Olde Abbeville SCV Camp #39
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THE CONFEDERATE COURIER
Newsletter of Olde Abbeville Camp # 39
Sons of Confederate Veterans
March 2006
Charge to the Sons of Confederate Veterans:
"To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we submit the vindication of the Cause for which we fought; to your strength will be given the defense of the Confederate soldier's good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those principles he loved and which made him glorious and which you also cherish. Remember, it is your duty to see that the true history of the South is presented to future generations."
- Lt. General Stephen Dill Lee, Commander General, United
Confederate Veterans, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1906
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The Olde Abbeville Camp #39 - SCV will meet at 7:00pm on Monday, March 13, 2006 at the Grange Hall in Greenwood.
Compatriot Charles Hanson will be the special guest speaker. Charles is past-commander of the John M. Kinard Camp #35 - Newberry. Many will remember that Charles was a mustering officer for this camp when we re-chartered in 1994. He is a native of Greenwood but he has lived in Newberry for more than twenty years as an active member of Camp #35 and a student of Confederate History. He has done extensive research on the lynching & murder of Calvin Crozier, a Confederate soldier who was on his way home to Texas following Lee's surrender. Crozier was murdered by a regiment of occupying Yankees in Newberry. We will not tell more of this story now as it will be the topic for Compatriot Hanson's program. Charles has written a book about the tragedy and he also led a committee that honored the fallen Texas Confederate, Calvin Crozier by erecting a tablet marker in the town of Newberry. Charles will have copies of his book available for purchase. Be sure to support Charles and the Olde Abbeville Camp with your attendance next Monday evening.
Camp Mailing Address Change:
Johnny Lawrence is a Park Ranger and a resident of the `outback/wilderness' area surrounding Lowndesville. He also serves the Olde Abbeville Camp as Adjutant. The office of Adjutant is the most difficult job to have within the camp and Johnny is doing an outstanding job for us. In order to better serve the camp we have changed our mailing address to make it better for everyone and a little easier for our Adjutant. The new mailing address is:
Olde Abbeville Camp #39 - SCV; P.O. Box 228; Lowndesville, SC 29659
Camp Constitution:
Officers of Camp #39 have drafted a Camp Constitution which will be presented to the membership at the March meeting. Copies will also be made available to the membership not in attendance at a later date. This document will be helpful to all members and especially the officers of Camp #39 in the future. It is subject to approval by the membership at a later date.
SC Division Convention:
Like their grand-daddies did back during The War, the Ashley brothers will march off to Beaufort, SC and represent Camp #39 for the upcoming SC Division Convention. Maybe that is a stretch and they will no doubt ride in a nice car too, but Compatriots Jesse Ashley, L.O. Ashley, and Proctor Ashley will attend the convention on our behalf. It is important for each camp to be present at the convention so please take the opportunity to tell these men that you appreciate their efforts on behalf of the Olde Abbeville Camp.
News, Events and Other Opportunities:
Camp #39 is pleased to announce the new membership of Carl Davis Miller. Carl is a native of Greenwood and joins the camp upon the service records of Private Amsiah Harrington Miller, Company G; 13th South Carolina Infantry.
Lt. Commander Stan Price will offer the remaining Confederate neckties for sale at the March meeting at a cost of $5.00 per tie while supplies last. These ties are normally $10-15.
Compatriot Albert Burnett has acquired two professionally framed certificates for Fire Insurance, one signed by General Robert E. Lee before the War and the other signed by the rascal himself - Abraham Lincoln. Albert is donating these rare items to the camp to be used as items for fundraising. We will decide what will be done with these an upcoming meeting. These items will be on display at the upcoming meeting in March.
The James Miller Camp - SCV invites you to attend a brief Memorial service for Private James M. Miller to be held at his grave site in Pageland, SC on Saturday, March 25th, 2006. For more information, contact: Commander Mike Chapman at fvproductions$$direcway.com or telephone at 704-272- 0190. Note: please replace the $$ with @ to send email. (attempt to foil spammers)
ANNOUNCEMENT: OAKWOOD CEMETERY BILL PASSES - (March 6, 2006)
The Virginia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans congratulates the House of Delegates for passing SB 401 by a 94-2 vote. This bill was very important in that it provides funding for the beginning of the restoration of Oakwood Confederate Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. Oakwood Cemetery, containing 17,000 Confederate graves, has been in a state of total neglect. Soldiers from every Southern state except Missouri are buried at Oakwood. Senate Bill 401 will provide both the funding and legal status for the Virginia Division - SCV to change Oakwood from its present condition to one similar to other national cemeteries. This will also provide reason and opportunity for all Americans to visit the City of Richmond to learn about the War Between the States and why these men fought for the cause they died for. For further information, please contact Brag Bowling at 804.389.3620.
ANNOUNCEMENT: 5th Annual Fish Fry & Yard Sale sponsored by 1st SC Regiment Orr's Rifles Camp #1959
When: Saturday, April 1st, 2006 from 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Yard Sale starts at 8:00 AM.
Where: Walhalla Volunteer Firemen Hut #2; 207 E. North Broad St.; Walhalla, SC (behind the Fire Department). Event: $8.00 donation per plate. Proceeds to help support the following camp projects - Library Books & School Program; new Book Bags Program with school supplies for the needy and less fortunate children.
Prize drawings held for ticket holders; no age limit; do not have to be present to win. Advance tickets available. For directions and additional information please contact:
Henry E. Hopkins (Adjutant); PO Box 1141 - West Union, SC 29696
(864) 944-1895 or (864) 723-2900; email at: orrsrifles$$yahoo.com or hopkins58$$peoplepc.com Note: please replace the $$ with @ to send email. (attempt to foil spammers)
This month in Confederate History
For both countries, the month of March was usually a time for the armies to make final preparations before the roads would dry out and lead to the next campaign. March, 1865 was quite different however for General Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia. General Lee well understood that time was not on the side of the Confederacy. To wait until the rivers and road were passable would no doubt bring destruction upon his greatly outnumbered army, the city of Richmond, and the CSA. Grant's army was approaching 200,000 in number while General Lee's own army was daily shrinking. The remaining die-hard, battle-worn warriors in the trenches surrounding Petersburg and Richmond were barefooted, barely clothed, and starving. Records indicate that his army was down to less than 40,000 effectives and there were no more reinforcements coming. If that weren't bad enough for morale, the letters pouring in from home were pleas from their loved ones to come home and provide for them. It is inconceivable for any of us living today to imagine how hard those days could have been. It was a foregone conclusion that the Confederacy had failed to everyone but those men who remained in the ranks & file. God bless those men for such dedication and fortitude. How can we not be most proud to be kin to that generation of Americans?
Knowing that he had but little chance left, General Lee devised an audacious plan to strike a blow upon and break through Grant's defenses at Petersburg and threaten his supply depot at City Point. It was a daring plan but one not unlike so many others he made throughout his storied career as a soldier. He selected Georgia-born Major General John B. Gordon to lead what would prove later to be the last offensive attack by the Army of Northern Virginia. The pre-dawn attack on March 25th was at first a brilliant success having captured the garrisons of Fort Stedman and Batteries X, XI, and XII. However there were not enough men left within the Confederate ranks to sustain the attack and the Confederates were brought under a killing crossfire, and counterattacks. The breakthrough was finally contained and cut off by Union forces with more than 1,900 Confederates captured. The Confederates lost a total of 2,900 soldiers, the Yank's had lost only 950. Grant recognized this move for what it was - a desperate measure by Lee, and thus ordered an immediate attack along the entire Confederate front. This attack by Grant's overwhelming numbers forced Lee to evacuate Richmond and to march for a rendezvous with General Joe Johnston's Army of Tennessee. The meeting of these two Confederate armies was not to be. On April 9th, 1865, Lee found his army surrounded at a little hamlet called Appomattox Court House. More on that will be presented next month.
Deo Vindice
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LINKS
McGowan Band (Great Southern Music! Have released a new CD-Click here to obtain)
Sons of Confederate Veterans (National)
Sons of Confederate Veterans (S.C. Division)
Confederate Museum (16th Reg.--Greenville, S.C.)
William Farley OCR Chapter 15 (Laurens, S.C.)
Aw, Shucks (Southern News and Links)
Capt. Moses T. Fowler Camp 1721(Fountain Inn, S.C.)
Joe Wheeler Camp 1245 (Aiken, S.C.)
Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton Camp No. 273 (Columbia, S.C.)
Sons of Mars SCV Camp 1632 (Laurel Hill, N.C.)
Village Inn Bed and Breakfast (McClellanville, S.C.) (operated by an SCV member's wife--webmaster recommended)
Bill Hodges Gift of Life (please visit--they need your help--Thanks!)
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For information about the Sons of Confederate Veterans, call
1-800-MY DIXIE or 1-800-MY SOUTH.
If you find a broken link or wish to add a link to your WBTS related website, please contact the webmaster
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Burt-Starke Mansion, Abbeville, S.C.
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Be sure to visit and support the Confederate Museum located at 15 Boyce Avenue in Greenville, S.C. There is a link above to the museum's website.
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