RUCKER RANGERS Newsletter

Transcription

1 RUCKER RANGERS Newsletter Published Monthly January 2018 Gen. Edmond Winchester Rucker 2534 United Daughters of the Confederacy Enterprise, Alabama NEXT MEETING: Thurs., January 11, 2018, 5:00 pm 1 st United Methodist Church Gathering Room December Program: Christmas During the Confederacy as Written by a Child of the Confederacy (Faye Bardolf) January Program: The Boyhood of Thomas Jonathan Jackson (Hilda Allen) Refreshments: Hilda Allen Coffee County Rangers Camp 911 Sons of Confederate Veterans Enterprise, Alabama NEXT MEETING: Thurs., January 11, 2018, 7:00 pm 1 st United Methodist Church Gathering Room Program: The Order of Battle at Gettysburg (Mack Lott) Coming Events January 13 - Alabama Division UDC Winter Board Meeting, Montgomery Country Club, Registration begins at 10:00 am. January 20 - Robert E. Lee Day/Secession Day will be celebrated by Alabama Division SCV, 10:00 am at the Alabama Archives on Washington Street in Montgomery. February 8 - Troy Civil War Forum, 6:30 p.m. at Beulah Church in Troy. Georgia Fleming will present Heritage: Songs for the Confederacy, a program of her original music. Officers UDC President... Laura D. Womack-Rowell Vice President... Georgia Fleming Secretary... Donna Clark Treasurer... Patsy B. Richter SCV Commander...Joe E. Clark, Jr. 1 st Lieutenant Commander...Mack Lott 2 nd Lieutenant Commander... Ray Kyle Adjutant...Larry Sasser Visit Our Websites Coffee County Rangers: Gen. Edmond Winchester Rucker 2534: Camp 911 Facebook: Enterprise/ SCV YouTube Channel:

2 January Birthdays & Anniversaries December 31, January 2, nd Battle of Murfreesboro/ Stones River Rutherford County, Tennessee January 21, 1824 Birth of Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson Clarksburg, Virginia January 8, 1821 Birth of Lt. Gen. James L. Longstreet Edgefield District, South Carolina January 1825 Birth of Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett Richmond, Virginia January 9, 1904 Death of Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon Miami, Florida January 19, 1807 Birth of Gen. Robert E. Lee Westmoreland County, Virginia January 14, 1806 Birth of Cdr. Matthew Fontaine Maury Spotsylvania County, Virginia 5 Confederate States Secede January, 1861 (dates below are those on which the ordinance of secession passed) Mississippi... January 9 Florida...January 10 Alabama...January 11 Georgia...January 19 Louisiana... January 26

3 Annual Christmas Party & Presentation of World War II Cross of Military Service December 14 Members of the UDC and SCV joined for an evening of celebration at our Annual Christmas Party, held in the 1 st United Methodist Church Gathering Room. We enjoyed a Chili & Soup Supper, followed by a fun-filled (and sometimes contentious) session of Dirty Santa, in which we could take a wrapped gift from the table, or steal an already-opened gift from another participant. Georgia Fleming presented a brief history of Alabama Day to mark the admittance of Alabama to the Union on December 14, The highlight of the evening was the Ceremony of Bestowal of a Military Award, in which we had the honor to present the World War II Cross of Military Service to Mr. Denton Messick, Sergeant, 347 th Air Service Group, United States Army Corps. Pat Richter, Chapter Treasurer, presided over the ceremony assisted by Chapter Vice President Georgia Fleming. (L-R) Pat Richter, Denton Messick, Mrs. Messick, Georgia Fleming. Mr. Messick is 95 years old. Many of his children and grandchildren attended, along with other family members. We were pleasantly surprised when the award ceremony was featured on FOX News, through the friendship of Mr. Messicks granddaughter and one of the FOX commentators!

4 Wreaths Across America December 16 We participated for the third year in Wiregrass Wreaths Across America, at Enterprise City Cemetery. The event at City Cemetery was sponsored by the Enterprise Civitan Club, the American Legion, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Co E, 15 th Alabama Infantry Reenactors, led by Capt. Brian Fleming, presented the Colors. A Proclamation from the city was read, and Rep. Barry Moore spoke to the crowd. Ceremonial Wreaths were placed for each branch of the military and for POW/MIAs. Co E performed the Canteen Salute. Taps was played to close the ceremony, after which we moved into the cemetery to place our Honor Wreaths. (L-R) Chapter members Cathy Odom, Pat Richter, Georgia Fleming, and Patsy Stephens were among those who placed wreaths on graves of Confederate veterans. Fox Brunson and Brian Fleming Reenactors represented Americas wars. (L-R) Georgia Fleming, Fox Brunson, and Mark Howard represented Confederate soldiers. Newton Christmas Parade December 16 Several members and friends of the organizations participated in the Newton Christmas Parade, including Mack Lott, Fox Brunson, Brian and Georgia Fleming, Virginia Fleming, Mark and Tabitha Howard, and Devan Martinez.

5 Confederate Trivia by Georgia Fleming How many of these people and places can you identify from a brief description? 1. He was born in Bibb County, Alabama, an illegitimate child who grew up in an orphanage. He attended college, passed the bar, and opened a law office in Texas. He was elected Governor in 1863 and served until the surrender, after which he chose exile in Mexico, where he died. 2. These brothers were raised in Limestone County, Alabama. They both became lawyers. The elder was twice elected Governor of Mississippi, the younger served as a U.S. Senator from Alabama and a Confederate Brigadier General. 3. This historic home near Lerty, Westmoreland County, Virginia, served four generations of the Lee family, and is the birthplace of Gen. Robert E. Lee. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in Union and Confederate regular forces met only once in the Pacific Coast Theater of the War (from the Continental Divide west to the Pacific Onion), in this state or territory. 5. These two members of the Lee family of Virginia were cousins of Gen. Robert E. Lee. They were the only brothers to have signed the Declaration of Independence. 6. Armistead Long, Gen. Lees military secretary, wrote of these two locations: There was... a weak point... where, sloping westward, formed the depression through which the Emmitsburg road passes. Perceiving that by forcing the Federal lines at that point and turning toward, [Hays' Division] would be taken in flank and the remainder would be neutralized... Lee determined to attack at that point, and the execution was assigned to Longstreet. 7. Constructed after the Battle of 2 nd Manassas/Stones River, this 255 acre fort had a perimeter of 3.5 miles and was the largest fort built during the War. A small part of it remains as part of Old Fort Park in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 8. This Confederate general was given the nickname Peter by his father, who considered him to be a young man of rocklike character. He was called Pete for the rest of his life. 9. He held these offices: U. S. Senator, U. S. Representative, Governor, U. S. Vice President, U. S. President, and member of the Provisional Confederate Congress. 10. This sprawling location is the resting place of two U. S. Presidents, President Jefferson Davis, and 28 Confederate generals. UDC Benevolent Contributions for January Ladies, the Benevolent Committee is asking us to bring peanut butter and jelly to our January meeting. Also, please continue to bring canceled stamps, and coupons for our soldiers. We are still collecting hotel soaps and lotions, and can tabs.

6 To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans we will commit the vindication of the cause for which we fought, to your strength will be given the defense of the Confederate soldiers good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those principles which he loves and which you love also, and those ideals which made him glorious and which you also cherish. Lt. Gen. Stephen D. Lee, Commander General, United Confederate Veterans New Orleans, Louisiana Trivia Answers (1) Pendleton Murrah; (2) John Jones Pettus (b. 1813) and Edmund Winston Pettus (b. 1821); (3) Stratford Hall; (4) New Mexico Territory (Battle of Glorieta Pass); (5) Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee; (6) Cemetery Ridge, Cemetery Hill; (7) Fortress Rosecrans; (8) Lt. Gen. James Longstreet; (9) John Tyler; (10) Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond. We could have pursued no other course without dishonour; and as sad as the results have been, if it had all to be done over again, we should be compelled to act in precisely the same manner. Robert E. Lee Happy Birthday! Patsy Stephens - 11 th Faye Grantham - 19 th Macy McIntosh - 24 th Pat Richter - 29 th Shari Lowman - 30 th Gen. Edmond Winchester Rucker 2534 Enterprise, Alabama Fleming Multimedia 122 S. Main St., Enterprise, AL COMPUTER SALES & SERVICE Brian Fleming, Owner To place an advertisement, greeting or memorial in the newsletter, contact Brian or Georgia Fleming at or Georgia hyacinth@ala.net or Brian mpegcd@yahoo.com