Lost in the 60s of Drive-in movies, catfish and Dixie

By Calvin E. Johnson, Jr., Speaker, Writer of Historical Essays, Author of book “When America Stood for God, Family and Country” and Chairman of the Confederate History and Heritage Month Committee for the Sons of Confederate Veterans http://confederateheritagemonth.com/heritage/2011/entry.php

Hello America!

Do you remember the late Southern-American columnist, comedian and speaker Lewis Grizzard {October 20, 1946 –March 20, 1994} who made us laugh, think and proud of whom we are? There are few that write with the heart and soul of Mr. Grizzard who wrote and spoke compassionately about subjects that included the American-South.

This letter is dedicated in memory of an American-son of Dixie, Lewis McDonald Grizzard, Jr.

Do you remember when people didn’t always apologize for America and Lewis Grizzard, with his witty humor and Southern accent was un-apologetically proud of his Southern birth and that of his Confederate ancestors who defended their homes, family and way of life during the War Between the States, 1861-1865?

In an article from February 5, 1993, Mr. Grizzard wrote, “Whatever the reason, there was a citizenry that once saw fit to fight and die and I come from all that, and I look at those people as brave and gallant, and a frightful force until their hearts and their lands were burnt away. I will never turn my back on that heritage.”

My memories of the 1960s include Saturday night supper with my family at the Rio Vista Restaurant on Stewart Avenue that featured all you can eat catfish or fried chicken and golden brown “melt in your mouth” hush puppies for a dollar and a quarter and later a double-feature movie at the Stewart Drive-in theater. Stewart Avenue and Theater were named after a Confederate soldier but sadly the street has since been renamed and the theater is gone. The Starlight Six is the only drive-in theater remaining in Atlanta, Georgia. See their website at: http://starlightdrivein.com/#/movies/

New York City the “Big Apple” was famous in the 60s for the Broadway shows and folks came way down South in “Dixie” for Tara, Southern Belles and a taste of our famous Southern Hospitality. Soul Food Restaurants were also popular in the South with a deliciously different cuisine that included: ham hocks, black eyed peas, turnips and hush puppies that are just down home Southern food.

The Academy Award winning movie in 1965 was “The Sound of Music” with Julie Andrews that premiered in New York City and later in Atlanta for a near two year run at Martin’s Georgia Cinerama Theater which was located on Peachtree Street near the Fabulous Fox Theater.

During the 1960s America celebrated the War Between the States Centennial, 1961-1965, the Vietnam War was in its early days and we mourned the deaths of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy in 1963 and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968, and….

Dan Emmett’s song Dixie was still played at college football games from the Dixie Redcoat Marching Band at the University of Georgia to the “Pride of the South” University of Mississippi Band at Ole Miss where Colonel Reb was the school mascot.

In 1965, Atlanta’s Minor League team the Atlanta Crackers played their last season at the new Fulton County, Georgia stadium and the following year the Major League team the Atlanta Braves made their debut at that stadium…And, what about current Braves Veteran of 19 years Chipper Jones who celebrated his 40th birthday this year? Did you know the “Beatles” tour of the USA included Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium in August of 1965?

Elvis Presley, Diana Ross and the Supremes and The Beach Boys were hot on the Rock and Roll scene and Loretta Lynn, George Jones and Roy Acuff performed at the Ryman Auditorium then Home of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. Do you remember the Hullabaloo show on NBC during 1965 and 66 that aired the top pop hits of the day with guest hosts that included: Michael Landon, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Jerry Lewis?

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin of Americas Apollo 11 landed on the moon in 1969, Colonel Sanders Kentucky “finger licking good” fried chicken was served at Davis Brothers Cafeteria, Jacobs Drug Stores where Coca Cola was first served still thrived and the “Popeye Club” with Office Don aired live in the early 60s from WSB TV White Columns on Peachtree in Atlanta.

Wherever you call home, memories with family and friends last forever. Ya’ll come back now, you here!

MURFREESBORO

By Bob Hurst

Each year the Sons of Confederate Veterans holds a national convention to dispense with necessary business, recharge the batteries of all those in attendance and, as Southerners are prone to do, have a genuinely good time socializing with old friends met through previous SCV events and meeting new friends at this grand affair. In admiration of, and out of respect for, our Confederate ancestors, these large gatherings are termed "reunions" since the true Confederates held many reunions in the decades following the War for Southern Independence and we, the descendants, gladly and faithfully maintain the tradition.

The site of the national reunion varies each year and I truly enjoy the opportunity to visit different places and experience local customs and foods. Additionally, as you might expect, each of these venues has a strong Confederate connection so it is possible to experience some Southern history either through the tours available by the reunion or individual adventures of your own choosing. I usually choose the latter and head out with my camera in search of any beautiful antebellum homes in the area.

The 2001 reunion that was held in Lafayette, Louisiana, for instance, was especially enjoyable for me as I was able to make time to travel down to the Bayou Teche area and photograph houses that I had never visited before. All of the host cities are interesting, though, and all have something special to offer to the interested Southerner. Sites for the reunions have been as varied as coastal cities such as New Orleans and Mobile to mountainous venues like Asheville and Dalton. Recent locations have all had a connection to the sesquicentennial (150-year anniversary) of the War with the 2010 reunion held in South Carolina ( SC was the first state to leave the Union, seceding in 1860), the 2011 reunion in Montgomery (the Confederate government was formed in Montgomery in 1861), and the 2013 reunion scheduled for Vicksburg (it was in 1863 that the citizens of that fine town made a gallant 47-day resistance to continuous bombardment during the siege of that river city by the invading yankee horde).

I didn't forget about the 2012 reunion which was held last month in the attractive Southern city of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I saved it till last because this article will be about two significant military events that occurred in 1862 (150 years ago) in Murfreesboro involving the gallant men in the sacred gray defending our Southland against invasion by those odious beings from the other place.

Murfreesboro is a pretty town and history everywhere. The host hotel for the reunion, Embassy Suites, was conveniently located not far from the interstate which made access easy. It was also a fine facility for an event such as ours. Altogether I was very pleased with everything about my stay in Murfreesboro. Far more pleased, I'm sure, than the Union forces who, on two different occasions, had to face the guns and the guile of the boys wearing gray in the year 1862.

The first confrontation between the two armies took place on July 13, 1862. July 13 is a date that is very special to many Southerners and you will find out why later in this article.

First, some backgroud. At the time of this first encounter, Union forces were occupying both Nashville and Murfreesboro which is located about 30-35 miles southeast of Nashville and about a hundred miles northwest of Chattanooga. The railroad that went from Nashville to Chattanooga went through Murfreesboro and Union quartermasters had been stockpiling supplies there for the Union troops in that strategic part of Tennessee.

The Union Army of the Ohio (Union armies were generally named for rivers) was commanded by Major General Don Carlos Buell who had his sights set on making a sweep from Kentucky down to Chattanooga and taking that Southern stronghold. A Union victory in Chattanooga would create a very difficult situation for the Confederacy and even possibly bring an end to the War.

Unfortunately for Buell, Nathan Bedford Forrest had other plans in mind.

The Union garrison at Murfreesboro was manned by the 23rd Brigade of the Army of the Ohio which consisted of regiments from Pennsylvania, Kentucky (the yankee portion), Michigan and Minnesota. Buell had already worked his way all the way south to north Alabama and was planning on moving eastward toward Chattanooga. Forrest, who was a colonel at the time, knew that the Nashville to Chattanooga railroad was the main supply line for Buell's forces and that he could totally disrupt Buell's advance by attacking Murfreesboro and severing Buell's means of survival.

Forrest was also enraged when he learned of the mistreatment of many civilians in the area by the Union Army. Not only had homes and farms been burned but as many as 400 men had been jailed and there were planned hangings for many of these.

Forrest had his men ready to move out at 1 AM on the morning of July 13 and by 4 AM they had reached the first units of the bluecoats, most of whom were still sleeping. Forrest had learned of the divided deployment of Union troops (the guys from Michigan didn't like the guys from Minnesota and the guys from Minnesoat didn't like...well, you get the picture) and had divided his own forces to take on the various groupings of Union soldiers. By early afternoon all Union forces except those from Michigan and Minnesota had been subdued and the amazing Forrest then performed one of those feats of wizardry that only he could pull off.

In the afternoon his troops had skirmishes with units from both Michigan and Minnesota regiments. Forrest, the master of the ruse, then started rotating his troops in front of the Minnesotans in such a fashion as to make it appear that he had more troops than he actually did. He then contacted the commander of the Minnesotans and convinced him that everyone else had surrendered. Amazingly, the yankee commander quickly surrendered. When the commander of the Michigan regiment heard of this he also quickly surrendered. This is the same tactic that Forrest would use again later in Rome, Georgia, to convince Union colonel Abel Streight to surrender to him even though Streight had four times as many troops as Forrest - he just didn't realize it. Of course, there was only one Forrest!

After all this, Forrest and his officers retired to Oaklands, a fine mansion in Murfreesboro dating from 1813, to celebrate the birthday of Col. Forrest which happened to be that very day. Forrest received a belated birthday present eight days later when he was promoted to brigadier general.

Oaklands still stands and there is a plaque on the grounds indicating that during this clash there were 19 Union soldiers killed, 120 wounded and 1200 captured. By the way, one of those captured was Union general Thomas Crittenden who had arrived just the day before to assume command of the garrison. Altogether it was just a typical event for the remarkable Forrest.

Even though this encounter was not a major battle of the War, it did have a significant impact. Forrest had his men carry off or burn all the supplies that Buell had collected at Murfreesboro for his planned advance to Chattanooga. This prevented Buell's planned invasion of Chattanooga and later led to the loss of his command. He eventually resigned from the army. ( As an aside here, Don Carlos Buell was one of the few Union commanders that I think highly of. He was a man of high moral character and on numerous occasions he bucked the tide by calling for punishment of Union soldiers and even officers who were involved in committing atrocities against Southern civilians.)

Incidentally, this encounter is frequently referred to as the First Battle of Murfreesboro. The much larger battle fought later in the year is commonly called the Battle of Stone's River, the Second Battle of Murfreesboro, or just the Battle of Murfreesboro (especially in the South). In this article I will refer to that contest as the Battle of Stone's River.

While the July 13 confrontation was little more than a skirmish, the Battle of Stone's River was a major battle of the War that also proved to be one of the bloodiest. There is too much to write about this clash to include an in-depth coverage in this article ( I will likely revisit the battle later in another article), but I will give a synopsis and touch on some of the interesting elements of Stone's River.

After the Kentucky campaign, General Braxton Bragg had withdrawn his army to Murfreesboro and had prepared to go into winter quarters. The army, which had been known as " The Army of Mississippi " , had recently been renamed " The Army of Tennessee ". The newly created Union " Army of the Cumberland " was occupying Nashville under the command of General William Rosecrans and was being urged by the administration in Washington to advance to Murfreesboro and attack the Confederates there.

Rosecrans left Nashville on December 26, 1862, with his army of 44,000 troops and the intent of defeating Bragg and his army of 37,000 at Murfreesboro. Rosecrans reached Murfreesboro on December 29 and his army settled in about two and a half miles northwest of town near the Stone's River. The Confederates were prepared for battle and attacked at dawn on December 31. That day became the single bloodiest day of fighting in Tennessee during the entire War with a total casualty count of more than 17,000 between the two armies. The day went strongly in favor of the Confederates but to Bragg's surprise Rosecrans and his army did not withdraw.

There was no fighting the next day on January 1, 1863, but the following day Bragg ordered a strong ground attack against an elevated position across the river that was fortified with more than 50 cannon. Both General John C. Breckenridge and General Roger Hanson strongly opposed this strategy by the commander but had no option other than to obey orders. Attacking across a large, open field the Confederates sustained heavy losses, including General Hanson, and had to withdraw to their original position. Later that day Bragg received information that Rosecrans' army had reinforcements on the way that would raise the troop strength of the Union forces to 70,000. The next day General Bragg moved the Confederate Army south to Shelbyville.

Of all the major battles of the War, Stone's River had the highest percentage of casualties on both sides with a combined total of more than 24,000. Although the Union Army suffered greater casualties and was unable to overrun the Confederates, the fact that Bragg withdrew his troops to Shelbyville allowed the yankees to claim a victory and get a morale boost from the encounter.

Every battle has so many stories and there is no way to tell them all (in fact, many will likely never be known), but there were three events that occurred during the Stone's River engagement that especially intrigue me.

The first took place the evening of December 30 and involved, of all things, the bands of the respective armies. Most all armies had bands to provide entertainment for the troops during those long periods between actions. On the evening of the 30th the two bands were entertaining their respective armies. Since the armies were camped in close proximity, each side could hear the tunes of the other and this soon led to a battle between the two bands as each sought to outdo the other. The Union band would blast out tunes like "Yankee Doodle" and "Hail Columbia" and the band in gray would counter with "DIXIE", "Bonnie Blue Flag" and other Southern favorites. I found this an interesting prelude to the bloody event that was soon to follow.

The second event that intrigues me involves the order given by General Bragg on January 2nd to launch an attack across an open field against a strongly fortified elevated position. As mentioned earlier, this order was strongly questioned and opposed by General John C. Breckenridge, the Division commander, and General Roger Hanson who was commanding a brigade. Although Breckenridge violently opposed the strategy, he did not go so far as his friend and compatriot, Hanson, who actually volunteered to go to headquarters and shoot Braxton Bragg. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed. Sadly, while leading his brigade in the attack across the large field, General Hanson was wounded severely and died two days later. I wonder if he had a premonition of this as he led his men through heavy fire?

The event that intrigues me the most, however, did not involve generals, or bands, or strategies or casualty counts, or any of the other things you so frequently read about concerning battles. This event involved a group of Mississippi troops who can only be described as "bold and true fighters". These remarkable individuals were troops of the 44th Mississippi Regiment. Before the battle started, smallpox struck this unit and it was quarantined along the banks of Stone's River. Their weapons were taken and given to other units since they weren't expected to see action.

As the battle raged on the first day, however, it was determined that the Confederates needed every available man and the Mississippians were ordered to battle. As these amazing fighters advanced on the enemy, they picked up sticks, tree branches or anything else they could find that they might could use as a weapon. According to a letter sent to CONFEDERATE VETERAN magazine many years later by a veteran of the 44th, these unarmed Mississippians came out of the battle with more guns than they needed - guns they had collected from fallen compatriots and fallen enemies as they advanced. I think the words of Lieutenant General William Hardee sums up the situation well concerning these remarkable men and all the Confederate soldiers:

"It is worthy to remark that at Murfreesborough, whenever the fight was confined principally to musketry, and the enemy had no advantage in artillery, we were successful. It was only when they massed heavy batteries, under cover of railroad
embankments, that we were repulsed. In every form of contest in which mechanical instruments ... can be used, the Federalsare our superiors. In every form of contest in which manly courage, patient endurance, and brave impulse are the qualities and conditions necessary to success, we have invariably been successful."

The actions of the men of the 44th Mississippi, who so honored the Cause that they were willing to go into battle unarmed, was a testament to the courage, bravery and fortitude of the Confederate soldier and just another reason why so many of us hold our Confederate ancestors in such high esteem and always will.

DEO VINDICE

Note: Previous articles of CONFEDERATE JOURNAL are available in book form. Articles from 2005-2007 are in Volume 1 which can be ordered online at http://createspace.com/3540609 while articles from 2008-2009 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 mansions 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 confederatedad1@yahoo.com or 850-878-7010 (after 9 PM,EST).

GEORGIA MOURNS THE PASSING OF HER LAST "REAL SON"

(SAVANNAH - August 21, 2012) On Saturday, August 18, 2012, in the south Georgia town of Terryville, the last surviving "real" son of a Confederate veteran from Georgia passed away. John Charles McDonald, 76 years old at the time of his passing, was the son of James Malachi McDonald (1847-1941) of the 4th Georgia Cavalry during the late War for Southern Independence.

As did so many Southern boys late in the War, James McDonald joined the Confederate army at the young age of 13 years old and served alongside his brothers in the 4th Georgia Cavalry until he was mustered out of the service at the end of the War in 1865 at the ripe old age of 16. Upon returning home from the service, James married and settled down in Montgomery County, Georgia. The last son born to this Confederate veteran was John Charles McDonald, born in 1936 during the Great Depression. John was just a small boy when his father passed away.

John McDonald was the owner of John McDonald Farms and was very well-known for his cultivation and promotion of the Vidalia onion in south Georgia. His passing on Saturday marks the end of an era in Georgia history - an era when children of the actual veterans who fought so gallantly to defend Georgia against the innumerable masses of Yankee invaders still lived to tell the stories of our fathers who now lie in hallowed graves throughout Georgia and beyond.

At the request of the McDonald family, a Confederate funeral ceremony conducted by the Sons of Confederate Veterans will be held for Mr. John Charles McDonald at the Sammons Funeral Home in Soperton, Georgia at 11:00 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012.

The Georgia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans join the family of John Charles McDonald in mourning his passing but also in commemorating the honourable heritage left by his gen eration and that of his parents. The Sons of Confederate Veterans was formed in 1896 by "real" sons of the veterans, themselves, for the purpose of perpetuating their stories, their memories, and the truth about the Cause of liberty and freedom from federal tyranny for which they lived, fought, and died. With the passing of Georgia's last "real" son, the SCV in Georgia has committed to redoubling its effort to promote the true history of the South and her sons who fought to defend Georgia.

Interviews and more information may be obtained by contacting the Georgia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans online at www.GeorgiaSCV.org or by calling 1-866-SCV-IN-GA.

Anonymity, Vague Concepts, Inability or Willingness to Articulate What Southern Is

By Mark Vogl
johnyreb43@yahoo.com

A recent article posted through Southern Heritage News and Views titled "Yankee in the Wood Pile" provided an excellent opportunity to illustrate that there are people competing for your sympathies as a Southerner whose modus operandi may indicate a dangerous outcome should they ever rise to power. Like a high hanging curve ball, I could not resist the opportunity go without offering a counterpoint piece.

This article was posted anonymously. This is one of the greatest faults within the "Southern movement." Did Jefferson Davis, John C. Calhoun, R. E. Lee, or any of the other Southerners of the Great War hide in anonymity. Were there Southern leaders in that time whose actions were secret? Unfortunately, the answer to that is yes. The men of the Knights of the Golden Circle were operating in the shadows. Their agenda, never really defined in writing with a list of names of the sponsors available for study. I can testify that in my own case concerning the Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, I found anonymity to be a favorite tactic. There was no published list of names of the Texas DEC who voted to expel me from the division. Instead, they hid. Just as there was no list of names of the members of the DEC who voted to hold a Texas Reunion in Oklahoma!

Unlike the article mentioned above, I will state that my name is Mark Vogl. I will sadly admit that I was born on Long Island. I will proudly say that my great great grandfather David Parks Walter was from North Carolina, did serve with the 33rd North Carolina, lost his leg at Chancellorsville. I will further state that my grandmother was born on her grandfather’s farm, and was raised by him. And I will further state, that she played a large part in raising me. Further, because of the loss of a father at a very young age, I adopted R. E. Lee as a role model. Finally, and proudly I proclaim I am a Christian, and admit to being a conservative, though not a Republican.

That is a lot of personal information...maybe more than you want to know, but, it should demonstrate I am very open about who I am. Unlike those who cast aspersions against people namelessly, using a means condemned in the Ten Commandments.

Anonymity is not a strength of any system. Quite the contrary, it displays the lack of personal courage by leaders to be known for who and what they are. In this case, the article written that discusses making several vague statements proclaiming that they are worried about the purity of the South and the Southern movement. Again, they don't say who they are.

Let's move on. And deal with the points of the article.

The writer and I agree that the Southern movement is made up of a wide variety of different groups, and I suspect we would both agree that the movement is made up of individuals with very different views of the South and the future. Where the writer is vague is " The Yankee way of life is often alien to most folks born and raised in the South." Tell me specifically, what is different. Specifically. Is the writer saying here that the only real Southerner is one who is born in the South? Wasn't Jessie Jackson born in the South? How ‘bout LBJ? What about the fella that runs the Southern Poverty Law Center?

The writer says " They have never had to deal with the memory of a conquered nation of the indoctrination of their children with self loathing and guilt." How does the writer know what a Southerner born in the north has to go through. Imagine believing in State's Rights, a Republic, non-reliance on government, and seeing the federal government as an evil, amongst an entire population that sees union, and the federal government as the core of their nation? Who do you think defends the South more; a Southerner in the South, or a Southerner in the North? Who faces constant alienation?

He then goes on to mention the "black issue." It is this issue that most clearly demonstrates the evil in some of the Southern movement. These folks seem to have no memory of one South, a South where blacks and whites lived in peace, working together. They have no memory of the South working towards emancipation of the slaves in the 1830’s and 40’s until the North attempted to intervene in the internal matters of the South. Instead these "Southern spokes- people" do what they can to keep a divided South. They continue to articulate a "whites only" South. There never was such a thing.

They love to use two words when describing people they disagree with, apology and rainbow. Let's deal with these words. Because I have called slavery a sin, they attribute the word apology to me. I have never used the word, not once in a written statement, or speech. I do not advocate the South apologizing for slavery.

I do advocate a recognition that slavery was a sin. Taking a man's freedom, a gift from God to each man, is stealing. It is taking the natural condition God placed man in. That is my position, and was the position of many Southerners at the time of the war and before. Repeatedly we are told only 5% of Southerners owned slavers. Were the other 95% too poor to own them? Or did they reject the concept?

With respect to “rainbow,” they do what the democrats and liberals do. They confuse and alter words to suit their meaning. I do embrace the idea that the men who fought for the South, who served the South, who wanted a Confederacy were white, black, indian, Cajun, Mexican etc. I do not and have not ever expressed any comment about Gays in the South. I have stated on SNN that I am prejudiced towards Gays, people who use illegal drugs, criminals, etc. If the rainbow they speak of is on ethnic grounds I happily accept the charge, and ask them to deny the service of every ethnic minority to the South.

In this article the writer went off on comments about an "American empire." I am an isolationist. But, on their side, the Knights of the Golden Circle looked for an empire, one that reached into South America and the Caribbean so their internationalist ambitions are hardly less aggressive or evil than what exists today in the US.

As I told the men of the Texas Division when I was elected as the Lt. Commander of the Division, when I was coming down to be born I had an argument with God and lost. I was born in NY. But after thinking about that for more than a year, I wonder if I did. You see in coming South I have seen that in many ways, especially with regard to politics, many in the Southern movement are no different than Yankees. They are just as sneaky, just as committed, just as selfish, and just as devious. The real difference is that northerners are pretty obvious about their motives. Where as some in the Southern movement will hail the character of Lee and Jackson, but have no clue what that character was. They have not read one letter from either. They have not spent a life time searching out who these men were and how they defined right and wrong.

If the South is Quantrill to you, then you are right, I am very different from you. For me, the South is Lee, Jackson, Hampton, Calhoun, and The Citadel, my alma mater.

Through a formula devised by Dr. Ray James of Texas A & M we now know that there may be as many as 80 million descendants of Confederate soldiers. Because of the article “Yankee in the Wood Pile” I have to ask, does that mean nothing? Is being born in the South the sole prerequisite for being Southern? Or are there more but they start with being born in the South?

Let me leave you with one thought. There are approximately 108 million people living in the South today, and about 30% are not Caucasian. Further, millions if not tens of millions were not born in the South. Yet, if there is to be a future for the South, if there is to be a regional identity worthy of the men who first gave their lives for the South, from the American Revolution through to war for a Southern nation, than the leaders of the Southern movement had better come to terms with who and how the South is today, and build a vision based on the foundation of Christianity and a constitutional republic where the consent of the governed is equal to the will of the majority.

God Bless the South

THE CONFEDERATES’ MILITARY DRAFT

By Joan Hough
johough@swbell.net

After the actual passing of the Confederate Military Draft, arguments against it were presented by some Southerners. President Davis refuted these arguments then and later in his own words on pages 433-443 in Vol. I of JEFFERSON DAVIS: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE CONFEDERATE GOVERNMENT (Foreword by James M. McPherson):

During the first year of the war the authority granted to the President to call for volunteers in the army for a short period was sufficient to secure all the military force, which we could fit out, and use advantageously. As it became evident that the contest wouldbe long and severe, better measures of preparation were enacted. I was authorized to call out and place in military service for three years, unless the war should sooner end, all white men residents of the Confederate States between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five years, and to continue those already in the field until three years from the date of their enlistment. But those under eighteen years and over thirty-five were required to remain ninety days. The existing organization of companies, regiments, etc. was preserved, but the former were filled up to the number of one hundred twenty-0five men. This was the first step toward placing the army in a permanent and efficient condition. The term of service being lengthened, the changes by discharges and by receiving recruits were diminished, so that while additions were made to the forces already in the field, the discipline was greatly improved. At the same time, on March 13, 1862 General Robert E. Lee was “charged with the conduct of the military operations of the armies of the Confederacy” under my direction. Nevertheless, the law upon which our success so greatly depended was assailed with unexpectedcriticism in various quarters. A constitutional question of high importance was raised, which tended to involve the harmony of cooperation, so essential in this crisis, between the general and the state governments. It was advanced principally by the governor of Georgia, Hon. Joseph E. Brown . . . .

In a message to Governor Brown from the EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, RICHMOND MAY 29, 1862 Davis presented extensive proof that the Confederate Constitution allowed the draft. He proved Brown in error in the governor’s conclusion that the militia was what the Confederacy had called up and that the men of the militia were controlled only by their individual state and not by the Confederate government—therefore no “national draft” could be legally authorized by the Confederate government. Davis successfully refuted all of the governor’s arguments concerning a state’s control of the soldiers and sailors in the army.

Because of the desire of some Southerners to use slaves as soldiers, Davis included in this chapter on the military a lengthy discourse concerning the “person” of the slave, which Davis declared must be considered along with the role of property. He expressed concern that the use of slaves as soldiers would be unfair to the slaves because while whites have been trained since childhood to assume the duties of soldiers, slaves had not. Despite this view, a bill, supported by General Lee, eventually passed Congress, authorizing the enlistment (the drafting) of not more than twenty-five percent of able-bodied male slaves (p. 443).

Had this bill passed earlier, some Southerners—especially those with long experience with black freemen in Louisiana-- believed that with suitable rewards of freedom, training, and land for able slaves, the flood of European foreigners into Lincoln’s Republican Army might have been countered.

HK EDGERTON SPEAKS “TEACHING HISTORY the “HK” WAY

JUDAH P. BENJAMIN CAMP BUSINESS & PROGRAM MEETING

Tampa, Florida
Saturday, August 25, 2012

Breakfast from 8:15 – 9:15 $10 (please rsvp) via pingg at: http://www.pingg.com/rsvp/g4v8nkbzk5w5yd8cs

Business Meeting 9:15 – 10:45

11:00 a.m. Opening Ceremonies & Speaker (lunch off the menu) (We will join the Augusta Jane Evans Wilson Chapter for their meeting and Program, and then dismiss prior to their meeting)

PROGRAM: TEACHING HISTORY the “HK” WAY

SPEAKER: HK EDGERTON

Our first meeting & program of the year will be fantastic! We will work on by-laws, discuss the calendar, recruiting, upcoming events relating to the Republican Party. Please make plans to attend. This is a good meeting to invite guests/prospective members.

The program will be presented by HK Edgerton, past president of the NAACP in Ashville, NC. HK has extensive credentials in educating the public about the true history of the South. In fact, he is the only living person that has earned a place on a Dixie Outfitters “Legends in Gray” tee shirt for his tireless efforts. Known by some as the “Black Avenger”, it seems HK is drawn to an attack on Southern heritage like a moth to a flame. When youngsters (he calls them "my babies") are told by school administrators that they can't wear a T-shirt with a Confederate flag (he prefers to call it "the Christian cross of St. Andrew"), or employees are told they can't display the flag in the workplace, Edgerton is likely to show up. You may recall Candace Hardwick in South Carolina and Jacqueline Duty in Kentucky (who was kicked out of her prom for wearing a sequined CBF gown). AND un-miss able he is…he turns heads when he shows up along a road side or in front of a school in a gray uniform carrying one of his many Confederate Flags.

But this is just another day in the life of HK, as he travels tens of thousands of miles a year, for the most part, working off small donations to keep fuel in the tank and tires on the wheels. In 2002-03 he and his brother, Terry Lee, walked 1,606 miles from Asheville to Austin, Texas, carrying his flag. On their walk they raised awareness and money for the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), of which Edgerton is an honorary member, and for the Southern Legal Resource Center, a nonprofit in Black Mountain, N.C., which uses legal remedies to fight what they call "the current politically correct reign of terror against the Confederate community." This Historic “March Across Dixie" “was something nobody else had ever done,” says HK… "a black man in a Confederate uniform. There were black folks posing with me and my flag. It resonated all across the South: this is our [black southerners] Southland too."

HK’s program will include a briefing on his recent activities especially the attack on Police Chief Argatha Gilmore in Lake City, Florida because of her welcoming attitude with SCV members during the Battle of Olustee Festival 2012.

This is not HK’s first visit to Tampa Bay… some old timers may remember his protest of Daniel Ruth, former opinion writer for the Tampa Tribune. Ruth, discussing the reparations movement in the early 2000’s asserted the South ‘owed reparations to the Federal Treasury for the kerosene Sherman used to burn Georgia’. HK, joined by dozens of locals offended by the comment, took a stance on Kennedy Blvd. near the Tribune offices, wearing his gray uniform and carrying his beautiful Southern Cross.

Many heads turned when they saw an African-American man dressed in a Confederate soldier's uniform, carrying a Confederate flag. It wasn't a joke!!!! HK Edgerton was in town. HK says the Confederate flag is misunderstood, feared and hated because people are trying to be politically correct - which he says desecrates the honor and real meaning of the emblem.

Come out to our kickoff meeting of the year and, if you’re in luck, we’ll be able to convince HK to give his rendition of Dr. Michael Bradley’s now famous poem “I Am Their Flag” (note: Dr. Bradley is on our program to speak on his new Gen. Forrest book next year).

At our business meeting, we will work on by-laws, discuss the calendar, recruiting, upcoming events relating to the Republican Party. Please make plans to attend.

This is a good meeting to invite guests/prospective members

Don’t forget to pass this along to prospective members and guests.

Why Christianity is Central to the New South in the Modern World

History is. And yet, some in the South are as guilty of ignoring it, or revising it, as the Yankees because of personal prejudices or agendas. Like every other people or nation, the South has a wide range of opinions. It did in the past, the past we revere, and it does today. But today's South is significantly more diversified than the South of 1860. There is still a core of Scot - Irish but they are not close to the majority of whites. There are immigrants from the north, from Mexico, from Cuba and many Latin American nations. And of course there is a large black or African American population.

Within the modern day Southern movement there is a lot of talk about the future. Many in the Southern movement, and some people in no way connected to a Southern movement, see a future where the present United States just does not make it. Whether it’s in response to continued failed federal protection of the border, or a completely failed finance policy which includes intentional inflation and massive public debt the reasons for catastrophe and a collapse of the United States are discussed more openly and more continuously than ever before. Some in the Southern movement anticipate this failure and are working to create possibilities should the federal structure collapse.

The present South is barely 70% white and that would include Hispanic whites. There are large segments of the population which are African American and Latin. And those Southerners must be accounted for. In addition, some Southerners, like Texans see themselves as separate and apart from the rest of Dixie. Some refuse to fly the Confederate Battle flag, and selectively choose how they will participate in Southern heritage organizations. The South is more rift with fragmentation than ever before.

What is worrisome for me is that as I observe the various leaders and components in the Southern movement I see things which could propel the South back a thousand years. Though some critics of the present point to the liberals goal to create Utopia, a place of perfection where the liberal priorities end in perfect equality and distribution of wealth, I would submit that some conservatives look for a Utopia of conservatism where their parochial concerns and views are dominate, enforced through a system of nobility or some other fascism with no foundation in the will of the people.

For this reason I ask all Southerners to consider some basic foundational points when considering a future minus the central United States government. First among those foundation points is Christianity. Christianity sets the moral foundation for a new nation. In the CSA of 1861 the Southern Founding Fathers saw the need to ask God for His protection and guidance in the Constitution. While not all Southerners were Christian, the overwhelming majority were. While today's majority may not be as large as 1860, it is still more than 70% of the South. Christianity breaches ethnic divides and establishes a broad set of values for all. Because Christians believe God is in each person it forces one to consider that whatever one does to another, he does to God, and must therefore face His wrath should those actions be based in sin or a lack of equality in terms of politics. It was Southerners who said our Creator provided us with inalienable rights.

Christianity should be the means to fulfilling the potential of each individual, and by doing so, the potential of a free South.

So let's begin any discussion of a future South, or Heartland nation with an acknowledgement of Christianity as the faith of this new nation. And let us commit ourselves to live that faith.

Secondly, if we accept that God is in each person and that God gave each man his liberty and his political equality with all others, and then let us embrace the form of government created by the Southern patriots. Let us recognize equality for all people, and let us create a Constitution on the same basis as the first, one that protects the people from the government, a Constitution that places a harness on government. And let us reaffirm the superior sovereignty of the states; that each state is supreme within its own borders with respect to domestic issues except where those issues, like the flow of water from a river, impact another state.

Thirdly, let us agree to conduct all discussion and business in the light of day. Darkness in discussion and policy making is the end of freedom and individual liberty. All that is done by government must be done without anonymity or secret cliques. These conditions are alive in some Southern heritage organizations and may explain why evil flourishes there. A new America must be as concerned with the "consent of the governed" as it is with the "will of the majority."

Let us understand that the foundation is built long before the house is erected. What we do now, what we emphasize now, and what we tolerate now compose what is the foundation of any new nation. All must assimilate towards a common understanding, and to do that means engaging all. The South of 1861 was one in many ways more tangible than anything we see today. We must look to the heroes and patriarchs of the C.S.A., in all fields, in order to find a set of personal values which can be openly articulated today.

The United States has failed, not because is lived by the values of Washington and Jefferson, but because it allowed those values to be corrupted or erased. Let us ask God to be with us and to guide us in the establishment of any new nation, and any new course.

Some may see these words as treasonous to the United States, or premature. But I would assert that the collapse of the United States is no more foreseeable then the coming of Christ. We do not know when our Lord will return and we cannot with certainty predict the end of the present political system. It could be two centuries in the future, or it could be tomorrow. What we can know is that secession is more and more a reasonable political alternative to the despotism, oppression, incompetence and failure of a central government that has set aside the restraints created to contain it. The present government is not fulfilling stated responsibilities like guarding the border, while expanding itself into issues never intended it.

For the South, or a Heartland nation to be better than its predecessor it must embrace a degree of nationalism, and build its future on the Will of God.

God Bless the South,

Mark Vogl
johnyreb43@yahoo.com

VETERANS' GRAVES MARKED AT GEORGIA'S FORT PULASKI AFTER 150 YEARS

(SAVANNAH - August 6, 2012) Nearly a year after the Director for the National Park Service in Washington approved the erection of a monument to a group of 600 Confederate POW's known as the Immortal Six Hundred on the grounds outside Fort Pulaski, Savannah, Georgia, the Monument has been completed. For 150 years, the unmarked graves of these Confederate veterans were in ground walked upon daily by visitors to Fort Pulaski; but today their graves are marked by an inspiring monument and protected by a low brick wall made with brick native to the time and location of the Fort's original creation.

The veterans buried in the unmarked graves died while being held prisoner by the federal government during the War Between the States. Enduring forced privations including the withholding of food, clothing, and blankets during one of the coldest winters on record in Georgia, the Confederate officers being held within the fort organized the Confederate Relief Association on December 13, 1864 to care for the most severely ill among them. As a result of the efforts of this compassionate care for their compatriots, only thirteen died while being held at Fort Pulaski. After the War's end, the 600 Confederate POW's held in Pulaski became known as the Immortal Six Hundred because of their steadfast courage and care for each other in the face of severe suffering. Their story has become one with which veterans and POW's of all of America's wars can relate personally.

The effort to have a monument placed has been an ongoing project of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, one of America's oldest heritage organizations, for nearly a decade. The local SCV Camp in nearby Richmond Hill, Georgia has led the effort for these many years. The Camp announced the final phase of the Monument's placement recently; the official dedication service for the Monument, and a memorial burial service for the thirteen men who lie in unmarked graves beneath it, is set to take place later this fall on Saturday, October 27, 2012. At the dedication service, the monument will be officially dedicated by Jack Bridwell, commander of the Georgia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans; the funeral service will be conducted by Pastor John Weaver of Fitzgerald, Georgia; and Margie Mae Blythe-Poland will deliver the biographical oratory of the thirteen men buried beneath the Monument.

The public is invited to attend this once-in-a-lifetime event which will occur during the ongoing Sesquicentennial commemoration of the War for Southern Independence.

Additional information on the Immortal Six Hundred is available online at www.600csa.com. Interviews may be arranged via email through asp3@planttel.net.

13TH ANNUAL NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION BEST EVER!

With a backdrop of 45 acres of cotton already laden with white & red blooms, an inspirational invocation given by Rev. Von McQueen, a two-cannon salute, a resounding rendition of “Dixie” and “Happy Birthday” sung by a crowd of approximately 200 kicked off the 13th Annual Birthday Celebration of 191 year old “Defender of Selma, Lt. General Nathan Bedford Forrest at our family farm, affectionately known as “Fort Dixie” Saturday, 28 July 2012 at 3:00 PM. Ya just can’t get more Southern than that!

As guests drove from all directions to the site of Ole Bedford’s birthday celebration they were guided by a huge white weather balloon which hung high against the clear blue summer sky bearing four colorful flags of liberty, the Revolutionary Gadsden Flag, The Republic of Alabama Flag, the current Alabama State Flag and the Confederate Battle Flag! The balloon flew over Fort Dixie for the duration of the party which was another symbol of “Liberty at Fort Dixie”. As hostess of the celebration, I always tell folks that as they pass under the “Fort Dixie” crossbar at the entrance of the driveway, “you enter another dimension known as…FREEDOM!!!” Our standard of excellence is set by the presence of the Lord as this is a Christian Southern Family event and an appropriate Bible scripture depicting such is II Corinthians, 3:17…”Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty.” General Forrest’s admiring, liberty-loving guests hailed from 11 states; AL, GA, FL, MS, LA, TX, TN, SC, KY, VA and even PA!

Master of Ceremonies, Past SCV Ala Div Commander, Ronnie Simmons, Columbiana, AL, conducted the “Southern Menu” of the day consisting of live Southern music provided by the Tallassee Armory Guards Camp 1921 Band”. A special solo was sung by newly-elected Alabama Division Sons of Confederate Veterans Commander, Gary Carlyle of Henagar, AL honoring General Forrest and also a duo featuring Mrs. Linda Patrick, soloist, singing a beautiful rendition of “Shenandoah” accompanied by guitarist Phillip Byers, both of Tallassee. Inspiring speeches kept the guests intellectually mesmerized as Todd Kiscaden of Abingdon, VA gave a fiery oration entitled “Federalism vs Nationalism” and how the War of 1861-1865 changed the total character of our Republic from that of local home rule to complete control of all aspects of politics from the national government in Washington, DC. The keynote speaker was U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Tom McKenney (Ret) of Lexington, KY who gave an excellent lecture on his recent book release, Jack Hinson’s One-Man War”, the story of a neutral civilian in West Tennessee who was turned against the federal army when the Yankees brutally murdered two of Jack’s young sons while the boys were out hunting. Jack Hinson had a special sniper rifle constructed; he then exacted vengeance on the officers in the Union army who had attacked his family, eventually killing at least one hundred without ever being caught! Jack Hinson also assisted General Forrest with his raid at the Union supply dump at Johnsonville, TN. After his address, Mr. McKenney held a very successful book signing. This book can be purchased through www.PelicanPublishing.com.

Throughout the course of the day there was a plethora of door prizes given, an auction with bidders vying for framed Southern prints, Gone With the Wind Collectibles & other Southern themed items, plus ice cold watermelon was served all day long by Host, Butch Godwin, George Denmark and Ron Smitherman.

The point of this celebration is not only just to celebrate the birth & life of General Nathan Bedford Forrest, but also, to adhere to the charge of our Confederate ancestors, to tell & perpetuate the TRUTH of history and the honorable Confederate soldier who lived, fought and died defending the Constitutional Republic as was framed by our Revolutionary forefathers. As a courtesy of Todd Kiscaden, his “Wall of Education” exhibit is always on display at this event which is an education within itself that one will not receive in four years of the college classroom or any classroom on any level of education as history does not seem to be a priority in today’s educational system. This exhibit is a premier feature of this event and everyone enjoys it and benefits greatly from it. As I always tell our guests, “We promise you a HOT JULY day at Fort Dixie filled with a lit’l bit of education, a lit’l bit of entertainment, a lit’l bit of good Southern food and a whole lotta HAPPY when you leave Fort Dixie!

At 6:00 PM the eagerly anticipated Southern Fried Catfish supper was served with all the “fixin’s” of corn on the cob, red-skinned potatoes, hush puppies, sweet tea, lemonade, General Forrest’s birthday cake and a vast selection of homemade desserts furnished by the Southern ladies attending the event, which is a “Southern thing” for Southern ladies to do, as the traditional question to the hostess always seems to be, “What can I bring?” The catfish supper was prepared by Master Chef, “Marse” Robert Holloway of Remlap, Alabama, also a member of Selma SCV Camp, Col. Christopher C. Pegues Camp #62. Everyone says this is the BEST Southern fried catfish this side of the “Big Muddy”…even folks who thought they didn’t even like catfish!

There were two very special features of the day; one being an award presentation by Mrs. Tonnia Maddox of Birmingham, President of Alabama Society, Order of Confederate Rose, who presented Mr. Todd Kiscaden with the Rose O’Neal Greenhow Award, highest award given only once a year to a deserving gentlemen for his outstanding contribution toward Southern History preservation. Also, at dusk, Mr. & Mrs. Philip Davis of Montgomery, celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary during this past weekend, renewed their wedding vows in an auspicious ceremony presided by Rev. Von McQueen of Selma. At the end of the ceremony, Mr. Davis escorted his lovely bride of 50 years under the arched sabers held at the attention of two Confederate officers! Anniversary cake was enjoyed by all who delighted in sharing this renewed expression of life-time commitment of Mr. & Mrs. Davis.

The climax of the annual celebration was the suspense of the much awaited drawing of the approximate quarter life-size bronze bust of Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, created by Paul D. Spaulding of Hampden, Maine, the original sculptor of the identical life size bronze bust that was recently stolen from the 5 ½ ton granite monument in Live Oak Cemetery. The bust was won by UDC member, Mrs. Molly Tatum of Tallassee, AL.

The 13th Annual Celebration of Lt. General Nathan Bedford Forrest, greatest military genius in U.S. history was another great success - I think the BEST yet, mainly because of the outrage expressed by a multitude of people, far & wide, who are incensed at the theft of this classic work of art. This hate crime has only intensified our resolve to persevere in our struggle against this cultural genocide waged against our Southern people, our history, heritage and culture and Selma’s history & heritage! However, the beauty of this GRAND GALA was the “presence” of General Forrest himself, as he presided over his birthday festivities! We, the Friends of Forrest, have had the life-size bronze replaced, poured from the original mold and it is just as beautiful as the original! We look forward to the re-dedication of this monument – an enduring and endearing tribute to Lt. General Nathan Bedford Forrest, referred to by General Robert E. Lee as his most effective general in the entire Confederate Army, getting the most done with the least resources; a man whom he never met.

Yes, as Rose Sanders said recently on her radio program, “THE SPIRIT OF NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST LIVES IN SELMA, ALABAMA AND ACROSS THIS ENTIRE COUNTRY”!!!!

DEO VINDICE!

Patricia S. Godwin
Friends of Forrest
Selma, Alabama