The Bear Flag PaTrioTs

Transcription

1 The Bear Flag PaTrioTs The Official News of the Missouri Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans Issue VIii Gary G. Ayres, Editor September 2013 Hi again folks. We have had an unusual summer. Nothing seems to have grown in a normal way. I sit here and wonder what our ancestors would say right now about us. I can only imagine that much of it would not be so good. Yes, we do our talking, put up monuments and try to continue their work, way of life and try to continue to uphold the constitution as they would have wanted; but I fear we are not doing a good job of it. Just a mere 150 years ago, they saw the wrong and tried to correct it by starting all over again. You see, had it not been for the Southern families the Revolution of the American colonies would have never been in favour of the colonies. The War of Northern Aggression was truly the Southerners second revolution. We, as a people have boxed ourselves into a corner to where we can no longer do anything about the ills and corruption brought about those that do not want to abide by the Constitution and to keep us as a Republic. We have elected and let those elected to powerful positions take from us what our ancestors fought and died for. Once you lose something, anything, you will never regain it in it s entirety. Even as late as WWll. My uncle was a very highly decorated pilot, shot down over France and was smuggled back to England. He went on to have a career in what became the US Air Force. He loved his country and we were pretty darn close. Just a couple months before he died he wanted to talk and I saw him tear up as never before. He said you know Gary, all those men that died or was crippled up that I knew and all of those I didn t know, what did they die for? He continued saying that he thought he would never think this but he said, What we have become is exactly what they were fighting against; and why have we let them die for nothing? Let us look at ourselves and do our best to try and change the course of events. No not by the sword for we have not the power, but we must change it by the pen. We can do it but only if time is with us. Please take some time for thought and talk to your ancestors, and let s try to make the best of what we have. Then talk to others and get them signed up in your Camp! Until next issue.. Gary Ayres, Editor

2 Attention! Skipper On Deck Marching Forward The 2013 National Reunion of the Sons of Confederate Veterans is complete, and as is with all our National Reunions, we leave having received marching orders. With every day that goes by, our Confederate and Southern heritage continues to be attacked at every turn and we need to be more vigilant than ever in protecting what we know to be the truth about our Confederate ancestors. It s not easy. We have several generations now that have been taught one story of the Civil War. We, as members of the SCV know that the War Between the States was not a civil war at all, but the act of tyranny by an over oppressive government, whose actions forever changed this country and in the process dissolved what our founding fathers had put in place. And that is our challenge, to set the record straight all the while honoring our Confederate ancestors and heroes, defending their true purpose for fighting and continuing to march forward in the process. It is with this in mind that I have decided to seek another term as your Commander of the Missouri Division. I have been so fortunate to have a great staff that has taken their positions within the Missouri Division very seriously. We now have a regular newsletter - The Bear Flag Patriots. We have a Division website that is now much more user friendly and functional, complete with a listing of all known Missouri Confederate grave sites to date. We have a very solid Facebook presence that is being visited more and more all the time. We have thirteen active camps in the Missouri Division. With these camps, we are seeing growth. Since March 1st, our Division has seen growth of nearly fifty (50) members overall. Any growth is great, but we all know we can do better. The advances mentioned above are reason enough to want to continue on as your Division Commander, but there are numerous reasons for my decision. One primary reason however, is you - the membership. You have made me feel welcomed at any and all camp meetings I have attended, as well as other special events we ve shared together. Your passion for honoring our Confederate ancestors makes me swell with pride to be a small part of the Missouri Division. We may not always agree on how things should or should not be done, but we are a single, cohesive unit... and we are marching forward together. I give the membership all the credit for this and simply thank you for the opportunity to serve the Missouri Division. It is with a humble heart that I ask for your continued support as we now try to grow the Missouri Division even more. I am still excited about our Division and I am still up to the challenge. We ve all most likely had a very busy Summer. As we move into the Fall season, that means we will soon be approaching the Missouri Secession Day Dinner, sponsored by the Missouri Society - MOSB. I would encourage you to attend if at all possible. The camaraderie we all share is always worth the cost. Soon thereafter will be the Lee-Jackson Dinner in January, and again I would encourage you to attend. Before you know it, the Missouri Division Reunion will be upon us all over again, to be held at historic Boonville, Missouri. We need these events to keep the fire stoked, to keep the fire burning and to keep marching forward together. Get involved, ours is truly a Heritage of Honor. Yours in the Bonds of Confederate Brotherhood, Darrell L. Maples Commander, Missouri Division SCV

3 chaplain s dais Chaplain s Comments Oliver E. Sappington Division Chaplain Some say timing is everything. The latest issue of the SCV "Chaplains' Corps Chronicles" has just arrived. If you are interested in Confederate history, you will really enjoy this FREE scholarly online publication. It's loaded with extremely interesting information regarding our Confederate chaplains. Just click on this link to view the contents. Subscriptions to this fantastic publication are not limited to Camp Chaplains but rather are open to anyone who has an appreciation for Confederate history from a Christian perspective. Simply Chaplain-in-Chief Rev. Mark Evans or Past Chaplain-in-Chief Dr. H. Rondel Rumburg. Either gentleman will be happy to add you to the growing list of subscribers. Also, you can view the previous 92 issues of the "Chaplains' Corps Chronicles" online at Check it out...you'll be glad you did! There is growing interest in erecting a monument in memory of Missouri's Confederate chaplains. Our vision is to place it at the state capital in one of Jefferson City's historic cemeteries. Since the Missouri Division has a good working relationship with our friends at Nixa Monument Company, we would like to work with them. Preliminary plans are to conduct the division dedication ceremony of the chaplain monument next spring. MORE EXCITING INFORMATION TO FOLLOW!!! Yours in Christ and SCV brotherhood, Ollie Below are the addresses for contact via postal mail or . Ed.

4 Chaplains Corps Chronicles of the Sons of Confederate Veterans Anno Domini 2013 September Issue No. 93 That in all things Christ might have the preeminence. "I think it worth a lifetime of hardship to prepare, under God, one of our dear defenders thus to die." Chaplain J. Wm. Jones Chaplain-in-Chief Mark Evans 20 Sharon Drive, Greenville, SC markwevans@bellsouth.net ***** Editor: Past Chaplain-in-Chief H. Rondel Rumburg PO Box 472 Spout Spring, Virginia hrrumburg41@gmail.com ConfederateChaplain.com

5 Passing of Real Grandson Reverend Isham C. Holland Reverend Isham C. Holland, 95, of Fulton passed away at his home on July 3, He was born at the family home of Coats Prairie near Reform on December 9, 1917, the son of the late Walker Kerr Holland and the late Alta (Coats) Holland. On June 2, 1940, Reverend Holland was united in marriage to Adelia Carol (Yocum) Holland, who preceded him in death on November 7, Reverend Holland will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by two sons, James Nathan Holland and wife, Peggie, of Fulton, and Philip Dale Holland of Eureka Springs; one brother, Hallie Tite Holland and wife, Lena, of Fulton; four grandchildren Kurt Holland, Kent Holland, Scott Holland, and Terri Holland; 10 great grandchildren and 9 great great grandchildren; one sister in law, Jewell (Garrett) Holland. In addition to his parents and his wife, Reverend Holland was preceded in death by four brothers, W. K.,, Clyde, Charely, and Fay, and three sisters, Vara Althiser, May Krebs, and Martha Laubscher. Reverend Holland attended nearby Ashland Grade School and graduated from Fulton High School with the class of In 1941, he graduated from the University of Missouri with Phi Beta Kappa honors and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Humanities. His studies included 50 credit hours in Latin and Greek. He also held degrees of Bachelor of Theology and Dacto of Ministries from the Kansas City College and Bible School. Following High School, he earned and received a teaching certificate and thus began his lifelong career. For two terms, he taught all eight grades at the one room R. B. Boone School. Following graduation from the University of Missouri, he again taught school in Callaway County at the Ashland School. In 1943 Reverend Holland moved to the Kansas City College and Bible School in Overland Park, KS to begin his career of service spanning over fifty years. During this time he held position of instructor, Dean of Administration, Vice President and President. He possessed the position of President Emeritus at the time of his passing. Up until Sunday, June 16, 2-13 he was teaching a class each Sunday in Fulton. Service to the Church has been the life work of Reverend Holland. He has served as evangelist for churches and at camp meetings and conventions across the country and abroad. He has served as a member of most of the general boards of the Church of God (Holiness). He has been a member of three of these boards for fifty years each. His service on the

6 Foreign Mission Board spans more than fifty years and included mission trips to Mexico, Haiti, Liberia, Nigeria, Cayman Islands, and both the British and American Virgin Islands and nine missions trips to Bolivia. His most recent duty aboard was as the keynote speaker of the International Missionary Symposium at Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands in the fall of Reverend Holland was written extensively for the church publication, The Church herald and Banner and developed and written commentary and lesson text for The Way, Truth, and Life Sunday School publication. He enjoyed a productive life, a productive garden and four generation hunting trips for deer and turkey. Getting away to Minnesota or Canada for summer fishing trips provided a much enjoyed and well deserved break. The above flag draped the casket of Capt. T. C. Holland. His grandson Reverend and Compatriot Isham Holland is third from left. Isham s grandson Kurt Holland is on the left holding the flag. *************************************** Ken Wilde is a member of the John T. Hughes Camp 614 in Independence Missouri. He is currently in North Kansas City Hospital. He was T-boned the other night by a tandem dump truck that apparently ran a red light and smashed into Ken s Ford Escape on the driver s side. He is in bad shape, but he is coherent. He has two busted ribs, busted collar bone and busted up vertebras. He is in room 909 in North Kansas City Hospital, phone number is Prayers are requested for Ken s recovery, he is a good man and an outstanding member of Hughes Camp as he helps out at events when he can. Remember your thoughts and prayers

7 Camp Newsletter Competition Last year was the first year that I know of that the Division actually had a criteria and judging for the newsletter entered for judging. It would be nice if all Camps would enter into this event. There are some good newsletters out there. I have been reading some and y all need to get entered into this. Remember, 4 copies of each issue of your newsletter need to be sent to me no later than February 1, 2014: Gary Ayres 3615 S 70 th Rd Humansville, MO This will allow for you to submit newsletters from March 2013 to January 2014 to be packaged and sent to the judges in time to have them judged and the appropriate award ready for the Division s Reunion in March. The Coffee Camp s newsletter The Twelfth Star was awarded the Best Newsletter last year but it was only by a handful of points. The more Camps that participate, the more fun it is to see other Camps out there vying for this award. If there are any questions please let me know. Ed. Late Newsletter My apologies for having a late newsletter. Everyone had their events turned in in plenty of time but some were left off because of my lateness. I have had some pretty hard health issues and hope that you will take some of that into consideration; but it is no excuse because this info should be out in a more timely manner because it is a great part of bringing the Camps together, and it is what Commander Maples has asked for. Ed. Secession Day Dinner Gentlemen, let s do our best to support the Missouri Society. They have supported the Missouri Division on many occasions. So what you say about us coming together for Missouri s day of secession and honoring our men under The Bear Flag. Fill out the following RSVP and mark your calendars to attend this event. We do have a great speaker and he will speak about something we all should be interested in. Ed.

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9 Missouri Division Members Receive National Awards During the 118 th Annual Reunion of the SCV, held in Vicksburg Mississippi, July 17 th to 20 th 2013 awards were issued to the following members: Dixie Club Award This award is given for recruiting new members during the fiscal year. Medals and certificates are awarded as follows: 5-9 new members receive a certificate, new members receive a Bronze Medal, those recruiting new members receive the Silver Medal. Over 25 new members receive a Gold Medal. Gary Ayres signed 7 new members Dave Roper signed 6 new members Larry Yeatman signed 5 new members Graves Award This award is given to individuals who have shown significant dedication in documentation, marking or caring for graves of our Confederate ancestors. John Lee Harris Rev. J. William Jones Christian Award This award is presented to professed Christian SCV members to emulate and perpetuate the orthodox Christian faith demonstrated by the soldiers and citizens of the Confederate States of America. Dr. Jon F. Warren Meritorious Service Award The Commander-in-Chief presents this medal for outstanding service to the SCV. Recipients are nominated by recommendation and are approved by the Commander-in-Chief. Wm. Neil Block James W. Bradley Mark Wm. Stuart Distinguished Service Medal The Commander in-chief presents this medal for outstanding service in a position of responsibility to the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Recipients are nominated by recommendation and are approved by the Commander-in-Chief. Gary G. Ayres Larry W. Smith

10 Join the Patriot Army of Missouri Bear Flag Campaign Putting out any newsletter, small or large, in colour or black and white, costs money. We have to come up with a way to continue this type of communications. Many of us have discussed this and believe we have come up with a way to accomplish this task. As I remember well, the Marines had a saying that went something like this--the key to success was the ability to adapt and overcome. We will have two versions of the newsletter. All the important information will be in both. The difference will be the e-version will have colour pictures. The postal version will have the same info but will be in black and white and with less pictures. This can change at any time, who knows, it may be by the next issue. To be a member of the Patriot Army of Missouri of the Bear Flag Campaign you must reach deeper into your pockets and donate a little more just as our ancestors did. They went for months and maybe longer without pay, no clothes, yet continued on their missions to free their people and make a better tomorrow for their descendants. For a donation of your choice you can join the Patriot Army of Missouri and receive a commission. This is an annual commission. A donation of $10.00 for a Lieutenant s commission $25.00 for a Captain s commission $50.00 for a Major s commission $75.00 for a Colonel s commission $ for a General s commission will get you a commission and certificate in the Patriot Army of Missouri. Please send your donations to Commander Maples at: DARRELL MAPLES 2416 IVEN RD JEFFERSON CITY, MO Current Patriot Army of Missouri Current members of the Patriot Army of Missouri are;

11 Missouri Division Newsletter Donations Name Donation Amount Commission Multiple Year James Albin $10 Lieutenant $25 Captain * Second Donation* Mark Stuart $50 Major Darrell Maples $25 Captain $25 *Second Donation* Michael Wilson $25 Captain Henry Strother $25 Captain Jon Warren $25 Captain Donald Kluttz $10 Lieutenant John H. Jack Chance $75 Colonel Keith M. O Connell $100 General $100 * Second Donation * William Stuart Inglish $25 Captain $25 *Second Donation* Harold Henry Kerr $10 Lieutenant Col. James J. Searcy Camp $25 Captain Albert L. Bogg $100 General $100 *Second Donation* Franklin L. Lyon, Jr. $10 Lieutenant $10 *Second Donation* James N. Drane $10 Lieutenant David H. Paul, D.D.S. $50 Major $50 * Second Donation * William D. Shipman $100 General Mike Greenwell $25 Captain Royal O. Cooper $25 Captain $25 *Second Donation * David L. Rogers $10 Lieutenant Oliver E. Sappington $25 Captain B.J. Montgomery $50 Major $50 *Second Donation* Gary Conwell $25 Captain Duane Mayer $25 Captain James Beckner $25 Captain Kent Weisenborn $25 Captain Robert Painter $25 Captain James England $100 General Willie Lawler $25 Captain Pence Rogers $25 Captain Daniel R. Ballew $100 General George Eberhardt $25 Captain Dale Wiseman $25 Captain L.G. Parker $25 Captain James H. Chilcutt $25 Captain Coumbus Craft $25 Captain Gene Dressel $100 General Total Donations to Date: $1800

12 If you have donated and do not see your name, you have not been overlooked. Your name and commission will be added to the growing list. Picture from the National Reunion Gents, Pictures from left are Past MO Div Cmdr Jim England, CIC Michael Givens and MO Div Cmdr Darrell Maples ******************************************** Attached are some pictures from the Confederate Cemetery located in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Very humbling experience to walk through this cemetery indeed. I'm attaching pics of Confederate grave markers of Missouri Generals John S. Bowen and Martin Green. The actual location of their gravesites are actually unknown, but they are in the cemetery. Also attached is a pic of the "Missouri Sign" where the Confederate Missourians are buried... and finally, a pic of Missouri Confederate James Drane who is the ancestor of our very own James Drane of the Searcy Camp in Columbia. Some times in our Confederate activities, things really hit home hard. What an experience. To see the lettering on the stones, you will probably have to zoom the pictures, I took the pics with my phone and they're not the best quality. Hope all is well in Missouri, I'm starting to miss my own bed!

13 Darrell Maples - Cmdr. MO Division - SCV

14 Missouri Division Sons of Confederate Veterans Darrell L. Maples Commander Paul Lawrence Adjutant Keith Daleen Chief of Staff Larry W. Smith 1 st Lt. Commander Gary Ayres 2 nd Lt. Commander Oliver E. Sappington Chaplain Gentlemen of the Missouri Division, Many of you may have heard that in recent weeks, the Confederate Battle Flag once again flew at the Confederate Cemetery at Higginsville, Missouri. However, after a few weeks, political correctness once again reared its ugly head and a Park Supervisor had the flag taken back down. As we know all too well, it was taken down in the first place for nothing more than political reasons. Due to some hard work from our fellow SCV members on the western side of the State, contacts have been made with State Representatives Glen Kolkmeyer and John Mayfield, both of which are from the Higginsville area. At this point, I have now inserted myself, representing the Missouri Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans. Along with the good men of the John T. Hughes Camp, I have also had several conversations with the two State Representatives, and at least for now, they appear to be in our corner. I will be meeting with them both personally in the near future, and we will be making a trip with them to the Confederate Cemetery at Higginsville. We will give them a brief tour and also give them the history of the confederate flag flying above these brave and courageous heroes final resting place, and why it is so important to us to honor these, our Confederate ancestors. That is where the situation is at this time. Our passion for our beloved Confederate Battle Flag is justified and proper, and our defense of our Confederate ancestors good name is our duty as members of the SCV. With that in mind, I am now asking that if possible, that each of you contact these two State Representatives via to lend your support to our efforts. I would also ask that you keep your correspondence short, and pleasant in tone. These men have at least to date, shown great interest in our cause and have made themselves available to recent conversation and upcoming in person meeting. We do not want to jeopardize the opportunity to pursue this further, so again I implore you to keep your correspondence polite and relatively short. It would be easy for all of us, myself included, to get angry and go into full attack

15 mode, and that might end up being where this all leads, but in the short term I believe we need to be respectful. address for the two State Representatives mentioned above are: Glen Kolkmeyer: Glen.Kolkmeyer@house.mo.gov John Mayfield: John.Mayfield@house.mo.gov I would also encourage you to try and get a sense of where your own State Representative might stand with regard to returning the Confederate Battle Flag to its proper place, flying above and paying honor to the Confederate soldiers that rest in the cemetery. It is critical however, that if contacting other State Representatives that we do not tip our hand, we do not want a substantial growth of opposition n to take place before we even have a chance to explore the options we currently have. Furthermore, it may be a few months before any action might take place, as the Missouri State Legislature will not be in regular session until next January. Rest assured that as your Division Commander, that I have made this my utmost priority. I will keep the Missouri Division informed along the way and let us hope and pray that our efforts result in a positive outcome. Confederate Regards, Darrell L. Maples Darrell L. Maples Commander Missouri Division Sons of Confederate Veterans Gentlemen, From The Missouri Division Graves Chairman Please be advised that the Master Graves Site Database on the Mo Div. web site has been update for 2013 with 700+ new entries. If you will sort by county, state, you will be able to get an up to date listing of all men in the county of your choice. Most all of these new names have come from 1902 UCV rosters posted at the Joplin Reunion. I m working into the R s at this time for 2014 s entries. Use your s and other methods to inform the general membership... For the Cause Neil Block MO Div. GR

16 ON THE NATIONAL FRONT FROM THE CIC Subject: Urgent From Afghanistan - Museum of the Confederacy Gentlemen, I am writing from Afghanistan. I don't have the time to do so, but this issue is so important to me that it requires that I place a portion of my time away from fighting our enemies to address one of my worst fears - the dissolution of the Museum of the Confederacy and its assets distributed across several other museums. I am a warrior and the descendent of many Confederate soldiers. The memory of their sacrifice is just as important as those my brothers, sisters, and I have made for our nation. The Museum of the Confederacy has been a depository of all things Confederate since its inception and THE place where their memory will remain for all times. Many Confederate soldiers and their families gave freely to the museum so that their sacrifices would be husbanded for the future. I, too, have considered what to do with all the uniforms, gear, letters, memorabilia, and items I have collected throughout my career and the 5 combat deployments I have made in defense of my nation. To give my personal treasure to a museum dedicated to the perpetual care and remembrance of my sacrifice is a sacred trust. Just as I will give my historical artifacts used in the defense of my nation to a museum, thousands of veterans and their families have also given their treasure to the Museum of the Confederacy for perpetual care and remembrance. To merge with other organizations, remove the name, and distribute the collective memories the Museum of the Confederacy is a mockery to their gifts and the purpose for which they gave them. You have a duty to perform to the good of the institution you represent and I humbly ask for you to perform that duty for which you were chosen. You have a sacred duty to serve this institution for a term before giving it to my generation. The dissolution of it is not part of that duty. Just as I expect any institution to honor my gifts and honorably perpetuate the memory of my sacrifice, I humbly request that the Museum of the Confederacy continue in its current form for the sole purpose for which it was created. To do otherwise is to dishonor those whom the museum represents. I ask as a warrior son who knows only so well that death is the least of our concerns. Just like my ancestors, I am more than willing to sacrifice my life and all my future memories and pleasures for my country - as long as that my life is not wasted and that my sacrifice is honored. The Museum of the Confederacy exists for the sole purpose of honoring these men and it needs to live in perpetuity for that purpose. If not, then it is the responsibility of the museum to return those artifacts to the families from which they came rather than send them to other institutions for which the original purpose was not designed. I am more than willing to take any position on the museum staff to include the president of the museum. We must not let this memorial die. Thank you for your time,

17 Semper Fidelis, Mike Landree LtCol, USMC Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan Colonel Landree received a very encouraging response from Mr. Carlton Moffatt Jr who has served on the MOC board for the past ten years including four years as the board chairman. Mr. Moffatt is also a military veteran who served in the Army during World War II in Italy as a member of the 1st Armored Division. Gentlemen, ************************************** Forwarding the message below per the request of Lt. CiC Kelly Barrow, please share with your memberships. Subject: CIC Announcement Darrell, please forward my message below to your members. Thanks Compatriots, There has been much speculation about whether or not that I would seek the office of Commander-in-Chief. I would like to take this opportunity to formally announce my candidacy for this position. This announcement comes after much prayer and discussion with my family. I feel I still have more to offer the Sons of Confederate Veterans. While my platform is still being finalized, I felt it was the opportune time to make my intentions known to you first. I do want to stress that while I make this announcement, this in no way will affect my current duties as YOUR as Lt. Commander in Chief. I would like to ask for your prayers and support. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. Deo Vindice! Charles Kelly Barrow Lt.Commander-in-Chief Sons of Confederate Veterans 1800mysouth.com LAURET FOR ATM COMMANDER Gentlemen of the Army of Trans-Mississippi, ****************************************** With the recent exciting and very successful 118th National Reunion of our Grand Organization behind us, it was a pleasure and honor to serve you as your Councilman, to see old friends, to put faces to the names of many I have made contact with during my first year as Councilman and meet and make new friends. I hope that those of you who attended left Vicksburg as excited and fired up as I did. Wonderful thing, those Reunions, they have a knack of getting the membership pumped up and allows us to see first hand how our organization works and that there are many that share the common purpose to defend the memory and honor of our Confederate Ancestors with sincerity, grit and determination. All those things, and my desire to continually serve our organization, have led me to the desire to step up once again and serve you, the men of the ATM, as your Commander in I am proud to announce my candidacy for and am fervently seeking

18 the position at the 119th Annual Reunion which will be held next year in North Charleston, South Carolina. As Councilman, I have been very involved on the General Executive Council with many issues affecting our organization. As many of you know, Vision 2016 has been on the front burner as we seek ways to increase our membership at a time where we seem to be slipping on both recruiting and more important, retention! I still see the Vision as a viable goal to not only increase our membership, but to strengthen in many different ways our organization and our quest to fulfill The Charge. It is my belief that, as we move forward through the Sesquicentennial of Our War for Southern Independence observance and with the Vision as a plan for development and success, the SCV requires its members to step up in ways we have never considered to serve the efforts and goals of the organization. I am prepared to continue to do that! I am also very excited at the prospect of taking the offensive as was proposed by CiC Givens and seemed to really fire up the membership at the Reunion! My first year on the General Executive Council as your Councilman has been enriching and opened my eyes to the many important things going on that affect our organization and require the attention of members ready and able to take on the task! If you want someone with the success of the SCV and the ATM in mind, someone with a proven track record of dedication to service on all levels and someone ever mindful that all we do is for the honor of our glorious Confederate Ancestors, I ask for your support in sending me to serve as your representative as ATM Commander on the General Executive Council in Semper Fidelis and God Bless our Confederation! Your Obedient Servant, Charles Lauret ATM Councilman ****************************************** Curtis E. Tipton PO Box Fort Huachuca, Arizona (520) (mobile) cssscv@earthlink.net 29 July 2014 To: Officers and Members of the Army of Trans-Mississippi, Sons of Confederate Veterans Gentlemen, I am writing to inform you of my intent to run for the office of Executive Councilman of the Army of Trans- Mississippi for the term of office I have been encouraged by many Compatriots within the ATM and the SCV to take this course and I do not make this declaration lightly. Over the past ten years or so, the ATM has grown and become more influential in our Confederation. This is due to the extraordinary efforts of Past Army Commanders, Councilmen, Division and Camp Commanders, Adjutants, officers and members. I want to see this growth continue and I believe I can contribute to it. My qualifications:

19 SCV member for 25 years (joined Camp 584 while stationed in Germany, charter member of Camp 1710) Serving as Adjutant of Camp 1710 Served as Arizona Division Commander Serving as Adjutant of the Arizona Division Employed by the SCV as the Field Representative for the Army of Trans-Mississippi Serving as one of three ATM Vision 2016 Coordinators I am a veteran, having served 26 years in the US Army, retiring in 1996 as a command Sergeant Major. Wile in the Army, I held every enlisted leadership position from Team Leader to Battalion Sergeant Major and also served as Plans and Operations (S-3_ NCO in Charge in two different battalions. Upon retirement, I worked for our local newspaper for two years, then accepted a position with the Arizona Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol Division as a District Operations Officer. I retired from DPS in I believe I am fully qualified to serve you as the Army of Trans-Mississippi Executive Councilman. I ask for your support and your vote at the 119 th Annual Sons of Confederate Veterans Reunion in Charleston, South Carolina. I remain, Gentlemen, very respectfully, our obedient servant. Curtis ***************************************** Utz Camp Gents, Take a look at this! The Maj. James Morgan Utz Camp has successfully negotiated with the property owner of the old Baker Plantation home, which is along I-70 at Danville, MO. Very visible from the highway as the home is just along the outer road, our beloved Confederate flags are flying once again! Previous owner, Noel Crowsen (Commander of the Col. Elijah Gates Camp at Fulton) also flew the flags when he owned the property, so the poles were already in place. Congrats to the Utz Camp boys for their hard work, and if you're driving along I-70 the house is on the north side of the highway very near the Danville exit. A big Rebel Year for the Utz Camp! Darrell Maples, Cmdr. MO Division - SCV

20 More from the Utz Camp

21 Race care flying the Missouri Battle Flag and Utz Camp Logo #97 Pit Crew Alan Scott, Roger Snyder, Bryan Ssossie, Dave King and Dave Hazetine Gentlemen, Searcy Camp The Col. James J. Searcy Camp will be hosting a very special medal presentation on October 16th - a Wednesday evening at their regularly scheduled Camp Meeting at 7:00 p.m. Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to come across a Southern Cross of Honor Medal, that the UDC presented to Confederate Veterans. As it turned out, the soldiers names had been inscribed and I was able to find his service records, he was a young Confederate soldier from Boone County, Missouri. As fate would have it, I put the medal on loan to the Boone County Historical Society Museum, and a picture was also put on the Searcy Camp website... and a great-great grandson saw this picture and made contact with the Searcy Camp and myself. After a bit of discussion and verification of lineage, we have decided to get the medal back in a descendant's hands, where it belongs. Unfortunately it should never have gotten out of the family and ended up at an antique mall, but sadly, those things happen. The great-great grandson is named Dale Smith, and he is coming all the way from the State of Utah. He is so excited and has already joined the SCV, the Searcy Camp in particular. We will also be inviting members of the UDC, since they were the original presenters of this medal. The press will also be invited to cover this special event... and alas, I will even be putting on a suit and tie for this event! The Searcy Camp and myself wish to invite any and all members of the Missouri Division to come and share in this special presentation and to welcome Dale Smith to the SCV as well. Uniforms would be awesome and really give the event a true Confederate feel. The presentation will take place at the Boone County Historical Society Bldg./Museum on Wednesday, October 16th, I would ask that one of the Searcy Camp members post the address and directions to the location. More information will most likely follow, but please

22 make plans to be there for this event if you can. Please share this information with your camp memberships. The time/date is tentative at this point, but will most likely hold true. Darrell Maples - Commander Missouri Division SCV John Bates honouring ancestor Sgt Frederick Gibbs, Company B, 7 th Tennessee Infantry, South Carthage Tennessee Shelby Camp Late news but wanting those that may not know what is happening throughout the Div. Maj. Gen. J.O. Shelby #191 had a meeting on July 14, p.m. September 8, 2013 there will be a dedication for John Campbell Handly 3rd lieutenant 5th mo cavalry brigade Co. F CSA. This is Lynn Harmons ancestor and is a member of the Shelby camp #191. The event will be held at Zion hill church cemetery on yy highway Lafayette County, Mo. Time will start at 3 p.m. Set up time will start at 1 p.m. no earlier. Non-family may attend. If it should rain we have permission to use the church. Let everyone know about this graveside dedication ceremony and everyone is welcome. Race car logo bill Bentley driver out of Madison, Mo. B-modified class. Sponsored by Missouri SCV division. Talked about voucher cemetery clean up late fall. Dues are due at this time $40 per year send camp dues to Mike Werneke 983 se 301 Leeton, Mo Mike and I are looking at cost to make camp hats.

23 We welcome 2 new members Albert and Greg Billings to the Shelby camp.paul, Camp Commander Hughes Camp Attached are some photos at Woodlawn Cemetery in Independence Missouri Jackson County. Compatriot JM Herman took these photos, enjoy. Jason-Nathaniel: coffman Commander Hughes Camp 614

24 Coffee Camp Coffee Camp has had a good year. We have added to our ranks and now we must do our best to retain our membership. This is a task all Camps in the SCV must face. Our next event is our annual fish fry, tour and a great program of Cole Younger and Frank James. We d like to see you attend if you have a chance. See our ad below.

25 Division History By Gene Dressel Colonel Elijah Gates Camp# 570 The 1997 SCV Historic Roll of Missouri camps, compiled by Historian-in-Chief Dr. B.D. Patterson, lists the Elijah Gates Camp #570 of Fulton, Missouri as having been originally chartered in The camp was reactivated in April of 1996, and the charter members included: Allen Connor, Bill Connor, Mark Douglas, Robert Fisher, Marshal Flippen, Col. Felix Jones, David McDaniel, Richard Vaughan, Mark White and Richard Williams. In October of that year the Commander Mark White and the camp restored and remarked the Col. Jefferson Jones cemetery in honor of the 135 th anniversary of the founding of the Kingdom of Callaway. In1861, Col. Jones negotiated a treaty with federal General Henderson preventing the imminent invasion and subjugation of Callaway County. In September of 1997 the camp hosted the 135 th reenactment of the Battle of Moore s Mill, just north of Fulton. In spite of the extreme heat, the event was a great success, with more than 300 reenactors in attendance. The press coverage by the Fulton Sun Gazette was very supportive, and carried a series of articles about the Gates camp and the reenactment. Commander Mark White was the recipient of the Division, Joseph Porter Award for outstanding service to the Cause, and the camp received the Best Camp Award that year. In 2000 the camp placed a marker on the gravesite of former Callaway Sheriff and ex- Confederate officer, George W. Law. That year, camp Historian Mark Douglas received the Colonel Joseph Porter Award for outstanding service to the Cause. In 2001 the camp initiated a Fall Muster that features a dinner and guest speaker. The public is invited and each year since then has been a rousing success. The first muster was held at the Baker Plantation September 29 th, 2001, and that following October a reenactment was held there also, which became an annual event for several years. On July 13 th, 2002 the Gates Camp dedicated a headstone to honor Colonel Elijah Gates at the Mount Mora Cemetery at St. Joseph, Missouri. The event was featured in the St. Joseph News-Press In 2003 when the actions of a presidential candidate resulted in the removal of Confederate flags at Confederate cemeteries in Missouri, the Gates camp was in the fore front of the protests to have the flags restored. In September of that year the Camp and the Missouri Division had a Confederate flag billboard installed at Danville, Missouri, on interstate 70 between St. Louis and Columbia. In 2004 the camp began participating in the annual event at Mexico, Missouri called Walk Back in Time. It features reenactors from the Revolutionary War to the current wars in the Middle East. It has become a great recruiting venue, and an excellent event. In 2005 the Gates camp again won the Colonel John Q. Burbridge Best Camp in the Missouri Division Award. That year the camp began the annual Memorial Day weekend at the historic Old Auxvasse cemetery with more than 100 people in attendance. They also

26 continued to maintain the Col. Jefferson Jones cemetery, an honorable obligation they have carried on for years. On May 20 th, 2006 the Gates camp participated in the dedication and unveiling of the first of seven Gray Ghost Trail interpretive panels in Callaway County, Missouri, under the sponsorship of the Kingdom of Callaway Civil War Heritage Association. Several members of the Gates Camp are also members of this organization. The first exhibit dedicated was at the Kingdom City Heart of Missouri tourism center. A Confederate flag and several interpretive panels are still proudly displayed there. On September 9 th, 2006 the Gates Camp celebrated the Sesquicentennial of the founding of the town of Wellsville. It was a very pro- Confederate event with Southern flags flying all over town. Also that month the camp held a special event honoring Confederate Lt. Colonel and Callaway County sheriff George W. Law, who was awarded the Lawman of the year award. On Patriot s Day, September 11, 2010 the camp celebrated the 135 th anniversary of President Jefferson Davis visit to Fulton, Missouri. President Davis and General John S. Marmaduke both addressed a crowd of over 10,000 people praising the progress by Missouri since the end of the War. The Gates Camp participated in the dedication and unveiling of another Kingdom of Callaway Civil War Heritage interpretive panel on the Gray Ghost Trail at the historic Hockaday House (where Jefferson Davis spent the night). On the 23 rd of October the camp continued their support of the Old Auxvasse Cemetery Association by their participation in the unveiling of another Gray Ghost Trail interpretive panel at the cemetery. At the March 2011 Missouri Division Reunion the Gates camp was (for the 3 rd time) presented the Best Missouri Camp award, as well as the Best Newsletter award. On April 16 th the camp dedicated the 4 th panel on the Gray Ghost trail at Westminster College in Fulton. On October 22 nd the camp participated in the dedication of another interpretive panel on the Gray Ghost Trail at historic Williamsburg, Missouri commemorating the importance of the Boone s Lick Trail during the War. On September 11 th 2012 the camp participated in the unveiling and dedication of the 6 th Gray Ghost Trail interpretive panel at the Callaway County Courthouse in Fulton, Missouri. They also won the Best Camp Newsletter Award for the second year in a row at the March 2012 Division Reunion. The Gates Camp Gazette newsletter has won many Division awards and is edited by professional journalist Martin Northway. The quality and professionalism shows consistently in every issue.

27 Featured Ancestors Thomas Jefferson Althiser By Rojer Snyder, Camp #1815 Submitted by Gene Dressel On 17 January 1861, 16 year old Thomas Jefferson Althiser, of Callaway County, Missouri joined the 3 rd Division Missouri State Guard, 2 nd Infantry Regiment, Captain Carson s Company. Travelling with Old Pap Price s Army across Missouri, Private Althiser, (known as T.J.), first saw the elephant at the Battle of Oak Hills, just South of Springfield. That fall General Price and his Patriot Army also defeated the Lincolnites at Lexington, Missouri, where they captured the entire yankee garrison and recovered the Missouri State Seal that had been stolen by the invaders. With word that yankee General Fremont was approaching from the east and Kansas redlegs from the west, General Price decided that discretion was the better part of valor, and that it might be best to make a strategic withdrawal to southwest Missouri. After resting and reorganizing his army General Price moved his men to northwest Arkansas were they were joined by General McCulloch and his Texans and placed under the overall command of General Van Dorn. At the Battle of Elk Horn Tavern, Private Althiser was fully engaged with the rest of the Missourians as they swept the yankee line. Unfortunately the rest of Van Dorn s army ran low on ammunition and were forced to withdraw from the field. General McCulloch was killed and the remnants of the Confederate Army moved further south. General Price s Missourians continued on to Can Buren, Arkansas, where T. J. enlisted in Company F, 3 rd Infantry Battalion Confederate States Army. The 3 rd was later merged into the 6 th Missouri Infantry, Company H, C.S.A on March 23 rd, The Bloody 6 th saw action at Iuka and the Battle of Corinth, and T.J. was in the thick of both battles. Subsequent battle honors included: Hatchie Bridge, Grand Gulf, Fort Gibson, Bakers Creek, Big Black and Champion s Hill. T.J. and the men of the Bloody 6 th stubbornly gave ground and fiercely resisted the yankee onslaught in and around Vicksburg, Mississippi. After falling back into fortress Vicksburg, and enduring unbearable hardships and starvation for months on end, my great-grandfather and the other defenders of the Gibralter of the West found themselves surrounded and cut off from any reasonable hope. Seeing the condition of his starving men, General Pemberton sent my great grandfather s fellow Missourian, General John Stevens Bowen to negotiate surrender terms with Grant. General

28 Bowen, who know Grant from his time in St. Louis arranged generous terms whereby the men were to keep their arms and were allowed to move to a parole camp at Demopolis, Alabama. The Missourians were spared the horrors of a northern prison camp. Following their parole, the Missourians made their way east and joined General Joseph E. Johnson s army where they fought throughout the 1864 Georgia campaigns at Kennesaw Mountain and Altoona and then under Hood at the Battle of Atlanta. After the fall and evacuation of Atlanta, T.J. and his fellow Missourians traveled the fateful road to the bloody battle of Franklin, Tennessee where many of Missouri s finest soldiers died needlessly after obeying General Hood s frontal assault orders. The Missourians were badly mauled at Franklin, and the battered remnants of their army as well as the wounded Colonel Elijah Gates, Brigadier General Francis Marion Cockrell and my great grandfather travelled to the defense of Ft. Blakely, Alabama. Again the ragged defenders were overwhelmed by superior yankee numbers and resources. Following the fall of Ft. Blakely, my great grandfather was able to escape, only to be captured near Citronella, Alabama on 4 May 1865 and placed on Ship Island as a prisoner of war. T.J. was with the Missourians during the horrifying days under sadistic black prison guards. Their final parole didn t come until 13 May 1865 at Jackson, Mississippi. After the war T.J. traveled to Brown County, Illinois where he married his childhood sweetheart, Miss Sussanah Rumple. The newlyweds eventually returned to their beloved Callaway County, Missouri. T.J. lived out the rest of his days there, and is buried in the Pioneer cemetery in Fulton. The Major Utz Camp #1815 is working to have a Confederate Iron Cross placed on his grave in the near future. CSS Missouri Some excerpts from the book A History of the Confederate Navy by Raimondo Luraghi. This is a great book on the Confederate Navy and encourage all to read it. Carter had spared o effort in fitting out the ship that Mallory had christened the Missouri. He had succeeded in acquiring railroad iron, paying $100 a ton for it, and had pushed work even though the army had refused to detach the naval carpenters he needed. Evidently railroad iron was not enough, for Carter, apparently a resourceful man, managed to build a blast furnace of twelve to thirteen thousand pounds capacity and insisted that the government seize the ironworks at Jefferson, Texas, and send officers capable of managing them. In the end, he compromised by using the rails of the Vicksburg, Shreveport and Texas Railroad.

29 Still, something went wrong. The ordanance for the Missouri was seized by the army for the forts at Grand Gulf. There, they would do excellent work on U.S. ironclad gunboats. In the end, instead of six guns, the iron clad received but two Dahlgrens of different calibers (an 11-inch and a 9-inch) and an old siege gun. She never obtained more. The ironclad made her engine trials on 17 June 1864, logging up to six knots, and on 12 September was put into commission. She was 183 feet long with a casemate of 130 feet. Her propulsion was by a single large wheel located in the casemate astern. Three rudders assured stability. Early in April 1865, Carter, the captain of the ironclad Missouri, had taken her down the river to near Alexandria, Louisiana, to support the soldiers who were defending what remained of that state. There he was joined by Lieutenant Charles W. Read, sent by Mallory. Read a man who would never yield had asked the secretary to detail him to command the ram Webb, which had a speed of up to twenty-two knots. Read proposed sailing her down the Red River into the Mississippi and then to sea to resume commerce destroying. On 31 Marcy 1865, Red assumed command of the ram. He commanded her until he set her afire and blow her up to keep the yankee s from capturing her. This was 24 April Meanwhile the organization of the Confederate navy thus ceased to exist. Gathered along the Tombigbee River, however, the Mobile Squadron still flew its flag. On 8 May Commodore Farrand signed surrender terms and turned over his ships. Only the ironclad Missouri remained. On 3 June 1865 one month after the acceptance of Mallory s resignation, Commander Carter surrendered. The Confederacy no longer existed, yet at sea the flag of the Southern navy still flew. Ed. *

30 ~Officers & Staff~ Division Commander Darrell L. Maples (573) Division 1st Lt. Commander: Larry W. Smith (573) Division Adjutant Paul E. Lawrence (660) Eastern Brigade Commander Duane Mayer Catatoga Dr. Plainview, IL (314) cell phone Central Brigade Commander: Don C. Bowman (573) Western Brigade Commander: B. J. Montgomery (417) Division 2nd Lt. Commander Division Newsletter Editor Gary G. Ayres (417) Division Chief-of-Staff: Keith Daleen (660)

31 Division Chaplain Oliver E. Sappington (573) Division Graves Registrar William Neil Block (660) Division Heritage Defense Chairman: Robert Bob Arnold (636) Division Color Sergeant: Kurt Holland (816) No Address Division Aide-de-Camp: Randee Kaiser (573) Division Webmaster James Bradley (816) Division Aide-de-Camp: Richard Rick Perry (417) No Address Division Surgeon: Dr. Michael Wilson (573)