New Officers Installed

  Camp 469 officers elected for 1999 were installed Saturday, January 23 at the Lee-Jackson Banquet  by Georgia Division Lt. Commander William Lathem, who was also the featured speaker. The newly elected officers for 1999 are: 

At the January meeting, Commander Ragland made the following officer appointments:

  In his first official act, Commander Ragland appointed a committee to draft proposed by-laws for the Camp. This committee consists of the elected officers, plus Compatriots Gilbert Smith and Buddy Autry. These gentlemen have presented their proposed by-laws to the full Executive Committee, which in turn will make a recommendation to the Camp. The proposed by-laws will be presented to the Camp at the February meeting for discussion, with a vote to ratify planned for the March meeting.

  Should you be unable to attend the February meeting, and would like to review the proposed by-laws before the March meeting, please contact any elected officer for a copy. All Compatriots are urged to attend and participate in this very important business of the Camp. When the By-laws are ratified, future proposed members will be given a copy of the By-laws and instructed to read them, understand, and agree to abide by the rules of the Camp before being accepted into the membership of the Camp.

1999 Raffle Planned

  Once again, the Camp will sponsor a raffle as a fund raiser. The .69 Caliber Springfield raffled last year was a great success, and the plans for 1999 are to raffle a .577 Caliber C.S. Richmond reproduction rifle. Frank Lanning, proprietor of Levi Ledbetter, Suttler and a longtime friend of Camp 469 has once again provided us with the rifle at a most generous price. If you see him at upcoming events, be sure to thank him for his support.

  In addition to the rifle, we will also raffle an additional prize of a framed copy of "Saviour of Rome". As he has in the past, Compatriot Buddy Smith is providing the print and framing at a bargain price, which enables our raffle to make more money for Camp projects.

  The prizes will be exhibited and tickets sold starting in Dalton February 13, then the Battle of Bridgeport, Alabama, and finally at the Battle of Resaca, where the drawing wiIl be held Sunday afternoon just following the battle. All Compatriots are encouraged to sell as many tickets as possible. Members may get tickets at any Camp meeting, or contact Commander Ragland.

  Needing additional capacity at our outdoor events, the Camp has approved the purchase of a second fly to be added to our tentage. Placed at the rear of our wall tent, this will provide some much needed shelter for cooking supplies and dining, as well as a shady spot for visitors to our tent who wish to "set a spell" and discuss the War and Confederate Heritage.

  In addition, we will be able to display more flags of the Confederate States, and add to the general appearance of our exhibit. Several members already have A4rame tents in addition to our wall tent and 'dog" tent. With our authentic cooking and fire utensils, we are able to present an impressive display, which has proven popular with the crowds in past years. Many friends remember us from year to year, and look for our numerous flags waving above the tent and fly.

  If you have not participated in one of our various annual encampments, you are encouraged to do so. Whether you just plan to work for a day, or take it all in and spend the night in camp as our ancestors did, there is much work to be done, and a good time to be had by all. We need manpower for setting up, selling during the days, and for breaking camp and packing all the merchandise and equipment on Sunday afternoons.

A lot of changes and additions to the holdings are underway in the Special Collections Department at the Rome-Floyd Library. Last year, Teresa Gentry became the new Director of Special Collections, and immediately set out to increase the holdings of Confederate items. Teresa is a native of Chattooga County, and is carrying on the tradition in which Jackie Kinzer served for many years.

   At the time of her appointment to Special Collections, Teresa stated that she wanted to do as much as she could to continue to improve the War Between the States holdings. She got off to a great start by ordering 120 microfilm tapes of Confederate Compiled Service Records for Georgia soldiers. The first order included all of the indexes, all of the Artillery Regiments, and a good portion of the Cavalry Regiments. As her budget permits, she plans to continue towards obtaining all of the more than 600 tapes necessary to include all Georgia Compiled Service Records. This represents a very major investment, because the National Archives has recently increased the price from $28 to $36 per tape, making the total cost of acquiring all Georgia Compiled Service Records roughly $21,000!

   In addition, she has recently relocated  the collection of old Rome City Directories which occupied the first section of tall bookcases next to the Confederate section at the front of the room. She plans to make excellent use of the space by placing more Confederate and War Between the States reference volumes in that area, effectively doubling the capacity for these holdings in the front area. The grandfather clock has been moved from the center between the shelving, and the space has been reserved for Camp 469's Memorial Plaque to be placed in the most prominent Confederate Section of the room! (see related article on page 4).

   At our January Camp meeting, the membership approved the purchase of Georgia Confederate Pension Applications on microfilm to be presented to the Library. The motion approved a minimum gift of $250, to be increased to a maximum of $500, provided the Camp did not have excess expenditures for the Lee-Jackson Banquet. Happily, the Camp did not have any outlay for that event, netting a few dollars more than the catering costs incurred.  Subject to confirming the maximum amount at the February meeting, the Camp will be able to purchase from the Georgia Archives 25 tapes at $20 apiece, a great bargain compared to the high cost of from the National Archives.

  This means that in one contribution, Camp 469 will be able to purchase all Pension Records for Floyd, Chattooga, Polk, and Gordon Counties. We are well on our way to securing the finest collection of Georgia Confederate records on microfilm north of Atlanta. If we are able to continue contributions each year, and supplement that with contributions to the Memorial Fund, anyone conducting research on a Confederate ancestor who served from Georgia will be able to find most anything needed right here in Rome, without the need or expense of traveling to Atlanta.

   The Library has also recently received the gift of a copy of "Saviour of Rome" which will be framed and placed in a prominent location in the Georgia Room. This gift was from Wayne B. Lindsey, a native of Rome and now of Titusville, Florida, who purchased it at a show in Florida, and donated it to the Library. These are all very exciting events which serve to increase the visibility and availability of all things Confederate in the Library. We enjoy a very close and cooperative relationship with everyone at the Library, and need to work conscientiously to strengthen that relationship at every possibility.

   If you have not already met Teresa, please stop by the Special Collections Department (The Georgia Room) the next time you are in the Library, and thank her for the fine job she is doing, and for being so dedicated to helping us in the cause of preserving the records of our Confederate ancestors for future generations. Also, be sure to check by the Reference Desk and say hello to Jackie Kinzer if she is on duty. Jackie 'retired" two years ago from her position as Director of Special Collections, and after a short period of well deserved rest, works now at the Reference Desk. As many of you know, Jackie has always been a great friend of Camp 469, and is largely responsible for seeing the Special Collections Department have so many of the wonderful resources that we may all too often take for granted. A big Rebel Yell and a tip of the hat for these nice ladies who are so important to the study of our heritage!

Executive Committee Meets

  A joint meeting of the Executive Committee and the By-laws Committee was called by Commander Ragland January 28 for the purpose of discussing and revising the proposed By-laws for the Camp.  The following Compatriots were in attendance: Commander Ragland, 1st. Lt. Commander Perry, 2nd. Lt. Commander Shelly, Adjutant Howard, Past Commanders Byars, Rice, and Barwick.   In addition, Compatriots Buddy Autry and Gilbert Smith attended as members of the By-laws Committee. The proposed By-laws were reviewed in detail, with minor refinements and additions incorporated. All present were in agreement to send the revised proposals to the Camp for consideration at the February meeting.

  Also, Commander Ragland discussed various plans for the coming year, and outlined committee appointments he planned to announce at the next regular meeting of the Camp. The consensus of all attending was that this was a very productive and positive meeting, and that the adoption of By-laws would only serve to strengthen an already vibrant Camp 469.

 Future Speakers

  March 4, Scott Butler, an archeologist and architectural historian with Brockington and Associates of Norcross will speak to the Camp on the Fort Norton project. Mr. Butler is a native of Dallas, Georgia and one of his ancestors was a Captain in the Floyd Legion. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Archeology and a Masters of Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia. Mr. Butler's firm was engaged by the City of Rome to do an archeological survey of the Jackson Hill / Fort Norton site last fall, to determine the extent of the evidence supporting the existence of a fort on the site. His report conclusively stated that the fort was located there, and cited the excellent work of Gilbert Smith.

Memorial Plaque Project

  "Honour thy Father...." It's a most familiar Bible verse of our youth, and one that we as Confederate descendants take close to heart when by extension we remember our gallant Grandfathers and Uncles as well in a special way for their courage and sacrifices as they fought in the Cause for which they believed. Here is an opportunity for you to honor them in a very special and at the same time productive way.

  Camp 469 has established a memorial plaque, which will be prominently displayed on the front wall of the Georgia Room of the Rome-Floyd County Library in what we commonly refer to as the Confederate Section. This is a large hardwood plaque with a heavy brass engraved plate at the top which reads:

  Nathan Bedford Forrest Camp 469

Sons of Confederate Veterans

 PROUDLY REMEMBERS THOSE WHO SERVED

The Confederate States of America

1861 - 1865

THE FOLLOWING GIFTS TO THE MEMORIAL FIND ARE GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGED HONORS

  Beneath this plate, Compatriots may purchase individual engraved brass plates with four lines of type honoring a Confederate ancestor or any Confederate soldier for that matter. The cost of each memorial plate is $25. From that amount, the cost of purchasing and engraving the plate will be paid, usually in a range of $10 to $15 depending on the inscription. The remaining funds will be deposited in a Memorial Account, which will be used exclusively to purchase Confederate materials for the Special Collections Department at the Library.

  Several Compatriots have already purchased plates, and more have indicated their intentions to do so in the near future.  This will be an on-going project, and purchases may be made in the future as well as now. We can potentially generate funds that will go a long way towards purchasing more Confederate Pension microfilm tapes, and other needed materials. Our friends at the Library are very excited about this project, and have graciously re-arranged the front wall in the Georgia Room to give us a very attractive position to display the plaque. Don't miss out on this opportunity to "Render Honour to whom Honour is Due." Show the world you care about what your ancestor did, so that future generations will not forget. Applications will be available at monthly Camp meetings, or call Compatriot George Perry 291-1521, evenings for a copy by mail.

  Addressing the 1906 combined Reunions of the United Confederate Veterans and the Sons of Confederate Veterans in New Orleans, Lt. General Stephen Dill Lee issued his famous Charge to SCV members as a reminder of the sacred honor and duty entrusted to them. Just as important today, The Charge continues to be the basis of all we should endeavor to accomplish as the true keepers of Confederate Heritage.

  "To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we submit the vindication Of the Cause for which we fought; to your strength will be given the defense of the Confederate Soldier's good name, the guardianship of his history the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those principles he loved and which made him glorious and which you also cherish. Remember, it is your duty to see that the true history of the South is presented to future generations."

January is gone, and it is time to begin making plans for a variety of special events already scheduled for the Spring. Our first fund raiser will be at the 4th. Annual Chickamauga Southern National Civil War Show in Dalton February 13 - 14. Held at the Northwest Georgia Trade & Conventions Center, this indoor event is a great warm up for our outdoor events to follow. We will be set up again this year in the entrance hall courtesy of Camp 469 friend Robert Overstreet of Prints South, promoter for the show. This is always a successful event for the Camp, and is the kickoff for our annual raffle. Robert tells us that the show will be even bigger this year than before, and plans are to have both exhibit halls filled with vendors. When you come to work, plan to spend some spare time looking at all the exhibits. You won't find a better collection of relics and War Between the State related items anywhere.

   Our next event will be the Re-enactment of the Battle of Bridgeport, Alabama March 26 -28. All who have participated agree that this event, though small, is one of the most fun. The weather is still cool, and the campfire feels good after a full day of selling our wares and making new friends as we talk about Confederate Heritage. As in all re-enactment events, we will be camping and cooking over open fires. Bring an extra blanket for this one.

John Wisdom Heritage Day will be observed in Hokes Bluff, Alabama April 24. This is a one day event, held outside, but under a pavilion, so there is no tent set up or tear down. A small local event, our display has gotten numerous favorable comments, and we spend lots of time talking and making new friends.  The organizers are always eager to have us return. While in town, be sure to visit the gravesite of John Wisdom, the Paul Revere of the Confederacy, who warned Rome of the impending raid of Col. A. D. Streight.

  The Annual Confederate Memorial Day Service will be conducted at Myrtle Hill Cemetery Sunday May 2 at 3:00 P.M. Plans are already underway for the service, which will include music by the Eighth Regiment Band and artillery salute by the Cherokee Artillery. A speaker has not been announced. Call Buddy Autry for details.

  The Re-enactment of the Battle Resaca will be held on the Chitwood Farm at Resaca May 14 - 16. This will be the 135th. Anniversary, and will be staged as a National Event. We will need extra help this year at this event, which should be the biggest ever staged at Resaca. Your participation is needed at all these events if we are to be successful. Please contact Quartermaster Larry Barwick to schedule your time for all the fund raising events.

Preparing for Death

 We live in a world that gives little or no thought to death. Most never give any consideration to the most certain of visitors until it comes unexpectedly. Yet death will most surely come to each of us. We are assured in the Scriptures that "it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. " (Hebrews 9:27)

  The Scriptures reveal to us the certainty of death. Our own experience has shown us that death is a certainty. Each of us has faced the loss of a loved one. Seeing the inevitability of death (and the judgment that will follow), what can we do to prepare ourselves for death?

  I would like for us to look back to the great Christian soldier Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson. From his life we can learn how to prepare for death.

  The battle of Chancellorsville was a great Southern victory, but it came at a great cost. It was during his greatest victory that Jackson received the wound that would lead to his death.

  The following incident occurred between Jackson and one of his chaplains, Mr. Lacy. Jackson's arm had just been removed. When Mr. Lacy was admitted to the tent he exclaimed with the deepest of feeling, "Oh, General, what a calamity!"

  General Jackson, with his accustomed politeness, thanked him for his sympathy and then replied, "You see me severely wounded, but not depressed; not unhappy. I believe it has been done according to God's holy will, and I acquiesce entirely in it. You may think it strange; but you never saw me more perfectly contented than I am today, for I am sure that my Heavenly Father designs this affliction for my good. I am perfectly satisfied that, either in this life, or in that which is to come, I shall discover that what is now regarded as a calamity is a blessing."

  The conversation continued further and he said, "It has been a precious experience to me, that I was brought face to face with death, and found all was well. I then learned an important lesson, that one who has been the subject of converting grace, and is the child of God, can, in the midst of the severest sufferings, fix the thoughts upon God and heavenly things, and derive great comfort and peace; but that one who had never made his peace with God would be unable to control his mind, under such sufferings, so as to understand properly the way of salvation, and repent and believe on Christ. I felt that if I had neglected the salvation of my soul before, it would have been too late then."

  Jackson was prepared to die because he knew how to

live. He could face the specter of death because he was at peace with God. There are three points in particular I would like for us to consider.

  First, Jackson knew the peace of God because he had the forgiveness of sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  He trusted in Christ alone for his acceptance with God. He rightly observed that if he had waited until his wounding, he could not have properly understood the way of salvation. A life lived through Christ will prepare us for whatever we may face in this life and it will prepare us for death.

  Second, Jackson understood that nothing happens to the child of God unless it is permitted by his heavenly Father. He patterned his life according to the promise of Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."  The General understood the doctrine of God's Providence.  This teaches that the Lord is working all of the circumstances of life according to His perfect will, and He so orders them that always they are for the good of His children. To understand and believe this prepares the Christian to face suffering and to face death. For ultimately the child of God is not living for self, but for the glory of God.

  Third, Jackson submitted himself freely and fully to the will of God.  He understood the goodness and  grace of God. Whatever the will of God was for his life, he knew that it was best for him. How could he question the all-wise and all-knowing God? His heavenly Father had already provided for his salvation through Jesus Christ. If the Lord had provided this, the greatest of gifts, certainly He could provide for all other things. Whatever the Lord permitted him to face, he could be assured that it was for his good, even if he could not understand.

  I love to read about the battles and the history of the War Between the States as much as anyone. But I have learned that these great men of the Confederacy have far deeper lessons to teach us than military strategy. The Confederacy produced many great soldiers, but it also produced many great men.  These men, like Lee, Jackson, and a host of others, understood the true meaning and purpose of life. Every decision and every action was regulated by a desire to glorify God above all else. Do you understand the true meaning of life? We must live each day with the desire to glorify God above all things. That is how Jackson lived and died. May we learn to do likewise.

-Kenneth Studdard

Book Review

Stonewall Jackson: The Man, The Soldier, The Legend

James I. Robertson

Macmillan Publishing (1997), 950 pages, cloth $40

  Of all the great soldiers produced by the South in her struggle for independence, none surpasses General Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson. As a strategist, he was without peer. Rumors of his approach struck terror in the hearts of Yankee soldiers.

  Biographies and various studies of the life of General Jackson abound. His military abilities as well as his seemingly mysterious personality have led to various attempts at examining and understanding the life of this great Confederate chieftain.

  In 1997 James I. Robertson reached the pinnacle of Jackson studies in his biography of aptly entitled Stonewall Jackson. This work is the culmination of many years of studying the life and campaigns of General Jackson. As one reads this book, you come away with a newfound appreciation of Jackson. There are few who admire Jackson as I do, yet reading Robertson's work served to increase that admiration noticeably.

  James I. Robertson is widely acclaimed as one of the leading authorities on the War Between the States. He uses the knowledge of years of research as well as his ability to bring his subject to life to produce a biography that is true to history, but also highly readable.

  The biography is written in chronological order, but it is also interspersed with numerous observations and explanations of the seemingly peculiar characteristics of Jackson's personality. Robertson portrays Jackson as a very human and very likeable man.  The reader is introduced to aspects of Jackson's life that most are unfamiliar with, particularly his home life and his faith in Christ.

  This book certainly deals with military tactics and descriptions of the battles that Jackson was engaged in. Yet it is more than a mere military biography. It is the story of a man who is worthy of our honor and emulation. You would do well to study the life of Jackson and there is no better place to start than Robertson's biography. Perhaps you are daunted by the size. While this is a large work, the subject is well worth the detail given to him. If you will invest the time to read Stonewall Jackson, you will be more than amply rewarded. To study the life of Jackson is to be moved at the sight of a man wholly devoted in duty to his nation and to his God.

 -Kenneth Studdard

Available for $18.95 from Edward R. Hamilton Bookseller Falls Village, Connecticut 06031