October 11, 2005 is the date of our next meeting at the Old Times Country Buffet located at 1701 North Monroe Street. The social hour starts at 6:00 with the meeting to follow at 7:00. This will be our camp election meeting and it is important that you come and vote. The nominating committee has considered the names of those that have expressed an interest in holding office in the camp. Their recommended slate will be presented at the meeting. We will be electing Camp Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Adjutant/Treasurer, Sergeant at Arms and Chaplin.

Nominations and self nominations will be accepted from the floor for any member wishing to run for office.

We welcome our newest members Larry Driggers, Bill Lynn, Curtis Morgan, Earnest Summer and Donald Turner. Donald is a life member transferred from Wakulla Guards.

Come one and come all! On the afternoon of November 12, 2005 starting at 2:00 and going until night Finley’s Brigade and Mary Ann Harvey Black Order of the Confederate Rose will be hosting the first annual Florida Fall Muster. There will be food, fun, and live entertainment. Reenactors will be on hand with cannon fire and living history. The event will be held at the Darby place in Gadsden County. From Quincy go south on 12 then left on 65, if coming on I 10 get off at the Greensboro exit go north on 12 then right on 65. On 65 go about two miles crossing the interstate as you go. Look for our beloved flags on the right. There will be something for the whole family so bring Grandma, the kids, and a prospective member on out and let’s eat big and enjoy being Southerners. Don’t forget your lawn chairs.

October birthdays are Compatriots Morgan Markham on the 1st and Eugene Smith on the 14th. Morgan will be leaving us for a while to go to Mississippi to work in the relief effort there. The good news is that he is leaving Ms. Toppy with us.

Our deepest sympathy goes out to Compatriot Jeff Gurr’s family for the sudden loss of his brother. Remember to pray for this family as they adjust to the void that they now have.

Let’s not forget our SCV members that were victims of Katrina and Rita. You can donate to help them through Commander Doug Dawson. Call him at 850-478-3398 for information or go to the National SCV or Finley’s Brigade web site for the link. Remember, “Charity starts at home.” The National SCV site also has a link to donate to animal rescue and care. About six thousand animals were rescued in the first twenty days.

The grave restoration at Eastern cemetery in Quincy for Capt. Abner Waterberry Smith, his wife and child has been finished. This is the largest single restoration by Finley Brigade members to date. The foundation required 1840 pounds of concrete mix.

Bell and Bates Hardware of Quincy donated one of the two days of forklift rental. A special thanks to all of those that gave their time, effort and money to this project

Chief Justice William Rehnquiest has now passed into history and volumes will be written about him. One of the little known things that he did outside of the court was to hold judicial conferences for other judges and lawyers. As part of the conferences he led a sing-along with music he had selected and passed out to attendees in advance. At the June 1999 conference held in Virginia he led the attendees in singing “DIXIE”. Washington Post staff writer Craig Timberg wrote an article criticizing the choice. He was quick to point out that Dixie was a Confederate marching song and it was played at the inauguration of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Some how he failed to mention that it was also played at Lincoln’s inauguration at Lincoln’s request.

Mr. Timberg went on to say that the black lawyers were offended by the song. Have you ever met a lawyer that can honestly be offended by anything? It could lead one to believe that the media wishes to influence the thinking of the masses.

Second Saturday Work Day for October will be held at Oakland Cemetery in Tallahassee. We will be enhancing the grave of a Confederate that fought at the Battle of Natural Bridge.

Southern Quote: “We are almost entirely dependent of Florida…We now have 40,000 troops and labors to subsist.” South Carolina Chief Commissary Officer 1863.

This month in history: On October 2, 1863, a federal boat detachment from the U S gunboat Port Royal today attacked the salt works at St. George sound, destroying six boilers and kettles and two large vats.

Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! KJV

Good News! All is not bad news coming out of Mississippi. The Old Capital Museum in Jackson lost part of the roof and six thousand artifacts were damaged. The good news is that all the conserved flags were on third floor and are undamaged. The 33^rd Mississippi battle flag that the Mississippi Division had donated 17,100 dollars to conserve was suppose to be at the textile conserver in New Orleans. Hoorah! It’s still in Jackson.

Observations on Conditions in the South

In the fall or1865 President Andrew Johnson sent General Ulysses Sidney Grant to the South for a report on conditions here. The following is Grant’s letter of his findings and recommendations. His recommendation to keep troops in the South may have influenced the decision to keep the South occupied for four years. The labor contracts mentioned meant that some freedmen would still work for their former masters but without the benefit of food, housing and medical care and former female slaves no longer were guaranteed the extra rations and maternity leave that had been the law before.

Washington D.C

Dec. 18^th 1865

His Excellency A. Johnson

President of The United States

SIR:

In reply to your note of the 16^th ins., requesting a report from me giving such information as I may be possessed of coming within the scope of the enquiries made by the Senate of the United States, in their resolution of the 28^th inst, I have the honor to submit the following:

With your approval and also the Hon. Sec. of War, I left Washington City on the 27^th of last month for the purpose of making a tour of inspection through some of the Southern states, or states lately in rebellion, and to see what changes were necessary to be made in the disposition of the military forces of the Country, how these forces could be reduced and expenses curtailed, &c. and to learn as far as possible the feelings and intentions of the citizens of these states toward the General Government…

In Raleigh N.C. I spent one day, in Charleston S.C., two days, Savannah and Augusta, Ga. each one day. Both in traveling and whilst stopping I saw much and conversed freely with the Citizens of the states, as well as with officers of the army who have been stationed among them. The following are the conclusions come by me:

I am satisfied that the mass of thinking men of the south accept the present situation of affairs in good faith. The questions which have heretofore divided the sentiment of the people of two sections-slavery and states rights, or the right of a State to secede from the Union- they regard as having been settled forever by the highest tribunal-arms-that man can resort to. I was pleased to learn from the leading men whom I met that they not only accept the decision arrived at as final, but, now that the smoke of battle has cleared way and time has been given for reflection, that this decision has been a fortunate one for the whole country, they receive like benefits from it with those who opposed them in the field and in council.

Four years of war, during which laws were executed only at the point of a bayonet throughout the States in rebellion, have left the people possible in a condition not to yield to ready obedience to civil authority the American people have generally been in the habit of yielding. This would render the presence of small garrisons throughout these States necessary until such time as labor returns to its proper channel and civil authority is fully established. I did not meet anyone, either those holding places under the government or citizens of the southern States, who think the practicable to withdraw the military from the south at present. The white and black mutually require the protection of the general government. To be continued.