This month has been a whirlwind, as the season opens for completing old projects and beginning new ones.  Panel #6 is being engraved at Appalachian Monument and should be in place at the time of receiving this newsletter.  Our dear sister states of Virginia now has a flagpole on the mountain and our beloved South Carolina voted to purchase one for the Gap Project.  Two more stones are being engraved for the Sandlick Dedication to be held May 28, 2007.  We have several 4x16 markers being engraved with unknown Confederate soldier etched on them.  The bench with Deo Vindicie has been corrected to read Deo Vindice.  The flyers for the dedication are being created and the agenda is tentatively made.  If you have any suggestions, feel free to contact me.  We hope to have a practice session for the event in the near future, as I do believe it will be well attended.  I have asked our color sergeant to offer a practice session as well.  The city of Whitesburg has given us the green light on the dedication and the mayor has been gracious in allowing us to fire our artillery and weapons.  We will put a public announcement in the paper starting May 7 and run it for 3 weeks to ensure everyone in the vicinity are aware of the gunfire.  I met with the mayor of Jenkins and he is very supportive of any activity that we may wish to plan.  The Scholarship Committee needs to meet and establish the guidelines for two $250 scholarships.  One will go towards Vocational and the other college.  Applications need to be turned in by May 31, 2007.  With sacred principles to maintain, I remain your obedient servant.  Old General…Laus Deo

 

Upcoming Events:  April 21, 2007-Annual Confederate Heritage Month Parade; The march down Monument Avenue to Hollywood Cemetery begins at 2:00; April 27, 2007- SCV TN Division’s Reunion held at Murfreesboro, TN. 6:00; April 28-29, 2007-Battle of Cumberland Gap; April 29, 2007-Dedication for Gabriel Church (had 5 sons that served in the Civil War) Contact Ilo Ison at ilawison@aol.com from Ashburn, VA.  Dedication is at Eolia, KY; May 4-6, 2007-SCV Division Memorial Dedication; Columbia, South Carolina; dedication at Manning, South Carolina; May 11-13, 2007-Battle of Bean Station (Rutledge, TN) held at the beautiful Ritter Farms on 11W heading towards Knoxville, TN; Battle of Louisa, Louisa, KY also held on this weekend. May 18-21, 2007-Battle of Sacramento; Sacramento, KY

 

The Adjutant’s Desk

 

The Colonel Ben E. Caudill Camp No. 1629 has seventy-seven members at the present time.  If anyone needs a new membership card, just let me know.  The dedications for Private William “Stiller Bill” Caudill and Private David Back were held on March 24.  A large crowd attended both dedications.  The camp should be proud of itself for the large turnout of camp members to assist with the dedications.  Several family members thanked the camp for their dedication to these southern heroes.  The dedication of the Sandlick Cemetery Monument and tombstones will take place at 1:30 P.M. on Monday, May 28.  The date was changed to allow members who were participating in the re-enactment at Elkhorn City to be able to do both.   Local news media and dignitaries will be invited to attend.  All camp members are urged to attend this event to show their support.  Hopefully, we will be able to obtain good publicity of our southern heritage instead of the negative press received lately.  Dean and Nina Cornett presented the camp with a CD that they have prepared telling of the history of our area during the war and some of the accomplishments that the Colonel Ben Caudill Camp has done to honor our ancestors.  They also have provided several flags to fly at the Pound Gap Monument.  The sleeve for the Virginia flagpole has been installed and we are waiting for Appalachian Monument to have time to take the pole to the site.  They will probably wait to deliver the pole when they take Panel No. 6 to install.  They hope to have the panel finished in the next couple of weeks.  The clips on the existing flagpoles are all wearing out and need to be replaced.  The center flag has already worn through and fell.  We have temporarily put the flag back up and will need to replace the clips at the next possible opportunity.   

 

The road side clean up conducted by the camp and the 5^th Kentucky Infantry re-enacting group on March 27 went very good.  Twelve people showed up and picked up six miles of highway (Five miles from the Knott and Letcher County line toward Whitesburg and one mile up Stamper’s Branch), resulting in 55 bags of garbage.  The paper work was turned in to Josh Wampler who is charge of the litter program in Letcher County.  The camp and the re-enactors group will split the $600 evenly.  The two groups hope to clean up Highway 23 from Pound Gap back toward Pikeville soon.  

 

The camp’s financial report is as follows:  As of April 13, 2007, the Colonel Ben E. Caudill Camp has $536.45 in their checking account.  The camp owes $42.40 for flowers at Maggard Florist in Hazard.  Honoring the Memory of our Ancestors, I remain your Adjutant Brown

 

Chaplain’s Corner

 

First of all, I wish to thank everyone who prayed, called, emailed, and/or came by to see my son in the hospital. It met allot to him and me.  He is doing so much better.  I can see why so many men died in the war because of infection.  I know if my son were back in 1860s, he would not have made it.  Even the smallest cut had the potential of taking a life.  Infection, lack of cleanliness, diseases and Pneumonia were the enemy of both sides.  Remember to thank God ever day for our lives and the lives of our loved ones, because we could lose it in the blink of an eye.  Always remember to take time out for God. He’s there for you any time, any place, and thank Him for all your blessings Chaplain Back

 

Prayer Line

 

Let us remember the family of Carlos Brock.  His father, Price, passed away this month.  Let us keep Chris Back in our prayers and the families involved in the USW-ARH strike.  Let us offer a petition for Mrs. Cantrell and the family of Roger Hall.  Remember the poor victims’ families left behind in the Virginia Tech tragedy.  Pray for all infirmed, alone and needing the touch of the Master’s hand and our troops that guard our freedom. 

 

Sayings of the South

 

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag ... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt 1907

 

“On they come, with the old swinging route step and swaying battle flags. In the van, the proud Confederate ensign. Before us in proud humiliation stood the embodiment of manhood; men whom neither toils and sufferings, nor the fact of death could bend from their resolve; standing before us now, thin, worn, and famished, but erect, and with eyes looking level into ours, waking memories that bound us together as no other bond; was not such manhood to be welcomed back into a Union so tested and assured? On our part not a sound of trumpet more, nor roll of drum; not a cheer, nor word, nor whisper or vain-glorying, nor motion of man, but an awed stillness rather, and breath-holding, as if it were the passing of the dead!”  (Confederate surrender at Appomattox...) Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

 

Bluegrass Confederate,

Guerrant’s Diary-Monday, February 9, 1863

Jonesville, Lee County, Virginia

 

Started our staff wagons off for Estillville this morning about 10.  Great sickness prevailing among our troops here.  This place has become a perfect “Golgotha”. Small pox in the 64^th Virginia.  Erysipelas in the Hospital.   The Grave Digger busy.  Doctor Parrish now reduced to the verge of death-one week ago in good health.  He has Erysipelas and black tongue fever.  His tongue swollen to the capacity of his mouth and he cannot speak.  Snow still on the north side of Powell Mountain.  General gave us some astronomical items-pointed out the beautiful Constellation of Orion.  In China the most beautiful is the “Southern Cross”.  Visible here only by day.

 

Trivia Questions

 

1. Who was superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point just before the War Between the States?
2. Who was superintendent of West Point in the 1850s?
3. What West Point graduate was so fond of the place that he took his wife there on their honeymoon?
4. What future Confederate general was dismissed from West Point for breaking a mess-hall plate over the head of future general Jubal Early?
5. What Union general apologized to the Confederate officers for attacking Fredericksburg?
6. What dubious distinction did George E. Pickett hold in his 1846 West Point class?
7. What statesman referred to West Point graduates who joined the Confederacy as men who proved false to the land, which had pampered them?
8. What was the source of the longstanding quarrel between President Jefferson Davis and General Joseph E. Johnston?
9. What Confederate general surrendered Fort Donelson to his former West Point classmate, U.S. Grant?
10. What future general gave up his army commission after leaving West Point to study for the ministry?

 

Stone Total:  858 with 223 Dedications!

 

 

 

Answers to Trivia Questions

 

1. P.G.T. Beauregard.
2. Robert E. Lee
3. Thomas Stonewall Jackson
4. Lewis Addison Armistead, who was killed at Gettysburg.
5. Ambrose Burnside who was a classmate and close friend to many Confederate generals.
6. He graduated last.
7. Abraham Lincoln
8. They dated the same girl while at West Point.
9. Simon Bolivar Buckner

10.   Leonidas Polk, who was both a bishop and a general.

11.      

Minutes

March 15, 2007

 

The monthly meeting of the Colonel Benjamin E. Caudill Camp No. 1629 was held at the Letcher County Vocational School on Thursday, March 15, 2007, at 6:30 A.M.  The following members were present:  Danny Taylor, Timothy Blair, Okie Blair, Willie Cornett, Manton Ray Cornett, Willis Strong, Carlos Brock, Leathan Whitaker, Wayne Watts, Johnny P. Back, Tabby Back, Danny Wright, Richard Smith, David Chaltas, Richard Brown, Kenny Cantrell, Travis Cantrell, David A. Lucas, Raymond Isaacs, Gary Begley and John Peck. 

 

Wayne Watts brought the meeting to order.  Commander Chaltas led the Pledge of Allegiance.  Danny Taylor led the Salute to the Confederate flag.  Tabby Back gave opening prayer. It was announced that there was a quorum present and the camp could do business.   Richard Brown read the minutes from the February 15 meeting.  It was noted that Roger Hall’s name was left off.  Wayne Watts made a motion to accept minutes with corrections, Johnny Back seconded, motion passed.  Richard Smith attended to rejoin the camp.  Commander Chaltas announced that the Letcher County Tourism Commission has agreed to pay for two Confederate soldier statues to place at the Sandlick Monument and the Pound Gap Monument.  Also they will pay our bill at Rokie’s for approximately $720 (sixth panel, etching etcetra), for a total of $1000.  Commander Chaltas announced that the Stiller Bill Caudill and David Back dedication was still scheduled for March 24 (Saturday).  All members are encouraged to attend.  Richard Brown gave the Adjutant’s Report.  Copies of the Camp’s new By-Laws were given to everyone in attendance for the first reading.  Carlos Brock read the bylaws item by item with discussion and corrections given.  This procedure took at least two hours.  As each person left early, it was announced that a quorum still existed. It was announced that Article 15 (dealing with dedications) had been dropped and was no longer included. The acceptance of the new bylaws are in accordance with Roberts Rules of Orders, Newly Revised Edition, 2002.  The bylaw committee originally met at Raymond Isaacs on February 8, 2007, to write the proposed bylaws.  Those in attendance were Raymond Isaacs, Carlos Brock and Danny Taylor.  At the meeting, Carlos made motion to accept the proposed bylaws to present to the camp, Raymond seconded, motion passed, three to nothing.  Carlos suggested that Richard Smith be reassigned to the bylaw committee.  At the next meeting in April, Adjutant Brown is to supply a copy of the bylaws to everyone in attendance.  Then the bylaws will be read and voted on item by item.  If a quorum is present at the April 19 meeting, the election for the bylaws will be held.  Kenny Cantrell announced that the Jenkins Festival Committee wanted the camp to conduct a skirmish on August 26 at the new Little Shepherd Amphitheatre and a living history in October at the same location.  Commander Chaltas and other camp members attended the Jenkins City Council meeting.  Richard Smith suggested that the camp request a historical marker for the birthplace of Colonel Caudill and the Battle of Whitesburg.  Deadlines to apply are April 30 and October 1^st.  Applications can be downloaded from the Kentucky Historical Society website.  John Peck announced that Doctor Pelligreni of Whitesburg, owner of Mosby’s Restaurant in Wise, wanted to have a skirmish or living history outside the restaurant.  Commander Chaltas announced that the next meeting of the Company F of the 5^th Kentucky Infantry re-enacting group will be held on Wednesday, March 21^st at the Letcher County Vocational School.  Willis Strong suggested that we start back announcing our ancestor’s names at the first of each meeting, which the camp encourages.  Commander Chaltas closed the meeting with prayer and announced that the next meeting would be held on Thursday, April 19, at the Letcher County Vocational School. 

 

Executive Council Meeting

Cancelled due to lack of Quorum

April 17, 2007

Topics to have Discussed

Present Richard Brown, Dave Chaltas,

Agenda

Dedications in May

Pound Gap Project Progress

By Laws

Heritage issues plans

Place dedications on the 103.9, Bulldog

Colors across KY

 

 

Agenda

 

April 19, 2007

 

Call Business meeting to order-Sgt. At Arms Watts

Prayer-Chaplain Tabby Back

Pledges

Scripture Reading-Chaplain Tabby Back

Ancestral Roll Call-All members

Welcome-Recognition of new SCV & Associate Members

 (HAND OUT:  Membership Applications 2 each)

 

State if there is a Quorum present

Reading/Approval of Minutes-camp member

Commander’s Comments

Lt. Commander’s comments

Final reading of the Bylaws-vote on each section individually

 

New Business

 

Kentucky Division Executive Council Meeting

 Form committee to update website mission/goals

Form a Public Relations Committee

Dedication:  May 28, 2007 at Sandlick Cemetery 1:30

Confederate Memorial Month: Battlefield Dedication date to be set

PRESENTATION: 

 

Open Floor

 

ü      Events Committee-Report on Status of 2007 events-Kenny Cantrell

ü      Setting 4x16 markers to the Unknown soldiers at Sandlick

ü      Confederate Kin-ISBN=$150.00----Confederate Kin II has over 100 pages to date!

ü      Dedication of Whitesburg Cemetery Monument-posted on website

ü      Trash Pickup at Pound Gap-set date

ü      Trivia-Richard Brown

ü      Adjourn by Prayer