Next
Meeting
The next
meeting of Captain J.W. Bryan Camp will be from 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, April 8, at Logan’s Road House, 3509 Gerstner Memorial Blvd, Lake Charles LA 70607. Ed Sherwood will present the program “Benjamin Butler and the Federal Occupation
of New Orleans.” Please make every effort to be in attendance.
Monthly camp meetings in Lake Charles
have been scheduled and confirmed for:; Tuesday, June 10; Tuesday. August
12;Tuesday October 14.
FINDING YOUR WAY HOME
Commander's Column, April 2014
 |
| Dr. Andy Buckley Camp 1380 Cmdr. |
Colonel William Henry Parsons commanded the Texas unit, which
served as the primary cavalry for the Army of Trans-Mississippi in Arkansas and
Louisiana in 1862-1863. Parson’s commanded the 19th Texas Calvary,
Morgan’s Texas Battalion, and the 10th Texas Artillery. My own
great-great grandfather, J.T. Garrett served under Parsons in the Alf Johnson
Spy Company organized in McKinney, Texas.
W.H. Parsons was a man of honor, conviction, courage, and
Christian faith. The following letter, written from Chicago some two months
before his death, was read at the Brigade’s reunion in Hillsboro, Texas on
August, 1907. It reminds all of us why we are a part of the Sons of Confederate
Veterans.
“Leaf by leaf the trees are falling
Drop by drop the streams run dry
One by one beyond recalling
Summer roses droop and die.
Your Letter, dear comrades in arms,
finds me still among those who witness the falling leaves, while I wait the
bugle call of my Great commander. I find
that it is in strict military order
that he who was your superior officer during those thunderous days from 1861 to
1865, should remain on the field until the last man utters his response to the
earthly roll call.
Those of us who survived the shock
of battle and have since encountered the stings and arrows of outrageous
fortune, are conscious of Providential care and are correspondently thankful.
When the old guard gather at Hillsboro, read them this letter from the man who loves
hem and hopes to join them in the activities of the future life where we are
assured there shall be no more nights nor tears. Endless day and ceaseless joy
shall be the portion of those conscious of duty well performed according to their light.
You have from time to time received
from my pen words reminiscent of those Stirring days of civil strife, but now I
feel that we should for the remaining years Live in the present and contemplate
the future. The years are big with
promise for our great country, and I
have always been among those who, while ready to
oppose wrong, yet never uselessly
antagonize the inevitable trend and was ready to accept the situation, as you know I did
return from South America just after the war.
It takes more courage to stand
alone than to battle among your fellows, and you Recall my stand for
reconstruction. The grant old state of Texas flourishes and I am conscious of
my part in its present greatness and prosperity. Let the youngest Generation
join with us in our enthusiasm and say to young and old in the hearing of
your voice at the coming reunion of
Parson’s Brigade, that your old commander
still lives and loves.”
W.H. Parsons, Waxahachie Daily Light Newspaper, Saturday, August 10,
1907.
W. H. Parsons is but one great example of the values and
positive character traits of our Confederate ancestors. I am truly grateful to be a member of a national organization like the
Sons of Confederate Veterans, which proudly honors the sacrifices of our brave
Confederate ancestors and celebrates the true and accurate history of the War
Between the States. At our March meeting our program speaker Joe David Pool
reminded us of the distinctive characteristics of Southerners and the
uniqueness of our Southern culture. I am unapologetically a Southerner and an
ancestor of men who fought bravely and courageously against the Yankee invasion
of our home and for the cause of Jeffersonian small government, states rights,
strict interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, and economic opportunity for
all.
Tommy Curtis has
served our Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390 with distinction as our Camp
Commander and as Commander, Southwest Brigade, Louisiana Division, Sons of
Confederate Veterans. Tommy, who currently serves as our chaplain, recently
shared with me these thoughts concerning the unique role of our organization:
“At this critical time, when the twin scourge of political
correctness and revisionist history has created a climate hostile to any flag,
symbol, or monument that would honor the Confederate soldier, we need the
support of every Southerner, more than ever. With our heritage under attack we
have much to fight for, defend, and preserve. Like our forbearers of 1861, we
must answer the clarion call and come to the defense of our Southland. I have found
the SCV to be the perfect organization for defending the honor of our
Confederate heritage. The rank and file of our membership are honorable,
high-minded, and seekers of the truth with regard to the historical record of
the War for Southern Independence. Just being a member of the SCV is a
proclamation of our heritage and an important defense of our way of life.”
Thank you Tommy
Curtis. I could not have said it more eloquently. It is my hope Tommy’s words
challenge each of us to reach out to men in our community who would join with
us in celebrating, defending, and promoting our heritage through the Sons of
Confederate Veterans. Because of the war being waged against our ancestors, our
history, and our memorials, we need to increase dramatically the membership of
the Captain James W. Bryan Camp. There is strength in numbers!
We are grateful for
the return of one of our own, U. S. Army Lieutenant Evan Ellis, who has served
our nation as the executive officer of an engineering company deployed in the
Middle East for the past 14 months. I hope you will read Lt. Ellis ancestor’s story in the Confederate
Grays newsletter. Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 8th
at Logan’s Road House on Highway 14 in Lake Charles. Ed Sherwood will present
the program “Benjamin Butler and the
Federal Occupation of New Orleans.” Please make every effort to be in
attendance.
Dr. Andy Buckley
Commander
andybuckley1224@g mail.com
Commander
Dr. Andy Buckley has a UCV Stamp in his personal collection like the one seen
here.
The U.S. Post Office issued this special commemorative stamp in 1951 to
commemorate the final reunion
of the United Confederate Veterans. There were
only a small number of Confederate veterans alive
at that time.
My
Confederate Ancestor
Qur Captain James W. Bryan Camp
features the stories of camp member’s Confederate ancestors in our monthly
newsletter Calcasieu Greys. We would
like to invite members to submit a brief biography of your ancestor for our
upcoming issues. The biography should be
750 words or less and include all service information, rank, place of
enlistment, branch and unit, the battles in which your ancestor fought, final
resting place, family information, and any anecdote concerning your ancestor.
Please include a photograph of yourself and your ancestor. Send your biography
to Mike Jones, Editor at m4082@msn.com or Dr. Andy Buckley Commander at andybuckley1224@gmail.com.
 |
Lieutenant Evan Ellis, a descendent of the Alanson,
resides
in Texas and, following tradition, is a Cavalry Officer
and Horse Trainer.
|
ALANSON
DAWDY
By
Evan Ellis
Alanson Dawdy was one of the first settlers of Dallas
County, Texas. He was the son of Alanson Dawdy, and grandson of Irish
indentured servant Howell Dawdy. The family name was variously spelled Dawdy
& Dowdy throughout the centuries, literally changing back and forth from
one generation to the next. The subjects Grandfather fled from his servitude in
1771 and headed south. A wanted listing for a reward of four pounds was listed
for his grandfather on November 18th, 1771 with the following
description:
“Howell
Dawdy, about 26 years of age, about 5'9" high, of a sandy complexion, red
beard, with a hair mole on the right side of his chin, sandy hair which he wore
tied, thin visaged, he pretends to be a carpenter, is a well made fellow, sings
a good song, and is very fond of company; he took with him a light coloured saggathy coat, nankeen jacket and breeches, a
pair of leather breeches, an old green lappelled jacket, ribbed worsted hose marked I.B. on the
top of each stocking; it is supposed he stole a light coloured surtout coat; he
plays a little on the violin; he went away on the 14th of this month and is
supposed he is gone to the eastward. Whoever apprehends the above described
persons shall receive the above reward, or Four Pounds for either, from Samuel
Dick and Curtis Trenchard.”
His
Grandfather went on to fight in the American Revolution in the North Carolina
Militia, and moved on to Tennessee where he died a free man in 1830. Thus the
family began its westward journey toward its destiny in Texas. The subject’s
father of the same name was thus born in Tennessee in 1786 and from there the
family moved to the Illinois Territory. Alanson was born there on December 15th, 1826 and
raised there until in 1846 the Mexican
War beckoned the young man to greater adventures. He
joined Company H, of the 1st Illinois Volunteers.
It was with his Kentucky Regimental commander Colonel
John J. Hardin he fought at the Battle of Buena
Vista. In this famous battle Colonel Hardin was killed.
Returning from the Mexican War Alanson
decided to join other members of his kin in settling around Dallas County,
Texas. It was here on the Trinity River that he started Dowdy’s Ferry. The
Ferry charges included one dollar for a wagon with four or more animals, ten
cents for a man and horse, and five cents for a person on foot.
Alanson continued to manage his
ferry, train horses eventually and purchased his farm in Dallas County after
profiting from his various endeavors. He became a prominent citizen within the
county.
In March of 1862 the 18th
Texas Cavalry was organized and Alanson was elected 1st Lieutenant
of Company I under Capt. William H. Perry.
The unit was soon assigned to the Indian Territory that same month. In
April the unit was dismounted and its horses were taken away. This did not sit
well with the Texans and family tradition states that Alanson resigned his
commission rather than be transferred to the Infantry.
His unit was sent to Arkansas Post
where it was later captured in January of 1863. Not much is known of the rest
of his military service to the Confederacy although the Memorial & Biographical History of Dallas County, Texas (Chicago:
Lewis Pub Co. 1892), page 639 mentions
that he was involved in numerous skirmishes and at the time of Lee’s Surrender
he was in Tyler, Texas on duty. It is quite possible that he was a member of
the Texas State Forces at that time.
Alanson was a deacon in the
Christian Church, a Mason and a Southern Democrat. He died on Jan. 23, 1901 in
Dallas and is buried in the Hutchins Cemetery in that city. Alanson’s legacy still lives on in Dallas,
Texas, and anyone familiar with the city will know of Dowdy Ferry Road in the
Southeastern portion of the city.
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| Dowdy's Ferry Exit in Dallas, Texas |
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| Dawdy's Ferry Historical Marker (Photos courtesy Lt. Evan Ellis)
Mansfield 150th Re-enactment
Schedule
( subject to updates)
Mansfield State Historic Site, 15149 Highway 175,Mansfield,
LA 71052
* GPS coordinates 32.011096,
-93.665964
On April 26-27, 2014, Mansfield State Historic Site, in
conjunction with the 11th Louisiana Infantry, will host a 150th anniversary
reenactment. The event will be held on 134 acres of the actual
battlefield, regarded as some of the best preserved battlefield land in the
country. Two full battle scenarios will be
reenacted: Saturday will feature the overwhelming
assault of Mouton’s and Walker’s Divisions, in concert with Green’s Confederate
cavalry, on the initial 13th Army Corps line at the battle’s opening phase. Sunday’s
scenario will feature the attack and repulse of General Taylor’s Confederate
forces as they attempted to destroy the 6,500 men of General William H. Emory’s
19th Corps division at the battle’s third and final phase.
Thursday-April 24th :
Sutler and Vendor set-up
Friday-April 25th :
Reenactor set-up
9 am. - 10 pm. on site registration
8 pm. Battalion Commander Meeting (CS/HQ area)
Saturday- April 26th :
7 am. Reveille
8 am on site registration opens
9 am Camps open to the public
8:30 am Infantry weapons inspection
8:30 am Battalion Commanders meeting
9 am Artillery Inspection
(
mandatory-all crew members and Commanders
present)
10 am ALL vehicles out of camp until end of the event
11 am Ladies' Tea
12 noon registration closes
2 pm Battle of Mansfield
4:30 pm- 6:30 pm Supper for Registered Reenactors
5 pm Camps closed to the public
7 pm-10 pm Dance
Sunday- April 27th
7 am Reveille
9 am Battalion Commanders meeting
(
CS/HQ area)
9 am Camps open to public
10 am Church Service
2 pm. Battle of Mansfield
After
Battle camps open to vehicles
DATES
OF IMPORTANCE
April 4-5 Battle of Pleasant Hill
Commemoration
April 25-27 Battle of Mansfield
Commemoration
May 10 Commemoration of the 150th
anniversary of the Battle of Calcasieu Pass.
May 23-24 SCV Division Reunion
DeRidder
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