MARCH 15TH APRIL 16TH, 2005 ISSUE A Monthly Publication In The Interest Of Confederate Veteran Descendants and Kindred Topics Patriotic and Progressive Official Organ of the Samuel R. Watkins Camp #29 SONS OF 140 Years "The United States has no North, no South, no East, no West. We are one and undivided. No April camp Meeting See Page 4
PAGE 2 MOUNT PLEASANT BIGBY GRAYS MONUMENT UPDATE! 3/28/05 As all of you know from the last issue of, The camp is raising funds to have the Mt. Pleasant Bigby Grays monument renovated. The camp is pleased to announce that we have been privileged enough to have received $1,200.00 (one thousand two hundred dollars) from the Tennessee Division of the SCV! The camp has also applied for a grant from the Society of the Order of the Southern Cross. At present time, we do not know if we will receive this grant, so it behooves us to keep moving forward! This is a wonderful endeavor the camp is undertaking and please remember to do all you can with this. We need donations now! If you will and if your budget allows you to do so, please donate five, twenty or more dollars to this endeavor. If every camp member donates something to this project, we should be well over the needed funds for the project. Please make your donations made out to the Sam Watkins Camp #29 C/O GREG ATWELL 2328 HUCKABY RD COLUMBIA, TN 38401-7400 WE CAN DO THIS! GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE S FAREWELL ADRESS AFTER THE SURRENDER AT APPOMATTOX, 1865 After four years of arduous service marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources. I need not tell the brave survivors of so many hard fought battles who have remained steadfast to the last that I have consented to this result from no distrust of them. But feeling that valor and devotion could accomplish nothing that could compensate for the loss that must have attended the continuance of the contest, I determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have endeared them to their countrymen. By the terms of the agreement, officers and men can return to their homes and remain until exchanged. You will take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from a consciousness of duty faithfully performed; and I earnestly pray that a Merciful God will extend to you His blessings and protection. With an unceasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your Country, and a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous consideration for myself, I bid you all an affectionate farewell. R.E. Lee Genl.
PAGE 3 Co. Aytch, Death of Tom Tuck s Rooster / By Samuel R. Watkins Atlanta was a great place to fight chickens. I had heard much said about cockpits and cockfights, but had never seen such a thing. Away over the hill, outside of the range of Thomas' thirty-pound parrot guns, with which he was trying to burn up Atlanta, the boys had fixed up a cockpit. It was fixed exactly like a circus ring, and seats and benches were arranged for the spectators. Well, I went to the cockfight one day. A great many roosters were to be pitted that day, and each one was trimmed and gaffed. A gaff is a long keen piece of steel, as sharp as a needle, that is fitted over the spurs. Well, I looked on at the fun. Tom Tuck's rooster was named Southern Confederacy; but this was abbreviated to Confed., and as a pet name, they called him Fed. Well, Fed was a trained rooster, and would "clean up" a big-foot rooster as soon as he was put in the pit. But Tom always gave Fed every advantage. One day a greenlooking country hunk came in with a rooster that he wanted to pit against Fed. He looked like a common rail-splitter. The money was soon made up, and the stakes placed in proper hands. The gaffs were fitted, the roosters were placed in the pit and held until both were sufficiently mad to fight, when they were turned loose, and each struck at the same time. I looked and poor Fed was dead. The other rooster had popped both gaffs through his head. He was a dead rooster; yea, a dead cock in the pit. Tom went and picked up his rooster, and said, "Poor Fed, I loved you; you used to crow every morning at daylight to wake me up. I have carried you a long time, but, alas! alas! poor Fed, your days are numbered, and those who fight will sometimes be slain. Now, friends, conscripts, countrymen, if you have any tears to shed, prepare to shed them now. I will not bury Fed. The evil that roosters do live after them, but the good is oft interred with their bones. So let it not be with Confed. Confed left no will, but I will pick him, and fry him, and dip my biscuit in his gravy. Poor Fed, Confed, Confederacy, I place one hand on my heart and one on my head, regretting that I have not another to place on my stomach, and whisper, softly whisper, in the most doleful accents, Good-bye, farewell, a long farewell." "Not a laugh was heard--not even a joke--as the dead rooster in the camp-kettle they hurried; For Tom had lost ten dollars, and was broke, In the cock-pit where Confed was buried. "They cooked him slowly in the middle of the day, As the fryingpan they were solemnly turning; The hungry fellows looking at him as he lay, With one side raw, the other burning. "Some surplus feathers covered his breast, Not in a shroud, but in a tiara they soused him; He lay like a 'picked chicken' taking his rest, While the Rebel boys danced and cursed around him. "Not a few or short were the cuss words they said, Yet, they spoke many words of sorrow; As they steadfastly gazed on the face of the dead, And thought 'what'll we do for chicken tomorrow?' "Lightly they'll talk of the Southern Confed. that's gone, And o'er his empty carcass upbraid him; But nothing he'll reck, if they let him sleep on, In the place where they have laid him. "Sadly and slowly they laid him down, From the field of fame fresh and gory; they ate off his flesh, and threw away his bones, And then left them alone in their glory." When, cut, slash, bang, debang, and here comes a dash of Yankee cavalry, right in the midst of the camp, under whip and spur, yelling like a band of wild Comanches, and bearing right down on the few mourners around the dead body of Confed. After making this bold dash, they about faced, and were soon out of sight. There was no harm done, but, alas! That cooked chicken was gone. Poor Confed! To what a sad end you have come. Just to think, that but a few short hours ago, you was a proud rooster- - was "cock of the walk," and was considered invincible. But, alas! You have sunk so low as to become food for Federals! *Requiescat in pace, you can crow no more. * Latin for May he/she rest in peace (R.I.P.)
Notices PAGE 4 The March 15th Minutes will be published in the next regular issue of which will be the April 19th May 17th Issue... Confederate Graveside Service at Rosehill Cemetery! April 16th, at 10am In lieu of an April Meeting, the Sam Watkins Camp #29 will be meeting for a Confederate Graveside Service at Rosehill Cemetery on Saturday April 16th, at 10am conducted by the Columbia Chapter of the UDC. This will be a big event and all camp members, family and friends. All are encouraged to attend. For questions please call Flewellyn Ingrum at 931-388-4072 NEW MEMBER: The Sam Watkins Camp officially welcomes new member, Jason Boshers. Jason joins under his ancestor Jason Wilkes Boshers of the 48 th TN Infantry Regiment Camp address has changed! New address: 701 Sugar Bend Drive Columbia TN 38401-6001 Phone: 931-505-1889 Conveniently located on Carmack Blvd next to Tommy Hight Shelter Insurance Co. Phone: 931-381-9307
PAGE 5 2005 TENNESSEE DIVISION REUNION, APRIL 29 ~ MAY 1, HOSTED BY THE SIMONTON-WILCOX CAMP #257, COVINGTON, TENNESSEE
Sam Watkins Brigade Directory SAMUEL R. WATKINS CAMP #29 SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS All dues, notices and correspondence: C/o 701 Sugar Bend Drive Columbia, Tennessee 38401-6001 John C. Brown Camp # 112 1180 Cut-off Rd Pulaski, TN 38478 Ft. Donelson Camp # 249 730 Leatherwood Rd Dover, TN 37058 Col. Alonzo Napier Camp # 2040 4965 Bold Springs Rd McEwen, TN 37101 Capt. W. H. McCauley Camp # 260 205 Old Spencer Mill Rd Burns, TN 37029 Col. George H. Nixon Camp # 214 Post Office Box 602 Lawrenceburg, TN 38464-0602 Col. Jack Moore Camp # 559 Route 3, Box 110 Linden, TN 37096 W E RE ON THE WEB! WWW. TENNESSEE- SCV. ORG/ CAMP29 IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN ARTICLE IN THE WEBFOOT ABOUT YOUR ANCESTOR, FEEL FREE TO SUBMIT IT! General R.E. Lee, Commanding C.S.A. APPOMATTOX Ct H., Va., April 9,1865, General; In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th inst., I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia on the following terms, to wit: Rolls of all officers and men to be made in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer to be designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the Government of the United States until properly [exchanged], and each company or regimental commander to sign a like parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery, and public property to be parked, and stacked, and turned over to the officers appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed by the United States authorities so long as they observe their paroles, and the laws in force where they may reside. Very respectfully, U.S. Grant, Lieutenant-General