Fort Dixie near Selma, Alabama. There we celebrated the recent legal victory that provided a deed to Confederate Circle at Old Live Oak Cemetery to the Selma UDC Chapter (formalizing what had actually been done over a century before).  Typical of this time of year, the weather was steamy hot, but a good time was still had by all.  The Dragoons presented hostess Pat Godwin with a check to purchase a concrete bench on Confederate Circle in Old Live Oak Cemetery, so that our Camp's name will be permanently on display as having supported that fine restoration effort, which is scheduled to be completed about May 2015.  Pastor John Weaver of Georgia gave a most interesting presentation on Nathan Bedford Forrest and Mrs. Virginia Davis presented a protrayal of Emma Sansom that was also very interesting and educational.  There was also Celtic music and the usual good meal of fried catfish and all the fixins.  Our hearty thank-you goes out to Butch and Pat Godwin, who host this event each summer.

Dragoons Attend Fort Morgan Reenactment - The Alabama State Historical Commission sponsored a reenactment of the Battle of Mobile Bay on 1-3 August, and at least two Dragoons attended with their wives:  Louis and Carol Turner and Tyrone and Carol Crowley.  At the invitation of reenactment organizer Eli Chandler, Tyrone Crowley mingled with reenactors and the public, portraying President Jefferson Davis.  The excellent Fifth Alabama Band of Tuscaloosa played fine Confederate music on both days of the reenactment, including their rendition of "The Prattville Light Dragoon March", in honor of our presence and remembering the two concerts they played here in Prattville back in 2001-2002.  This was a large, well-done event whose details can be seen at http://fortmorgan.org/150th/

Report From Harry Rawlinson - Long-time Dragoon ("patriarch" would be a fitting title) Harry Rawlinson, as reported recently, is now in a nursing home in Alexander City, Alabama.  As in past years, Harry sent in his dues and fundraiser this month and says he is about to turn 90 years of age.  Currently, Harry is having to deal with breathing problem, and is therefore on our prayer list.

H L Hunley Camp Member Supports Fundraiser - Compatriot Richard Leya H L Hunley SCV Camp 163 (South Carolina) was in Millbrook for the birth of a grandchild in July, saw our fundraiser so contacted Communications Officer Crowley and bought a Dixie Butt ticket.  Compatriot Leya's camp also sponsors a traveling Hunley exhibit, for which the now-retired Mr. Leya will volunteer.  See http://www.hlhunley.org.

David Brantley Elected Brigade Commander - Dynamic Dragoon David Brantley has now been elected our Brigade Commander, leaving open the Quartermaster position, which has been assumed by Past Brigade Commander and Past Camp Commander William T. "Bill" Myrick.