The Dispatch
The Official Publication of the
Dixie Guards Camp # 1942
Sons of Confederate Veterans
Volume 1, 12th
Edition
March 2002
The Dixie Guards # 1942
Sons of Confederate Veterans
P.O.Box 761
Metter, Georgia 30439
Postmaster Please Deliver To:
Commander’s Comments
March is here and this marks the 12th edition of our newsletter. I hope that it has been as great a year for all of you as it has for me. Never in my biggest imagination would I have dreamed that as we prepared to celebrate our 1st year as a camp, we'd have 60 members. I remember that 1st night at the Library and I was just hoping that there would be more show up than daddy, Uncle Herbert and me. To say that I'm proud to be associated with gentlemen like you is not expressing how much pride I have for our camp. I don't want to brag on us to loudly, but I do find myself telling all the other SCV members that I know that I'm fortunate enough to be a member of a camp that has members 2nd to no one. You folks really make this fun for me. For that, I can never thank you enough nor applaud your efforts enough.
By now, everyone has probably seen or has heard about our success in getting the Adopt-A-Highway program established. Again, thanks for your patience and now it will be our turn to fulfill our pledge to keep our section of highway clean. I suggest that we set aside one Saturday per quarter and take care of our road. By doing this, not only will we show good citizenship but we will also have a great opportunity to display our flags and promote our cause. Another great opportunity has come our way in the form of 2 Georgia Congressional Resolutions. First, H.R. 976 proposed by Rep. Bobby Franklin of Marietta seeks to give us the right to vote on returning the Real Georgia Flag. Next, Georgia Senator Jack Hill of Reidsville came through with his promise to submit a Voter Initiative Resolution. His proposal is more complex and is a True Voter Initiative. Its number is S.R. 642. Jack was the speaker at an Ogeechee Rifles meeting last summer and admitted that he didn't realize his district was so angry regarding his vote to change the flag. He made the public pledge and took my hand and promised to submit this resolution this session. I was beginning to wander if he'd hold to his promise, then along comes S.R. 642. I'll hold judgement on his sincerity for awhile, but I'll hope that he makes every effort. His resolution will be good for Georgia. Not only would it give us a chance to correct the wrong done to our voice and our flag, but also future wrongs can be avoided by the mere fact of a Voter Initiative being in place. This is good for us all! I don't want to sound like a broken record, but we must contact and do all that we can to persuade our legislators to support these measures. Without large numbers of contacts regarding these bills, our leaders may just not take a serious stance and avoid any controversy relating to them. HR976 probably faces the toughest road because the very Congressman that spearheaded Barnes' efforts to change the flag is the chairman of the House Rules Committee. We all know that he'll try to kill it before anything can go forward.
This month we are fortunate to have a speaker who has authored a book about our Confederate Forefathers of the Army of Tennessee. Many of you have ancestors that fought in the Army of Tennessee, so I challenge you to make a special effort to be at March's meeting and bring a friend with you. Remember that the public is always invited and your lady folks are always welcome. The author's name is James Van Eldik and his book is called From the Flame of Battle to the Fiery Cross. He'll be sharing with us information about his book and related topics. His book covers events from the Army of Tennessee and will also cover Chickamauga and the Battle for Atlanta. Make every effort to come and bring a friend.
Don't forget the Membership drive. In case you don't know, here are the details. In May, we will have a drawing for a beautifully framed portrait of General Robert E. Lee. Each time you recruit a new member, your name and the new member's name will be placed in the drawing. Only those names of recruiting members and those recruited will be in the drawing. To have a chance, you must sign up a new member or be the new member that was signed up. The painting will be displayed at every meeting until the give-away for all to see. Recruiting isn't hard and many people are just waiting for us to ask.
On March 30th, we'll be participating in the annual Bloomin' Festival. We'll be sponsoring a booth and will be selling our "stuff". We'll have flags, tags, and all kinds of other stuff, so tell your neighbors if they'd like to get a Real Georgia Flag or Battle Flag to come see us. We'll also be getting the word out about our camp, like membership information, etc. If you can help, whether it is all day or part, we'd love to have you. Again, thank you all for all the success we've had in our 1st year and I know with yours and God's help, we'll only get bigger and better. Until our meeting…
May
God Bless and Guide you all,
Randy
Treasury Report
$1300.00
New
Members
Marcus
H.Nobles III honoring
Pvt.
Jesse Jasper Strickland, Co.B, 20th Ga. Cavalry
Ernest A.
Tyson honoring Pvt.
Cammel Tyson, Co. A, 2nd Ga Cavalry (Effingham Hussars)
Douglas A.
Tyson honoring Pvt.
Cammel Tyson, Co. A, 2nd Ga Cavalry (Effingham Hussars)
Otis Eugene
Long honoring
Corp.
John Hand (Skip) Long, Co.G, 5th Ga Cavalry
Jeffrey Thomas
Clifton honoring
Pvt.
Thomas H. Womack, Co. D, 26th Ga Regt, ANV
Adjutant’s Report
The February monthly meeting of the Dixie Guards was called to order at approximately 7:30 PM. Brother Grady Franklin gave the invocation. Color Sgt Ben Franklin led the Pledges and Salute to our Flags. Historian Richard Crotwell read the Charge to the SCV
Old Business:
1. The Adopt-A-Highway program was finalized and we decided to meet Sunday, February 10th at 2 PM for a Public Relations photo for the paper. 2 The final tallies for renewals were disclosed. We had 1 member who hadn't renewed and a motion was made, seconded and passed to take donations from camp members to pay the renewal and tax penalty. 3. Banquet Tapes are still on sale for $5. See Tony for your copy. Remember, that we ask that NO copies be made other than those purchased through the camp. 4. If you still haven't signed the Charter, please contact Commander Crooms as soon as possible. We plan to have copies for sale to members and donate a copy to the Western Steer in April for Confederate History Month.
New Business:
1. The Post Office Box has to be renewed at the rate of $19. Adjutant Thompson to take care of it. 2. SCV HQ has requested each camp to donate to the Alberta Martin Fund. Mrs. Martin is the only surviving Confederate Widow still alive. 3. There will be a Confederate Ball in Savannah on Saturday, April 27th. It will be co-sponsored by the UDC, SCV and MOSB (Savannah chapters). Contact Gayle Dawson at 912-898-8133 for more information. 4. The camp decided to participate in the Bloomin' Festival and will host a booth. We plan to sell flags and other camp items. We also plan to have recruitment information and maybe a voter registration. 5. A big Thank you to compatriot Jason West. Jason recently was the speaker for the Kiwanis Club and shared his expertise on the War Between the States.
Program: Adjutant Tony Thompson shared with us a program on Genealogy and Family History. Tony's daughter Tara also delighted us as they shared their rendition of the Old Irish folk tune "Maggie". At the end of the evening, Tara again delighted us as she led us in the singing of "Dixie". We concluded our meeting by viewing an interview Tony gave to WTOC-TV regarding the flag change. *A special thank you to Camp Chaplain Grady Franklin for making arrangements for the interview.
Upcoming Events
March 7, 2002 -
Regular Meeting with Author James Van Eldik on his book From the Flame of
Battle to the
Fiery Cross
March 30, 2002 - Another Bloomin' Festival -
Metter (booth and recruiting)
April 4, 2002 - Regular Meeting. Program: Compatriot Jason West
April 13, 2002 – Nationwide Confederate Memorial Service. Stone Mountain, GA
April 26, 2002 - Confederate Memorial Day
May 2, 2002 - Regular Meeting
September 5, 2002 - Regular Meeting with Authors Michael and Marilyn Gilhuly on
their Book Call To Glory, The Life and
Times of a Texas Ranger
Flags of
the Confederacy Series
General Polk’s Corp
Battle Flag
During
the early days of the War, it became obvious that the flag of the Federal
troops and the 1st National Flag of the Confederacy had to many
similarities to be used on the battlefield.
Leonidas Polk was a Confederate General leading troops of Department # 2
in the Western Theater of Operations.
Polk and his troops would eventually become part of the army named the
Army of Tennessee. It was while at the
head of the 1st Grand Division that Polk designed his battle
flag. Later, the Grand Division would
become known as Polk’s Corps.
Since Polk was a Bishop of the
Episcopal Church, he had special connection with the emblems of England. (The Episcopal Church was called the Church
of England) The flag of England was the
Cross-of St. George. When the British
Empire was formed, the Cross-of St. George was made a portion of the British
Union Jack.
In Polk’s flag, the Cross-of St.
George had 13 stars representing each of the Confederate States, plus Kentucky
and Missouri. The flag was Red, White
and Blue, just like all other flags that had been commissioned in America since
Independence was declared from George III of England in 1776.
Early in the era of the Army of Tennessee, Polk and his troops served under several commanders. One of these was P.G.T. Beauregard. Beauregard had come from Virginia and planned to bring the St. Andrew’s Cross Battle Flag with him. He placed orders for the battleflag (Army of Northern Virginia), but not many were received. Soon Braxton Bragg replaced Beauregard and Polk continued to use the flag he was credited with creating. Variations of the Polk flag flew until the end of the war.
Membership Drive
Contest
Don't Forget!!
When you sign up and new member
You and The New Member
Will be entered in a drawing
For a beautifully framed print
Of
General Robert E. Lee
Make General Lee Proud!
Win his Portrait along the way!
Drawing will be held at May's monthly meeting
The month of March in the War Between the States
Did you know…
March 7-8, 1862: The Battle
of Pea Ridge
March 9, 1862: The Battle of
the CSS Virginia & USS Monitor
March 16, 1861: The
Territory of Arizona secedes from the Union
March’s Confederate
Birthdays
March 16, 1828: General
Patrick Cleburne born in Ireland
March 22, 1817: General
Braxton Bragg born
March 28, 1818: General Wade
Hampton born
To contact your
Georgia Elected Officials
Representative
Craig W. Lanier Representative
Bob Lane
404-656-0202 404-656-6831
912-685-4491 912-764-6813
507
Legislative Office Bldg. 220
State Capitol
Atlanta,
GA 30334 Atlanta,
GA 30334
Representative
Butch Parrish Senator Hugh
M. Gillis
404- 656-5096 404-656-5080
478- 237-7032 478-529-3212
218
State Capitol 420-A
State Capitol
Atlanta,
GA 30334 Atlanta, GA 30334
Senator
Jack Hill Senator
Don Cheeks
404-656-5038 404-656-0045
912-557-4802 706-736-1397
421-D
State Capitol 121-D
State Capitol
Atlanta,
GA 30334 Atlanta,
GA 30334
Representative
Greg Morris Senator Tommie
Williams
404-656-0254 404-656-0089
912-537-2880 912-526-7444
601
Legislative Office Bldg 304-B
Legislative Office Bldg
Atlanta,
GA 30334 Atlanta,
GA 30334
Representative
Terry Barnard **These are
State Officials from our
404-656-0177 area. Contact them! The more the
912-654-1048
better! All legislators and their
501
Legislative Office Bldg contact
information can be found
Atlanta,
GA 30334 on
the State of Georgia Website.