JANUARY 2002
Lee-Jackson Banquet
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The General Lee-Jackson banquet to celebrate the birthdays of Gen. Robert E. Lee and LT. Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson will be held Saturday, January 19, 2001 at Mr. D's on the Bayou, 3205 Common St. in Lake Charles. The social hour will begin at 6:00 P.M. Please contact Marilyn Thorn at 625-8473 for information, looking forward to seeing you. Our speaker will be Bill Thompson of the Winfield Camp. This should prove to be a very informative and interesting evening.
ON SLAVERY
So far from engaging in a war to perpetuate slavery, I am rejoiced that slavery is abolished.
WHY DID THE SOUTH FIGHT?
All that the South has ever desired was that the Union, as established by our forefathers, should be preserved, and that the government, as originally organized, should be administered in purity and truth.
STATES' RIGHTS
I consider it as the chief source of stability to our present system; whereas the consolidation of the states into one vast republic, sure to be aggressive abroad and despotic at home, will be the certain precursor of that ruin which has overwhelmed all those that have preceded it.
THE CONSTITUTION
I trust that the constitution may undergo no change, but that it may be handed down to succeeding generations in the form we received it from our forefathers.
DUTY
Do your duty in all things. . . You cannot do more; you should never wish to do less.
JOINING THE CONFEDERACY
I did only what my duty demanded. I could have taken no other course without dishonor. And if it all were to be done over again, I should act in precisely the same manner.
ON SALVATION
I can only say that I am nothing but a poor sinner, trusting in Christ alone for salvation.
THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH
The reputation of individuals is of minor importance [compared] to the opinion posterity may form of the motives which governed the people of the South in their late struggle for maintenance of the principles of the Constitution. I hope, therefore, a true history will be written, and justice done them.
RIGHT OF SECESSION
The states were merely using the reserved right, which they had a right to do.
LEE'S OPINION OF STONEWALL JACKSON
Such an executive officer the sun never shone on. I have but to show him my design, and I know that if it can be done, it will be done.
ON RELIGION
If you desire to be more heavenly minded, think more of the things of heaven, and less of the things of earth.
ON THE FUTURE
The future of our ancestors belongs only to them. It is up to us to make our own future.
ON TACTICS
Always mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy; and when you strike and overcome him, never let up in the pursuit. Never fight against heavy odds if you can hurl your own force on only a part of your enemy and crush it. A small army may thus destroy a large one and repeated victory will make you invincible.
ON GENERAL LEE
So great is my confidence in General Lee that I am willing to follow him blindfolded.
"Dark and Bloody Ground" provides a broad overview of the conflict in the Trans-Mississippi area, but it focuses on the men of a ragtag, pieced-together rebel outfit of Louisianians known as Gray's Brigade. Led by a small-town lawyer, Colonel Henry Gray, it included men and young farm boys, Cajun Frenchmen and the remnants of decimated units. This light brigade of 1,100 men spearheaded one of the most remarkable charges in one of the most unusual battles in military annals.
This book also explores the human side of the conflict and delves into other fascinating issues: the various motives that determined how and why native Louisianians chose sides; the greed and infighting among the officers and administrators of both armies; and the role of blacks in the struggle for Louisiana. Based on countless primary sources and the author's discovery of several previously unpublished stories of ordinary individuals and their involvement in this theater of war, "Dark and Bloody Ground" will make a lasting contribution to the literature of the War for Southern Independence.
Thomas Ayres, a native Louisianian, is an award-winning writer and veteran investigative reporter with a passion for history. He has written numerous feature and historical articles for such publications as the Dallas Morning News and Civil War Time's quarterly journal, Columbiad, and is the author of "That's Not in My History Book: A Compilation of Little-Known and Forgotten Heroes." In addition, he has garnered awards from the Associated Press, United Press International, and the Southwest Journalism Forum. Now retired, he lives in his hometown of Jonesboro, Louisiana.
March 14, 1863
All of the fury, all of the drama of one of the most significant actions on the Mississippi River during the South's quest for independence is captured in this magnificent artwork.
This release from the late Artist Joe Umble, of Virginia, was commissioned by Dr. John Griffith of Captain Bryan Camp. He generously donated the original to Port Hudson State Commemorative Area and art prints to the camp. It is a colorful historic work depicting the highly accurate fire of Port Hudson's Confederate River Batteries upon a portion of the Union fleet of Admiral David G. Farragut. The grounded and burning USS Mississippi lies helpless as the bonfires on the western bank backlight her and provide a perfect silhouetted target for the gray gunners to continue her destruction by the blasting of deadly accurate hot shot. Her fate is sealed. The attempted passage lasted three hours and would cost the Union Navy 110 casualties and the loss of the USS Mississippi. It was this single Confederate victory that incited the Union forces to lay siege in order to silence the guns of this "Bastion on the Mississippi".
"Contemporaries and historians have labeled the passage a tactical failure and not because of Confederate gunfire. Yet they also generally described it as an important strategic victory. The failure of five out of seven vessels to pass the batteries confirms the first conclusion, but the Confederate gunners deserve the credit," according to Lawrence Lee Hewitt, "Port Hudson, Confederate Bastion on the Mississippi" LSU Press.
This beautiful piece of historic artwork is available as an artist signed limited edition print ($135 including shipping) through the Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390 Sons of Confederate Veterans Lake Charles, LA All proceeds go to further the cause of our Confederate Heritage. Contact the camp commander for purchasing the print.
By Shawn Martin
American Press
HOPEWELL -- Amid cannon and rifle firings, flapping Confederate flags, Taps and re-enactors dressed in the mismatched gray uniforms of Johnny Reb, a Confederate Memorial Service was conducted here Saturday to honor three veterans.
"We are here to honor and pay tribute to three of our Confederate veterans that served so bravely," said John Pate, one of the event organizers. "We are so very proud to be able to be a part of this honor and share it with the families of these brave men."
The hour-long memorial service was held in Hopewell Cemetery at the graves of 1st Sgt. William Brown Welborn, Pvt. Solomon J. Andrews and Pvt. George Washington Higginbotham.
A new gravestone for Higginbotham was unveiled during the service.
The event was sponsored by the Southern Guard, Semmes Battery, Order of the Black Rose, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Order of the Confederate Rose and Sons of Confederate Veterans.
The crowd of about 100 that assembled for the ceremony ranged from curious tourists with cameras to matrons in mourning dresses, many of them with veils covering their faces representing war widows.
"Heritage is our blood-born right," said Johanna Pate, one of the organizers. "There's no shame in being Southern. We have the greatest nation, being Americans, and the greatest heritage, being Southerners and this service is in honor of three of our soldiers who fought to preserve it."
Higginbotham served in Company E, 3rd Alabama Cavalry and was a Baptist preacher. Andrews was in the 6th Louisiana Cavalry, was a prisoner of war, and was a marshal in Oberlin. Welborn was in Company K, 9th Louisiana Infantry and was wounded in action.
The three men have descendants living throughout Southwest Louisiana. Each family was given a Confederate flag and a rose in appreciation and memory of their loved one.
"This is a clash between a politically correct culture and this museum: A museum that honors Southern participation in the Civil War," said James Carriere, the museum's vice president.
Founded in 1891, the Confederate Museum faces a distinctly modern nemesis: the Ogden Museum, a collection of 1,200 artworks by Southern artists. The Ogden plans to open next year in two buildings in New Orleans central business district.
The Confederate Museum is located right between the Ogden buildings.
The Ogden's main financial backer, the University of New Orleans Foundation, claims to have bought the Confederate Museum building from Tulane University last year for $425,000. The UNO Foundation won't say what it wants to do with the building other than own it.
The Confederate Museum sued the UNO Foundation, arguing the building can't be sold without their approval because it was founded and donated to be used "perpetually" as a Confederate museum, Carriere said.
"You can call it squatter's rights," Carriere said. "We absolutely own the property." Carriere recalls a similar 1931 eviction dispute in which Gov. Huey P. Long's staff helped work out a compromise.
Supporters of the Ogden say the dispute is purely a legal battle. They don't want to talk about the Civil War or modern cultural wars.
The Confederate Museum, a red-brick structure that looks like a mini-cathedral, was founded as a repository of Confederate memorabilia and a memorial hall for Southern Civil War veterans. Today it holds the nation's second-largest collection of Civil War artifacts, nearly all of which are Confederate. The collection includes a battle flag stained with a Confederate commander's blood, Confederate Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard's frock coat and a crown of thorns that Pope Pius IX gave to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
When Davis died in New Orleans in 1889, a reported 60,000 mourners flocked to the building to view the body and pay their respects. Right around the corner stands the city's towering monument to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
The Confederate Museum's neighborhood has also transformed into a strip of modern museums and upscale art galleries. The D-Day Museum opened last year and attracted more than 330,000 visitors. The Louisiana Children's Museum is 15 years old and gets about 180,000 visitors yearly.
Confederate Museum officials admit they're lucky to get 20,000 visitors a year. But Carriere is proud the museum clings to the 19th century and avoids modern touches.
"We're a Victorian museum," Carriere said. "One thing the flashy new museums are lacking are authentic artifacts. That's what we have."
Carriere said the Confederate's board of directors has no intention of leaving or dampening its dedication to the Lost Cause.
"If push comes to shove, it's going to be up to the courts," Carriere said. "We will not voluntarily submit to an eviction."
This morning, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission officially denied Curtis Storey's claim of discrimination. Earlier this year Mr. Storey was asked to remove Confederate flag stickers from his truck and lunch box at his security guard job.
Curtis Storey and the SLRC considered this action by the EEOC predictable. The EEOC is more than happy to cloak the sins of Sony and Burns Security because they believe their own propaganda that the Confederate Flag would cause a "racially hostile working environment." The EEOC is therefore unwilling to follow its own regulations that require that the terms of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 be interpreted broadly. The EEOC will grant Storey a "right to sue" letter. The complaint must be filed in federal court within 90 days.
Storey says the attitude of the people at the EEOC is one of "indifference." Along with his complaint form, Storey submitted extra papers explaining in detail the facts of his case. When Storey asked the EEOC employee if she had read his explanation, she told him, "not yet." Lyons spent 10 minutes lecturing the EEOC investigator this morning on the basic tenets of civil rights law to no avail. "They just don't get it," Lyons remarked.
All persons who love liberty in the state of Pennsylvania should step up to support Mr. Storey and his family in this time of trial. Storey deserves his day in court.
Please visit the Southern Legal Resource Center's web site at http://www.slrc-csa.org. We encourage those who support us to sign a monthly pledge so that our work may continue.
Our address is SLRC, PO Box 1235, Black Mountain, NC 28711 Phone: 828-669-5189 Dr. Payne and Atty. Lyons SCV members, I.N. Giffen, 758, Black Mountain, NC
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