The Dispatch

The Official Publication of the Dixie Guards Camp # 1942

Sons of Confederate Veterans

 

 

Volume 1, 8th Edition

November 2001

 

 

 

 

 

The Dixie Guards # 1942

Sons of Confederate Veterans

P.O.Box 761

Metter, Georgia 30439

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Postmaster Please Deliver To: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.candlersonsofconfederacy.homestead.com

Commander’s Comments

 

            Since our last newsletter went to the post office, so much has come about in our lives.  If I remember correctly, September 11th, I mailed everyone’s October newsletter on the way home from work.  That was supposed to be the 1st day of a 2-week vacation for me.  My wife and I had discussed either going to Richmond or Gettysburg for me to plunder around and enjoy some time away from a work schedule that had been hectic so far this year.  I had worked all night, so I decided to lay down and take a nap at 8 AM.  A few minutes later, she woke me to tell me about the tragic news. We will all remember how we 1st learned of September 11th or where we were when we found out.  Never Forget!  The only thing that I can say that hasn’t been said about September 11th, is this...I’m very disturbed by the fact that it took this to see Patriotism again.

            If you missed the Banquet, boy you missed a great night.  I want to thank everyone for the hard work that made our night a success.  The planning, the decorating, the road signs, the cleanup, you really out did yourselves and I’m thankful to you all. I especially want to thank some folks that aren’t even members.  Heck, one of them isn’t even from Dixie.  I really want to thank my wife, for making the centerpieces for the tables. I also want to thank Ben’s wife for hosting at the door. I would also like to thank the ladies at Flowers N Things for donating the greenery for the centerpieces. Please pass along these big Thank You’s to these ladies.   

            Sonny was something else.  It’s really good to see someone of notoriety not ashamed of who they are and where they came from.  Believe me, Sonny is just that.  Not ashamed, if you were there you understand what I mean, if you weren’t there, well get with someone and they’ll tell you. If you still haven’t signed the charter, please get with me so that we can get it copied and framed.

            Finally, I knew I’d eventually get to mention this, but I didn’t know when.  October was the 1st month that we didn’t sign up any new members.   Will 51 members be all that we sign up?  If the answer is yes, that’s fine.  But, I think we can do more.  Do you know anyone that qualifies?  I do.  I’m convinced we have to get active, really active.  Everyone will take us seriously if we do.  What do I mean, you ask?  Politicians and cutthroats stole our flag because we didn’t have the numbers to scare them.  They don’t take us seriously.  If you think they do, you’re fooling yourself.  But bet on this, you’re not fooling them.  When Jack Hill came to Statesboro, all he did was stand up and say a bunch of junk and try to apologize.  He didn’t even do that well.  Then, he promised to bring up the “Voter Initiative” for us.  Oh, he might bring it up, only because he knows it won’t pass.  Frankly, he doesn’t want it to pass.  He, his King and the rest of the thugs would lose power if it did.  They want us to stay like mushrooms...feed us bull and in the dark.  Numbers mean power.  Why do we want power?  Not for power’s sake, for our ancestor’s place in history.  If we have enough members to turn heads, they’ll listen.  They’ll listen at City Hall, at the Commissioner’s Office and in Atlanta.  If we stay weak, our flag will be the 1st thing lost.  Can you imagine a Georgia without Stone Mountain?  Before you answer that would you have believed that the World Trade Center would have crumbled right before your eyes?  The people that wanted to get rid of our flag want to get rid of Stone Mountain and everything else that reminds us of our beloved Dixie and our kin.  You wouldn’t stand around and let someone hurt your children, don’t stand around and let them hurt your grandfathers!

            Each member we sign up and renew makes us strong and makes them weak.  Let’s get stronger and make them weaklings.  Remember it’s time to renew.  If you joined before August 1st, then you need to renew.  $31 is all it takes not nearly the price that the soldier you joined to honor paid.  Remember, “All gave Some, Some gave All.” Finally, “Aren’t you glad our ancestors weren’t as ashamed of us as we act like we are of them!”

God Bless You All,
 Randy

 

                                                                                                                         

 

 Treasury Report

 

 Balance on hand: $1357.07

 

New Members
 We had no new members for October, but we’ve left this portion of the newsletter open to encourage everyone to bring a friend, neighbor or family member!

Also,

Renewals are $31 and are due now!

This brings you...

“The Confederate Veteran Magazine”

“The Georgia Confederate Newspaper”

“The Dispatch Newsletter”

Plus...the blessing of

Honoring you Confederate Ancestors

 

Adjutant’s Report

 

 The regular monthly meeting of the Dixie Guards Camp # 1942 was called to order at approximately 7:30 PM, Thursday, October 4th at the Western Steer.  Approximately 20 members and several guests were present.  Grady Franklin gave the Invocation.  Ben Franklin led in the Pledges and Salute to the flags.  Richard Crotwell read the Charge to the SCV. 

Old Business: 1. The Adopt-A-Highway program is still not ready.  Concerns were expressed that the State was taking to long.  2.  The Banquet was discussed.  3.  The Charter was available to be signed by anyone who had not signed it. 3.  Renewals were discussed and everyone was reminded to not wait until the last minute.

New Business: 1.  Commander Crooms is speaking at Metter Intermediate School on October 19th.  2.  We have several requests for copies of the Banquet.  It was discussed and voted to get Sonny’s approval before making any copies for distribution.  Without his approval, the camp will not offer any.  3.  We discussed and decided to join the Friends of the Library at the $25 club level.  We also decided to donate a subscription to the Confederate Veteran to the library. 4.  Commander Moncus of Camp# 207 offered us “Let Us Vote” signs for our yards.  Each sign is $2 each, which covers cost only.

Program:  Southeast Brigade Commander Donald Newman shared with us an excellent program regarding our Southern Heritage, Southern Pride and Current Events of our World.

 

Upcoming Events

 

 

November 1, 2001 – Regularly Monthly Meeting @ Western Steer

November 11, 2001 – Wertz Memorial Service @ Andersonville, GA – 2 PM

December – 1st weekend – Sat. & Sun. The Battle of Buckhead Church in Millen

                      Reenactment

April 13, 2002 – Nationwide Confederate Memorial Service.  Stone Mountain

January 18, 2002 – Ogeechee Rifles Lee/Jackson Banquet in Statesboro – Speaker SCV Chaplain Weaver

January 19, 2002 – John C. Carter Camp Lee/Jackson Banquet in Waynesboro – Speaker Sen. Joey Brush

 

Membership Goal

 

All Renew & Sign Up

2 in 2002

 

Confederate Georgia Series

 

Brigadier General E. Porter Alexander

 

            From Washington, Georgia, E.Porter Alexander was trained as an engineer at the US Military Academy at West Point.  During the War Between the States, Alexander was Longstreet’s most trusted artillery commander in the 1st Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia.  Though the overall command of the Artillery belonged nominally to Brigadier General William N. Pendleton, it was Alexander that Longstreet and Robert E. Lee trusted.  Alexander was considered the best artillery commander in the entire South.

            During the Battle of Fredericksburg, in December of 1862, Alexander and his cannons covered the field in a literal furnace of fire.  At one time just prior to the battle, Longstreet asked Alexander if he needed anything more with his preparation.  Alexander was quoted as saying to Longstreet, “not even a chicken can live on that battlefield when we open on it.”

            Alexander continued to serve Longstreet and followed him and his 1st Corps to Tennessee for their brief service there.  During the Battle of Chickamauga, Alexander again gave a superb performance at the helm of Longstreet’s artillery.  Later in the war, Edward P. Alexander was promoted to Brigadier General, yet he remained the most trusted artillery marksman in the Confederacy.

                After the war, Alexander was a teacher and a public figure.  He is noted for having been the president of the University of South Carolina and also the president of Georgia Railroad Bank and Trust.  He wrote two of the most authoritative books on the war.  The 1st was Military Memoirs of a Confederate the 2nd was Fighting for the Confederacy.  Each of these books are excellent and should be read by anyone who would like to know more about the Army of Northern Virginia or Army of Tennessee.