Dragoons Camp Meeting – at Prattville Masonic Lodge on Thursday August 14th at 6:45pm
Dragoons Dixie Butt Fundraiser –Saturday, August 16th
Battle of Decatur Reenactment –Friday-Sunday, August 29-31st
Alabama UDC Convention –Friday-Saturday September 12-13th
Dragoons Fall Muster – Saturday in October TBD
Prattville's annual Cityfest, usually held in May was postponed due to inclement weather and was rescheduled for July and instead of lining Main Street in the downtown area, the field at the Autauga County Fairgrounds was the site for the Cityfest held on Saturday July 19th. Dozens of craft and food vendors braves the extreme heat to offer their products to a greatly diminished number of Cityfest patrons. Nonetheless the Dragoons of SCV Camp 1524 setup their booth that moring and manned it throughout the day til after 3pm. Dragoons present included Quartermaster Myrick who brought the canopy and all the camp stores and stayed the entire day, Brigade Commander Waldo, Treasurer Dennis (who also stayed all day), Color Sgt Leverette, Adjutant Butler and compatriot Schwartz. A few items out of the camp stores including 3x5ft flags and ballcaps and Confederate shot glasses were sold and a number of mini-Battle flags and SCV Alabama Division education posters were handed out to passers-by. A number of patrons stipped by to offer encouragement for the work the camp does in promoting Southern history and one area school teacher inquired about the camp making a presentation with reenactors portraying Confederate soldiers and President Jefferson Davis. While the traffic at this year's edition of Cityfest was disappointing, it is always a pleasure to meet our neighbors and promote Southern heritage by participating in these arae festivals and parades.
Members of the Dragoons of SCV Camp 1524 again did their duty in caring for the final resting place of a number of Confederate veterans as part of the SCV Guardian program, performing maintenance workdays at Robinson Springs cemetery in Millbrook on Saturday July 12th and the next week at Indian Hill cemetery. Comms Officer Davis used the camp's new weed trimmer and blower to cut around the headstones and markers at both cemteries. Compatriot Rob Schwartz tackled a massive overgrown greenbrier/smilax vine which had obscured the headstones of a couple of graves at Robinson Springs and fairly killed an azalea bush planted there. Quartermaster Myrick joined them at Robinson Springs that Saturday morning helping with his push mower cutting grass. Camp Commander Grooms and Treasurer Dennis are usual stalwarts with the cemetery maintenance initiative for Camp 1524 at these local cemeteries.
The Camp 1524 meeting for July was held on Thursday July 10th at the Prattville Masonic Lodge. Adjutant Butler gathered membership dues/renewals and new applications. Treasurer Dennis also gathered fundraiser monies and provided tickets for Dixie Butt sales. Light refreshments including colas, chips and cookies were served and compatriot Rob Schwartz entertained everyone upon arrival by playing his guitar and singing some wonderful songs. The meeting began at 6:45 pm hosted by Commander Harold Grooms who led everyone in the SCV Charge and provided updates on upcoming events and news following a Benediction and the pledges and salutes to the United States, Alabama and Confederate flags.
The speaker for the meeting was Larry Caver. Mr. Caver is the president of the Old Autauga Historical Society and has been involved in historical and genealogical research since 1989. Dragoons Treasurer Dennis is also a member and is integral in the camp's efforts in cemetery cleaning and maintenance as part of the SCV Guardian Program. History, especially on Old Autauga County and Alabama, is Larry's passion and he provided a dynamic educational discussion of the Prattville and Autauga county area history this evening. It was a well attended meeting and a great event for the camp.
First White House of the Confederacy Docent and Prattville Dragoon (Chapter 1524) member Jayson A. Altieri presented a copy of the July/August 2025 Confederate Veteran magazine, with the cover and feature article "The First White House" authored by Jayson, to Dr. Bob Weiland, Director of the FWHC on July 7, 2025.
Members of SCV Camp 1524, friends and family participated in the Prattville Independence Day parade the morning of July 4th. The camp had a great entry including walkers carrying the camp'd Independence Day banner and handing out candy to the spectators, Quartermaster Myrick's truck carrying a display of historic Alabama state flags, Brigade Commander Waldo's Charger driven by his wife and son showing off two combination Betsy Ross/Gadsden flags, and two members of the Alabama Division mechanized calvalry on their Harley Davidsons. It was a warm morning and everyone sought shade under the trees along Court Street before the parade commenced. The route took the parade down 4th street then over to Main Street and down Northijngton to Pratt Park. Walker included Chaplain Brantley and Comms Officer Eric Davis carrying the banner, Commander Waldo, Treasurer Dennis and compatriot Rob Schwartz hading out candy and also three members of the local UDC chapter Children of the Confederacy. Bill Myrick and his wife rode in their truck and Mech Cav Chaplain "Chop Chop" Atkins led the Harleys which are always a great hit with the parade spectators. A great way to lead into the holiday weekend and remind the local comunity that the Confederates fought for their independence for much the same reason as our founding fathers seceding from the British Empire.
