SCV PASSES SLRC’S RESOLUTION; JONESBOROUGH BOYCOTT IS OFFICIAL

HOT SPRINGS, AR – A resolution calling for an economic boycott of the town of Jonesborough, Tennessee, was adopted unanimously Saturday at the annual convention of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, held this year in Hot Springs.

The resolution was drafted and submitted by SCV members on the staff of the Southern Legal Resource Center, a nonprofit organization that advocates for civil rights in connection with Southern heritage issues. It was prompted after Jonesborough officials abruptly altered their policy on the wording of memorial bricks for Confederate veterans at the town’s Veterans’ Park.

The memorial bricks, purchased and paid for by individual donation, are inscribed with the names, units and dates of service of individual local veterans from the Revolutionary War to the present day. Earlier this year, however, town administrators refused to accept applications for bricks in memory of Confederate soldiers, on the grounds that Confederate soldiers did not qualify as U.S. Veterans. Several bricks honoring Union soldiers and inscribed accordingly were already in place at that time. In June the SLRC warned the town that its policy was discriminatory and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to allow Confederate bricks. But at its July meeting the Board reversed itself and said that henceforth all bricks purchased for veterans serving in the 1861-65 conflict would simply be inscribed “Civil War,” with no Union or Confederate designation. Citizens who ordered, or intended to order, bricks for Confederate veterans feel betrayed by the town’s action, which they consider a bad-faith attempt to attract revenue while circumventing the Confederate designation issue.

The SCV, comprised entirely of the descendents of Confederate servicemen, has a total membership of about 32,000 throughout the United States and in several foreign countries. About 2,500 members live in Tennessee.

The text of the boycott resolution is as follows:

SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS 2009 INTERNATIONAL REUION

A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE IMMEDIATE ECONOMIC BOYCOTT OF THE TOWN OF JONESBOROUGH, TENNESSEE

WHEREAS The town of Jonesborough, Washington County, Tennessee, has and maintains a public park known as Veterans’ Park; and

WHEREAS A portion of this park has been set aside to be paved with granite memorial bricks inscribed with the names of veterans who served in all American wars from the Revolutionary War to the present day, together with the names of their respective units and the conflict during which these veterans served; and

WHEREAS The cost of producing and inscribing these bricks is paid for by individual donations from private citizens in memory of specific veterans; and

WHEREAS The memorial area already contains bricks honoring several Union veterans of the Civil War and duly inscribed “U.S. Army”; and

WHEREAS In the spring of 2009 several persons sought to purchase such bricks in honor of Confederate veterans, only to have such purchase refused by the Town of Jonesborough on the grounds that Confederate soldiers were not United States veterans; and

WHEREAS On behalf of these citizens the Southern Legal Resource Center informed the Hon. Kelly Wolfe, Mayor of Jonesboro, by letter of June 3, 2009, of the discriminatory nature of such exclusion of Confederate veterans, enclosing copies of documents from the United States Department of Veterans’ Affairs (now the Veterans’ Administration) establishing the practice of supplying gravestones for Confederate Soldiers, and a copy of Public Law 85-425, as adopted May 23, 1958, establishing federal pensions for surviving Confederate veterans; and

WHEREAS The Jonesborough Town Council, at its meeting on June 9, 2009, voted to allow bricks honoring Confederate Veterans, formatted in the same manner as all other such bricks, to be included in the Veterans’ Park memorial area; and

WHEREAS At its meeting on July 13, 2009, the Town Council amended its previous action and stated that bricks honoring Confederate as well as future bricks honoring Union Civil War Veterans would be inscribed “Civil War” with no reference to either Confederate or Union service; and

WHEREAS This action violates both express representations made to persons desiring to purchase Confederate veterans’ bricks, and also contradicts the precedent already established with respect to Union soldiers’ bricks already in place; and

WHEREAS The Town of Jonesborough has thus acted in bad faith and out of a cynical and self-serving sense of political expediency, and has caused great disappointment and distress to citizens seeking to memorialize Confederate veterans;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans in convention assembled and acting on behalf of its 32,000 members in toto, does hereby encourage our membership to refrain from doing any business of any sort with, or spending any monies whatsoever in, the Town of Jonesborough for any goods or services whatsoever; and that all SCV members, individually and through their respective Camps, Brigades and Divisions, to make such boycott known to the general public and encourage all citizens within their respective spheres of acquaintance and influence, likewise to participate in such boycott.

ADOPTED IN CONVENTION AT HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS, THIS THE 25th DAY OF JULY, 2009.

Remembering the Battle of Atlanta

By Calvin E. Johnson Jr.

July marks the 145th Anniversary of the Battle of Atlanta that marked the beginning of the end of the Southern people's quest for independence.

Are today’s children taught about the War Between the States battles of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Jonesboro, Fredericksburg, Pea Ridge, Vicksburg, Kennesaw Mountain, Nashville and Atlanta that ultimately led to Gen. William T. Sherman’s March to the Sea?

Did you know that Confederate Brigadier Gen. Stand Watie, an American Indian, held the highest rank on either side, Union or Confederate, or that Black Confederates helped defend Atlanta and are buried on the grounds of a famous Atlanta Black University?

In July, 1864, a free-black man, Soloman (Sam) Luckie, was leaning against a gas lamp post in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The Atlanta barber was talking to a group of businessmen when a cannon shell burst wounded him. The white businessmen took him to their surgeon where he died from the wounds. Luckie may have been one of the first casualties of General Sherman's assault on Atlanta. A street was later named in his memory.

This gas lamp that proved unlucky for Sam Luckie was one of 50 gas lamps erected by the Atlanta Gas Light Company in 1856 and the only one to survive the War Between the States. This famous lamp was relit on December 15, 1939, in conjunction with the World Premiere of the movie "Gone with the Wind" in Atlanta, Georgia. It stood for many years on the corner of Whitehall (now Peachtree) and Mitchell Street. It was moved to Underground Atlanta when construction began on the Five Points MARTA Rail Station.

One hundred sixteen years after the War Between the States Battle of Atlanta, a memorial event took place at the Neiman Marcus Department Store at Atlanta, Georgia's Lenox Square Shopping Mall. A special Battle of Atlanta Tea was held here starting in 1980. The programs for this occasion included speeches by noted historians; Mr. Virlyn Moore, Mr. Judson Ward and the late great Mr. Franklin M. Garrett. Garrett was the official Historian for the City of Atlanta and served as Director of the Atlanta Historical Society. History is always alive in Atlanta, Ga. Check the many events at: www.AtlantaHistoryCenter.com

The Battle of Atlanta Tea, held through the early 1980s, was a big success due to the efforts of Mrs. Elizabeth Edmondson, Mrs. Sally White of Nieman Marcus, the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Sons of Confederate Veterans. www.scv.org

Atlanta's historic "Cyclorama", http://www.webguide.com/cyclorama.html, located at Grant Park, is a jewel of a painting depicting the Battle of Atlanta. A short distance from here is Historic Oakland Cemetery, http://www.oaklandcemetery.com. that is the final resting place to many Confederate soldiers some of whom died during the Battle of Atlanta.

Many people supported the Battle of Atlanta Tea in the 1980s. A reception room was set up with food and refreshment and the walls were adorned with Confederate and United States flags. The women wore ante-bellum attire and men wore Confederate uniforms. Confederate reenactors, with replica black powder period rifles, stood guard at store entrances and escalators to give directions and tell stories from the past.

Can you imagine such an event happening today? Our school bands no longer play "Dixie" but Dixie was played during the Battle of Atlanta Commemorations.

The Battle of Atlanta took place south of the Carter Center, down to the intersection of Moreland Avenue and Interstate 20 and around Glenwood Avenue, Memorial Drive and Clay Street.

During the Battle of Atlanta the Confederate forces were first commanded by General Joseph E. Johnston and later by General John Bell Hood. The Union Forces were under command of General William Tecumseh Sherman. The main Union force was the Army of the Tennessee under Major General James B. McPherson who was killed during the Atlanta battle.

2011 will mark the 150th anniversary of the War Between the States. Let’s Not Forget!!


A native of Georgia, Calvin Johnson, Chairman of the National and Georgia Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Confederate History Month Committee---Scv.org lives near the historic town of Kennesaw and he’s a member of the Chattahoochee Guards Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans. He is the author of the book ”When America Stood for God, Family and Country.” Calvin can be reached at: cjohnson1861@bellsouth.net

SLRC PROPOSES ECONOMIC BOYCOTT OF JONESBOROUGH AFTER TOWN WELSHES ON CONFEDERATE BRICKS PROMISE

HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS – The Southern Legal Resource Center has called for an economic boycott of the Town of Jonesborough, Tennessee, after Jonesborough officials welshed on a “Confederate” designation for memorial bricks honoring Southern Civil War veterans at the town’s Veterans’ Park.

As a first step in the boycott process, the SLRC drafted a resolution for adoption by the 32,000-member Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), whose annual convention, or reunion, is taking place this week in Hot Springs. Approval of the resolution could take place as early as this evening (Wednesday, July 22).

A portion of the park is paved with granite bricks inscribed with the names and service of Jonesborough-area servicemen from the Revolutionary War to the present day The area already contains several bricks honoring Union Civil War veterans and duly marked “U.S. Army.” However, when local citizens sought to purchase bricks honoring Confederate veterans and marked accordingly, they were rebuffed by town officials who said that Confederates were by definition not U.S. veterans.

In June, the SLRC warned Jonesborough mayor Kelly Wolfe by letter that this action was discriminatory. Enclosed with the letter were copies of the Veterans’ Administration’s authorization of Confederate headstones and a 1958 U.S. statute establishing pensions for Confederate veterans. At its next meeting the town council reversed itself and said it would allow purchase of duly inscribed Confederate bricks.

But at its July meeting the council amended its position and said that memorial bricks for that period will carry only the notation “Civil War”, with no indication of which army the honoree served in. The SLRC’s boycott resolution says this action “violates both express representations made to persons desiring to purchase Confederate bricks, and also contradicts the precedent already established with respect to Union soldiers’ bricks already in place … the Town of Jonesborough has acted in bad faith and out of a cynical and self serving sense of political expediency, and has caused great disappointment and distress to citizens seeking to memorialize Confederate veterans.”

The resolution was authored by SLRC Executive Director Roger McCredie, who is a past SCV Chief of Heritage Defense, and will be presented by SLRC Chief Trial Counsel Kirk D. Lyons, a past member of the SCV’s General Executive Council.

Remembering the Gettysburg Reunion of 1913

By Calvin E. Johnson, Jr.

Do you know who Gen. Robert Edward Lee, Major Gen. George Edward Pickett and Major Gen. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain were? Are children still taught about these men and all those who met on the famous War Between the States battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania? Some call the Gettysburg Battlefield the most haunted place in America as many thousands died on that fateful month of July 1863.

The story of the Battle of Gettysburg and 50th Anniversary Reunion would make for a heart-warming and touching TV Historic mini-series or Hollywood movie.

“Comrades and friends, these splendid statues of marble and granite and bronze shall finally crumble to dust, and in the ages to come, will perhaps be forgotten, but the spirit that has called this great assembly of our people together, on this field, shall live forever.”

-----Dr. Nathaniel D. Cox at 1913 Gettysburg Reunion

The summer heat of July 1913 did not keep the old Confederate and Union Veterans from attending the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. It has been written that over 50,000 sons of the North and South came for what has been called the largest combined reunion of War Between the States veterans.

The youngest veteran was reported to be 61 and the oldest was 112 years young.

No one dared to criticize the United States and Confederate flags that flew side by side at the Gettysburg soldier’s reunion of honored men who had been enemies on the field of battle just 50 years earlier. Some of today’s politicians and people’s rights groups could learn something from these grand old men of yesterday. Knowledge is Power!!

The State of Pennsylvania hosted the 1913 reunion at the insisting of state Governor John K. Tener. Tener also encouraged other states to arrange rail transportation for the participants. Down South in Dixie, the United Daughters of the Confederacy helped raise money for the transportation and uniforms for their Confederate veterans.

The soldiers of Blue and Gray, Black and White, came with heads high and full of war stories. It is written that the hosts did not count on Black Confederates attending the meeting and had no place to put them but the White Confederates made room for their Southern brothers. Black Union veterans also attended this event.

It is written that nearly 700,000 meals were served that included fried chicken, roast pork sandwiches, ice cream and Georgia watermelon. The temperature soared to 100 degrees and almost 10,000 veterans were treated for heat exhaustion and several hundred more were hospitalized. The United States Army was also present in support and the old men loved the attention.

A highlight of the reunion was the Confederate Veterans walk on the path of Gen. George Pickett’s charge that was greeted, this time, by a handshake from the Union Veterans.

President Woodrow Wilson spoke to those veterans with compassion and appreciation, and said, “These venerable men crowding here to this famous field have set us a great example of devotion and utter sacrifice. They were willing to die that the people might live. But their task is done. Their day is turned into evening. They look to us to perfect what they have established. Their work is handed to us, to be done in another way but not in another spirit. Our day is not over; it is upon us in full tide.”

These men of Blue and Gray are gone but let’s never forget them. God Bless!!


A native of Georgia, Calvin Johnson, Chairman of the National and Georgia Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Confederate History Month Committee---Scv.org lives near the historic town of Kennesaw and he’s a member of the Chattahoochee Guards Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans. He is the author of the book ”When America Stood for God, Family and Country.” Calvin can be reached at: cjohnson1861@bellsouth.net

South Carolina student wins SCV scholarship

The Army of Northern Virginia of the International Sons of Confederate Veterans is pleased to announce that Michael C. Griffin, Jr., of Hanahan, South Carolina, has won the ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA SCHOLARSHIP for 2009. In addition to a financial award of $1000 the winning essay will be published in Confederate Veteran Magazine, a publication of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Mr. Griffin is a recent graduate of Northside Christian School in North Charleston, South Carolina.

The winning essay was titled “A Natural Leader” and deals with the actions of Robert E. Lee in dealing with the 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, by abolitionist John Brown.

The ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA SCHOLARSHIP is awarded annually to a high school senior. The purpose of the scholarship is to promote history in our schools. Only students living in Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, South Carolina, Pennsylvania and West Virginia are eligible for the award. A panel of academics chaired by Mr. Richard Williams of Stuarts Draft, Virginia, reviews all essays and decides the winner.

Where Has The Southern Spirit Gone?

Where has the Southern spirit gone? Throughout our proud history we can read great works, hear songs full of pride and patriotism for the South, whether it was the country music of Alabama and Hank Williams Jr. the Southern Rock of Lynyrd Skynyrd and .38 Special, the heartfelt anthem by Elvis to songs for the Southern states by Willie Nelson and Ray Charles. Old Southern songs, poems and books praising the South, her heritage, culture and ways of life have been enjoyed throughout the generations, Walt Disney dared to make a pro-Southern animated movie called “Song of the South”, “Gone With The Wind” was made into a great movie that has been loved by generations of Southerners and non-Southerners alike. The South was praised by endless people in numerous forms from song to print to film, to school bands playing Dixie at ballgames, Dixie was revered.

Fast forward to modern America, all things Southern are under attack, our films are banned, books are refused, history is re-written or shunned. We lose school names, street names, our rights to display our proud symbols are under attack like never before even under Reconstruction. There was a time that the people of the South would have taken a stand and stood strong for Dixie and all that she is, yet we hear basically nothing from her citizens today. In times such as this is when we as a people should sing her songs the loudest, buy her books and donate them to libraries, give them as gifts and read them for our children the most. We should rent Southern movies or ask for them to be offered at local video stores, have them in our homes to watch or hold gatherings and show them at home. In times like these the people of the South should be taking a united stand against the oppression that is facing us, the people of the South should be leading the push against the move to ban our symbols, movies and songs. Yet, for the most part, we remain silent. Our silence may as well be our approval of the cultural cleansing that is taking place across the South and across the rest of the nation. As we remain silent in fear of being labeled “racist” or we whisper of the glory days gone we show our children that they should be ashamed of their culture and should shun their symbols and look down on the heroes that tried to free themselves from an oppressive and tyrannical government. Our silence emboldens our enemies and adds fuel to their machine that is slowly erasing our culture, history and way of life.

As we remain silent, as we refuse to take a united stand against our enemies, we grant them the ability to continue with their ethnic cleansing of the South, to continue to attack all things that make us who we are. Those against us see this as a sign of defeat that we are to busy watching NASCAR and drinking Budweiser to care about what is happening across the South. We are seeing the loss of who we are grow like never before, we are spectators to our own demise and we are to busy to lift a finger to stop it. We wring our hands behind closed doors, worrying what the neighbors will think if we raise a banner, we worry what the boss will think if we place a tag or sticker on our vehicle, we are concerned what the teacher will think if our child goes to school wearing a Dixie Outfitters shirt or draws a flag on their notebook.

The Southern Movement, as it were, is fractured and has been rendered useless by inept leaders, and petty infighting that leaves the Movement fighting itself rather than forming a united front against our enemies and for the South. We have organizations more interested in collecting dues than in promoting the Cause, we have “leaders” more interested in advancing their ego than advancing the Cause of the South. While our organizations wring their hands behind closed doors our enemies move closer to their goal of outlawing ownership of anything of the “old South”. While we whisper behind closed doors of the good old days those that oppose us post in the national papers about the evils of the South and her symbols, while we bicker amongst ourselves our enemies unite against us. The South has lost sense of itself, its people have forgotten the Southern Spirit and have lost the will to fight and take a stand for Dixie.

Until the people of Dixie find a way to rekindle that spirit and find the courage to take a stand we will continue to lose freedoms, until the leadership of the Southern Cause grow a backbone and actually lead from the frontlines the South will slowly and assuredly be cleansed of its culture and heritage and become a generic reproduction of the north and west. Until the Southern organizations unite under the Third National and under one name our united enemies will continue to be victorious in their move to ethnically cleanse the South. Until we take responsibility for our children’s educations the feds will indoctrinate their young minds with anti-Southern propaganda.

So I ask you, when will the leadership of the South take a stand? When will the people of the South take a stand? When will we as a people fly our banners proudly, sing our songs loudly and fight against our enemies boldly? The South cant wait much longer for the Movement to unite and to put aside its petty differences, we may be the last generation that has the knowledge and will to advance the Cause of the South and to save our rich heritage and culture. I would hate to face my children and grandchildren in my last years and have to confess that I did nothing, I would hate to face our forefathers when called Home and tell them I was to afraid or to busy to protect what they died fighting for. The time is now for us as a Movement to unite, the time is now to rekindle that Southern spirit…

For A Free And Independent South

Captain Meadows, Commanding
1st Regiment, Georgia Division
Confederate States Militia

The Largest Campaign Organization in the Race for Georgia Governor!

Speaking at the Independence Day Tea Party at the capitol on Saturday, Ray McBerry announced that his campaign organization in the Governor's race now has 250 coordinators across the state and more than 800 volunteers on the ground, making his “Georgia First” campaign the largest organization of any candidate in the race for Governor on either the Republican or Democratic ticket.

Commenting on John Oxendine's recent practice of referring to himself as a “grassroots candidate,” Ray had this to say at the Tea Party: “With 250 coordinators, 800 volunteers, and more coming onboard every day, this is truly a grassroots campaign. While John is out hiring his “volunteers” – isnt that an oxymoron – we have more volunteers in our campaign than John has money in the bank to buy.”

Explaining the reason for the exploding growth in volunteer numbers in only three month's time, Ray said, “The people of Georgia are ready for a strong conservative leader who will stand up to Washington. It is apparent to everyone who hears us both speak that Ray McBerry is that candidate, not John Oxendine. John is the kind of 'conservative' who waits for the newest issue, licks his finger, sticks it to the wind, and puts out a press release... or two... or three. By the time next July rolls around, all of Georgia will know that the only strong conservative in this race for Governor is Ray McBerry.”

Ray concluded, “Now that we have demonstrated our ability to field a large and effective volunteer organization, I am excited about beginning the fundraising phase of this campaign.”

A candidate who is strong on principle, articulate on the issues, and willing to stand up to Washington is what continues to draw multitudes of new supporters to the Ray McBerry for Governor Campaign.

For more information or to schedule an interview with Ray, please call Jenny Hodges, campaign director, at 404.435.8852 or visit the campaign website at www.GeorgiaFirst.org

Gen. Forrest and the Confederate flag

By Calvin Johnson

Monday, July 13th, in the year of our Lord 2009, is the188th birthday of American legend and Southern Hero--Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest.

President Obama continued a century-old tradition, on Memorial Day, by honoring American Servicemen and women buried at Arlington National Cemetery and sending a wreathe to the Confederate and Black Union soldier´s section.

Some criticized Obama for remembering the Confederate soldiers buried at section 16 but, like his predecessors, the president did the historically-correct and Patriotic thing in remembering ´All´ American Veterans.

Almost a century earlier, on June 4, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson spoke at Arlington National Cemetery on occasion of the unveiling of a new Confederate Monument by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. His speech echoed praise for the Confederate soldier and he received applause from a crowd of thousands that included Confederate and Union Veterans.

Will the circle, of remembering our American family, be unbroken?

Some, today, seek to ban the Confederate Battle flag, the blood-stained soldier´s banner of many hard fought battles, from Veterans Day events and the soldier´s monument at South Carolina´s State Capitol. There is also a push to ban the Confederate flag at all NASCAR races. Some groups claim the Southern flag is offensive to Black people.

But, what do they say to Black folks who call the Confederate flag a symbol of Southern Pride like Nelson Winbush of Florida who is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans—www.scv.org? Mr. Winbush speaks truthfully and from the heart about the War for Southern Independence, 1861-65, and of his grandfather who fought for the South. He may even ´proudly´ show you a picture of himself, as a child, with his Grandfather, Louis Napoleon Nelson, who rode with Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest in Company M of the 7th Tennessee Cavalry and was buried with his Confederate uniform and Confederate flag draped casket.

Gen. Forrest said of the Black men who rode with him, quote "These boys stayed with me ... and better Confederates did not live." unquote

You might also ask Black Southern-Historian H.K. Edgerton who marched across Dixie from North Carolina to Texas attired in Confederate uniform, carrying the Confederate flag and educating many Black and White people along the way about their Southern Heritage. Edgerton is also past president of the local NAACP Chapter in Asheville, North Carolina.

Was Gen. Forrest an early advocate for Civil Rights?

Forrest's speech during a meeting of the "Jubilee of Pole Bearers" is a story that needs to be told. Gen. Forrest was the first white man to be invited by this group which was a forerunner of today's Civil Right's group. A reporter of the Memphis Avalanche newspaper was sent to cover the event.

Miss Lou Lewis, daughter of a Pole Bearer member, was introduced to Forrest and she presented the former general a bouquet of flowers as a token of reconciliation, peace and good will. On July 5, 1875, Nathan Bedford Forrest delivered this speech:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I accept the flowers as a memento of reconciliation between the white and colored races of the Southern states. I accept it more particularly as it comes from a colored lady, for if there is any one on God's earth who loves the ladies I believe it is myself. (Immense applause and laughter.) I came here with the jeers of some white people, who think that I am doing wrong. I believe I can exert some influence, and do much to assist the people in strengthening fraternal relations, and shall do all in my power to elevate every man, to depress none. (Applause.)

I want to elevate you to take positions in law offices, in stores, on farms, and wherever you are capable of going. I have not said anything about politics today. I don't propose to say anything about politics. You have a right to elect whom you please; vote for the man you think best, and I think, when that is done, you and I are freemen. Do as you consider right and honest in electing men for office. I did not come here to make you a long speech, although invited to do so by you. I am not much of a speaker, and my business prevented me from preparing myself. I came to meet you as friends, and welcome you to the white people. I want you to come nearer to us. When I can serve you I will do so. We have but one flag, one country; let us stand together. We may differ in color, but not in sentiment. Many things have been said about me which are wrong, and which white and black persons here, who stood by me through the war, can contradict. Go to work, be industrious, live honestly and act truly, and when you are oppressed I'll come to your relief. I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for this opportunity you have afforded me to be with you, and to assure you that I am with you in heart and in hand." (Prolonged applause.) End of speech.

Nathan Bedford Forrest again thanked Miss Lewis for the bouquet and then gave her a kiss on the cheek. Such a kiss was unheard of in the society of those days, in 1875, but it showed a token of respect and friendship between the general and the black community and did much to promote harmony among the citizens of Memphis, Tennessee.

Some people have claimed that Forrest was associated with the Ku Klux Klan but he officially denied participation. He encouraged the friendly reunion of North and South and the remembrance of both the Confederate and Union Dead.

Forrest died on October 29, 1877, in Memphis, Tennessee and is buried with his wife at Forrest Park.

Lest We Forget!!