Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 Color Sergeant Maintains Indian Hill Cemetery

John Dennis again single-handedly mowed and trimmed the grass at the Indian Hill Cemetery in Prattville, mowing along the road and bank, trimming around the fence and mowing around the graves and trees throughout the cemetery.  John also cleaned most of the fencing, removing the dirt and mildew on the PVC rail fence bringing it back to a gleaming white.  John is tireless in his efforts supporting the camp in this work as part of the Alabama Division SCV Guardian Program.  He has proven himself invaluable as a new member for the camp supporting all the Dragoons' projects and  initiatives.  The Dragoons brought Indian Hill Cemetery back from forest overgrowth and have maintained the cemetery grounds over the years since.  Indian Hill was a thriving community in the 1800s nearby to Prattville and the cemetery serves as the final resting place for many of these  founding families and a number of Confederate veterans including original Dragoons who served in the War Between the States. 

Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 Present Donation to Autauga Interfaith Care Center

Camp 1524 Sons of Confederate Veterans were awarded an Alabama SCV Division community service award for $500.00 on July 27th.  The award was made as a check issued to a charity of the camp's choosing on behalf of the Dragoons.  This is a new Division initiative awarded to two camps annually in the Division as selected by the Alabama Division SCV Executive Committee.  The Dragoons presented the $500 check to the Autauga Interfaith Care Center in Prattville on Thursday August 29th. The Dragoons conduct an annual canned food drive benefiting AICC.  The Center functions solely on community donations and provides food and clothing and financial assistance to needy families in the Prattville area.  Dragoons' Commander Stuart Waldo, 1st Lt Harold Grooms and 2nd Lt Karl Wade made the check presentation to Denise Brown who is on the Prattville City Council serving as President Pro Tempore and also leads the Autauga Interfaith Care Center.  

 The Prattville Dragoons  community service activities over the past year included: 

    

Annual $500 donations to the Alabama State Archives for historical flag conservation.

Annual canned food drives benefitting the Autauga Interfaith Care Center.

Historic cemetery maintenance and care thru the SCV Guardian program at Robinson Springs Cemetery in Millbrook and Indian Hill Cemetery and the Doster Family Cemetery in Prattville. 

Placement of a historic marker billboard at the Indian Hill Cemetery.

Annual Salvation Army Christmas kettle bell ringing.

SCV Hunley JROTC awards presented annually at Prattville, Stanhope-Elmore, and Wetumpka High Schools.

Prattville Cityfest, Millbrook Mardi Gras and Autauga County Fair booths and parade entries.

Event historical portrayals of Daniel Pratt and Jefferson Davis by Dragoon Tyrone Crowley.

Dragoon members volunteered and provided Living History portrayals at the Autauga County Bicentennial Fair at Prattville’s Doster Center and Jones Community Center.

Robinson Springs Cemetery Clean Up Completed by Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524

The Dragoons did their duty once again on Tuesday August 13th at Robinson Springs Cemetery in Millbrook AL. The summer heat started early (with the heat index reaching 114 deg F by the afternoon) but the Dragoons crew started even earlier with most workers arriving at about 6:30 (when it was still already over 80 deg F).  Compatriots working the cemetery cleanup included Tyrone Crowley, Bill Myrick, John Dennis, Will Dismukes and Larry Spears. Bob cut the cemetery with his riding mower while the rest of the crew ran walk-behind mowers and weed eaters. The cemetery looked extremely good after the work was completed.  Plans were tentatively made to return in September for another session. Some Confederate Battle Flags were replaced as needed and made a beautiful sight waving in the gentle breeze.

Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1524 Dixie Butt Fundraiser

The Prattville Dragoons held their primary fundraiser for the year on Saturday August 10th culminating with the distribution of the "Dixie" Butts and ribs at Herrod's Chevron on Memorial Drive in downtown Prattville. As usual, there was much fun and interaction with members and the public. The camp treasury received a very substantial boost from this fundraiser which enables us to hold to the Charge to the SCV performing camp initiatives like flag settings, donations, and community outreach. Many thanks to camp Color Sgt John Dennis with an assist from Adjutant Wayne Sutherland for keeping the fundraiser accounting records in order and handling the collection of donations. This was John's first time as the chief coordinator of the project and he did an outstanding job!  Camp members Skip Ward and Bill Hamner donated butts to the camp to be utilized for our upcoming social functions including the fall muster scheduled for October.  Dragoon compatriot Edward Morgan was the leading seller of butts and ribs with more than 50 tickets sold! Those helping with the distribution on Saturday included John Dennis, Wayne Sutherland, Harold Grooms, Bill Myrick, and Larry Spears. Commander Waldo's son and camp member Forrest stopped by and assisted with the pickup of all the butts and ribs for his fundraiser customers.  It was a very productive day and successful event.  

Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 August Meeting

The Dragoons held their August camp meeting on Thursday the 8th with about 30 members and guests present at the Masons Lodge in downtown Prattville.  1st Lt Harold Grooms led the meeting in the absence of Commander Waldo and provided information on upcoming events and items of interest for the camp. The camp's Dixie butt fundraiser totals were provided with the funds for the camp treasury and ongoing initiatives including the donation made during this very camp meeting. Edward Morgan was recognized for his outstanding work leading the sales by a large margin and Color Sgt John Dennis was given a round of applause for managing the fundraiser accounting.  The butt distribution was scheduled for Saturday morning August 10th.  Ryan Blocker, Curator at the Alabama Archives and History and coordinator of the Alabama Confederate flag conservation project, was the guest speaker for the camp meeting. Mrs. Blocker provided an update on the flags that are being conserved and those that are scheduled for conservation at the Archives. As is our annual custom, the camp presented her with a check for $500 to facilitate the conservation of these historic flags. This was the fifteenth year the Dragoons have contributed $500 to this ongoing project.   Two men were also installed as the newest members of the Dragoons, Pierce Presley and Wesley Woodard.  They were properly sworn in by 1st Lt. Commander Harold Grooms and Chaplain Will Dismukes. Congratulations and a Confederate welcome to Pierce and Wesley!

Prattville Dragoons Commander's Column for August 2019 - Your Children and Multiculturalism

I had to bribe my son and daughter to go with me to the Godwin’s Forrest Birthday Party last Saturday.  I promised them they could get a coke at the Mexican restaurant on Sunday for lunch.  Winds up they had a lot of fun and decided that they liked catfish just so it was battered and seasoned and fried just like the delicious filets served at Fort Dixie that evening.  That Saturday morning we woke up to watch the Senior British Open before our daily golf practice at RTJ and before heading toward Selma for Dixie Jubilee music, ice cold watermelon and that catfish supper in Selma, my wife took our little boy to his Taekwondo lesson where he earned his first temporary stripes before he tests for his yellow belt having memorized Tiger Rock’s dojo creed and moving thru his first karate kata.   It is interesting to consider the current political struggle in Washington between the MAGA nationalists and the socialist globalists in light of what we experience in the way of international multiculturalism even here in Prattville Alabama. 

Think of the wide ranging international cuisines our children and grandchildren are exposed to.  On the way home from Selma, I had to explain to my daughter that we are not Yankees but Southerners – she had grown accustomed to Americans being referred to as Yanks by the Brits she watches on her YouTube videos online.  As an example for my daughter illustrating our Southern culture, I asked if she had ever heard of Northern food while of course we enjoy Southern food.  While their palates don’t yet appreciate grits and collard greens, the kids love fried chicken, hot dogs and hamburgers but, again, their favorite foods I prepare are unquestionably Italian chicken with penne pasta, spaghetti, Chinese stir fry and yakisoba.  Little Caesars pizza is a no brainer.  Lunch at Pablanos after church is our Sunday routine. 

In our dining room I have a bronze bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest.  Tyrone and my wife have made presentations for five years at the children’s schools about life in the antebellum South and during the War Between the States and showing historic Confederate flags.  I have taken the kids to Children of the Confederacy events and our annual picnic at Confederate Memorial Park as well as other camp events.  My family values and emphasizes our Southern heritage.  The kids know all the words to “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Dixie”.  Cooper is proud that he is the only one in the house who was actually born on a frosty morn.  I took the opportunity on the way home on Saturday to play the CD which was provided to all the attendees, “The Truth About the Confederate Battle Flag” by Pastor John Weaver.  My boy actually was upset when the playback was interrupted by an incoming telephone call on my truck’s Bluetooth. 

It is imperative that we instill in our children and grandchildren an appreciation of their Southern culture and, as the SCV Charge implores, “see that the true history of the South is presented to future generations”.  The world has become a much smaller place with the internet bringing news and people together instantaneously around the clock. Even Prattville has become a diverse multi-cultural community.  Our country while built on a foundation of immigrants for the past 150 years has had a massive surge of immigrants including political refugees from Asia escaping communist regimes, those from Mexico and Latin America attempting to escape poverty and, also recently thousands from Africa fleeing violence and poverty there.  A sensible immigration policy is essential to safeguard our American culture and way of life.  The South was invaded by the Union army and subsequently Reconstructionist carpetbaggers and scalawags in the 1860s who sought to destroy the Confederacy and the way of life in the antebellum South.  Today we across the Southland face an internal immigration from snowbirds relocating below the Mason Dixon line to escape high taxation and cost of living.  Our Confederate monuments, symbols and holidays are under attack by progressives and PC panderers. Our communities and schools are being inundated by immigrants from third world countries. Treasure and take every opportunity to ingrain in your children and grandchildren an appreciation of their heritage and take time to smell the camelias together.   

Prattville Dragoons Chaplain's Column for August 2019 - Great Sacrifices

"Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me. Captain, that is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave." Stonewall Jackson

This month I write to encourage each of us to remain focused on the ultimate goal of sharing the Gospel in all that we do. Let us not fret about the earthly woes and tribulations, but rather focus on our relationship with our Heavenly Father. When we are at peace with Christ we are at peace with the things of this world.

Death shall come for each of us, but until that day may we be bold in standing for God, Family, and Heritage!

Peace to All and Gods Blessings

Upcoming Events for Confederate Compatriots

155th Annual Battle for Mobile Bay Commemorative Day –  Saturday August 3, 10am -4pm, Fort Gaines, 109 Bienville Boulevard, Dauphin Island AL  

Prattville Dragoons Camp Meeting – Thursday, August 8^th 6pm at the Masonic Lodge, downtown Prattville AL

Dragoons Fundraiser Dixie Butt Fundraiser – August 10^th 8-10am, Herrod’s Chevron, Memorial Dr. Prattville AL