Forrest’s Dispatch
General Nathan Bedford Forrest Sons of Confederate Veterans, Rome, GA.
Camp 469 Newsletter – April, 2007
“A Historical Education & Preservation Organization”
NEXT MEETING
The next Camp 469 meeting will be held on Thursday, April, 5, 2007 at Sara Hightower Regional Library beginning at 7 pm.
At the present time no speaker is scheduled, however we have a lot of information to share regarding the many camp activities schedule April as we celebrate Confederate History Month.
E-MAIL ADDRESSES NEEDED
Following the recent ambush of Camp Adjutant Stephen Carnes computer by Yankee viruses we are in need of all camp members current E-mail addresses. All members are encouraged to contact Stephen with their current addresses @ Dadcarnes@Yahoo.com. Also, please let Stephen know if you wish to receive your camp newsletter via E-mail and save us a stamp if you are not already doing so.
Confederate History Month Activities
April is Confederate History Month and the camp has many activities planned. Listed below are the many opportunities in which you can participate and support the camp.
April 21: Relay for Life at Ridge Ferry Park. Begins at 6 p.m – until Saturday morning.
April 22: UDC Memorial service. Location yet to be determined.
April 22: Memorial service at Cedartown Courthouse. 3 p.m.
Contact Brad Davidson for details.
April 27, 28, 29: Living History Encampment at Fort Norton.
April 28: Camp 469 Confederate Memorial Day service at Myrtle Hill Cemetery. Begins at 3 p.m.
April 28: Confederate Ball at the Palladium. 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. Tickets $20 – Single, $30 – Couple.
8th Regiment Band / Tim Key will serve as dancemaster.
SCV CAMP 469
76 Plantation Drive
Rome, GA 30165
Editor: Jim Dugger
CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY IN GEORGIA
In 1874, the Georgia General Assembly approved legislation adding as a new public holiday "The 26th day of April in each year--commonly known as Memorial Day." April 26 marks the anniversary of the end of the Civil War for Georgia, for it was on this day in 1865 that Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston's surrender to General William Sherman in North Carolina became official. Johnston had been in charge of Georgia's defense, so this day marked the end of the war for Georgia.
Exactly when Georgians began commemorating April 26 as Memorial Day is unclear, but the language of the 1874 act clearly recognizes that April 26 was already being celebrated as an unofficial holiday. The day of observance may trace to the women of Columbus, Georgia, who on April 12, 1866 organized a memorial association and began a campaign to have a special day for "paying honor to those who died defending the life, honor and happiness of the Southern women." Three days later, the Atlanta Ladies' Memorial Association was organized, and on April 26, 1866, the association held a Confederate memorial observance at Oakland Cemetery.
While Florida would later join Georgia in marking April 26 as Confederate Memorial Day, other states celebrated different dates. By 1916, ten southern states marked June 3--Jefferson Davis's birthday--as Confederate Memorial Day. Alabama celebrates the fourth Monday in April, Mississippi celebrates the last Monday in April, while North and South Carolina celebrate May 10--the anniversary of Jefferson Davis's capture by Union troops--as Memorial Day