Florida Blockade Runner

Florida Blockade Runner
Sons of Confederate Veterans - Florida Division
Volume 30, Issue 1
Winter 2013
12th Annual
Raid on
Fort Pearce
The 12th Annual Raid
on Ft. Pierce was held at the
Savannas Recreation Area in
Ft. Pierce, Florida , on December 8th and 9th. December
the 7th, was not only Pearl
Harbor Day, but was Fort
Pierce Raid School days.
Thursday evening the 6th we
had a brigade meeting to discuss the issues facing us over
the weekend, between ticket
sales, crowd control and parking. As usual the men of the
Mechanized Cavalry came
through again.
The event is sponsored by the SCV Camp
#1595, hosted by CSA 8th
Florida Volunteer Infantry
Company C and Federal 75th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Proceeds help Fund the event and Sons of Confederate
Veterans, George W. Thomas Camp 1595 Hunley award Scholarship Program.
Proceeds are also used by the Camp to place and maintain headstones for CSA soldiers, teach history in schools
and private organizations, assist with other scholarships, and keep our American heritage and patriotism alive.
The battle began at 2pm on Saturday and 1pm on Sunday. The bleachers were full and the audience was
very surprised to see the battle begin right in front of them! The rifles and canons are extremely loud even from a
distance. The canons roll like thunder under your feet and it’s a sound you don’t get used to.
After the final rifle salute, which was done in front of the bleachers, Wes Frank invited the spectators to
talk and ask questions of the re-enactors. The east coast is not as large as the west coast, but we do have a growing number of Cavalry troopers dedicated to the SCV and education. The 6 men of the cavalry played many roles,
many at the same time. Special thanks to the 10th Brigade for allowing Mr. and Mrs. Still to assist us, these dedicated members, spent all day sitting at the ticket booth selling tickets to the raid. The troopers worked the Parking
lot, crowd control, giving guidance as needed and showing off the SCVMC Colors. A special thanks goes out to
Larry Powell of Camp #61, Clint Jones of Camp #972, Jason Frank of Camp #663, James Pruitt of Camp #1429,
James Buchheit of Camp #1578, and Wesley Frank of Camp #662 for making this event a success.
Florida Blockade Runner - SCV Florida Division
Page 2
Sesquicentennial of the War Between The States
The 43rd Annual Florida Division Reunion
Ocala, Florida – May 31 - June 2, 2013
Honoring Florida Confederate Soldiers
Reunion REGISTRATION FORM
Quantity
Registration Fee: Members Only
Total
If Postmarked By May 15th
_______
X $35.00
$_________
After May 15th
_______
X $45.00
$_________
SCV Division Awards Luncheon:
_______
X $20.00
$_________
_______ X $30.00 Banquet: $_________ The banquet meal includes - Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, Southern Fried Chicken or BBQ Chicken, Pulled Pork, Fried
Catfish, Baked Beans, Corn on the Cobb, Mashed Potatoes, Corn Bread & Home Style Apple Crisp Cobbler
Total Remitted:
$__________
NOTE: We will not be able to take meal reservations received after May 15th
Please Make Checks Payable To:
SCV Florida Division Inc
NAME: ________________________________________Guest:________________________________
ADDRESS: __________________________________________________________________________
City: ______________________________ State:_____________ Phone: __________________________
CAMP NAME & NUMBER: _____________________________________________________________
Please Mail Registration Form & Check to:
3rd LT. COMMANDER DONALD C. YOUNG, 285 MILFORD POINT RD, MERRITT ISLAND, FL 32952
Florida Blockade Runner - SCV Florida Division
Page 3
Message from the Florida Division Commander
I hope you and your family enjoyed Christmas, the holiday season and spending quality time
together. The Christmas season has deep roots in our Southern Culture and we must preserve them.
As we begin this new year, I hope it is with a renewed strength and conviction to defend the memory
of our beloved Confederate Soldiers. There will be numerous venues this year to support our heritage
and I want to encourage each of you to make the time to participate in your Camp’s and or another
Camp’s activities. Remember what you do does make a difference.
Incorporate educational opportunities into as many Camp events as possible. Most people have not been
taught the truth about our South and it is up to us to educate them. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy your
Camp’s functions, your enthusiasm and knowledge will be contagious and inspire others to learn the truth.
Respectfully
Florida Division Commander
The 43rd Annual
Florida Division Reunion
Hotel Location Change
for this Convention
This years Reunion will be held at the Holiday Inn
& Conference Center located on the west side of I
-75 & S.R. 200 in Ocala. The address is 3600 SW
38th Ave., Ocala, Florida 34474
For reservations call 877 622-5211 and please reference the SCV Convention for special convention room rates of
$89.00 per night for double occupancy.
The Florida Blockade Runner is mailed four times a year by the Florida Division of Confederate Veterans. Regular subscription
price is $15.00 a year. Please direct all editorial mail and advertising copy to the following e-mail address: [email protected]. This publication assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts which are not accompanied by selfaddressed mailer with return postage affixed. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this issue or portions thereof in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and
retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the publisher. All subscription inquiries should be addressed to Jeffrey
Sizemore, 1731 Woodside Court, Kissimmee, FL 34744. He can be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
Florida Blockade Runner - SCV Florida Division
Page 4
Ancestor Memorial for the 2013 Division Program
Ancestor memorials are $5.00 for the 2013 Florida Division Reunion program.
Please complete the memorial information below and forward this form along with your check to 3rd LT. Commander Donald Young,
285 Milford Point RD, Merritt Island, FL 32952. Deadline for memorials is May 10, 2013. Please make checks payable to the
SCV Florida Division Inc.
Your Name: _________________________________________________________________________
Ancestors Relation: _________________________________________________________________
Ancestors Name: ____________________________________________________________________
Ancestors Rank: _____________________________________________________________________
Ancestors Company & Regiment: ___________________________________________________
Ancestors Branch of Service: _______________________________________________________
Qty:_________ X $5.00 = Total: _________________
Commander Douglass Dawson Memorial
The Florida Division has created a memorial fund in the memory of Past Florida Division Commander Doug Dawson. The memorial fund will purchase a bench to be placed at the White
Springs Flag Site to honor his memory.
Doug Dawson commanded the Florida Division from 2004 till June 2012 and during that time
he constantly promoted the division and our Southern Heritage. No division commander has
impacted the division in as many areas as Commander Dawson did. Help us preserve his memory.
Donations and questions concerning the memorial should be directed to Larry Powell at;
E-mail [email protected]
US mail:
13295 80th Lane N. W.
Palm Beach, FL 33412
Home# (561) 795-9494,
Cell# (561) 248-5414
Checks Should Be Made To The Florida Division SCV
Editors Emeritus
Richard Warner
Lester Williams
Doug Dawson
Ron Thomas
Donald Lee Wehr
Jeffrey Sizemore
Mark D. Lowe
George S. Catoe
Kevin Spargur
John H. Ratliff
Dean Boggs
E. J. Stanley
John W. Adams
A. Robert Kuykendal
James S. Davis
Florida Blockade Runner - SCV Florida Division
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Stephen D. Lee Institute Scholarship
The Florida Division awarded 5th Brigade Commander Byron Peavy a scholarship to this year’s Stephen D. Lee Institute for
his work with the Division’s Confederate Cemetery or Monument Registration Project. For the period of July 1, through December 31, 2012, Commander Peavy recorded more cemetery and Confederate Monument GPS locations than anyone else in
the Division.
Commander Peavy’s valuable assistance to this program can’t be overstated. Through his efforts we now have completed the
survey in several North East Florida Counties.
I sincerely hope other Division members throughout the state will join Commander Peavy and begin assisting with this project.
Jim Davis
Commander, Florida Division
Meritorious Commendation
The Camps listed below are to be commended for their valuable support of the Stephen D. Lee Institute held in St.
Augustine. They are directly responsible for the institute’s success and the Division’s ability to host it.
Gen. Jubal A. Early Camp 556
Col. David Lang Camp 1314
Capt. J.J. Dickison Camp 1387
Finley’s Brigade Camp 1614
Kirby Smith Camp 1209
William W. Loring Camp 1316
Jacob Summerlin Camp 1516
Judah P. Benjamin Camp 2210
Florida Blockade Runner - SCV Florida Division
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Volunteer
Of late I have had the word “Volunteer” flung at me many times. So I figured I would examine and dissect this word
since it’s of the general opinion that as a volunteer, no one can require a “Volunteer” to do anything. I started out by looking it
up in the dictionary, and the following are excerpts from this book. Vol-un-teer = 1. A person who performs or offers a
service voluntarily. 2. Law= A person who renders aid, performs a service, or assumes an obligation voluntarily. 3. To preform of offer a service of one’s own free will. 4. To offer oneself for particular task, of one’s own free will. 5. A person who
offers to do, or does, something (especially who joins the Army) of his own free will.
As one can see, a volunteer is someone who voluntarily sought an out organization and offered themselves up for service. In
some organizations an oath was required to show ones devotion to the cause and in doing so, swore an oath and swore also to
comply and honor that oath to the best of their ability. In doing this, they have done the same as did their ancestor when they
“Volunteered” to fight for the Cause.
We are “Volunteers” as were our ancestors and as they did, we also swore and oath when we joined our organizations’ Sons of Confederate Veterans and we need to revisit and read the oath from time to time to remind us why we chose the
volunteer path. Our word is our bond as it was during the time of our ancestors, and it still rings true to this day.
We as the leaders need to keep reminding ourselves and our men of our duty and the oath we all took, in order to remain
strong and resolute, as we continue to hold fast to the title of the second oldest veterans group in America. We bare the torch
of our Southern Heritage for the generations yet to come. And by doing so we set in stone a guarantee for our generations
that our heritage as well as theirs will not fade into history as so many others seem to be doing in these dark and uncertain
times. So you see, we are way more than mere “Volunteers”, way more. Every camp commander before he closes his camp
meeting should remind his members, how important it is to keep in their hearts the words Compatriot, Honor, Duty, and Heritage which are more than just mere words, they are words that describe all that our ancestors fought and died for and now
those words describe us.
I wonder what will be said of our generation on how well we did!
Deo Vindice
William H. Nicholson
Florida Division Adjutant
ORDER OF CONFEDERATE ROSE
FLORIDA SOCIETY
2013 STATE REUNION
May 31 -+ June 2, 2013
OCALA, FLORIDA
The host hotel for the event is the Holiday Inn & Conference Ctr. Located at I-75 & SR 200. For reservations call 877-6225211. Make your reservation early & mention the SCV for the special convention rate. Cost is $ 89.00 per night double occupancy.
This year the Society reunion will be hosted by OCR State Society.
Please send check or money order to:
Lisa Morgan, Treasurer OCRFS
603 Shadeville Road
Crawfordville, Florida 32327
We must receive registration with fee prior to May 15th. After the 15th you will need to register at the reunion. Registration fee includes
a light continental breakfast Saturday morning. Please get your reservation in early.Please make checks payable to : Order of Confederate Rose Fl Society Corp
Ladies if you plan to attend the SCV Division Banquet or luncheon you must do so using the SCV form. Use this link http://
www.florida-scv.org . Be sure to make the check payable to the SCV.
Florida Blockade Runner - SCV Florida Division
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SECRET AGENTS (Southern style)
By Bob Hurst
There is an expression, often cited, which goes something like this: "May you live in interesting times." Even though
this sounds quite benign, it is actually a curse whose true meaning expresses a desire for the receiver of this grammatical gem
to experience trouble and disorder in their life. The irony of the statement is that "uninteresting times" in one's life - those of
peace, tranquility and bliss - are actually the times that provide the best life experiences.
I thought of this expression recently while watching a news channel on television that was doing a story on the latest
thing to come out of government insuring that we all live in "interesting times". This story involved the use of drones to fly
over towns, neighborhoods, homes, wherever, which would give the controller of the drone the ability to spy on anyone of
their choosing. It is not a pretty picture to contemplate and I began thinking wouldn't it be nice if "we the people" had spies all
over Washington to report back to us the goings-on of our "masters" there in the district of corruption.
That thought, as do so many others, started me thinking about another time when there was a highly effective spy network in Washington providing much useful information to another group of "good guys" who, in this case, happened to be
those fighting for independence for the South during the first part of the 1860's. Yes, folks, there were Confederate spies
aplenty in Washington during that period and they formed a highly effective espionage network. This article will be a brief
summary of a few of the activities of some of those remarkable Southerners.
There is a difficulty in writing about Confederate spies (or any spies for that matter) since the very best ones, unless they
wrote their memoirs, remain unknown and shrouded in mystery. For instance, there is evidence that one Confederate spy
spent the entire war working in the office of the chief of counterintelligence for the federal government completely unbeknownst to anyone in that agency. A name has been tagged to this Confederate operative, but more than likely it is not his real
name. This guy was good!
Because of the nature of this beast, in this article I will focus primarily on those better-known Confederate clandestine
operatives and operations about which much has been written or the participants penned memoirs.
Let me begin by saying that there were likely far more Southern "spies" than even imagined. This is because Washington is surrounded by Southern-friendly states. Virginia, on one side, was the titular head of the Confederate States and
Maryland, on the other three sides, was full of Southern sympathizers and the state would likely have seceded and joined the
Confederacy had not Lincoln had more than fifty members of the state legislature arrested and imprisoned before a secession
vote could be taken. Nothing quite like having a president who disregards the Constitution of this country (although tempted,
I will pursue this line of thought no further).
Most of the cadre of secret agents aiding the Southern Cause did not have to go through extensive training on spying
techniques or find some way to work themselves into some critical position within the federal government. They had merely
to continue living in their homes, leading their lives normally and going to work each day where their government job required them to be and, all the while, keeping their eyes and ears open. Some were staff personnel who, on a daily basis , were
likely exposed to information that would be beneficial to the Southern war effort. Many more were minor officials in various
federal agencies and, as such, were well-situated for espionage. Others, as I will mention later, were in high government positions.
Actually, many who were devoted to the South began establishing a Confederate secret intelligence system long before secession. These operatives, when it became obvious that hostilities were inevitable between the North and the South, set
about establishing a system of secret intelligence and secret communications.
Another element that played a vital role in establishing this espionage system was the involvement of the secret society
known as the Knights of the Golden Circle. The KGC not only provided spies for the South but also performed other subversive acts to undermine Union military efforts. Throughout the War the KGC provided to the Confederate government much
classified information on Union military activities and troop numbers. Very little is known of the total scope of activities of
this organization because of the ultra-secret nature of the society.
As I mentioned earlier, some of the Confederates engaged in espionage held high government posts. One prime example
of this is John B. Floyd who served as Secretary of War under President James Buchanan and did not leave that position until
the end of 1860. It has long been rumored (and speculated upon) that Secretary Floyd, well before the firing started, had ordered federal munitions stored in Southern arsenals so that Confederates could easily seize them once fighting began. Giving
strong credence to this supposition is the fact that John B. Floyd was commissioned a Confederate brigadier general on May
23, 1861, less than five months after he left his position as United States Secretary of War. Coincidence, I guess.
Another example of a highly-placed Confederate sympathizer was Jacob Thompson who served as Secretary of the Interior under President Buchanan. It was Thompson who notified Confederate forces of the voyage of the STAR OF THE WEST
that was attempting to smuggle food and troops surreptitiously into Fort Sumter. Confederate forces were ready for the steamer and were able to drive it away.
There were at least three Confederate spy rings that operated in Washington at various times. It is unlikely that any of
these rings were connected since it is a sound principle of intelligence practice that various intelligence organizations operate
independent of others.
Florida Blockade Runner - SCV Florida Division
Page 8
The first Confederate spy net was established by Thomas Jordan who, at the time, was a captain in the U.S. Army.
Jordan was a native Virginian who, to me, was one of the most interesting Confederate figures to come out of the War. His
West Point roommate had been William Tecumseh Sherman and I've wondered if this might be one of the reasons he became
such a solid Confederate. Jordan maintained his Union Army ties until he had his spy ring well established. He then turned
management of this organization over to Mrs. Rose O'Neal Greenhow (likely in early 1861) and joined the Confederate Army
where his entire service was as a staff officer. He was promoted to brigadier general for gallantry at Shiloh. He was a prolific
writer and, after the War, made many contributions to that fine compendium of the War, BATTLES AND LEADERS OF
THE CIVIL WAR. Altogether a very interesting and accomplished person.
Tom Jordan had done his work so well in organizing his spy ring that it could continue to operate effectively without him
under the astute management of Mrs. Greenhow. (Note: The August 2009 CONFEDERATE JOURNAL article was about
Belle Boyd and Rose O'Neal Greenhow - two outstanding female spies for the Confederacy.) Rose Greenhow was a charming
Southern lady who was a leader of Washington society. She was one of that cadre of attractive Southern women who maintained homes in the District and continued to ply their charms on Northern officers - much to the benefit of the Confederacy.
Rose Greenhow had been a fixture in Washington society since a young lady and her deceased husband had been a State
Department official. With this background and her good looks, she was able to maintain connections with many highly-placed
government types. Among those she entertained regularly at her fine home were Secretary of State William Seward; Senator
Henry Wilson of Massachusetts, Chairman of the Military Affairs Committee; and Senator Joseph Lane of Oregon, also a
member of the Military Affairs Committee.
It has been a shortcoming on the part of males throughout history that when in the presence of an attractive and charming
woman they tend to lose their inhibitions and their common sense. Rose Greenhow was able to glean incredible bits of sensitive information from her many highly-positioned admirers. She received intimate love letters fron Senator Wilson and she
commented upon how the cold and standoffish Seward could become quite affable and talkish when plied with various libations.
However she got the information, Rose was incredibly adept at gathering intelligence information beneficial to the Southern Cause. She was able to report to the Confederate government contents of correspondence between the commander of the
U.S. Army, General Winfield Scott, and the chairman of the Senate Military Affairs Committee. She was able to learn the
exact plans of General George McClellan and General Irvin McDowell on numerous occasions. She was also able to gather
other tid-bits such as where guards for Abraham Lincoln would be stationed at various times. It was only after the arrest and
imprisonment of Rose Greenhow and her daughter that Northern intelligence operations began to close the gap between their
effectiveness and that of the Confederates in the field of espionage.
And, while speaking of Abraham Lincoln, his wife was a Kentuckian who had a brother, three half brothers and three
brothers-in-law serving in the Confederate Army. It was frequently said that during the first few months of the conflict every
decision made by Lincoln's cabinet was known in Richmond within twenty-four hours. Could it have been...nah, I won't even
go there. They didn't get along very well, though. I also recall reading that there was discussion at one point by some northern
senators who wanted Mrs. Lincoln brought up on charges of treason. Interesting.
Well, it certainly seems that our ancestors of this period lived in some "interesting times". Unfortunately, we are also
living in "interesting times" when you consider the condition of the economy in this country, the world financial situation, our
joblessness here, the staggering national debt that we are living under, our troops overseas and the constant threat of more
involvement, the continuing breakdown of our society, the constant crime in our society, the ever-increasing partisanship on
the part of the national media, the continuing turning-away of this country from our Christian roots, and the list goes on.
To conclude this article I would like to say that my personal preference , especially now that I have grown a bit older, is
to live in peaceful, tranquil, I guess what could be called "uninteresting times". I do realize, however, that living in
"interesting times" - those times of danger, turmoil and uncertainty - is not all bad. It is frequently during these "interesting
times" that the creative genius of man is unleashed (frequently of necessity) and some truly amazing technological and social
advances are made.
My wish for myself, and for all of you who read this column, is that the next few decades are filled with the uninteresting
times of peace and tranquility.
DEO VINDICE
Note: Previous articles of CONFEDERATE JOURNAL are available in book form. Articles from 2005 through 2007 are in Volume 1 and
can be ordered online at http://createspace.com/3540609. Articles from 2008 through 2009 are in Volume 2 and can be ordered at http://
createspace.com/3543269.
Bob Hurst is a Son of the South who has special interests in the Confederacy and the antebellum architecture of the South. He is Commander of Col. David Lang Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans, in Tallahassee and is also 2nd Lt. Commander of the Florida Division,
SCV. He can be contacted at [email protected] or 850-878-7010 (after 9 PM).
Florida Blockade Runner - SCV Florida Division
Page 9
Proposed Amendments to Florida Division By-Laws
Amendment # 1:
As it currently reads:
ARTICLE VI - DUES
1. The dues to be paid to the Florida Division by each active member of the Division in good standing, shall be ten dollars
($10.00) per year, which amount may be changed at any annual meeting, by a two-thirds vote of the members present at such
meeting. Provided, however, at least thirty (30) days written notice of any proposal to change the amount of annual dues
shall be given to all members prior to such annual meeting, which notice may be by publication in The Florida Blockade
Runner newsletter.
Proposed Change:
ARTICLE VI - DUES
1. The dues to be paid to the Florida Division by each active member of the Division in good standing, shall be fifteen dollars ($15.00) per year, which amount may be changed at any annual meeting, by a two-thirds vote of the members present at
such meeting. Provided, however, at least thirty (30) days written notice of any proposal to change the amount of annual
dues shall be given to all members prior to such annual meeting, which notice may be by publication in The Florida Blockade Runner newsletter.
Rationale:
Division dues have not increased in roughly 12 or more years. However, printing, postage, and handling costs for the Blockade Runner have more than trippled in this time-frame. Additionally, operating expenses for services have increased. Even
trimming costs as much as possible, the Division still faces operational expenses that have increased when dues have remained the same as they were over a decade ago, leaving no extra monies for projects, scholarship programs, and the like.
Dues were $5 in 1994, and have only gone up one time since then. It is time to face reality and cover our costs more completely.
Note: This will automatically increase the Division Life membership fee from $150 to $225, if passed, since the Life Member fee is a factor (15 times) of annual dues. It will also increase the Legionairre annual fee to $15, as this will be the default
annual Blockade Runner subscription cost if implemented.
Submitted by Past Division Cdr. John W. Adams, C.S.S. Florida, Camp 102, Orlando
Amendment #2
As it currently reads:
ARTICLE VIII - NEWSLETTER
1. The Florida Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, shall publish quarterly a newsletter, The Florida Blockade Runner
as of January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1, of each year. A copy of same shall be sent to each member of the Florida
Division in good standing, provided such member is listed by name and address in the Camp's Roster attached to the
dues submission to the Florida Division, due not later than November 1 of each year. The names and addresses of new
members, all changes of addresses of old members and members dropped or transferred are to be reported by the Camp
to the Division Adjutant within 10 days of date information is available to the Camp. The Division Adjutant will provide
a copy of the information to the Editor of The Florida Blockade Runner.
Proposed Change:
ARTICLE VIII – NEWSLETTER
Replace the first sentence with the following text : The Florida Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans shall publish the
newsletter, The Florida Blockade Runner, in printed and mailed form in the following editions: winter, spring, and fall of
each year. A member may opt to receive these editions along with other publications and notices in electronic form by informing the Florida Division Adjutant.”
Florida Blockade Runner - SCV Florida Division
Page 10
Would read if adopted:
ARTICLE VIII – NEWSLETTER
1. The Florida Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans shall publish the newsletter, The Florida Blockade Runner, in printed
and mailed form in the following editions: winter, spring, and fall of each. A member may opt to receive these editions along
with other publications and notices in electronic form by informing the Florida Division Adjutant. A copy of same shall be
sent to each member of the Florida Division in good standing, provided such member is listed by name and address in the
Camp's Roster attached to the dues submission to the Florida Division, due not later than November 1 of each year. The names
and addresses of new members, all changes of addresses of old members and members dropped or transferred are to be reported by the Camp to the Division Adjutant within10 days of date information is available to the Camp. The Division Adjutant
will provide a copy of the information to the Editor of The Florida Blockade Runner.
Justification: The continued rise in printing and mailing costs will negatively affect the Divisions finances. The cost savings
can be directed to such project such as the constructing and maintaining of Flags Across Florida sites. Electronic versions also
provide members more content and a faster publication since it will not be delayed by printing and mailing issues that have
arose from time to time.
Submitted by Camp Adjutant Jeff Sizemore, CSS Florida SCV Camp #102 who also serves as Florida Division Editor
Footman Camp Finishes
Project at
The Old Ft. Myers
Cemetery
Well folks it is with much excitement and pride
that I announce the Confederate Grave restoration/
location project at the Old Ft Myers Cemetery is now
complete. Since late September the Camp has 1) located
2)documented 3) mapped 4) Sanded/paineted restored
15 CSA Iron Crosses 5) had the wrought iron fence
around the unknown soldier(s) sandblasted/primered
painted and the two iron ornamental knobs replaced 6)
installed 45 NEW CSA markers one on each grave 7)
Installed new flags that attatch to the markers on each
grave
Alot of brainstorming and effort went into this endeavour, it is one that the Footman Camp, the SCV, and the
community can be very proud. Thanks to all whom gave
their time, effort, and personal finances to make this
happen. Myself , Weyman Edmunson, and Sean McFall
finshed the project this morning. I will have the mapping completed and taken to the Engineering/Arch printing place this week
Three Cheers for Dixie
Cmdr Gates
Florida Blockade Runner - SCV Florida Division
Page 11
Iron Cross Dedication
On the morning of October 13, 2012... The Confederate Cow Cavalry SCV #2181, of Arcadia FL, and the Capt.
Francis A. Hendry Camp #1284 of Sebring Fl of SCV FLDIV 11th Brigade, held an Iron Cross Dedication to honor five
Florida Confederate Veterans: (1) Pvt. Elias Johnson,1st FL Regt. Inf., Hawkins Co.; (2) Pvt. Thomas A. Pollard Co K 4th
Regt. Inf., Capt. John Lesley’s Co; (3) Pvt. Henry R. Hill, Co E 7th Fl Regt., Capt W.S.Blount’s Co.; (4) Pvt. John B. Gunter, Co B 7th Fl Regt. Inf., Capt J.W.Whidden’s Co.; and (5) Cpl. Bryant R. Welch, Co H 9th Fl Regt., Capt. A. Stewart’s
Co.
They were also assisted by The Emeline Piggot Chapter #24 OCRFS also of Arcadia, Fl, The General Jubal A. Early SCV Camp #556 Color Guard of Tampa, Fl and also Capt. John Wesley, Whidden UDC Chapter # 2501, Lake Placid,
Fl, 5th Lt Cmdr Bobby Smith opened and asked God’s Blessings on this day and on all of the descendants that the war had
left behind.
They were also assisted by The Emeline Piggot Chapter #24 OCRFS also of Arcadia, Fl
The General Jubal A. Early SCV Camp #556 Color Guard of Tampa, Fl and also Capt. John Wesley
Whidden UDC Chapter # 2501, Lake Placid, Fl
5th Lt Cmdr Bobby Smith opened and asked God’s Blessings on this day and on all of the descendants that the war had left
behind.
The sun was shining and the wind was blowing when CIC Michael Givens stepped to the podium to speak. This
part of his Speech will be with us all for a long time.
"All the Union monuments stand as and eloquent witness to the prowess of the ragged, so-called rebels and the genius of
their leaders...We may tolerate this bronzing of fools, but we understand what a tough job it was for the three million Union
soldiers, with their magnificent outfit, to overcome and subdue the 700,000 Confederates, poorly fed, poorly clothed and
poorly equipped, in their quest for freedom and liberty. But we're here today to honor a few of the 700,000 defenders with
these humble markers that we've put with them today and by honoring the few, we honor all. Its right and it's good that we
do so."
FLDIV Commander James Davis gave us great encouragement when he spoke, he then presented his first, Capt. J.
J. Dickinson Leadership Awards to, Tim Hill, Leon Arthur and David Poteat.
S.C.V., Florida Division, Inc.
1731 Woodside Court
Kissimmee, FL 34744-6660
Non-Profit Org
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit # 1127
Orlando, FL
Orlando, FL
11th Brigade Cmdr. Tim Hill told about all the hard work the groups sponsoring this had done in preparation for this day.
Followed by #1284 Cmdr. David Poteat and #2181 Cmdr. Leon Arthur, both thanked everyone for coming
to honor these men for their service, special recognition went to the Corinth Primitive Baptist Church for all their
help in getting this done, they graciously had the Bathrooms opened for everyone there. The Bereah Cemetery is
on their Church property.
Then, Cmdr Poteat called Evelyn Arthur to the podium to thank her for all the work she had put in coordinating this dedication and made her blush!!
As Oct 12th was the Anniversary of the death of Gen Robert E. Lee, Ric Poteat and Matt Christian sang his
favorite hymn “How firm a Foundation”
As each Soldiers name was called out, a widow was escorted to his grave site and placed flowers there,
then as his history was read, a child left behind was also escorted by a soldier to the gravesite to uncover the cross
and remain with the widow. It was a very impressive ceremony. Some of the histories were read by direct descendants of the soldiers.
The wind blowing made all of the flags unfurl beautifully, the Honor Guard was a site to behold. As the
histories came to an end, Brian Gilmore of camp #556 honored each of the soldier’s graves with the last drink ceremony (water from a single canteen was put on each grave). While Honor Guard Commander; Wayne Sweat
played “Come Ye to Zion” on the banjo, this was very moving’.
The at the conclusion of the service, the cannons then went off with Compatriots From Camp # 1950 Eric
Smith firing “Sarah” and Tom Fyock firing “Ruth”.
Members of the Gen .Jubal Early Honor Guard; were Greg Caulley, Art Davis, Troy Sweat, Brian Gilmore.
Stan Hankins, Dave Tinnell, Jeff Cotton, Bud Downing, Tom” Critter” McDaniels, David King, and Commander
Wayne Sweat.
After all had ended, a lot of us had a picnic there on the grounds, and took time for a nice visit. A lot of
other SCV camps were in attendance as well as several UDC and OCR Chapters, and quite a few Mechanized
Cavalry, and of course descendants of the soldiers and interested people.