Patriot's Periodical

Patriot’s Periodical Upshur Co. Patriots Camp #2109 Sons of Confederate Veterans Gilmer, Texas

“A new year is like a blank book. The pen is giving back to others. Start the New Year in your hands. It is your chance to write a off on a positive note by intentionally asking beautiful story for yourself.” for help when you need it. Oftentimes, little steps which seem simple can actually have Start the New Year off a hugely positive impact on our lives. on a Positive Note Why Southerners Eat Happy New Year! 2020 is here, Black-Eyed Peas on New and with it comes a whole new Year's Day world of possibilities. What will you accomplish in 2020? How will you grow? On New Year’s Day, you’ll find The next 365 days lie before us, a people throughout the South completely blank page ready to be written eating black-eyed peas. Most on. Southerners will tell you that this culinary custom dates back to the Civil War. Black- The first step in starting your new year off eyed peas were considered animal food. right is reflecting on what went right (or The peas were not deemed worthy of wrong) in the previous year. serving to General Sherman's Union troops. When Union soldiers raided the Did you know you can actually speak Confederates' food supplies, legend says positivity into your life? How you use words they took everything except the peas and can influence the atmosphere around you salted pork. The Confederates considered and the attitude inside you. themselves lucky to be left with those meager supplies, and survived the winter. Let’s be honest: some people can have a Peas then became symbolic of luck. negative influence on our lives. This year, take proactive steps to avoid toxic Upcoming Events may be found on the relationships which tear you down or make Calendar at: you feel unhealthy. One way to incorporate positivity throughout the New Year is by www.upshurpatriots.org

1 Camp Leadership Upshur County Patriots Camp #2109

Commander Eugene Brown (903) 759-4230 [email protected]

1st Lt. Commander The Guardian Gregg Gipe WDP (903)353-0670 When thinking about preserving and [email protected] maintaining the graves of those who fought

2nd Lt. Commander for our way of life, one only needs to look at Editor how Confederate Survivors felt. The David Palmer following article appeared in the (903) 237-8941 Confederate Veteran Magazine January [email protected] 1900. Importance of caring Adjutant for graves first Don Loyd By: T.J. Young, Austin, Arkansas January 1900 (903) 797-6922 [email protected] “While most attention is paid to the Deputy Adjutant erection of monuments to our fallen Eddie Pricer heroes, which is alright in its place, it seems (903) 692-3388 to me not appropriate or right to erect [email protected] monuments until all the graves of our comrades are cared for. To erect Chaplain James Eitson monuments to the memory of Comrades (903) 592-4110 who are buried in the woods and fields, [email protected] their graves without protection and all grown up with briars and bushes is a Librarian reflection on us. We old Veterans and Brandon Pricer those who cherish our cause should use (682) 552-5802 every effort to have these un-cared for [email protected] graves attended to at once. Let us put them in condition as soon as possible and

then erect monuments.”

Think about becoming a Guardian…

OUR PLEDGES

Upshur Co. Patriots PLEDGE TO THE Guardians U.S. FLAG: Name Guardian Number of Status Graves I pledge allegiance to the Flag Phil Davis Full 29 Of the United States of America, And to the Kim Duffey Full 3 republic for which it stands, One nation, Jamie Eitson Full/GPT 8 under God, indivisible, With liberty and Chris Loyd Full 5 justice for all. George Linton Full/W/GPT 40 Tommy Lee Mitchell Full 5 PLEDGE TO THE Eddie Pricer Full/GPT 33 TEXAS FLAG: Milt Ojeman Full/GPT 4 David Palmer Full 1 Honor the Texas Flag; I pledge Bill Palmer Full 10 allegiance to thee Texas, one state under Tommy Ray Full/GPT 18 God, one and indivisible.

Bill Starnes Full/W/GPT 7 Frank Smith Full 2 SALUTE TO THE CONFEDERATE Mitch Tyson Full 3 FLAG: Gregg Gipe GPT 1 W=Wilderness GPT=Guardian Pro Tem I salute the Confederate Flag With affection, ______reverence, and Undying devotion to the cause For which it stands. It is with sad news that we report the passing of Compatriot Billy Charles McBride of Big Sandy. Billy was 88 and a member of the Upshur Co. Patriots and a Life Member of The Sons of Confederate Veterans is the SCV. There is no service a non-profit, heritage organization whose planned. mission is to preserve the history and legacy of Confederate veterans. It is not ______associated with any anti-government or hate groups. Membership is open to any “Be at war with your vices, at peace with male descendent of a Confederate veteran your neighbors, and let every New Year find who served honorably in the Confederate you a better man.” —Benjamin Franklin armed forces.

Charge to the Sons of Confederate Veterans

“To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we will commit the vindication of the cause for which we A Prayer to Keep God fought. To your strength will be given First this New Year the defense of the Confederate crosswalk.com soldier’s good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his Dear God, virtues, the perpetuation of those Thank you that you make all things new. principles which he loved and which Thank you for all that you've allowed into you love also, and those ideals which made him glorious and which you also our lives this past year, the good along with cherish.” the hard things, which have reminded us how much we need you and rely on your presence filling us every single day.

We pray for your Spirit to lead us each step of this New Year. We ask that you will guide “Remember, it is your duty to see that the our decisions and turn our hearts to deeply true history of the South is presented to desire you above all else. We ask that you will open doors needing to be opened and future generations.” close the ones needing to be shut tight. We ask that you would help us release our grip

on the things to which you’ve said “no,” “not yet,” or “wait.” We ask for help to pursue you first, above every dream and desire you’ve put within our hearts.

We pray for your protection over our families and friends. We ask for your hand to cover us and keep us distanced from the

evil intent of the enemy; that you would be Lt. General Stephen Dill Lee, Commander a barrier to surround us, that we’d be safe United Confederate Veterans in your hands. We pray that you would give New Orleans, Louisiana, April 25, 1906. us discernment and insight beyond our years. 4

Historical Dates in January January 2, 1861 North Carolinian forces take the Fayetteville arsenal as well as Fort Macon and the forts of Wilmington. January 3, 1861-Georgian forces claim The Battle of Galveston Fort Pulaski critical to the defense of From: wikepedia Savannah, Georgia. January 1, 1862 -Confederate forces The Battle of Galveston was a naval and begin bombardment of Fort McRea in land battle of the American Civil War, when Pensacola Harbor. Confederate forces under Major Gen. John January 4, 1862 -Confederate troops B. Magruder expelled occupying Union claim Bath, Virginia. troops from the city of Galveston, Texas on January 9, 1862 -The New Orleans January 1, 1863.

Campaign begins. After the loss of the cutter Harriet Lane, the January 19, 1862-The Battle of Mill Union Fleet Commander William B. Springs, Kentucky. Renshaw blew up the stranded vessel January 1, 1863-The Emancipation USS Westfield to save it from falling into Proclamation goes into effect. enemy hands. Union troops on shore January 1, 1863 -Union forces flee thought the fleet was surrendering, and laid Galveston, Texas after a surprise down their arms. attack by General Magruder and his The bold, intrepid, and gallant conduct of men. The city is now firmly in Maj. Gen. J. Bankhead Magruder, Col. Confederate control. Thomas Green, Maj. Leon Smith and other January 21, 1863 -Confederate officers, and of the Texan Rangers and warships capture several Union soldiers engaged in the attack on, and vessels at Sabine Pass in Texas. victory achieved over, the land and naval January 15, 1865-The Assault and forces of the enemy at Galveston, on the 1st of January, 1863, eminently entitle them capture of Fort Fisher, North Carolina. to the thanks of Congress and the country. January 31, 1865-The United States Congress abolishes slavery by passing The battle is sometimes called the Second the 13th Amendment. Battle of Galveston

5 substantial damage and loss by Confederate gunnery and mines.

Gilmer Christmas

Georgian forces claim Parade Fort Pulaski December 7, 2019

On January 3, 1861, sixteen days before the secession of Georgia from the Union, volunteer militia seized Fort Pulaski from the Federal government and, with Confederate forces, began repairing and upgrading the armament. In late 1861, the commander, Department of Georgia,

General Alexander Robert Lawton would transfer to Richmond. On November 5, General Robert E. Lee assumed command of the newly created "Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida".

Fort Pulaski was considered invincible with its 7-1/2-foot solid brick walls and reinforcing masonry piers. General Robert E. Lee had earlier surveyed the fort's defenses with Colonel Olmstead and determined, "they will make it pretty warm Love. Peace. Acceptance. Faith. Trust. for you here with shells, but they cannot Beauty. breach your walls at that distance." Wide swampy marshes surrounded the fort on all All of those words are positive words, and sides and were infested with native unfortunately, they are also words that we alligators. No attacking ship could safely do not hear often enough in our society. come within effective range, and land batteries could not be placed closer than “Happiness often sneaks in through a door Tybee Island, one to two miles away. you didn’t know you left open.”

“Be the reason someone smiles. Be the Repeated Union naval and amphibious assaults failed 1862–1865, both Union reason someone feels loved and believes in gunboats and ironclads repeatedly suffered the goodness in people.”

6 Sons of Confederate positive part of America. That world began Veterans Going disappearing a half century ago and is Down the Drain of almost gone. Madness From: Anti-Neo-Confederate November2019 Concentrate on educating yourself and especially the young. Invite people to Note: The Anti Neo Confederate Institute is meetings, hold recruitment events. Let us located in Dallas, Texas. not fade away.

“I wonder if the SCV hasn't reached a certain stage in its history.” The Truth No “This would be a stage in which normal Longer people tend to avoid the SCV and the SCV Matters instead more and more attracts persons By: James Ronald Kennedy who are extremists or mentally a little off or both. As the SCV becomes more explicit in “All we need to do is tell the truth.” its agenda SCV members who are Confederate enthusiasts but not wanting to Unfortunately, this simple truism is based secede or support the neo-Confederate upon a false premise. Southern agenda feel uncomfortable belonging, but conservatives have been operating on the this more explicit agenda tends to at the premise that our opponents share our same time attract more extremist elements. values regarding truth. Our enemies have This further shifts the SCV to a more rejected our traditional standard of truth. extremist agenda and the process repeats. Our enemies considered truth to be Perhaps this process is already underway in anything that advances their neo-Marxist the SCV.” agenda and they consider falsehood to be anything that supports traditional American Editor Note: and especially Southern values. The vast The above excerpt is an example of what majority of Southern conservatives have yet we are fighting against. In our technological to comprehend that fact in the current age, blog spots and the internet are full of politically correct U.S.A. anti SCV material. How do we fight this? Surely truth matters to traditional Southern We must do more. Too many spokesmen in conservatives but we are an unrecognized the fight for Southern heritage are stand- and virtually disenfranchised minority in patters on their way to extinction. They are what has become a secular humanist trying to live in a world that they grew up in America. The Left’s attack against President but which does not exist anymore. The Trump serves as an excellent example of world that they grew up in accepted their total disregard for truth as Southerners and Southern heritage as a traditionally defined in Western culture.

7 The politically correct Left is engaged in a missing men, the U.S. Army in 1863 needed continuing effort to destroy the duly a solution for this coming manpower elected President. One thing is for certain; shortage in a hurry. And it wasn't just the we do not win by trying to convince our Army fighting the Civil War who needed the enemies about the truthfulness of our claims. We must pressure “our” elected help. Troops fighting Indian bands in the official to boldly and publicly defend our West needed augmentees as well. Southern heritage and to cut off the supply So the Union formed the 1st Volunteer of brainwashing stations in “our” educational system. Otherwise, the day will Infantry Regiment; former Confederate quickly come in which truth no longer soldiers who had been captured, taken the matters even in the Bible-Belt. oath of loyalty to the United States, and enlisted in the U.S. Army.

Starting in 1863, the former Confederates stared down the Sioux tribe in Missouri while the war back home raged on. When the Confederates heard of this, they dubbed the POWs who took the deal "Galvanized Yankees," covering themselves

and their deeds in the blue of the Union, the way a metal object is galvanized with a a special word for Confederates who coating of zinc. joined the US Army

Being a POW was not a great way to spend Animals Had Free Run your enlistment in the Civil War, no matter of the Square which side you fought on. Depending on By Mrs. J. M. Hays August 1946 which POW camp you ended up locked into, your chances of survival were only slightly My first visit to Gilmer was better. about forty-five years ago, when I came here with my father and brother on Some Confederate troops had no problem a wagon loaded with cotton and meal. My turning around and joining the U.S. Army. father was a ginner, as his stock in trade. They were called "Galvanized Yankees." The square was really a friendly place for By 1863, Union lines were becoming pigeons, ducks, geese, chickens, hogs, dogs, stricken by desertions. Coupled with the horses, mules, and people all mingled death rate and the number of wounded and 8 together with one common purpose—to one, and here are the details as I remember profit from their labors. People were there them: His partner was a man named Arthur to sell whatever they could find. The goats Ashley, who resented Lyon’s use of loved to go to court. In fact, they acted as profanity, especially toward him. door-bailiffs, resting in the shade of the Ashley’s wife was teaching at Emory School courthouse porches, chewing their cuds, about three miles away. One afternoon, and unmindful of whether people could get soon after she and the children had into the building to testify. returned from school, all tired out from her Along about 1901, the city incorporated or day’s work and the walk home, her husband re-incorporated and ordinances were walked in and she went to the door to greet passed to banish Mr. Goat from court. But him with a kiss. At once he began telling Mr. Tom Chandler or Mr. Perry would trade her, “Judge Lyons called me a ___ after I in goats, and back they would come. On had warned him not to curse me. I picked such occasions the Hays Studio porch was up an iron side-stick," a heavy printer's tool their sleeping quarters. We have gone to and killed him! Then I locked the door and the door many times armed with walked out.” Mrs. Ashley fell back across broomsticks, old shoes, buckets of water, the bed in a dead faint. They worked with and other weapons. Mr. Goat would be just her till they revived her, and my parents beyond range by the time the door was prevailed on Ashley not to leave at once, as opened. It is needless to say much he meant to do, but to remain overnight sweeping and fumigating had to be done with his family. This he did, but in the after the hasty departure of the unwelcome morning he sought safety in flight. It was guests. two or three days before Judge Lyons was missed, and officers broke down the door of the printing office and found him dead. Recollections of Ashley had got away by this time. Later he Gilmer was captured in Alabama and brought back here for trial, but he broke jail again on Oct. By Mrs. Donie Rees…A Brief History August 1946 23, 1882 and was never heard of any more. “Old” Judge Lyons, he was a County Judge If you will go to the city cemetery you will in Upshur County "an upright and honored find the grave of Judge Lyons surrounded by citizen of Gilmer for about 30 years” as well an iron fence, and lying in the shade of a big as the owner of the newspaper. The magnolia tree, just about thirty steps from printing office stood about where the post the Coffeeville road. At the head of the office now stands. His death was a tragic grave is a weather-beaten, lichen-covered

9 graying marble stone which reads: “My American Civil War 2: US husband, J. J. Lyons, died April 5, 1882. The media will have only strife is over, the loved of years hath left me itself to blame with the gathering fears to struggle darkly, By: Robert Bridge and lone....” Mrs. Lyons struggled 17 years before she was laid beside the judge, and The drumbeat of civil war the grave stone reads: “Sarah S. Lyons, wife has become audible across of Judge J. J. Lyons, died January 20, 1899.” the United States. The nation looks None of the stones give the date of birth or destined to repeat history thanks to a age. media that is no longer able to objectively perform its job. The United States’ deadliest Why is the Bill war to date has been the one that pitted of Rights Americans against each other. Important? The mainstream media should better appreciate its responsibility for presenting This set of laws is highly important because an objective and balanced depiction of it serves as the basis upon which the rights modern events. Yet nothing today would of every U.S. citizen are upheld. It primarily suggest that is the case. One need only look deals with every basic right that each living at the way it has blotched recent politically individual must have including the charged events. ownership of arms, freedom of religion and eminent domain. More importantly, it The US media has an unmistakable agenda. prohibits people from doing actions that It has shown a devious willingness to betray can threaten or even compromise the value all journalistic ethics and standards, which of liberty, life and property. In addition, it has the effect of increasing the political eliminates biases by upholding laws that are temperature to boiling point. very much respectful to the establishment If the mainstream media continues to of religious institutions. slavishly serve just one political master over It is the basis where freedom of religion, another, it will only have itself to blame for right to public trials and many other basic what comes next. Its prejudiced and rights are upheld in society. Without it, agenda-based reporting is a disgrace and people just cannot live in really nothing short of a bona fide national peace, justice and harmony. security threat.

We thank Bill Starnes Coffee Mugs and Coasters And the Starnes Family for Caps and Flags are available for a donation providing a meeting Place to our Camp fund. Contact Eddie Pricer or for the Upshur Co. Patriots any Camp Officer.

We are proud to be associated with the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

The Patriot’s Periodical is a multi-award winning Publication by a Camp in the Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Support the Upshur Comments or suggestions should be made nd County Museum to: David Palmer, 2 Lt. Commander/Editor

[email protected]