CALCASIEU GREYS - April 2013

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390 will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, at Amazen Seafood, 339 West Prien Lake Road, Lake Charles. Business will get underway promptly at 6:30 p.m. Charles Richardson will present our program on Confederate heritage issues and how to discuss them with others. We'll also vote on amendments to the by-laws (see following Commander's Column).

CAMP MEETING SCHEDULE FOR 2013

Please see the list below for meeting dates and places for 2013. The restaurants have been contacted and their calendars marked accordingly. Meetings last from 6 p.m.-8 p.m.

Amazen Seafood Restaurant (Lake Charles) August

13, and October 8 (Nomination of officers).

Pitt Grill (Sulphur) - May 14, July 9, September

10, November 12 (elect officers).
The camp Christmas party date would be December
10 with the location to be determined.

Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390

The Commander's Column

I just returned from the Heritage Rally in Mississippi and I was glad to make it and see so many fellow members and friends. It was sure nice to see Andy Buckley and Wes Beason there. I know they enjoyed themselves. The parade was great. It looked to be a short one, but if it was any longer I would have needed water and a chair. Louisiana was well represented in the parade and camps from all over Louisiana were there. The Library building is "awesome," a word which describes this building perfectly. Capt. James W. Bryan It is two stories tall and glass everywhere. There is a blue X with white stars that runs through the whole building. If you stand on one of the white stars and look up you see a hole in the second floor filled with glass and another star.

Look further up and there is a round skylight with another star. Planes passing over see our flag projected with its stars shining thru the roof for all the world to see. The Mississippi SCV owns and maintains the grounds and does a fantastic job. A big thanks is due to them for keeping this part of our heritage alive. The restoration on Beauvoir was complete and is closer than ever to being as it was when Jefferson Davis lived there. The colors and art work are closer than they were on the last restoration. It was a great trip that everyone needs to make. The next meeting will be April the 9th at Amazen Seafood. The meeting will start at 6:30, so come early and enjoy the food and fellowship. We will vote on the changes we discussed to the by-laws and bring us up to date and the camp function smoother. Try to be there and be part of the process. If time allows Charles Richardson will finish up where Greg left off on the CD given to us from the SCV member in Okla. We have the Gun Show on April 6-7. If you signed up please try to make it. If you see you can't, please contact Wes or Luke and let them know so that we can try to replace you. The Battle of Pleasant Hill is April 6-7. If you are not at the Gun Show you need to be there and see what our ancestors went through. The battle is fought on the actual battlefield which is privately owned. All it costs you is the parking which is how they raise money to keep the event going. So come pass a good time and learn a little history too.

Archie Toombs

Commander of James W. Byran Camp 1390
Sons of Confederate Veterans

Proposed Changes to By-

By-Laws of Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390

Proposed Changes 
(proposed changes are in red)
Article VI - Meetings
           Section 2 - The regular meetings of the Camp shall be on the second (2nd) Tuesday of each month at 6:30 o'clock P. M. except for the January "Lee-Jackson Banquet" which time and place will be set by the Executive Committee.
Article VIII - Officers:
            Section 1 - The officers of the Camp at a minimum, shall be Commander, First Lieutenant Commander, Adjutant/Treasurer, Historian/Editor, Chaplain, Quartermaster, and an the Executive Committee.Nominations for officers will be held at the regular October meeting. All officers, except those of the Executive Committee, shall be elected by a majority vote by ballot at the annual meeting of the Camp. They shall hold office for one year or until their successors are elected. Officers elected at the annual meeting shall take office at the "Lee-Jackson Banquet." conclusion.
             Section 1 - The Executive Committee shall be composed of the Commander, First Lieutenant, Quartermaster, and the Past Commander. No Past Commander shall be eligible who has failed to maintain good standing in the Camp.
Article XVI - Amendments:
               Section 1 -  Any proposed amendment to these by-laws may be introduced by any member of the Camp at any regular meeting, or special meeting called for that purpose. A vote may be taken upon the proposed amendment, provided a copy of the intended amendment has been sent to each member in good standing, by United States Mail, Camp Newsletter or E-Mail at least ten days prior to the meeting. A two-thirds vote of the members present, by aecret ballot, will be necssary to pass any proposed amendment to, or revision of, the Camp By-Laws.
               Note: The proposed changes were introduced after review of the existing by-laws at the March 12, 2013 general membership meeting of Camp 1390.
                            

HERITAGE RALLY A SUCCESS

Compatriots,

           I wish to personally thank all of you who made to effort to be at Beauvoir yesterday. The heritage rally was inspiring and the new Library is a thing of grandeur. My special thanks to Chairman Rick Forte and Exec. Dir. Bert Hayes-Davis for allowing us to combine these two awesome events. This event would not have gone nearly as smooth , or not at all, without the on ground work of Greg Stewart! As well, my sincerest thanks to Paul Grambling for taking charge and organizing the rifle company and the firing of salutes. Next year's event will be in Franklin, TN!

Chuck McMichael

Sesquicentennial Chairman

MAKE PLANS FOR VICKSBURG

VICKSBURG - Now that the Heritage Rally is over, the next big national event for the Sons of Confederate Veterans is the upcoming national reunion att Vicksburg, July 17-20, which coincides with the 150 h

Anniversary of the Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi. If you haven't been to Vicksburg lately, this is an

ideal time to make a national reunion. It is only about afive hour drive from the Southwest Louisiana area, and it is the home of one of significant War For Southern Dependence sites in the nation. Besides the Vicksburg

National Military Park, there are numerous other historic sites in and around Vicksburg. Convention Center Thursday, July 18, and usually includes a very impressive program. There will be business sessions held each day but there is still plenty of time for site-seeing and dining. You also have your choice of banquet meals, or eating out on your own, and organized tours, or touring on your own. One of my favorite parts of any convention are the many vendors that show up at national reunions. This is a veritable shopping center of Confederate and War For Southern Independence themed products for sale.Southern Independence themed products for sale. Everything from historic objects, fine art, clothing, DVDs, books and all sorts of odds and ends. If you have the time, you could coordinate your trip there with visiting other historic sites along the way, of which there are many in both Louisiana and Mississippi. To register, you can go to the reunion web site, orcheck out your current Confederate Veteran Magazine. http://2013scvreunion.homestead.com/Index.html. - Mike Jones

Pvt. Henry Augustus Moore, Co. F, 15th
Miss. Inf. His regiment served in the
Vicksburg campaign as part of Johnston's
relief forces. (Liljenquist Family Collection,
Library of  Congress)

150-years-ago

A VISIT TO VICKSBURG BEFORE THE SIEGE


American Citizen
Canton, Mississippi
March 27, 1863

           Impelled thereto by business engagements, we last week made a short visit to Vicksburg, taking in our route Calhoun, Madison, Tagaloo, Shotwell's tank, Jackson, Clinton, Bolton's, Edward's, Bovina, "and all intermediate landings."  From the route we took, as indicated by the above names, it will be reasonably inferred that we traveled "by rail."  such was certainly our intention, but in it we failed.  "The best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft aglee."
            In our peregrinations we saw but little that was interesting or noteworthy, consequently we took no "notes," though we did take "note of time," as TIME—however much "tempus"  may "fugit," was not a fast fugitive to us, but rather hung heavily upon our hands while away from "the young folks at home."  In former times—before grim war's dreadful alarums resounded throughout the land—it was a pleasure and a benefit to any man to take a short respite and recreation from business in a trip to the "Hill City," or the "Crescent City;" but now, in these times of "war and pestilence and famine," the very worst punishment that could be inflicted upon a man would be to compel him to leave home and travel on railroads and take lodgings and meals at the hotels.
            The first feature that presents itself to the mind of the wayfaring man is, the great number of soldiers that are continually "going to and fro, up and down in the earth," crowding all the cars on all the railroads;--the next is, the vast number of soldiers—officers, especially,--that are found at all the railroad depots of any note, and in all the towns along the lines of railroads.  At Jackson we tarried a day.  The city was alive with soldiers, and it seemed to us that every third man we met was an officer, had on shoulder straps, or a "spangle" of some sort to indicate that the wearer was something more than a "common soldier."  The inquiry naturally arises, What are all these officers and soldiers doing out of camps?  Why are they not with their regiments, on duty, in active service?  There were, it seemed to us, a sufficient number of officers and men walking about the streets of Jackson to form a full regiment.  How it is that so many men, able-bodied and healthy, are enabled to shirk their duty and keep out of the service, passeth our comprehension.  While thousands are thus loitering about the cities, towns and railroad stations, all over the Confederacy, of no benefit whatever to the great cause in which we are engaged, the plea is made here in Mississippi by our sapient Governor, that the danger at present is so imminent that not a man can be spared from the field, and that the very salvation of the country depends upon retaining the militia in active service!—many of whom are old men not fit for military duty, but who ought to be at home, superintending their crops and raising bread and meat to supply the demands of the army and the people.  The Confederate authorities should at once call all stragglers to the field, and Governor Pettus should disband the militia without further delay.  He has committed an error in keeping them in the field up to the present time; the longer he persists in that error—to gain a reputation as "a man of firmness and decision of character"—the greater will be the detriment to the agricultural interests of the State, and to his own fair fame.  Disband the "melish," Governor, disband the "melish," and let them raise corn, and you'll raise yourself in the estimation of everybody.


Copperhead tentative release date
          The new Ron Maxwell move "Copperhead"
has been tentatively slated for release June 28, 2013.
Maxwell is best known for his two War for Southern
Independence movies, "Gettysburg" and "Gods and
Generals."Copperhead is a historical drama set in the
war, but is not a war movie. It is about a community in
New York torn apart by political differences over the
war. The film is based on the novel of the same name
by Harold Frederic. It tells the story of Abner
Beech, a farmer in Upstate New York in the autumn of
1862 who is labeled a "Copperhead" for his
opposition to the war. Copperhead was the derisive
term used for Northerners who were Southern
sympathizers of anti-war Democrats.
Billy Campbell plays the lead role of Abner
Beech. Campbell appeared in both "Gettysburg" and
"Gods and Generals," and had starring roles in "The
Rocketeer" and in the ABC drama "Once and Again."
Most recently he played Abraham Lincoln in the
National Geographic Channel's docu-drama,
"Killing Lincoln."Angus Macfadyen plays Jee Hagadorn. Many
will remember him as Robert the Bruce in the Oscar winning
film "Braveheart."The noted actor Peter Fonda plays the role
of Avery. Among his film credits are "Easy Rider,
"Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole," and "The Victors."
Ron Maxwell was the director and Bill Kaufman wrote the screenplay.
It was filmed at Kings Landing Historical Settlement, Fredericton,
New Brunswick, Canada

Kelly's Ford Battlefield
          (Culpeper, Va.) - The Civil War Trust, the
nation's largest nonprofit battlefield preservation
organization, has partnered with Culpeper, Va.-based businesses and local preservationists to complete the installation of an interpretive center at the Kelly's Ford Battlefield. Signage, fencing, trails and other amenities are among the additions comprising the interpretive center, dedicated on the battle's 150th anniversary. "Completing the protection and interpretation of this site would have been impossible without the help of the landowners, local businesses and our members," Trust president Jim Lighthizer said. "Future generations now
have the chance to experience America's history
first hand by visiting this site."
           In November 2012, the Trust secured an
easement on a 964-acre farm owned by the Woodward family, among the largest transactions in the
organization's 25-year history, with the intention of not
only preserving, but interpreting the site. The
landowners, Scott and Sam Woodward, agreed to donate
time and labor to build, maintain and manage the center.
Local businesses, historians and preservationists also
donated time, energy and resources to complete the
project, including Cedar Mountain Stone, Culpeper
Wood Preservers, Kipps Nursery, CFC Farm Center and
the Trust.
           "My brother and I have learned much about the
history of our property in the past few years," Sam
Woodward said. "And, as we discussed it, we realized we
had an obligation to be stewards of the land and
recognize its unusual history," added Scott Woodward.
"This is the right thing to do. The trust and our
consultant worked with us, and we are very pleased with
their efforts to aid us in our desire to protect this
farmland for our family and community."
The Woodward property is nearly two square
miles of land flooded with documented history
commencing long before English settlers explored this
area. Including over a mile of frontage on the
Rappahannock River, the property includes portions of
the Old Carolina Road, Norman's Ford and the Carter
House, which formerly belonged to Robert "King"
Carter, arguably the mo s t successful
colonial businessman of his era. It is also the site of the
Battle of Kelly's Ford.
          "The Woodwards have been incredible
throughout this process," project consultant and local
conservationist Jamie Craig said. "This is a unique
property in that it encapsulates centuries of American
history as well as sensitive riverfront habitat. This
acquisition is a significant asset now protected and
preserved for future generations — thanks to the
assistance and foresight of the Woodward family, the
Trust, local and state officials and Culpeper businesses
who supported our effots."