CALCASIEU GREYS

October 2011

NEXT MEETING

            The next meeting of  Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390 will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, October 11, at Ryan’s Family  Restaurant, 4501 Ryan Street in Lake Charles. Greg Newton will be giving a very interesting program on one of his Confederate ancestor’s. We’ll also be taking nominations for camp officers for 2012. Please come to this very  important meeting if you possibly can.

CAMP OFFICERS

          Team work is the key to a successful SCV camp. Each officer should take  his office seriously and be willing to take the time and effort required to carry out the duties of that office. Here is a list of elective offices in this camp: Commander; First Lieutenant Commander; Second Lieutenant Commander; Adjutant; Quartermaster; Judge Advocate; Sergeant At Arms; Surgeon and Chaplain.

            We will read the duties of each office before nominations are taken at our October meeting.

COMMANDER’S COMMENTS

          Thanks to the generosity of former Louisiana Division Commander Scott Thorn and the estate of deceased compatriot Ben Burns, a scholarship fund is being established by Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390. The initial amount of the scholarship is expected to be $500 annually. A scholarship committee has been established to work out the details. This is a great thing for our camp and will help us create a whole new dimension of service for outreach to young people and the community in which we live. We appreciate this generous gesture for our camp and cause.
            We are also in the process of publishing our Camp Cookbook in regular book form. It has only been available on CD as an e-book. Hopefully we’ll have it ready in time for Christmas. We’ll be able to sell it through our camp quartermaster store as well as on Amazon.com.
            Our camp experienced another outstanding and successful gun show in September. We have a prime location and the handed out a lot of information and received most generous support from the public. We are also making progress on getting our camp color guard established. We just need a few more volunteers who have or can get a standard Confederate uniforms and we’ll be all set. We’re welcoming new and enthusiastic members. I think we can all be very proud of Captain James W. Bryan Camp and the progress we are making.

Your obedient servant,

Luke Jones waves the Louisiana Independence
(Secession) Flag. The Louisiana Tigers played
a major role in the First Battle of Manassas.
(Photo by Mike Jones)

Mike Jones, camp commander

First Battle of Manassas Reenactment

          ST. FRANCISVILLE --Louisiana’s Civil War past comes alive at Audubon State Historic Site for a Civil War program on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 15-16
              Civil War reenactors dressed in authentic reproduction uniforms of the armies of both North and South will be on hand to present a look at life in Civil War Louisiana. The day’s demonstrations, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Sunday, will include drills, black powder weapon demonstrations, open hearth cooking, costume talks, camp life, and more.
             There will be a small scale reenactment of a Civil War battle at 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. This year will mark the involvement of the Louisiana troops at the Battle of 1st Manassas in Virginia. Visitors will see the fight at Matthews Hill, where Louisiana Tigers drew the first blood in one of the most epic battles of the Civil War.
             The Louisiana Tigers played a critical role at the First Battle of  Manassas.
  "This program starts the commem-oration of the Civil War Sesquicen-tennial in Louisiana,a nation-wide event marking the 150th Anniver-sary of the American Civil War . “We encourage those visiting to learn the rest of the story of the Civil War in the Felicianas by visiting Port Hudson State Historic Site, only a few miles south of Audubon,” said John House, site manager.

           Audubon SHS is the setting for the 200-year-old Oakley House, temporary home and inspiration to John James Audubon in the 1800s. The park includes a museum, picnic areas, Historic buildings, pavilion, and nature trail. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, Oakley House and its lush natural settings are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
         The $4 adult admission to Audubon SHS includes the site video history presentation, the plantation house tour and all special programs. Children (12 and under) and senior citizens (62 and older) are admitted free. Audubon SHS is located 30 minutes north of Baton Rouge near St. Francisville on La. 965 in West Feliciana Parish. For more information, call 1-888-677-2838 toll free or 635-3739 in the St. Francisville area.

Confederate Memorial Hall at 929 Camp St. in New Orleans.
It is 120-years-old, the olest museum in Louisiana and has
the world's second largest collection of Confederate
memorabilia in the world. (Photo by  Mike Jones)

Confederate Memorial Hall Appeal

        NEW ORLEANS – Many of you have visited us over the years, and know about what an inspiring place it is for all true Sons of the South. The title, Battle Abby of the South was given to us over a century ago. Even today visits are often described as a Sacred Pilgrimage.
        This museum exists in two worlds. One hand we are located across the street from the World War II Museum, which boasts of over 80,000 visitors annually. The foot traffic in the area is exceptional by any standard. WE ARE IN THE PRIME LOCATION FOR A CIVIL WAR MUSEUM. On the other hand we live in a hostile political environment that deprives us of recognition on tourist directional signs, and even listing as a Museum/Tourist attraction in most guide publications.
           We therefore must BUY advertisement space in tourist organs where state, city and federal subsidized museums such as the Afro-American Museum. The Back Street Museum and the Ashe Cultural Arts Center, receive it free, along with signs throughout the city directing tourist to their doorstep daily. Not only do WE not receive any state, city or federal support of any sort, but we are completely ignored despite our 120 year history in this location.
         We come to your Camp today to plead with you as individuals and as a camp to join. The Memorial Hall Foundation. The Foundation currently focuses on the following areas of need:
1)      To purchase meaningful advertisement space in all the major tourist organs in the area.
2)      Upgrade our building signage to attract the very high volume of foot traffic that passes daily.
3)      Our building is 120 years old and needs a TLC facelift in several places.
           I ask that your Commander or Adjutant make this appeal a part of your meeting agenda over the next few months. Your mission and ours is identical, EDUCATION. When given the opportunity this museum can fulfill that mission in flying the colors. It is very difficult to meet that goal without the financial support of like-minded institutions such as the SCV.
           If you have any questions, contact us. Memhall@aol.com, or 504-523-4522.

          E. Kemper Sublette

         President, Memorial Hall Foundation'

         For more information go to http://www.confederatemuseum.com/.

Battlefield Advocates Honored

         (Chattanooga, Tenn.) – During a ceremony recently at Fairyland Club on Lookout Mountain, the Civil War Trust, a national battlefield preservation organization, recognized three outstanding historic preservation advocates with its Chairman’s Awards for Achievement.  The awards were presented by the Trust’s chairman, Henry E. Simpson, in honor of Alabama historian Daniel Fulenwider, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park historian James Ogden and Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association executive director Mary Ann Peckham.
           “The long term commitment to historic preservation and education demonstrated by each member of this trio is inspirational,” said Simpson.  “Their enthusiasm for American history knows no bounds and their work will continue to benefit the public for generations to come.”Contacts
           For more than two decades, Daniel Fulenwider of Cullman County, Ala., has worked to promote appreciation and understanding of “Streight’s Raid” — Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest’s pursuit of Col. Abel D. Streight across north Alabama in the spring of 1863.  He has led tours of the campaign for military personnel from 27 countries and has traversed the entire route, from Mississippi to Georgia, on foot.  He was instrumental in orchestrating the Trust’s efforts to purchase of land at Hog Mountain, scene of fighting during the Battle of Day’s Gap, and continues to be involved in efforts to promote and interpret the site. 
            Mary Ann Peckham is the Executive Director of the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association a statewide organization dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of Tennessee Civil War Battlefields.   She retired from the National Park Service in December 2000, after serving in six National Park areas.  Her final assignment was as Superintendent of Stones River National Battlefield in Murfreesboro, Tenn.  In addition to her work with TCWPA, she is active with a number of area conservation organizations, including serving on the advisory board of the Southeast Region of the Land Trust for Tennessee.
           Since 1988, James Ogden has been the historian for Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park.  Earlier in his career, he did interpretive and research work for the Maryland Park Service at Point Lookout State Park, site of the largest Civil War prison, and for the National Park Service at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Russell Cave National Monument and Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.  Ogden speaks regularly on aspects of the Civil War to historical organizations and leads tours of battlefields throughout Georgia and Tennessee.  He has taught Civil War history courses for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, published a variety of articles and appeared on both A&E’s “Civil War Journal” and the History Channel’s “Civil War Combat.”
           Beyond his involvement with the Civil War Trust, Simpson is a member of the law firm Adams and Reese/Lange Simpson, LLP in Birmingham, Ala.  He has previously served as a lecturer at the University of Alabama, the state chairman of the U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society and the state chairman of the American College of Trial Lawyers. 
            The Civil War Trust is the largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the United States.  Its mission is to preserve our nation’s endangered Civil War battlefields and to promote appreciation of these hallowed grounds.  To date, the Trust has preserved nearly 30,000 acres of battlefield in 20 states.  Learn more at http://www.civilwar.org/, the home of the Civil War sesquicentennial.

Ed Cotham,  left, author-historian, gave the memorial
at the Sabine Pass commemoration.
(By Mike Jones)

CONFEDERATE VICTORY REMEMBERED

By Mike Jones

          SABINE PASS, Texas -- The stunning Confederate victory  of the Battle of Sabine Pass on September 8, 1863, was remembered with memorial services and a reenactment of the battle on September 10 and 11 at Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site.
        Among the activities on Saturday were the court martial and execution of Lt. Elijah P. Allen for desertion, the memorial service and battle reenactment.
Ed Cotham, author of Sabine Pass: The Confederacy's Thermopylae (University of Texas Press, 2004), was the guest speaker. He noted in his speech that the small garrison of Fort Griffin, about 41 men, voted unanimously to stay and fight against the Union invasion fleet and troops in spite of the odds against them. He also commended the bravery of the Union Navy which was so badly beaten in the battle
       Ladies from the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Order of the Confederate Rose laid the memorial wreaths at the Dick Dowling Monument. The memorial service was hosted by the Jefferson County Historical Commission.
      The master of ceremonies was Ron Ellington, past chairman of the Jefferson County Historical Commission. The invocation was given by Sid Holt, chaplain of Col. Philip  A. Work Camp 1790, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Woodville
     Chris Elliot, site manager gave the welcoming address. The color guard was provided by members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Among the supporters of the event were Dick Dowling Camp 1295, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and Edward Lea Camp 2, Sons of Union Veterans.

CALCASIEU GREYS

SEPTEMBER 2011

The dramatic story of the capture of the U.S.S. Indianola on the Red River
in 1863 will be the program of Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390's September
meeting.  The Union ironclad warship was blockading the Red River where it
connects to the Mississippi River to prevent the Confederates from getting
supplies and reinforcements to Vicksburg and Port Hudson.

    

NEXT MEETING

     The next meeting of Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390 will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, at the Pitt Grill Restaurant in Sulphur Former La. Div. Cmdr. Scott Thorn will give the program on the capture of the U.S.S. Indianola. Please come and enjoy this informative program and good food and fellowship.

COMMANDER’S COMMENTS

      September will be a busy month for Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390. Besides our regular monthly meeting, we also have an information table scheduled for the Lake Charles Gun Show on the weekend of September 3-4. Then we hope to have a presence at the big reenactment of the Battle of Sabine Pass the following weekend of September 9-11. By keeping our name before the public and getting our message out in our own way, we will continue to make a difference locally in both defending and advancing our Confederate Heritage.

     We will be having camp elections coming up in November, with nominations being made in October. If you are at all interested in camp leadership, please consider running for one of the positions. Fresh ideas and enthusiastic participation always make a difference and keep the camp growing and moving forward. Our camp is doing well and we are fortunate to have a dedicated membership who are dependable and get the job done.

     I was very  impressed by the first meeting of the  Louisiana Civil War Sesquicentennial Task Force in Shreveport, of which I am a member. Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne put the Task Force together to promote tourism of Louisiana’s battlefields and other historic sites related to the War Between the States.

     Dr. Gary Joiner, a history professor at LSU-Shreveport, was elected chairman of the task force and laid out some good ideas that can be developed. There will be a web site which will be a clearinghouse of information for upcoming events related to to Sesquicentennial. Other ideas included having the classic history of the war in the state, “Louisiana in the Civil War” by John Winters, reprinted in a special Sesquicentennial edition. The group’s next meeting will be Oct. 28 in Baton Rouge.

     Your obedient servant,

     Mike Jones, camp commander

Local Men Served with the Tiger Rifles

By Mike Jones

    I've been writing historical stories for years and it never fails that often you learn more about your subject when the story comes out. That is logical since not many people know that you are writing an article or a book before it is published.

    I recently received a phone call from a gentleman wanting to buy a copy of my new book, "Tiger Rifles: The Making of a Louisiana Legend," who was a descendant of one of the members of that unit, Cpl. Joseph Nichols. The descendant, Gilbert W. Nunez, Jr., sent me some additional information about his ancestor. Since one of the goals of my book was to find a much personal information as I could about the individual Tigers, I thought I'd add such supplementary information to my blog as I receive it.

   This was the first time I've talked to a descendant of one of the Tiger Rifles soldiers. For my book I was in contact with a descendant of A. Keene Richards, the wealthy New Orleans and Kentucky businessman who donated the Tiger Rifles their famous Zouave uniforms. I have a nice picture of Richards in the book.

     Corporal Nichols was one of the older men in the Tiger Rifles. According to the 1860 census,  he was born about 1819 in South Carolina and was farming in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. He raised cotton and sheep and was a lumberman. At least one other member of the unit, Private John S. Williams, was a farmer from Rapides Parish. Nichols had a wife and eight

children listed in the 1860 census.

      He enlisted as a private in the Tiger Rifles April 25, 1861 in New Orleans and was elected to the rank of corporal on January 15, 1862. His election to corporal after the unit had been through the First Battle of Manassas and so many trials and tribulations in camp in the winter of 1861-62, indicates he was a good soldier and well respected by his fellow Tigers.

     After the Tigers were disbanded in August, 1862,  he traveled down to Vicksburg, Mississippi, possibly with Captain Alexander White, commander of the Tiger Rifles, who  also went there, and joined Company C, 27th Louisiana Infantry. His oldest child and son, Isaac Nichols, was serving in the same unit. Father and son battled the Northern invaders throughout the Siege of Vicksburg and were surrendered July 4,  1863. Joseph Nichols then reported for exchange April 1, 1864 at Shreveport, Louisiana. He continued with the 27th Louisiana and was surrendered in the command of General E. Kirby Smith May 26, 1865 and was paroled June 19, 1865 at Alexandria, Louisiana. At some point he moved to what was then Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, later becoming Beauregard Parish. He died February 17, 1904 and is buried in the Cooper Cemetery in Beauregard Parish just west DeRidder, Louisiana off U.S. Hwy. 190.

      There is also one other local Confederate Tiger highlighted in the book. He was Pvt. Joseph Perkins of the Starks area. Perkins joined at the beginning of the war and fought at First Manassas, the Shenandoah Valley Campaign and was wounded in action at the Battle of Malvern Hill, July 1, 1862. After the unit was disbanded, he returned home and served the final year of the war with Ragsdale Texas Cavalry Regiment.

       Anyone interested in my book can order it from CreateSpace.com, https://www.createspace.com/3624274, or Amazon.com. If you'd like a signed copy from the author send $19.95 plus $3.50 shipping to Michael D. Jones, P.O. Box 1318, Iowa, Louisiana 70647.

President Jefferson Davis and family on the front porch of Beauvoir, now the
Jefferson Davis Shrine in Biloxi, Miss. (Library of Congress)

Beauvoir’s Fall Muster Coming Up

By Mike Jones

     BILOXI, Miss. – Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis Shrine, has been lovingly restored after being nearly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and will host the annual Fall Muster on the weekend of Oct. 15-16.

     About 300 living history re-enactors are expected to set up military camps and demonstrate military life of the 1861-65 period and give battle reenactments each day. There will also  be civilian re-enactors to educate the public of what life was like in the 1860s.

     Festivities will include a picnic basket auction, ladies’ tea, live period music and a Saturday night dance. There will also be period vendors (sutlers) selling everything from authentic uniforms, muskets, flags, and miscellaneous items of 19^th Century life.

     Beauvoir was the retirement home of Jefferson Davis. It was there that he wrote his memoirs and met with many famous persons of his day. After he died in 1889, the home remained in the family until 1903 when it was sold to the Sons of Confederate Veterans. A home for Confederate veterans and widows was built on the premises and operated until 1957.

      The Fall Muster hours are from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. with the re-enactments at 2 p.m. each day. It is located at 2244 Beach Blvd. in Biloxi, and is about a 5 hour drive from Southwest Louisiana. For more information call (228) 3884400, or go to www.beauvoir.org on the Web.

1st Lt Richard W. "Dick" Dowling

DICK DOWLING DAYS

      The 148^th anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Sabine Pass will take place September 9-11 at Sabine Pass Battleground State Park, 6100 Dowling Rd.

Port Arthur, Texas.

       There will be two days of fun and excitement for everyone. Here is the schedule:

SATURDAY, Sept. 10

9:00 A.M. - Open to the public. Living History demonstrations all day.

10:00 A.M. - Court-martial and Execution of Lt. Elijah P. Allen for Desertion.

11:30 A.M. - Memorial Ceremony hosted by the Jefferson County Historical Commission

2:00 P.M. – Battle Reenactment.

SUNDAY, Sept. 11

9:00 A.M. - Open to the public. Camp Prayer Meeting. Living History demonstrations all day.

10:00 A.M. - Court-martial and Execution of Lt. Elijah P. Allen for Desertion.

2:00 P.M. – Battle Reenactment.

Directions:

      The site is located 1.5 miles south of the town of Sabine Pass on Dick Dowling Rd. and 15 miles south of Port Arthur via State Highway 87.

     State Highway 87 is closed between Sea Rim State Park and High Island, Texas. Address: 6100 Dowling Rd. Port Arthur, Texas

Visitors’ Center Developed for Oklahoma’s Largest Battlefield

     RENTIESVILLE, OKLA. – An impressive multi-million dollar partnership between four federal agencies, a state agency, McIntosh County, several local businesses, and a non-profit organization will provide funding, infrastructure and in-kind services to construct a visitors’ center at the historic site of Oklahoma’s largest military engagement, The Battle of Honey Springs.

     The federal involvement includes the National Park Service, as well as all three agencies of USDA Rural Development – Rural Business Service, Rural Utilities Service and Rural Housing Service.

      “With increasingly scarce resources, such an ambitious project is only possible with many public and private partners,” said Ryan McMullen, State Director of USDA Rural Development. “The partnership recognizes that rural areas should increasingly capitalize on the tourism industry. The development of this attraction will create jobs, as well as educate visitors on one of Oklahoma’s most historic sites.”

     The Battle of Honey Springs was the largest of the 107 documented hostile encounters in Indian Territory during the Civil War and the nation’s largest battle in which African American, American Indian, Hispanic and Anglo American soldiers engaged. The heroics of the Civil War’s first African American regiment, the First Kansas Colored, were largely responsible for the Union’s victory there. Often referred to as the “Gettysburg of the West,” the Confederate defeat at Honey Springs opened the way for Union occupation of Fort Smith and later Union victories in the Red River Valley.

     Bob Blackburn, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Historical Society, is among many that worked for years to preserve and share the historic nature of the site.

     “Since July 17, 1863, the Honey Springs Battlefield has been hallowed ground where patriots on both sides of the conflict died for a cause they believed in,” said Blackburn. “To commemorate the significance of the battle, the Oklahoma Historical Society starting buying land there in the 1960s and followed with the development of a bridge, roads, and interpretive trails in the 1990s. The visitor center will complete the master plan for making the site accessible to the greatest number of people. We owe that to the men who fought and died there.”

     Today, the 1,100-acre battlefield site is owned by the Oklahoma Historical Society and features six walking trails with 55 interpretive signs. The site sits next to the historic African-American community of Rentiesville, straddling the Muskogee and McIntosh

County line.

     The site offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy hiking and area wildlife, while learning about the Battle of Honey Springs and the impact of the Civil War on American Indians living in Indian Territory. The Civil War’s toll on life and property was greater per-capita in what is present-day Oklahoma than any state in the country.

     The Friends of Honey Springs organization will lease the land from the Oklahoma Historical Society to construct the new visitors’ center. It will not only offer engaging educational exhibits about the 9,000 soldiers that fought there, but will serve as a library and a community center for the residents of Rentiesville, McMullen said.

     Upon completion of the 5,000 square foot visitors’ center, the National Park Service predicts an annual visitation of 150,000 people, which would represent $9 million in tourism revenues for the state, said Emmy Stidham of Checotah, President of the Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors. Stidham said the location of the battlefield is a benefit, as well.

     “Honey Springs is a perfect stop for people traveling between Oklahoma City and Little Rock or between Kansas City, Tulsa and Dallas,” Stidham said. “It’s a good stopping point, easily accessible from I-40 and Highway 69. Our area is known for hospitality, and we’d love more people to come.”

     USDA Rural Development has awarded nearly $500,000 in grant funds and over $600,000 in financing through the Rural Business Enterprise Grant and Community Facilities programs. A portion of the financing includes a guaranteed loan through Peoples National Bank in Checotah. The project also includes a Rural Utilities Service award to Cross Telephone Cooperative to extend high speed internet access to the area as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

     State and local funds will come from $800,000 worth of site development and in-kind services from the Oklahoma Historical Society and thousands more in road improvements from McIntosh County. Commissioner Bobby James plans to pave two miles of county roadway and rebuild a bridge to provide better access to the site. James will use funding from the County Improvements for Roads and Bridges (CIRB) program, which provides state construction funding for high-priority county roads or bridges.

     McMullen said the Friends of Honey Springs plan to complete the visitors’ center by July of 2013, marking the 150th anniversary of the battle.

[Press Release from Civil War Trust, www.civilwar.org.]

Calcasieu Greys, Newsletter of Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Lake Charles, Louisiana

AUGUST 2011

NEXT MEETING

     The next meeting of Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390 will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, at Ryan's Steak House, 4051 Ryan S., Lake Charles.. Camp Chaplain Tommy Curtis will be the speaker and will give a report on the recently completed National Reunion in Montgomery,  Alabama. Please come and enjoy this informative program and good food and fellowship.

COMMANDER’S COMMENTS

     July was an exciting month for the SCV with the annual  National  Reunion taking place in Montgomery, Alabama. Montgomery  of  course was the first capital of the Confederate States government, the scene of where Jefferson Davis was inaugurated president, and where the first Confederate Congress met 150 years-ago. Tommy Curtis will give us a full report on all the exciting happenings at the convention at our August meeting.

     I also wanted to  let the camp know that at our August meeting, we’ve decided to get our business underway at 6:30 p.m. rather than our usual 7 p.m.  

      This earlier start will give us more time to discuss our important camp business as well as more time for  our programs.

      Another item of interest is I’ve found an economical way to print our Camp cookbook in regular book form, which should  bring in more revenue for the camp. Right now it is only available as an e-cookbook, which has had limited success. I’ll have a proof copy at the August meeting for  you to look at. It is professionally published and something I think we can really be proud to sell for the camp. I’ve had to condense it a little bit to keep it at an affordable rate, but it will still have all of our delicious food recipes, many supplied by camp  members.

       The book will cost about $4.00 to manufacture and we can still sell it for $9.95 and still make a nice profit on each book sold. And as an extra bonus it will also be available for sale on Amazon.com and another Internet e-store. It is really a good deal for us.

      Have a great summer.

Your obedient servant,

Mike Jones, commander



The Tiger Rifles: The Making of a Louisiana Legend

     The TIger Rifles: The Making of a Louisiana Legend tells the story of the unit that was the origin of the famous name "Louisiana Tigers." Officially, the unit was Company B, of Wheat's Battalion. It became famous because of their flashy Zouave uniforms, their famous battalion commander, Major Roberdeau Wheat, and their heroics at First Battle of Manassas. Their nickname, Tigers, became attached, first to the battalion, and then to all Louisiana troops serving in the Army of Northern Virginia. The book tries to separate fact from myth with regards to the Tigers. The men became so notorious for their antics in camp, they got blamed for a lot of things they didn't do, although they did plenty on their own to deserve their reputation. Also examined is the possible real identity of their company commander, Captain Alexander White. His name is an alias but as far as is known, his real identity has been a mystery. The book focuses tightly on the men of the Tiger Rifles and brings them to life as much as the limited resources allows. The book is available at https://www.createspace.com/3624274 and at http://www.amazon.com/.

Publication Date: Jul 14 2011

ISBN/EAN13: 1463554745 / 9781463554743
Page Count: 204
Binding Type:
US Trade Paper
Trim Size:
6" x 9"
Language: English

Avery Island in the Civil War 

      Shane K. Bernard, Ph.D will be the guest speaker for the Young-Sanders Center for the Study of the War Between the States in Louisiana on Saturday August 6, 2011 at 1:30 pm. Dr. Bernard serves as historian and curator to the McIIhenny Company and Avery Island, Inc., Archives of Avery Island, Louisiana. He is the author of several books about south Louisiana culture and history.

      Dr. Bernard will present a Power Point presentation on the War Between the States  period of the history of Avery Island.  During the war Avery Island was important to both the Confederate and Union Armies because of the large salt deposits. Dr. Bernard will present an account of events occurred at Avery Island during the War years.
     Two Confederate Uniforms belonging to Captain Dudley Avery of Avery Island and other historical artifacts will be on display during Dr. Bernard’s visit to the Young-Sanders Center. Captain Avery was a student at Princeton University, New Jersey when he left there to enlist in the Confederate Army in Feb. 1861. He enlisted as a private in the Delta Rifles of the Fourth Louisiana Infantry and in July 1861 he was elected Lieutenant in Company D of the Eighteenth Regiment Louisiana Infantry. He served under General Mouton at the Battle of Shiloh where he was severely wounded. He later served under General Richard Taylor in Louisiana as Captain in all of General Taylor’s Campaigns.

      Roland R. Stansbury, Director of the Young-Sanders Center, commented that “We are very fortunate to have these artifacts on display here at the Center during Dr. Bernard’s lecture. We sincerely hope the public takes advantage of the opportunity to view these wonderful artifacts and hear Dr. Bernard’s lecture on Avery Island in the Civil War.”
     The Young-Sanders Center is located at 701 Teche Drive in Franklin, Louisiana one block from the St. Mary Parish Court house. There is no admission charge and the lecture is opened to the general public. Refreshments will be served. For more information contact Roland Stansbury at (337) 413-1861 or contact us at ysc1861@aol.com

[Official SCV News Post]

STAND UP FOR OAKWOOD CEMETERY'S CONFEDERATES

     PROBLEM: Oakwood Cemetery's 17,000 Confederates, representing 13 Confederate states, deserve the dignity of an upright marker bearing their name. Currently, a small, nameless block, bearing only a three digit number represents the final resting place of three or more soldiers. The US Veterans Administration has been uncooperative in delivery of the upright markers.

     ACTION REQUIRED: Send a letter to all three Congressmen (two Senators and House member): Website, http://www.contactingthecongress.org, can be utilized - just plug in your address. Remember, letters are more effective than e-mail. Calls are helpful, also.

      Talking points (put these in your own words in your letter to your Congressmen) -

      In 1958, Congress pardoned Confederate soldiers and extended benefits therewith (US Code Title 38, Sec. 2306). This includes headstones for unmarked graves.

      These men deserve the dignity of a marker bearing their name - to not do so is the final human rights violation.

      The Veterans Administration should be required to live up to its responsibility, obey the law and provide these markers.

      Sen. Jim Webb (VA) is already engaged in this issue - ask your Congressmen to contact him and support his efforts.

      Contact other Confederate heritage advocates (UDC, re-enactors, etc.), as well as SAR, DAR and those in veterans organizations (VFW, American Legion, Wounded Warriors, etc.) and involve them in this process.

      THIS IS THE LARGEST AND MOST SIGNIFICANT INITIATIVE OF THIS KIND EVER UNDERTAKEN BY THE SCV. THIS WAS ENDORESED AND ANNOUNCED BY CIC GIVENS DURING OUR REUNION, JULY 16, 2011 in MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA.

1st Lt. Richard W. Dowling

DICK DOWLING DAYS

      The 148^th anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Sabine Pass will take place September 9-11 at Sabine Pass Battleground State Park, 6100 Dowling Rd.

Port Arthur, Texas.

       There will be two days of fun and excitement for everyone. Here is the schedule:

SATURDAY, Sept. 10

9:00 A.M. - Open to the public. Living History demonstrations all day.

10:00 A.M. - Court-martial and Execution of Lt. Elijah P. Allen for Desertion.

11:30 A.M. - Memorial Ceremony hosted by the Jefferson County Historical Commission

2:00 P.M. – Battle Reenactment.

SUNDAY, Sept. 11

9:00 A.M. - Open to the public. Camp Prayer Meeting. Living History demonstrations all day.

10:00 A.M. - Court-martial and Execution of Lt. Elijah P. Allen for Desertion.

2:00 P.M. – Battle Reenactment.

Direction:

      The site is located 1.5 miles south of the town of Sabine Pass on Dick Dowling Rd. and 15 miles south of Port Arthur via State Highway 87.

State Highway 87 is closed between Sea Rim State Park and High Island, Texas. Address: 6100 Dowling Rd. Port Arthur, Texas





Dick Dowling Monument
Sabine Pass, Texas







An Unidentified Louisiana Private.
(Library of Congress)

150-Years-Ago

The Richmond Daily Dispatch

July 26, 1861

The Battle of Stone Bridge.

Additional Particulars.

Official report of the fight.

"A Louisianian" communicates the following interesting intelligence to this paper:

To the Editors of the Dispatch:

     The gallant Colonel Wheat is not dead, as was reported yesterday, but strong hopes are entertained of his recovery. All Louisiana, and I trust all lovers of heroism in the Confederate States, will say Amen to the prayer, that he and all his wounded compatriots in arms may be restored to the service of their country, to their families and friends, long to live and enjoy the honors due to their dauntless spirits.

     I have just read a letter from Capt. George McCausland, Aid to General Evans, written on behalf of Major Wheat to a relative of Lt. Allen C. Dickinson, Adjutant of Wheat's Battalion.

     

     For the information of the family and friends of Lieut. Dickinson, I extract a portion of the letter, viz! "He (Major Wheat,) deeply regrets to say that our dear friend (Lieut. D) was so unfortunate as to receive a wound, which, slight as it is, will prevent him, for some time, from rendering those services now so needed by our country. The wound is in the leg, and although very painful, is not dangerous. To one who knows Lieut. D. as he supposes you do, it is unnecessary to say that he received the wound in the front, fighting as a soldier and a Southerner. With renewed assurances of the slightness of the wound, and of his appreciation of Lieut. Dickinson's gallantry, he begs you to feel no uneasiness on his account."

     Lieut. Dickinson is a native of Caroline county, Virginia, a relative of the families of Brashear, Magruder and Anderson. For some years he has resided in New Orleans, and at an early period joined a company of Lousianians to fight for the liberties of his country. He fought with his battalion, which was on the extreme left of our army and in the hottest of the contest, until he was wounded. His horse having been killed under him, he was on foot with sword in one hand and revolver in the other, about fifty yards from the enemy, when a Minnie ball struck him. He fell and lay over an hour, when, fortunately, Gen. Beauregard and Staff, and Capt. McCausland, passed. The generous McCausland dismounted and placed Dickinson on his horse.

     Of the bravery of Lieut. D., it is not necessary to say a word, when a man so well noted for chivalry as Robert Wheat has said that he appreciated the gallantry of his Adjutant. Lieut. D. is doing well and is enjoying the kind care and hospitality of Mr. Waggoner and family, on Clay street, in this city.

     Maj. Wheat's battalion fought on the extreme left, where the battle raged hottest. Although only 400 strong, they, with a Georgia regiment, charged a column of Federalists, mostly regulars, of 3,000. When the battle was over, less than half responded to the call, and some of them are wounded.

      When and where all were brave almost to a fault, it would seem invidious to discriminate. But from the position of the battalion, and the known courage of its leader, officers and men, the bloody result might have been anticipated. It is said of one of the companies that, upon reaching the enemy's column, they threw down their rifles,(having no bayonets,) drew their bowie-knives, and cut their way through the enemy, with a loss of two-thirds of the company. Such was the dauntless bravery of Wheat's battalion, and such is the heroism of the Confederate army.

CALCASIEU GREYS

Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390, Sons of Confederate Veterans
July 2011, Lake Charles, Louisiana

NEXT MEETING

     The next meeting of Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390 will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, July 12, at the Pitt Grill Restaurant in Sulphur. Our guest speaker will be Duane Clemmons who will present a program on the causes of the War for Southern Independence. Please come and enjoy this informative program, good food and fellowship.

COMMANDER’S COMMENTS

    Since our June newsletter, we lost out long time compatriot Ben Burns, who died May 27 and was buried on June 3, Confederate Memorial Day. His death followed that of Keith Coleman earlier in May. It was a hard blow for the camp since both these men were active members who both added tremendously to the Captain Bryan camps successes over the year. I’ll miss them both but we have to carry on.

    But we did have a very successful Confederate Memorial Day on June 3 and I’d like to personally thank all the compatriots who went out in the summer heat to decorate Confederate graves throughout the parish. I was laid up with a bad chest cold so couldn’t help, but I did manage to attend and lead the ceremony at the South’s Defender’s Monument, which was well attended this year. It is a good to know we have so many active and involved members who are so reliable.

       One thing that became very obvious with all the ceremonies and funerals in May and June was the need for a well-organized, uniformed Confederate Color Guard for the camp. I know Ben Burns would have liked to have had a uniformed Confederate Color Guard for his funeral, and we needed one for the Confederate Memorial Day ceremony at The South’s Defenders Monument. We have also had a request provide one for the dedication of a new grave maker for a Confederate veteran’s grave.

      Steve Travis Lanier and I are already uniformed and have muskets to  provide the escort for the flag bearers. We just need three men with Confederate uniforms to carry the flags and we’ll be in business. If anyone with a Confederate uniform would like to volunteer, please call me at 337-582-6154 or email at  m4082jon@msn.com. If you are interested in acquiring a Confederate uniform for this purpose, I would recommend checking on Ebay.com for reasonably priced, historically authentic Confederate uniforms. Just do a search with the terms Confederate jacket, Confederate trousers and Confederate kepi and you’ll see plenty of vendors selling gray jackets, trousers and kepis. If you need help, call or email me

Your obedient servant,

.Mike Jones, Cmdr.

Camp 1390.

SUBMARINE C.S.S. HUNLEY

Preservation Progress



     The world’s first successful combat submarine was gently raised again today, but this time by only a few feet. In a nerve-racking moment for the Hunley team, the estimated ten-ton, forty-foot submarine was suspended into mid-air in her conservation tank. The raising kicks-off the project to move the Hunley to an upright position, a dangerous yet necessary step to save the submarine. The rotation will expose a side of the Hunley that has not been seen by anyone since her last crew boarded the vessel in 1864. Archaeologists are eager for the opportunity to study this new area, which may hold clues as to why the Hunley was lost.
     With the submarine now resting safely at a 3-foot elevation, the clock is ticking for the Hunley team to complete the rotation project. The Hunley’s new position will not allow her to be completely submerged in the water that normally protects the artifact from corroding in the open air. Scientists will be working quickly to get the Hunley rotated and back into her protective water bath.
     The lifting required the upmost precision as two cranes operated simultaneously with no room for error. Scientists took every precaution and weren’t too worried since Cecil Douglas with Parker Rigging Company was serving as crane operator. Cecil’s done this before. He put the Hunley into her conservation tank on August 8th, 2000. “Once the submarine is conserved, I plan to be there to lend a helping hand to help take the Hunley out of here and move her to a museum,” Cecil said.
     The rotation of the Hunley will usher in the final phases of the project. Once she is upright, the concretion – a layer of shell, sediment, and rust – covering the Hunley will be removed, exposing the actual surface of the submarine. From there, scientists will be able to begin a comprehensive conservation treatment designed to ensure the Hunley survives for the benefit of future generations.
The Hunley Project
     On the evening of February 17, 1864, the H. L. Hunley became the world’s first successful combat submarine by sinking the USS Housatonic. After signaling to shore that the mission had been accomplished, the submarine and her crew of eight mysteriously vanished. Lost at sea for over a century, the Hunley was located in 1995 by Clive Cussler’s National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA). The innovative hand-cranked vessel was raised in 2000 and delivered to the Warren Lasch Conservation Center, where an international team of scientists are at work to conserve the submarine for future generations and piece together clues to solve the mystery of her disappearance. The Hunley Project is conducted through a partnership with the Clemson University Restoration Institute, South Carolina Hunley Commission, Naval Historical Center, and Friends of the Hunley.

Members of Captain James Bryan Camp 1390 gathered at The South Defenders Monument at the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse June 3 to mark Confederate Memorial Day. From left are Tommie Curtis, Archie Toombs, Mike Jones, Steve Lanier, Greg Newton, Luke Dartez and wife Elizabeth; standing in rear, James Wing, Kevin Guillote and Sandy Lanier. (Photo by Compatriot Alfred Cochran)

BENJAMIN W. BURNS

     Compatriot Benjamin Warren Burns, 75, passed away Friday, May 27, 2011 at his residence. He was a resident of Lake Charles.       

     Benjamin was born in Lake Charles August 10, 1935 to Albert Sidney Burns and Lois Fussell Goldberg.

      He attended McNeese State University and graduated from Allen Military Academy in Bryan, TX. He was a lifetime member of National Rifle Association, Sons of Confederate Veteran, Military of Stars and Bars, and Republic of West Florida. Mr. Burns was the Security Director for Moss Regional Hospital for 16 years and he worked for the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Department for many years.

     He is survived by his cousin, Scott Thorn and wife Bonnie of Lake Charles.

      He is preceded in death by his father, Albert Sidney Burns and his mother, Lois Fussell Goldberg.

      Funeral services were held Friday, June 3, 2011 in Johnson Funeral Home. Burial followed in Prien Memorial Park Cemetery.  Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390, provided a floral tribute for ceremonies.

      Rest in peace faithful compatriot.

150th Anniversary of First Manassas Observed

By Mike Jones
MANASSAS, Va. – The150th anniversary of the first major battle of the War for Southern Independence will be observed this month on July 21, when thousands of re-enactors gather to re-enact the First Battle of Manassas, Virginia. Besides the re-enactment, Manassas National Battlefield Park will have a wide range of activities to mark the Sesquicentennial.

Union forces, numbering about 35,000, were commanded by Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell. On the Confederate side, Gen. Pierre G.T. Beauregard had an army of about 22,000 stretched out along a five mile defensive line along Bull Run Creek. He was joined by reinforcement under July 20, 1861 by reinforcement under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston from the Shenandoah Valley, numbering about 11,000, although not all of them arrived in time to take part in the battle. This was the first time in history an army was transported by railroad trains for a great battle.
     Both Beauregard and McDowell planned to launch attacks on each other’s left flank on the 21st, but it was the Federals who struck first. Guarding the Confederate left flank at the Stone Bridge over Bull Run was the Confederate brigade of Col. Nathan G. Evans. This small brigade, only 1,100 hundred men, were facing about 10,000 northerners who successfully outflanked the Confederates at Sudley Ford over the creek. Evans troops included the famous Louisiana Tigers (officially the 1st Special Battalion Louisiana Volunteers) who were led by Major Chatham Roberdeau Wheat. Evans also had the 4th South Carolina Infantry and two companies of Virginia cavalry to help.
      The battle opened disastrously for the Confederates when the South Carolinians accidentally fired upon the Louisianians, who clad in blue, at about the same time the 1st Rhode Island Infantry fired on the Bayou State Confederates from Matthews Hill. However Wheat restored order and had his men direct their fire at the enemy and then led them in a charge against the Yankees. Some of the Tigers charged with bowie knives but were driven back. Evans brigade managed to hold back the northern horde long enough to receive reinforcements from Brig. Gen. Bernard Bee, which included Alabamians and Mississippians. However more Federals arrived and overwhelmed the Confederates.
     Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson arrived with his brigade of Virginians and, seeing the critical situation, set up a new defensive line on Henry Hill. As the Bee’s and Evan’s brigades retreated, Bee called on the demoralized Confederates with these immortal worlds, "There is Jackson with his Virginians, standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer."
     McDowell made his biggest mistake of the day when he halted his men about noon, thinking he had already won the battle, to reorganize and bring up more troops for a final push. This also gave Beauregard and Johnston time to bring up more men to reinforce Jackson and the others. When the Federals did resume their push, they never got past Henry Hill. The battle then revolved around attack and counter-attack on the Federal artillery. It was a wild battle with some northerners uniformed in gray and some southerners, like the Louisianians, in blue. The similarity between the flags also caused confusion.
     By about 4:30 o’clock in the afternoon, the Confederates overwhelmed and routed the Federals and their retreat soon devolved into a stampede all the way back to Washington. The Confederates won the first major battle of the war.

SD LEE INSTITUTE TOPIC ANNOUNCED

     The Sons of Confederate Veterans are pleased to announce that the 2012 Stephen Dill Lee Institute will be held in the spectacularly Southern city of Savannah, Georgia. Hosting the event will be the oldest hotel in the City, the Desoto Hilton, centrally located in the historic old section of Savannah.

    The theme for 2012 will be "The Costs of Lincoln's War" and will be once again led by Dr. Thomas DiLorenzo, author of many Lincoln books including the smash bestseller The Real Lincoln.

    Dates for the event are February 3-4. More info will be forthcoming. Please mark your calendars.

Brag Bowling, Director

Stephen Dill Lee Institute

The 7th Louisiana Infantry Reenactment Unit commemorated

   the 150th Anniversary of the formation of its namesake regiment

    June 5, 1861 at Camp Moore. (Photo by  Mike Jones)

                                                                         

CAMP MOORE’S SESQUICENTENNIAL

By Mike Jones
     TANGIPAHOA, La. - Camp Moore Confederate Cemetery and Museum commemorated the 150th anniversary of its existence with a special program Sunday, June 5, including an open house, a special guest speaker, decorating graves and paying memorial tribute to the soldiers buried there.
     Located off Hwy. 51 and the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railroad about 80 miles north of New Orleans, Camp Moore was the main basic training camp for the Confederate Army in Louisiana. It provided an ideal site for training Confederate soldier with its location, plenty of water and piney woods. Thousands of men were trained for defense of Southern Independence and hundreds died there of various causes.
     After the end of the war, the site became a place to commemorate the Confederate war dead and its value of as a historic site was eventually recognized and the State of Louisiana. The state acquired the property. In 1965 the beautiful museum building was opened and displays many

the beautiful museum building was opened and displays many fine artifacts. But in 1986 Gov. Edwin Edwards closed Camp Moore and other commemorative sites due to an economic down turn. In 1993 the Camp Moore Historical Association acquired the property from the state under a 97-year lease and reopened it.
      The well-maintained facility is now operated and lovingly maintained by the dedicated volunteers of the Camp Moore Historical Association. CMHA has refurbished and enhanced the museum and cemetery and hosts an annual reenactment every November.
     Among the activities for the Sesquicentennial was a special ceremony performed by the 7th Louisiana Infantry living history reenactment group. The unit, nicknamed the Pelican Regiment, was formed there at Camp Moore on June 5, 1861.
     Also, there were special ceremonies honoring the Confederate dead in the cemetery, estimated to be around 400.
     Charles Elliott, history professor at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, La. gave a very interesting program on Camp Moore and the important role it played in preparing men for war.
     Refreshments were served and the event was well attended by the public.