PDF VERSION
THE EARLY REPORT
The official Publication of the General Jubal A. Early Camp 556, Sons of Confederate Veterans
Vol. 1 March 2004 Issue 3
MARCH FELLOWSHIP MEETING
Dr. Thomas L. DiLorenzo
“The Real Lincoln”
A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War
Emancipator or Politician?
“If the federal government makes encroachments on the constitutional rights of the people and the States, what are their options? In a word, their right to secede. Most of today’s Americans believe, as did Abraham Lincoln, that states do not have a right to secession, but that is false. DiLorenzo marshals numerous proofs that from the very founding of our nation, the right of secession was seen as a natural right of the people and a last check on abuse by the central government.” DiLoranzo offers “irrefutable evidence that a more appropriate title for Abraham Lincoln is not the Great Emancipator, but the Great Centralizer”.
-Dr. Walter E. Williams
John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics, George Mason University
Nationally syndicated columnistDr. DiLorenzo is professor of economics in the Sellinger School of Business and Management at Loyola College in Maryland. Specializing in economic history and political economy, he is the author of 11 books and over 70 articles and has been published in the Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, USA Today, National Review, and Barron’s.
We know you’ve heard this before, but if you only make one meeting this year...this is the one to make. See you on the 20th!
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
Dinner at the March fellowship meeting will be by reservation. Please look for your letter from the Commander with your dinner reservation form. If you missed it, you can print from the Camp web site at
www.tampascv.org
A GRAND PARADE
Strawberry Festival Parade - A Report
On Monday, March 1, the Gen Jubal A. Early Camp parade unit was a part of the Strawberry Festival Grand Parade that was held in Plant City, Florida. And what a grand parade it was! This truly was one of the best in terms of spectator response. The young people were thrilled and showed it in their hooting and yelling as the Colour Guard marched by. And that is not even considering the many, many instances of older men rising while removing their caps to salute us. And, oh the ladies-they had no hats to remove but they stood and smiled. What a beautiful and moving experience was had by all of us and on such a wonderful Spring day.
In the Colour Guard was Wayne Sweat, Randy Tyler, Mark Salter, Greg Tisdale and Marion Lambert. Driving Mark Salter's vintage tractor was Linn Petty. On the parade float was Jim Curtis, Ann Sweat and Wendel Boyd. Also on the float were some very attractive young folks, namely: Rachael, Ricky, Sarah and Samatha.
CELTIC FESTIVAL
A Report
The Camp Colour guard, accompanied by ladies of the Augusta Jane Evans Wilson Chapter, UDC, participated in the opening ceremonies of the Zephyrhills Celtic Festival last month.
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The Camp fly was set up for the 2 day festival with Forrest Station with camp members meeting and greeting. Several good prospects were developed and the rifle drawing netted the camp $491 for the weekend. Thanks to Kelly Cannington, Wayne Rutland, Mark Salter, Wayne Sweat, Dean Leferink from the Camp for making the event a success and to Lunelle Siegel, Brenna Rutland, Cora Cannington and Ann Sweat from the Augusta Jane Evans Wilson Chapter UDC for joining us at this event! A wonderful experience for the community and for our Southern organizations! This event is really growing and we were in a much better location this year - thanks to Wayne for getting us into this event!
BROOKSVILLE RAID
A Report
The Jubal A. Early Camp did its usual best in setting up a camp display at the premier "Civil War" reenactment in the Central Florida area. The Brooksville Raid is always a good event for us in recruitment and fund raising.
Without mentioning the names of all the men of the camp who participated in this effort it should be said that this was a group camp effort. The fly was set up on Friday afternoon (January 16) and was taken down Sunday afternoon (January 18).
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Great contacts were made! We picked up at least two new members and we made the acquaintance of Compatriot James Miller of the Raphael Semmes Camp of Mobile. James volunteered his time to the camp Colour Guard and for helping man our displays in the future.
We had a great day of fund raising on Saturday and on Sunday our efforts were a little less rewarded because of a morning rain. We raised (through the raffle) $890.00.
We also enjoyed the presence of the ladies of the Augusta Jane Evans Wilson Chapter UDC on Saturday, assisting us, and running their own recruiting and raffle.
CAMP BUSINESSES
Committee Reports
Membership Committee
By: Wayne Rutland, Chairman
Great news! We now have 83 members and 12 legionnaires. This is a big increase from our start and we had to move to a new meeting place because of the large turnout at our meetings.
The membership committee processes and sends the applications to the adjutant who maintains the camp records and sends to the national headquarters the new members names. Remember that recruiting is everyone’s job and the membership committee does not recruit new members - you do the recruiting! We have 2 working members and we are supposed to have 4, so if you want to help out call us.
Wayne Rutland—813-837-5281
Harry Earhart—727-862-3828
Social Committee
By: Bart Siegel, Chairman
As Co-Chairman of our social committee Phil Walters and I are sad to announce that we received a less than enthusiastic response to our proposed black powder turkey shoot. As a result we have decided to cancel that event and move forward. At our last business meeting the concept of a canoe trip, with a picnic, was discussed. Those that enjoy canoeing will enter the Withlacoochi River upstream, and then meet the rest of the gang at Hogs Island for a old fashion picnic. How does that sound? Let us know your interest when you see any of the officers. The idea is to create fun activities, where we can enjoy each others’ fellowship, while at the same time enjoying some of the same activities that our own forefathers may have engaged in. We are anticipating scheduling something in mid April or May.
Special Projects Committee
By: Jeff Hough, Chairman
As most of you know, we have acquired a very promising flag-site. Cmdr. Lambert purchased the property last month along US 92. With a 100+ ft. flagpole, our flag should be visible from both I-75 and I-4. The property will remain in our possession so we can have the final say in all matters.
However, the parcel will still be part of the Flags Across Florida project, and it will be covered under the Florida Divisions insurance. Things are coming together nicely for our grand debut next year. There are still a few bugs to work out, so keep this matter under your hat for a bit longer. Later this month we should visit with the proper officials to get this accomplished. Remember to keep this issue on the prayer list!
Memorial Committee
By: Mark S. Dixon, Chairman
The Memorial Committee is exploring new ideas for locating, marking and preserving Confederate graves in cemeteries located in Hillsborough and Pasco Counties. The committee now consists of Mark Dixon, Marion Lambert, Jake English, Noel Hike, Wayne Sweat, Doug Roberts and Harry Earhart.
We are exploring the possibility of using a GPS device to permanently record all of the graves in these areas. Therefore, we will have them located for future reference and be able to more better preserve them.
The committee is also working with the Augusta Jane Evans Wilson Chapter UDC liaisons Lunelle Siegel and Dodie Roberts in regard to our work on the Memorial Committee. We are looking forward to having these ideas come together and proceeding with our mission.
COMMANDER’S MESSAGE
Cmdr. Marion D. Lambert
The General Jubal A. Early Camp is now right at six months of age and we have every right to feel a humble sense of pride. Not that pride is a quality we should seek for its own sake but when our reality equals accomplishment then a certain quiet pride is certainly acceptable. This is our current status and we have every right to express to one another what that reality is.
Three things come quickly to mind.
First, we have a marvelous and splendid flag and monument site in our possession, which will be “the talk of the town” by the Summer of 2005. More about this site will be shared with you as time passes but for now rest assured that no one has the power to diminish the possibility that our flag will be flying very high and totally visible at a most prominent site in the county.
Next, we begin this month meeting at a first class establishment. It has been a dream of many of us for a very long time that we move to a facility wherein we can grow and which will enhance our image as a first class organization. We certainly have a self-image of who we are and now we have a facility that will help us grow and to actualize our potential.
Lastly, there is a new and invigorated sense of energy in the talent of the camp. I see it and am in touch with this quality at any event that this camp is involved in. Be it parades, camp meetings or camp set ups at various events there is an ‘excitement in the air.”
No doubt about it, the future looks very bright for the camp. Our membership is growing and the democratic experiment in the Early Camp is a success.
From the Adjutant’s Desk:
The Gen. Jubal A. Early Camp 556, SCV Muster Roll for February 2004 lists 83 Full Members and 10 Legionnaires.
The Camp would like to welcome a new Full Member:
Compatriot Ancestor
Ira M. Fogg, Jr. Pvt. Joseph Wigelsworth 5th Florida Inf. Co. E
2 Full Members transferring into the Camp:
Compatriot
Steve Wayne Little
Michael David Little
And 2 new Legionnaires:
Legionnaire
James A. Curtis
Edward J. Judd
I also wish to inform the Camp that we achieved an unprecedented 100% renewal rate for 2004 member dues!
Please feel free to contact me concerning any membership or camp issues that may arise. I can be reached by phone at (813) 971-4541 before 10 PM, or by email. .
Respectfully Submitted,
Adjutant Scott Rose
CHAPLAIN'S MESSAGE
"Different"
You may ask, different, what's Calvin talking about now? Well let me elaborate on that for you. I want to give you some illustrations and some scripture and some personal experience to show you how WE are different.
Another word we could use is the word peculiar. I want to give you some scriptures to look up so you can see for yourselves how we, as a people who believe in GOD are a peculiar people. This includes the Old Testament and the New Testament. So, Bart, get your bible out 'cause this applies to the Jewish people as well as we Christians.
First off, look up Exodus 19:5 where God chose the people of Israel to be his chosen people. Out of all of the peoples of the earth and nations he said "ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me." Deuteronomy 14:2-this is where God is telling the people about clean and unclean foods. He said for "thee to be a peculiar people unto himself." They were His chosen possession. Also look in Psalms 135:4 "and Israel for His peculiar treasure." So we see that the people of God were to be a peculiar people. Now if you remember your history you know that in that day the pagan peoples of the world believed in many gods whereas these PECULIAR people of Israel only believed in ONE God.
Now lets come forward to the times after JESUS. I'm not going to go into all of the details of how Jesus is our (we Christian’s) Saviour. You know that already. We, too, are different, and peculiar, in that we also believe in ONE God and one Saviour and that makes us a peculiar people too. For our confirmation, look at Titus 2:14—we are to be a "peculiar people zealous of good works." 1 Peter 2:9 - we are to be "an holy nation, a peculiar people."
Now, having given you scripture, let me give you a few illustrations. We people of the SOUTH have always been different from our brethren from the north, especially in our belief in God. Whereas the North were mostly people from England whose beliefs developed into a humanistic approach, in saying that man is inherently good and leaning toward good, that eventually all will wind up in what they perceive as heaven will be. We here in the SOUTH, who are descended mostly from Celtic backgrounds, German, and other God believing nations who believed that there God was very instrumental in their lives and influenced the way they thought, worked and every phase of their lives. They were taught that ever since the fall of Adam and Eve that all humanity since then has been born in SIN, and therefore has a bent toward evil, not good. That the only way to cure that bent to sin is to accept Jesus as your Saviour and have Him to forgive you of all of your sins and then He comes into your heart and then your bent begins to come towards him. You see, when you are in sin you are a SLAVE to sin and to all things bad. and it doesn't matter what color, nationality, gender, all have the same thing. So when Jesus died on the cross, He did it for you. He took your sins upon himself, he became the sacrifice for ALL mankind. And He arose on the third day and He now lives looking over his children, His PECULIAR, and DIFFERENT people.
And now for a few illustrations about SLAVES. It was at a slave auction many years ago that a fine plantation owner happened to be at. there was a big, strong black slave up for auction who was very defiant, who said to himself, "ain’t nobody goin tells me what to do, I's make his life mizrable, I'll run away the fust chance I's get. I aint goin be nobody's slave. Well the bidding began and the owners began to raise the bidding. It climbed higher and higher when finally the good plantation owner gave a bid thet was way way higher than anybody had ever seen for a slave. So when the auctioneer closed the bidding and said sold , sold to the highest bidder. The owner then told the auctioneer to unchain the man and to set him FREE. The people looked in stunned disbelief. The slave immediately took off running as fast as he could, he was gong to get as far away from these people and this plantation owner as he could. But as he started to enter into the woods something within him made him stop. He then began to see what had just happened. And he turned around and came running back to the owner and fell at his feet and said master if you care about me so much to give me my freedom I don't see nothing out there that is any better than you. He told the good owner that he'd serve him till the end of his days and obey him and work for him.
OLD CELL PHONES WANTED
The ladies of the August Jane Evans Wilson Chapter in formation of the United Daughters of the Confederacy are making a plea for you to check around the house for your old cell phones. They are collecting them for their service projects and can turn them in for money.
If you have an old phone, please bring it to the next meeting. If you’re upgrading phones in the future, hang on to them—don’t turn them in—and bring them to a future meeting. The ladies thank you!
COMPATRIOT SPEAKS
The ladies of the Mary Custis Lee Chapter #1451 UDC welcomed Paul Byther, charter member of the Gen. Jubal A. Early Camp, as their speaker on Saturday morning, February 21, 2004. Paul spoke on the Battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania and the Bloody Angle. The ladies were deeply moved by Paul's description of the heroism of our brave Confederate soldiers. Paul concluded by giving the charge given by Lt. General Stephen D. Lee to the mothers of the Memorial Association, the SCV, the Daughters of the Confederacy and the people of the South as published in the November/December 2003 edition of the Confederate Veteran magazine. Way to go, Paul!
CHILDREN WANTED
For Children of the Confederacy
Are you worried about your children and grandchildren growing up and not having a solid footing in their roots and heritage?
Don’t let this generation be a stranger to their ancestors and heritage. Teach them to be proud not ashamed of their family history.
The Augusta Jane Evans Wilson Chapter in Formation of the United Daughters of the Confederacy is forming a Children of the Confederacy Chapter with an eye to preparing our children with information that will stay with them for a lifetime. If you are interested, please call Lunelle at 813-837-1599 or Mary Alice Geary at 813-238-4458 to get all your Southern children on the new Charter!