The Fort Brooke Record
April 2001
Volume 7, Issue 4
|
PDF File |
|
The Fort Brooke Record
April 2001
|
|
PDF File |
| The "Fort Brooke Record" (FBR) is the monthly newsletter of the Capt. John T. Lesley Camp 1282, Inc, a Camp of the Florida Division, SCV and of the International Sons of Confederate Veterans. The FBR is provided free of charge to members of the Camp. Editorial comments in this publication are the expressed opinion of the editorial writer and not of the Camp. Paid advertisements can in no way be considered an endorsement by this camp. Locally, for inquiries and information on coming to events, the camp maintains a full-time access phone at (813) 661-7045. |
|
|
Southern Heritage Month As always the John T. Lesley Camp is in full swing in April. From the beginning of the month to the glorious end we are just plum busy. The month starts off with the presentation of the Southern Heritage Proclamation by the Hillsborough County Commissioners and it ends with the Confederate Memorial Service, this time a joint effort of the Lesley Camp and the Plant City Chapter 1931 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. For a teaser on what we are to expect at this service see the article by Lunelle Siegel on the inside. And if you are wondering how the presentation went, just search these pages for the full story. But what you must remember is that this is Spring. There is no other month like it. This is the time of new growth, bees and the sweet smell of orange blossoms. What, you say, has that got to do with this newsletter or our Southern Heritage? The answer, quite simply, is everything. You see, our Southern Heritage is not a dead thing. It is as alive as Spring is vibrant. If our Heritage was a dead thing we might commemorate it in November. But April is the month to not just commemorate but to honestly celebrate our living culture along with its history. This is the time for us to affirm that we exist as a people really quite distinct and discernable from others in these united States. |
|
You will see us at the Confederate monument at the county courthouse at Pierce and Madison doing Honour Guard Duty on the real Confederate Memorial Day for the great state of Florida, April 26. The stone which makes up this fine monument might not be living but the day of the Honour Guard Duty we will bring it to life with flowers and living soldiers. You can read about this event in these pages. And to make this month just perfect for the camp we have the best program planned. From South Florida we have coming up to be with us a passionate and dedicated historian by the name of Gary Loderhose. Just check out the title of the talk he is to give, The Suffering of Florida Troops in Virginia, 1864-1865. The title alone is enough to bring a chill to my mind. This will be a great talk. So check out the Confederate Calendar inside and see what you can do to be a part of this very exciting month. Lets let our community know without a doubt that this is a very special month. Southern Heritage Month!
Confederate Memorial Day Service
SUNDAY, APRIL 29 - 2:00 p.m. Oaklawn Cemetery in Plant City Following a time honored tradition, the Plant City Chapter 1931, United Daughters of the Confederacy and the John T. Lesley Camp 1282, Sons of Confederate Veterans are thrilled to present this special Confederate Memorial Day Service to the community to remember the service and sacrifice of the Southern citizen-soldier. This is a solemn service and the prestigious Lesley Camp Colour Guard will present the rifle salute. This is a special occasion in that 16 replacement Southern Iron Crosses will be re-dedicated. The original crosses were placed between 1929 and 1931, initiated as a project of the Chapters 2nd President, Edna Lovings. Until recently all Confederate graves in Oaklawn Cemetery ware marked with Iron Grave Crosses. In 1898, the General Organization of the UDC made plans to present bronze crosses to all Confederate Veterans. The Plant City Chapter of the UDC was created in 1927 (73 years ago), and bestowed its 1st cross to James Lauren Young. In 1929, the 2nd was presented to Charles Nelson. In 1933, H.C. Jordan received the 3rd and in 1935 Joel Henry Estes received the 4th. Distinguished guests and a keynote speaker. Presentation of the Proclamation of April as Southern History Month by the Hillsborough County Commission. Reception on the grounds following the service. Come celebrate Confederate Memorial day and pay tribute to your ancestors and Southern heritage. If you are a descendent of any of the following Confederate Veterans, whose final resting place is Oaklawn Cemetery in Plant City, please call Diana Shuman at 752-2610 Oaklawn Cemetery is located on Highway 39 (Wheeler St.) south of I-4 and north of Plant City. Take exit 13 (Hwy 39) off I-4. Call Mrs. Richard (Martha Sue) Skinner (813) 752-7630 or SCV 1st Lt. Cmdr. Marion Lambert (813) 839-5153 or for further information.
Rebmaster's note: If you are a descendent of any of these veterans, we would like to honour you at the ceremony. Please e-mail President or .
Help Wanted: A few good men on Saturday, April 21st at 10 a.m. at Oaklawn Cemetery, Plant City, FL. The Plant City Chapter UDC is installing 16 replacement iron crosses in preparation of Confederate Memorial Day Service on April 29th. Manpower is needed for this project. Please call Martha Sue or Richard Skinner at 752-7630 for more information, or just show up.
Thursday, April 26 Confederate Honour Guard Duty This is the time when we present to the community a true, respectful and honourable representation of our heritage. This will be a time of complete dedication by a group of committed men who will, in their wool uniforms, perform rotating 15 minute guard duty at the Confederate Monument at the Hillsborough County Courthouse located at Pierce and Madison streets in downtown Tampa. The monument will be bedecked with about 80 various coloured mums along with various arrangements sent in by individuals. We will arrive to set up the flowers and the numerous large Confederate flags that morning at around 6 AM with the expectation that the TV crews with their antennas, lights, cameras and audio equipment will be there awaiting us. In the last six years that we have done this duty we have never been disappointed. The print and broadcast journalists have shown up. This is THE premier opportunity to let our community know that we Confederates and our heritage is very alive and well. This is your opportunity to send flowers. Any flowers delivered to the site will be used for both the Guard Duty and the Memorial Service on the 29th.
WE NEED FLOWERS If you would like to order flowers for placement at the monument please contact the following camp florist: Juliet Virilio Juliet has for the past 5 years big great to us in getting our flowers to the monument site at 6 AM on the morning of the Guard Duty. We need wreaths! Silk wreaths work the best. They can be displayed more than once and for a longer period of time.
Oaklawn Ramble On Sunday, April 22, at 2 PM in the historic Oaklawn Cemetery, located behind the Morgan Street Jail, in downtown Tampa there will be a very special service. The Tampa Historical Society every year hosts the Oaklawn Ramble. This is an event that the Lesley camp has traditionally been a part of and which we always enjoy. Our Colour Guard will join up with the re-enactors of Co K 7th Florida to show the colours. This event is always well attended by many prominent citizens of Tampa. Go by the cemetery during the month of April and witness the Confederate flags on the graves of the 60+ Confederate graves so marked.
Hillsborough County Proclamation Presented
On Wednesday, April 4, at 9 AM the Board of County Commissioners of Hillsborough County presented in open session our proclamation. This document declares that for Hillsborough County April will be recognized as Southern Heritage Month and that April 26 will be recognized as Confederate Memorial Day. The only commissioner not signing the decree was Commissioner Pat Frank. She gets the dubious recognition as the only commissioner ever in the county to completely shun us and our heritage. Commissioner Jan Platt, a person with whom we have had our definite disagreements, and Commissioners Thomas Scott, the black delegate, both saw fit to pen their names to the document. If you know or have contact with Mrs. Frank you might question her concerning her stance. Either she needs a basic education or she is our enemy. Which is the reality is not known. Webmaster Lunelle Siegel accepted the proclamation for the Lesley Camp and for the Southern heritage community of Tampa Bay. Lunelle spoke to the commissioners concerning the essence of being Southern and of the inclusive nature of true Southern Heritage. She did a great job. Passed out to the commissioners, to the county administrator Dan Kleiman and to the county attorney was a recent creation of the Florida Division, a handout called a Guide to Confederate Issues in Florida. This fine publication is tailor made for distribution to political types and to those needing an edification in things Confederate. Present at the ceremony were the following folks; Pam Steele, Margaret S. Cyrise, Mark Schonbrun, Rich Warner, Roger Crane, Bart Siegel, Lunelle Siegel, Michael Massey, George Best, Greg Tisdale, Jim Hayward, Phil Walters, Mia Roach and Marion Lambert.
A Report The Spring Fish Fry -by Marion Lambert The fishfry was, of course, a success. It always is. This time we had in the neighborhood of 175 people. It seems that our normal range in attendance is between 150 and 200. The most that we have ever recorded was 225. Why do so many people come to this even? It is a good time! And this time was no exception. There are three components to this event. They are food, fellowship and music. The food at this covered dish event was exceptional. Everybody must have read the details for the fishfry in the March FBR because we really did have enough. There were covered dishes galore. And desserts like we have never seen. Whenever we get together so many good and dedicated Southerners we have to have a good time. And we did. That is called fellowship. But what really made this event a really great affair was the superb music. Foothills Bluegrass never disappoints us. They seem to get more talented every time we hear them. And this was the third time. The real test of their quality was their ability to hold the attention of the crowd. And that they did superbly. They did such a good job that we held the camp affairs segment to a bare minimum. We gave the gifted artists of Foothills Bluegrass plenty of free rein to play. It was a great time. Of course, we had the drawing for the Lamat Revolver and the winner was Mr. George McRae Schabacker of Tampa, a member of the Lesley Camp.
THE JOHN T. LESLEY CAMP 1282, SCV PROUDLY PRESENTS THE FLORIDA DIVISION REUNION MAY 18-20, 2001 @ DOUBLE TREE GUEST SUITES 3050 ROCKY POINT DRIVE WEST, TAMPA, FLORIDA (off Courtney Campbell Causeway (Hwy 60)) The DoubleTree Guest Suites at Rocky Point will serve as our host hotel and conference center for the convention. This first class hotel offers in every suite a beautiful view of Old Tampa Bay. This facility is truly first class and we assure you that you will not be disappointed. The location is just minutes from Clearwater and St Petersburg Beaches and many other local attractions. The cost will be $89.00 per night. (These exclusive suites are each normally 50 dollars more per night) When making reservations please refer to the Sons of Confederate Veterans Reunion. Reservations may be made by calling (813) 888-8800. The Days Inn is located within walking distance and may be contacted at (813) 281-0000. Sign-in and On-Site Registration starts Friday (5-8 PM) and continues Saturday (7:30-11:30 AM). Saturday afternoon will involve working sessions geared toward energizing camp and Division vitality. Some of the planned sessions include the following: Grave Registration/Grave Marker Installation, Camp Newsletters, Community Involvement, Promoting Your Camp, Fund Raising, Heritage Defense, Camp Meeting Enhancement, Internet Possibilities, Membership Retention and Monument/Flagpole Installation. Please Reserve Your Meals By May 10 Click for Reservation Form Inquiries: Jake English (813) 971-8753, Marion Lambert (813) 839-5153 or
Division Officers Call The spring officers call was hosted by the Lesley camp on Saturday, March 31st at Nickalouies downtown Tampa. The meeting was chaired by Division Lt. Cmdr Ken Murphy and attended by brigade commanders Jim Cunningham and R. Graylin Smith. Representing the Lesley camp was Dwight Tetrick and reverend Calvin Martin. Attending from camp 1284 in Sebring were Stan Walker and Harold Brown. The hot topic? Why, Flags across Florida of course. FAF is our foremost offensive strategy. Tired of getting a bloody nose from the likes of The Poverty Law Center and the NAACP? Support FAF and let the OFFENSE take the field. Among other topics discussed was the availability of an SCV screen saver. Know where we can get 'em? Something like this would sure look fine on your computer. Graylin Smith from camp 1462 is organizing a renactment to be held at the Pioneer Festival at Zolfo Springs. This annual event is attended by more than 100,000 people in the spring at Pioneer Park. Smith plans to charge these folks $1 for admission. There would be little overhead as the festival is sponsored and run by the county. Graylin can pay for the next FAF flag raising. Also discussed was plans to revive some of our inactive camps. This would be a worthwhile project and involve the some of the more successful camps such as the Lesley camp. There is always opportunity to spread some of that fire.
Flags Across Florida An Update By Cmdr. Marion Lambert, Florida Division Chief of Staff AN UPDATE ON THE WHITE SPRINGS SITE LOCATED NORTH OF I-10 ON I-75 The good news and the bad. We are 60% to toward our goal of having raised the needed funds to go forward with the effort. Just to let you know, the 110 foot flag pole alone cost $10,000. Of course, we have considerable expense independent of that but contributions are coming in at a good and steady pace. The import of this is that there is just no way that the dedication will occur on April 7. The bad news is that April 7 is a no go but the good news is that we are very much on track to getting this done. One element which held us up was the tardiness of the first run of our ad in the Confederate Veteran Magazine. We still are hoping for a late Spring or early Summer dedication date. Keep in touch with this update and I will keep you informed. But by all means, if you desire to place your name or that of your ancestor on the monument let us know by sending in your subscription. We will soon do one more mailing to all the SCV members in the state with the subscription flyer.
Archives Awareness Month Brochure Inserted in this FBR is the flyer for the Archives Awareness Month, an effort of the City of Tampa. Each year the City of Tampa supports and sponsors this program and puts out this brochure which advertises and promotes activities occurring during April, Archives Awareness Month. For the past several years the John T. Lesley Camp has contributed information for that brochure. The following is this years submittal for the brochure, which you will find inside the flyer.. ****************** THURSDAY, APRIL 26
PROGRAM ARTICLE: -by Marion D. Lambert Wow, what an exciting program we have for all of you who enjoy Florida history, particularly Florida Confederate military history. Mr. Gary Loderhose, is a gentleman who was born in the Northwest but fortunately for us married a Southern Belle from Florida (Fort Myers) is to be with us to share a passion. And that passion is the trials and epic journey of the Florida soldier of the Army of Northern Virginia during the War. After Mr. Loderhose married his wife Kathy he was given, through his wifes family, a large collection of authentic letters written by a Florida father and son from the battlefields of Virginia while serving with Co E of the 9th Florida Regiment, CSA. These letters penned by the father, Private William Addison Hunter and his son, Private William Young Hunter, sparked an interest which is today, for Gary Loderhose, a driving passion. What these letters reveal is the inside story of the privations and sufferings of the Florida soldier in Virginia. This is original source material. Gary Loderhoses became enthralled with more than just the story of the Hunters. He wrote a book titled Far, Far from Home: The Ninth Florida Regiment in the Confederate Army. Garys interest in the subject of Florida and the War is even more advanced when one hears him talk about the Florida Brigade of 1864-1865. He names the Florida regiments in that brigade quite effortlessly. There is the 2nd, the 5th, the 8th, the 9th, the 10th and the 11th. And he knows their story. In talking with this gentleman, you get the distinct impression that not only are his material facts together but what sets the stage for his message is the passion which is just beneath the surface. If you want to sense and feel a little real history, join us on the 16th of April, Monday. He will have with him his books and those original priceless letters written in a time when our nation was.
Lesley Camp displays at Narcoossee Mill The John T. Lesley camp was a major exhibitor on Sutlers Row at the battle of Narcoossee Mill in Kissimmee March 16ht to the 18th. The Battle of Narcoossee Mill is a very special event put on by the Jacob Summerlin Camp and is the only SCV camp sponsored re-enactment. This re-enactment is one of my favorites as the audience is right-on-top of the action.
The Lesley camp put up our 12x24 foot fly and a small NCO tent. The three goals were public education, recruitment and fund raising. All three were a great success. We plan to expand out display boards from three to 8 or 9. This will allow the camp to have a larger variety of displays in use at the same time. We had a steady stream of visitors to the site including many from overseas. Marion and I had a great time spreading the cause.
The coming year will have the camp showing a Confederate Presence at more than a dozen event in the Tampa bay area and central Florida.
Camp Business EMAIL DIRECTORY Presently the Email Directory for the camp has 75 names and email addresses. This is a great increase over several months ago If you are one of the people who have in the past received any emails addressed to Lesley Camp Members and Friends then you are on this camp email directory. If you have not then we need to add you and your email address to the directory. To be added to this important list please send your request to be added to: 1st Lt. Commander Marion Lambert at If you would like to be added to the directory but do not wish that your email address be made known to others please so indicate in your request. |
|
|
|
All in the Family A Bit of "family" Trivia Did You Know...?
HERITAGE REPORT Dixie Rising in Tallahassee On Saturday the 31st a great thing occurred. Dixie rose a little higher. A coalition of Southron groups gathered to protest Cultural Bigotry in Tallahassee. Members of the SCV, UDC and League of the South gathered in Tampa and along our route to Tallahassee. Present in our group were. Sally Raburn, Jane Knowell, Roger Crane, Dean Laferink, Marion Lambert, Jim Hayward, J. D. Hayward, Eddie Gay, Wanda Gay, George Correia, Alice Correia, John Gay, Johnny Honour, Paul Buther, Ruth Byther, Grant Arnold, Bart Siegel, Mike Herring, Ted Kraft, Laura Scott, J. J. Scott, Monica Groce, Jack Syles, Greg O'Neil and Rich Warner.
Laura Scott, J. J. Scott, and Monica Groce came together and boarded in Gainesville. Greg O'Neil is a compatriot who joined us at the truck stop at the Wildwood exit. He is with the Summerlin Camp. Sally Raburn and Jane Knowell are with the UDC in Plant City Chapter 1931. Ruth Byther is with the Mary Custis Lee Chapter 1451, UDC. Ted Kraft, of the League of the South, is a strong supporter from the Fort Myers area. The rest of the folks are from the John T. Lesley Camp 1282. Most of you know that the Springtime Tallahassee committee canceled the SCV marching unit as being to controversial at the last minute. Once again inclusive and diverse means except anything Southron. Well we werent about to just sit back on this or anything else anymore. So the Call to Action went out and the Tampa area responded with a vengeance. On arrival we all took up our position directly across from the Judging stand. With all of us from across Florida in attendance and the many Tallahasseeans who saw us and joined in we were 3 to 4 deep and spread across a block and a half. As the parade began we were on the front line with Flags Flyin and Banners Wavin. It came as no surprise that we were getting the attention of all the parade participants and the Judges were being virtually ignored. This was so obvious that they sent a law enforcement office into the parade route to get them to just look at the Judges Stand. It didnt work. All of the parade participants were quite pleased to see us. To our great pleasure many also either carried small Confederate Naval Ensigns or asked for one of ours. We ran out before the halfway point of the parade!
With our location it was not possible to get a TV shot with out us being the backdrop. We even had a large Naval Ensign Behind the Judges stand. WE were everywhere. All of the local and some national news media came by to interview our group keeping Division Commander Adams pretty busy. After the parade, on our way back to the bus, many of the locals were giving us the high sign or asking if we had any flags to give out. We did give most of the small flags away by the time we got back to the bus. During the ride back we took a detour north to look at the Flag Site at White Springs. This will be a grand Monument when it is finished. Folks were not in retreat any more, Dixies rising. Report From Tallahassee: by Sally Raburn 04.01.01 I was there in Tallahassee for this... and it was a wonderful day. I would say over 90 percent of the participants in this parade as they came by, were waving at us, giving us thumbs up, blowing their horns. Many picked up flags and proceeded in the parade with them. The judges (across the street), were so frustrated that they finally had an officer get in the middle of the street and try to make everyone look to toward them and the cameras stationed there. The officer had little luck... most of the people did not seem to even see him there. I believe he finally gave up. If you were not there... you really missed it. I am sure there will be another chance. We showed these people, we are good upstanding (nonviolent) people. We only want to honor our heritage in the so called "Land of the Free". Commander John Adams letter is below and will give you more information.
Ladies & Gentlemen, As many of you may now know, a Federal Magistrate denied our request for an injunction to force Springtime Tallahassee to allow us to march in the parade. This is only round one, and I expect many things to come to light as the suit proceeds. The very fact that the City provided over $46,000 for this parade may yet be their undoing. Our March 31, the Florida Division, SCV came of age, and proved to the world that its members WILL NOT continue to be abused, maligned, or denied their rightful place in society. To my dear friends who endured the long trip to Tallahassee, I will forever be in your debt. I was never so proud and so pleased to see so many faces in attendance. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! Friends, over 150 of your brothers and sisters came to Tallahassee and filled a city block with Flags of the Confederacy. Probably half were in uniform, and everyone had a great time. Morale and camaraderie is at an all time high. Add to our numbers the fact that we gave away OVER 400 12" x 18" Battleflags to the Tallahassee General Public!!! These additional, (and unexpected) supporters accomplished several things:
As I see this, it was a "win-win" for the SCV. We stood up proudly and bravely in the face of adversity. We functioned as a team, coming together for the good of the organization. We gained SEVERAL new members, and I almost ran out of business cards for folks who wanted to join us. We won the hearts of the citizens of Tallahassee. We showed a very paranoid Police Department what excellent ladies and gentlemen we really are, and we got our message out better than marching in the parade could have done, and we totally hosed 3 hours of parade video footage with hundreds of battleflags! Not bad for our first big foray...each of you deserve to take a HUGE BOW! Well, now that this is all over...it has been one Hell of a Week! Two Federal Lawsuits in 4 days, over a dozen press interviews, pulling together a protest unit, complete with logistics, 900 miles of travel for the SCV, an average of 60 incoming phone calls a day, and 40 to 50 My wife Cathy, says I better get a raise in salary soon (I never told her I was doing this for free)... I think I am going to hide next week! Seriously folks, it is easy to find the strength to do these things...because I do them for the people I love, and for the organization I cherish...there is no greater satisfaction than seeing the smiling faces God Bless you all, Florida Historic Monuments Protection Act Dear Members and Friends of the Fla Division : I am writing to all of you regarding a very important Bill that is pending in the Fla Legislature that is of Great Value and Importance to us in the Fla SCV and all Historic, Veterans and Cultural Organizations who seek to Preserve and Protect, and Promote Florida's rich and diverse history!! I have been in Tallahassee today attending the Hearing on the Fla Historic Monuments Protection Act H.B. #591. I am pleased this Evening (Tuesday 03 April 2001) to report to you that we ''Won Again'' in Committee, the Bill was reported out ''Favorably'', after defeating an ''Anti-Confederate Amendment''!! There were so many people at the Committee Hearing they had to turn people away at the door. (This is the third committee the bill has cleared, ed.) Our Next Committee Hurdle is the ''Committee on Smarter Government'' chaired by Rep. Gaston Cantens of Miami. I may ask Rep. Cantens to put me on the Schedule to speak at the next Committee Meeting (Smarter Gov't) on this Bill!! I have been working with Rep. Bev Kilmer (Rep. of Quincy, Fla) Sponsor of the Hist. Monuments Bill and Rep. Will Kendrick (Carrabelle, Fla -my Local State Rep) one of the Co-Sponsors! I was told today that Rep. Gaston Cantens would like to do a Resolution Honoring the Great Service of Confederate Naval Hero, Capt. Jos. Fry, who was also a ''Hero of the Cuban Independence Movement"" !! I really hope he will be able to do this!! There is an Article in this Month's Conf. Veteran Magazine which was given to all the Cuban Members of the Florida House, and they were very happy to learn these Historic Facts.. I am scheduled to speak before a ''Breakfast Group of the Cuban Members of the Fla House''. I have been working for month's behind the Scenes with some of these different Committee Members on this Bill, as I knew when this Bill was introduced to which Committees it would be referred to, and is now working it's way through the Final Committee Before reaching the Floor.---Hopefully!! The Last Committee Hurdle is of course the Rules Committee!! WE all need to get busy and make that little ''special Effort '' to contact all of your Local State Representatives in your area and now 'ESPECIALLY YOUR STATE SENATOR'' BECAUSE IF THIS BILL MAKES IT OUT OF THE HOUSE AND IS ''IMMEDIATELY CERTIFIED TO THE SENATE '' WE DO NOT HAVE A SENATE SPONSOR AND THIS BILL CAN ONLY BE TAKEN UP IF THE SENATE ''SUSPENDS THE RULES'' BY A MAJORITY VOTE AND AGREES TO TAKE UP THIS HOUSE BILL''. ALSO THE COMMITTEES OF THE FLA HOUSE AND SENATE ARE TRYING TO FINISH UP THEIR ''COMMITTEE WORK'' WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS AT THE MAX AND WILL BRING ONLY THOSE BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED OUT OF COMMITTEE FAVORABLY TO THE HOUSE FLOOR!! The time to Act is Now!! I expect Rep. Gaston Cantens to call for a hearing on this Bill very soon, and I am working as hard as I can to create some ''Bi-Partisan, multi Cultural Support '' for this Bill. When you contact your Member of the Legislature you do not have to mention anything ''Confederate '' to them about this Bill, this Bill is not a Confederate Protection Bill , although we will ''Greatly Benefit'' and our Monuments etc will be protected under it , just like everybody else.!! Let's all get busy and work together on this one. The ''Political Climate '' in Tallahassee changes almost daily and next year is ''Election Year '' and most Rep's and Senators will be running in Newly Re-Apportioned Districts due to re-apportionment, If we fail this year, we may not have a chance next year to get this passed.!! I'm hoping for the Best. Bob May BILL #: CS/HB 591 RELATING TO: Historical Monuments & Memorials SPONSOR(S): Committee on Tourism and Representative(s)Trovillion, Kilmer, and others TIED BILL(S): None ORIGINATING COMMITTEE(S)/COUNCIL(S)/COMMITTEE(S) OF REFERENCE: (1) TOURISM YEAS 5 NAYS 0 (2) STATE ADMINISTRATION (3) COUNCIL FOR COMPETITIVE COMMERCE I. SUMMARY: The bill, the Florida Historical Monuments and Memorial Act, prohibits the relocation, removal, alteration, or disturbance of any permanently displayed monument, memorial, plaque, marker, or historic flag commemorating or memorializing certain wars and military engagements except under certain specified circumstances. The removal of such items is permitted for the express purpose of needed renovations, alterations, corrections, or due to necessary roadway expansions or other necessary construction. The removed item is to be replaced in its original location, if feasible. If not, it is to be placed in another appropriate location on public property for public display and access. The prohibition applies only if the monument, memorial, plaque, marker, or historic flag is displayed on public property of the state or any of its political subdivisions. The bill also prohibits any person or organization from preventing a public or private body from fulfilling its responsibility for the protection, preservation, or care of those items protected by the act. Any person preventing the fulfilling of such responsibility commits a second degree misdemeanor, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, F.S. Finally, the bill prohibits the renaming or rededication of any street, park, bridge, building, school, preserve, reserve, or other public area of the state or any of its political subdivisions dedicated in memory of or named for any historic figure or event unless approved by at least two-thirds vote of the governmental body responsible for the naming or by a vote in excess of two-thirds of the governmental body when required by local ordinance governing the action of such governmental body. The bill takes effect upon becoming a law. According to fiscal comments received from the Department of State, there would be no fiscal impact on the activities of the department by this legislation.
Letter to State Representative Johnnie Byrd from
Chaplain's Corner Lee: Christian Soldier by Rev. Calvin Martin In our own day and time and with the politically correct crowd trying to tear away at our great nation, the Confederate States of America, it irks me to no end to hear these so called Americans putting down the leaders of CSA. I would like to let you read what my grandparents generation thought of one of our greatest leaders, Gen Robert E. Lee. The author of this is Forest Hull, who lived from 1891 till 1963. He was a journalist for the Charleston Gazette, Charleston, W.Va. He wrote about the things that were handed down to him from the people who fought in the War Between the States. He had a flare about his writings that set him apart from many of his contemporaries. Here is what he wrote about Robert E. Lee. "A Christian soldier. The words perhaps seem to contradict each other in these days of total warfare but that is the only fitting description of Robert E. Lee. Americans can rediscover their true meaning in the history of our old Civil War, in the life story of this illustrious man. It is probably not fair to compare his military achievements with those of our modern generals. His operations were confined to a few states, theirs to great allied armies on foreign battlefields. All our modern general officers have written their memoirs, most of them containing a defense of their own tactics and criticizing those of others. Their language has been blunt, tough soldier talk, befitting the times. Little credit is given any power above their own. Gen R.E. Lee wrote nothing after the war and little more than letters and orders during the conflict, though a fortune would have been his for his personal recollections had he cared to write them, as did his great adversary, Grant. Oddly, the man seemed to think he was but an instrument, a lieutenant, of a Higher Power. In all his battle dispatches he gave credit to this supernatural leader. " God has crowned the valor of our troops with success, he wrote his government. "The commanding general is profoundly grateful to the giver of all victory for the signal success with which He has blessed our arms." "By the blessings of God we maintained our position against every effort until night." "Soldiers! Let us humble ourselves before the Lord our God, asking through Christ the forgiveness of our sins, beseeching the aid of the God of our forefathers in the defense of our homes." In general order No. 83, Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia, Aug. 13, 1863, he wrote: "The President of the Confederate States has, in the name of the people, appointed Aug. 21 as a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer. A strict observance of the day is enjoined upon the officers and soldiers of this army. All military duties suspended unless necessary. "Soldiers! We have sinned against Almighty God. We have forgotten His signal mercies, and have cultivated a revengeful, haughty, and boastful spirit. We have not remembered that the defenders of a just cause should be pure in His eyes; that our times are in His hands; and we have relied too much on our own arms for the achievement of our independence. God is our refuge and our strength. Let us confess our many sins, and beseech Him to give us a higher courage, a purer patriotism, and a more determined will; that He will hasten the time when war, with its sorrows and sufferings, shall cease." Did the lean, ragged; profane soldiers of his army consider his order hypocritical, his phrasing cynical, cheap, timid? No, they read it with wonder and reverence, held prayer meetings where they sang, "How firm a foundation." and "On Jordans stormy banks I stand," and plunged into smoke of battle with wild rebel yells. Gen Lee's marvelous hold on his men was spiritual. War was not fought through four long years because these hungry ragamuffins cared for slavery. Very few owned slaves. For the Confederacy, which could not feed them or put shoes on their poor feet, they had contempt. The last two horrible years of the conflict was fought purely for "Marse Robert" their gray Leader, who had some sort of understanding with the Lord and they had to back him up. When the end came at Appomattox they broke down and wept like children. Robert Lee's religion was something more than an empty name. Boisterous cadets at West Point never jeered when the grave handsome Virginia youth knelt to pray. Brother officers in garrison on the frontier put away the bottle and hushed the smutty story when Col. Lee appeared. In the Army of Northern Virginia such noted "cursers" as Jubal Early and Dick Ewell suppressed their habit when in his presence. Chaplain Jones related an incident of Nov. 1863, when Lee and his staff rode the lines before the battle of Mine Run. In the rear of A.P. Hill's division the cavalcade came upon a party of soldiers holding a prayer meeting, as they often did on the eve of battle. Already there was firing on the skirmish line and the cannons were beginning to growl. Lee's mind was engrossed in his plans, yet when he saw these soldiers kneeling in simple prayer, he instantly dismounted and knelt in the shadows. The staff also dismounted and stood with bowed heads. The prayer finished, Lee rode on and his men never knew their commander had knelt with them. Lee's Christianity extended to his enemies. His order to his army on the advance into Pennsylvania is a rarity in military annals: "The commanding General earnestly exhorts the troops to abstain with most scrupulous care, from necessary or wanton injury to private property." Yet he knew the Union depredations in Virginia! Once he was seen to dismount and close a farm gate left open by one of his soldiers. "The stock might get out," he remarked. On the retreat from Gettysburg he was riding in the train when his attention was called to a Yankee soldier lying by the road and cursing him. Lee dismounted shook the mans hand, and expressed the hope he might get well and return safely to his home. After the war he remarked to a lady at White Sulpher who was heatedly discussing some northern visitors at the Springs: "I have never cherished towards those people any bitter or vindictive feelings, and have never seen the day when I did not pray for them." A letter to his son, Robert, sounds ridiculously old-fashioned today: "I hope you will always be distinguished for your avoidance of the universal balm, ' whiskey, and every immorality. Nor need you fear to be ruled out of society that indulges in it, for you will acquire their esteem and respect, as all venerate if they do not practice virtue." A visitor to Lee's headquarters, fooled by the high spirits and humor of the members of the staff, undertook to tell an off-color joke. Beginning, the visitor glanced about, saying: "there are no ladies present-" "But there are some gentlemen present!" said Gen. Lee, and the joke died on the lips of the very red faced visitor. After the war as president of little Washington College, he was offered a huge sum for the use of his name in advertising some commercial product. "My name is not for sale," Lee said. The young students stood in awe of him and when he had to reprimand them they took it with good will. It was Reconstruction times and some students were involved in a quarrel with some newly freed colored men. President Lee, in a bulletin, shamed the youths into abject apologies. The bulletin is a fine example of his tolerance. While in the Army he received the application of a Jewish soldier for permission to go to Richmond to attend certain ceremonies of his synagogue. The soldier's captain had written, "Disapproved. If such applications were granted, the whole army would turn into Jews or shaking Quakers." When the paper came to Lee, he endorsed it: "approved, and respectfully returned to Captain B---- with advice that he should always respect the religious views and feelings of others." It should be remembered that Robert E. Lee never received a pardon, was never allowed to vote, and died branded as a traitor by northerners. Yet on Jan. 19, ten states declared his birthday a holiday. On a rainy afternoon of Sept. 28, 1870, Lee attended a meeting of clergymen at Grace Episcopal Church at Lexington. The meeting was long and Lee became cold. There was haggling over a sum to meet the minister's salary. Lee called out: "I'll pay the sum." Going to his home he suffered a stroke at the supper table. As he lay dying friends spoke to him trying to cheer him. Lee could only point upward. Later he murmured: "strike the tent!" He was going to Headquarters to report to his Superior." Yes folks, this was a true Southern Christian Gentleman. And I am proud to say that he belonged to all of us and we could do well to emulate him in our lives. We in this day and age need to show the world that we are a God fearing people and that we follow our Lord just as our great leader Robert E. Lee did. You will remember that it says in God's holy word, in Luke 9:26 "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory, and the glory o the Father and of the holy angels."
April Confederate History 1861 April -- Attack on Fort Sumter. When President Lincoln planned to send supplies to Fort Sumter, he alerted the state in advance, in an attempt to avoid hostilities. South Carolina, however, feared a trick. On April 10, 1861, Brig. Gen. Beauregard, in command of the provisional Confederate forces at Charleston, South Carolina, demanded the surrender of the Union garrison of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. The Garrison commander Anderson refused. On April 12, Confederate batteries opened fire on the fort, which was unable to reply effectively. At 2:30 p.m., April 13, Major Anderson surrendered Fort Sumter, evacuating the garrison on the following day. The bombardment of Fort Sumter was the opening engagement of the American Civil War. Although there were no casualties during the bombardment, one Union artillerist was killed and three wounded (one mortally) when a cannon exploded prematurely when firing a salute during the evacuation. From 1863 to 1865, the Confederates at Fort Sumter withstood a 22 month siege by Union forces. During this time, most of the fort was reduced to brick rubble. Fort Sumter became a national monument in 1948. April 17 --Virginia seceded from the Union. April -- Four More States Join the Confederacy. The attack on Fort Sumter prompted four more states to join the Confederacy. With Virginia's secession, Richmond was named the Confederate capitol. 1862 April 5-May 4 -- Yorktown On April 6, Confederate forces attacked Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant at Shiloh, Tennessee. By the end of the day, the federal troops were almost defeated. Yet, during the night, reinforcements arrived, and by the next morning the Union commanded the field. When Confederate forces retreated, the exhausted federal forces did not follow. Casualties were heavy -- 13,000 out of 63,000 Union soldiers died, and 11,000 of 40,000 Confederate troops were killed. April Fort Pulaski, Georgia General Quincy A. Gillmore battered Fort Pulaski, the imposing masonry structure near the mouth of the Savannah River, into submission in less than two days, (April 10-11, 1862). April -- New Orleans. Flag Officer David Farragut led an assault up the Mississippi River. By April 25, he was in command of New Orleans. April -- The Peninsular Campaign. In April, General McClellan's troops left northern Virginia to begin the Peninsular Campaign. By May 4, they occupied Yorktown, Virginia. At Williamsburg, Confederate forces prevented McClellan from meeting the main part of the Confederate army, and McClellan halted his troops, awaiting reinforcements. 1863 April -- Charleston Harbor Maj. Gen. David Hunter prepared his land forces on Folly, Cole's, and North Edisto Islands to cooperate with a naval bombardment of Fort Sumter. On April 7, the South Atlantic Squadron under Rear Admiral S.F. Du Pont bombarded Fort Sumter, having little impact on the Confederate defenses of Charleston Harbor. Although several of Hunter's units had embarked on transports, the infantry were not landed, and the joint operation was abandoned. The ironclad warships Keokuk, Weehawken, Passaic, Montauk, Patapsco, New Ironsides, Catskill, Nantucket, and Nahant participated in the bombardment. Keokuk, struck more than 90 times by the accurate Confederate fire, sunk the next day. April 7 -- Charleston Harbor / Fort Sumter 1864 April 3-4 -- Elkin's Ferry Okolona 1865 April 2-9 -- Fort Blakely April 2-9-- Canby's forces, the XVI and XIII corps, moved along the eastern shore of Mobile Bay, forcing the Confederates back into their defenses. Union forces then concentrated on Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely. By April 1, Union forces had enveloped Spanish Fort, thereby releasing more troops to focus on Fort Blakely. Brig. Gen. St. John R. Liddell, with about 4,000 men, held out against the much larger Union force until other Confederate forces disengaged and Spanish Fort fell on April 8, allowing Canby to concentrate 16,000 men for the attack on April 9. Sheer numbers breached the Confederate earthworks compelling the Confederates to capitulate. The siege and capture of Fort Blakely was basically the last combined-force battle of the war. African-American forces played a major role in the successful Union assault. April -- Fallen Richmond. On March 25, General Lee attacked General Grant's forces near Petersburg, but was defeated -- attacking and losing again on April 1. On April 2, Lee evacuated Richmond, the Confederate capital, and headed west to join with other forces. April 1 Five Forks April 9 -- Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. General Lee's troops were soon surrounded, and on April 7, Grant called upon Lee to surrender. On April 9, the two commanders met at Appomattox Courthouse, and agreed on the terms of surrender. Lee's men were sent home on parole -- soldiers with their horses, and officers with their side arms. All other equipment was surrendered. April -- The Assassination of President Lincoln. On April 14, as President Lincoln was watching a performance of "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C., he was shot by John Wilkes Booth, an actor from Maryland obsessed with avenging the Confederate defeat. Lincoln died the next morning. Booth escaped to Virginia. Eleven days later, cornered in a burning barn, Booth was fatally shot by a Union soldier. Nine other people were involved in the assassination; four were hanged, four imprisoned, and one acquitted. April -- Final Surrenders among Remaining Confederate Troops. Remaining Confederate troops were defeated between the end of April and the end of May. Jefferson Davis was captured in Georgia on May 10. 1865.
Lt. Edward W. Allen - noted in his diary what happened when his Wisconsin regiment visited Columbia in 1865. He spoke of "women down on their knees with hands clasped in prayer," and he wondered how he would react if his own family had to go through such an ordeal. But he wasn't so moved that he couldn't participate in the looting:". When morning came, every conceivable article that one could imagine, most, was to be found in our camp, clothing, bed clothing, such splendid coverlets, quilts, and sheets, musical instruments -- violins, guitars, music box, and had not pianos been quite so heavy you might have seen many of them there.... Silver plate, plates, knives, forks, spoons, but it would take too much time, candle and paper to mention or even try to mention all that was there, most all was left -- destroyed except small articles of value easily carried by one of the boys. I got a nice vase which I will try to get home." If they want to compare anything with Nazism, perhaps they should compare their own behavior with Hitler's looting of Paris.
Florida Currency Three-dollar bill printed by the Keatinge and Ball Company in South Carolina in 1863 and 1864. The Confederate States of America printed increasingly large amounts of paper currency. As the war continued, very high inflation, combined with lack of faith in the monetary system, greatly devalued the buying power of both Confederate national and state currency. (Collections of the Museum of Florida History).
GENERALS OF THE CONFEDERACY Contributed by ROB GATES Camille Armand Jules Marie, Prince de Polignac was born February 16, 1832 at Seine-et-Oise, France. He was the son the president of King Charles the tenths council of ministries and an English mother. Educated at the college of Stanislaus in Paris, he entered the 3rd Reg. Of Chausseurs in 1853, and served with the Hussars in the Crimea with the rank of lieutenant. He secured his discharge in 1859 and was in Central America at the outbreak of the War Between the States. He immediately offered himself to the Confederacy and her cause. On July 16, 1861 he was commissioned Lt. Colonel and served on the staffs of Gen. Beaureguard and Bragg in 1862. He was promoted brigadier general on 10 January 1863, and Major General on 8 April 1864. Polignacs later service was in Louisiana in the Army of Gen. Richard Taylor, where he distinguished himself in the battles of Mansfield, Pleasant Hill and the other engagements of the Red River Campaign. Toward the end of the war he was sent to France by the Confederate Government to secure the intervention of Napoleon III. He ran the blockade on 17 March 1865, and the war ended soon after his arrival in Spain. He devoted himself thereafter to the study of Mathematics and Political Economy, but he led the 1st French Division in the Franco Prussian War, and was awarded the Legion of Honor. During the remainder of his long life he continued his study of mathematics and became world-renowned. His death in Paris, 15 November 1913, marked the passing of the last survivor of the Major Generals of the Confederacy. He was buried in Frankfort-on-Main, Germany under both a French and Confederate Battle Flag.
From the Adjutants Desk: The John T. Lesley Camp 1282 Membership Roster for April 2001 stands 183 Compatriots and 20 Legionaires. The Lesley Camp looks forward to the following Compatriots receiving their SCV Membership Certificates and taking the Oath on April 16; Stacy R. White, John C. Hall, Ronald E.McMillan, Stanley R. Hankins and Stephen E. Williams. Our gratitude goes out to all of the crew that makes the semi-annual fish fry a continuing success. We had an excellent turn out and as usual a good time was had by all. The coveted LeMat, .44-caliber percussion revolver has been awarded to Compatriot George McRae Schabacker. See you at Buddy Freddys on Monday April 16th 2001. If you have any questions concerning camp business or to process membership paperwork, please do not hesitate in contacting me. Adjutant Dwight Tetrick |
