Prattville Dragoons Attend Sons of Confederate Veterans Unknown Soldier Monument Dedication in Luverne AL

The Alabama Division Sons of Confederate Veterans and the Ben Bricken Camp 296, along with Clanton's Battery hosted a very successful, honorable monument dedication at Confederate Veteran Park in Luverne today.  Estimated attendance was 500 with ten compatriots from Camp 1524, the Prattville Dragoons among that count including Commander Stuart Waldo, Adjutant Wayne Sutherland, Ryan King, Tyrone Crowley, Bill Myrick, Bill Gill, Jerry Clay Lyle, Rob and Cameron Heyward and Larry Spears.  The crowd was large, enthusiastic and sported all kinds of Southern Heritage dress from ladies and gentlemen in period dress to Mechanized Cavalry members in biker gear to Confederate themed t-shirts and SCV shirts.  The event was very peaceful and enjoyable with no disturbance and no antagonizing protesters.  The park is located on US Hwy 331 adjacent to the Dry Creek Campground in Luverne AL.  The campground is beautifully shaded and provided a pleasant area to congregate before the event.  The Confederate Veteran Park has a 60ft tall main flagpole flying the Confederate Battle flag and in back of this (from the highway) are shorter flagpoles flying the historic First, Second and Third National flags with educational placards at the base of each.   A couple of granite monuments were preexisting including one depicting the Great Seal of the Confederate States of America with George Washington atop his horse and another emblazoned with crossed Confederate Battle flags honoring Confederate soldiers with the inscription, "In remembrance of those who served, who gladly wore the grey, a way of life he fought to preserve, he lived it every day, 1861-1865, Confederate soldiers of Alabama, lest we forget."  The new monument appears as a headstone with the inscription "Unknown AL Soldier, CSA, Mother I have been found, I am home".  The program included a welcome by David Coggins who is owner of the park and Captain of Clanton's Battery.  David proclaimed, "I am just a country boy from Alabama who loves his heritage.  Then SE Alabama Brigade Commander Joe Clark of Elba gave a statement of how important recognizing these unknown Confederate soldiers is to him personally by enumerating eleven of his ancestors who fought and died in the War and were not accounted for in battlefields, POW prisons or cemeteries from Ohio throughout the South.  This was followed by a roll call of Confederate veteran ancestors from those who wished to call their names from the assembled crowd.  A bell was rung after each name.  Alabama Division Commander Jimmy Hill then spoke to the crowd and included a recitation of the new SCV Statement of Purpose, "We, the Sons of Confederate Veterans, having been commissioned by the Confederate Veterans themselves, retain our responsibility and right to adhere to the founding principles of the United States of America remembering the bravery, defending the honor and protecting the memory of our beloved Confederate Veterans, which includes memorials, images, symbols, monuments and gravesites for ourselves and future generations."  The unveiling of the new monument followed and three men from Clanton's Battery provided a ceremony including salute volleys with muskets.  The program wrapped up with a series of "rolling thunder" volleys from the five cannon facing Hwy 331 which produced reverberations and smoke which surely startled the passersby on the highway. A beautiful meaningful memorial dedication program for unknown Confederate soldiers.