Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp 1524 Meeting for March 2020

Two dozen members of the Prattville Dragoons held a special camp meeting on Thursday March 12th, a field trip to the Alabama State Archives in downtown Montgomery.  A business session was held firstly which included the new camp Chaplain opening the meeting with an invocation and Color Sgt John Dennis leading everyone in the pledge to the U.S. flag and salutes to the Alabama state flag and the Confederate Battle flag.  Commander Stuart Waldo then recited the SCV Charge and then welcomed a potential new member in attendance.

The elections for the officer's positions of commander, lieutenants, treasurer, adjutant and chaplain were then held with all persons running unopposed and receiving unanimous verbal approvals.  The upcoming events including the April living history and picnic at CMP, the Forrest reinterment and National Museum grand opening as well as the Division and National Reunions were highlighted.  A number of announcements including a new communications protocol to enhance channels to the camp were presented.

Then, Commander Waldo presented curator and administrator of the Archives flag collection Ryan Blocker our annual donation, a check for $500 toward the continued work at the Archives of conservation of historical flags and the General Joseph Wheeler uniform.  Ryan gave an update on the total amount of donations received for these two important initiatives and the status and then led everyone on a tour of the Archives climate controlled collection room.  En route one display in the Archives foyer was highlighted which was the contents of a time capsule which was recently opened as part of the state's Bicentennial after being closed since the Sesquicentennial. 

Ryan did a superb job relating the stories surrounding a number of beautiful conserved flags and showed some Confederate uniform clothing and other artifacts culminating with the impressive Wheeler uniform.  One interesting flag Ryan showed the group was the flag known popularly as "The Republic of Alabama Flag", though Archives says it was not officially adopted by the Provisional Confederate Congress.  This flag flew over the Confederate Capitol (now Alabama Capitol) for about a month, from mid-January to mid-February 1861, when it was taken down on 10 February due to damage from high winds.  On one side of the flag is a representation of the Goddess of Liberty, holding in her right hand a sword unsheathed, and in her left, a small flag with one star.  In an arch just above this figure are the words, "Alabama - Independent Now and Forever." On the reverse side is depicted a cotton plant, with a rattlesnake coiled at its roots.  Immediately above the snake are the words "Noli me tangere." Also on the same side, appears the Coat of Arms of Alabama."   The pronunciation of the phrase is something like "NO lee MEH TAHN gah ray" and can be translated as "Touch me not" or, given the meaning of the word noli, "Don't think of touching me".  The phrase Noli me tangere is the Latin translation of what Jesus said to Mary when she tried to touch him after his Resurrection (he spoke to her in his native language, we assume, which was Aramaic).  In the centuries since, it has been used in various ways, but when used by the military of a country it generally means "Touch me not", "Don't Tread On Me", similar to the Gadsden flag. 

Amazing seeing these priceless historical treasures and a wonderful opportunity to enjoy Ryan's expert presentation.