Maj. Gen. Camp #863, Conyers, Ga. Gen. Joe’s Dispatch

Volume 10, Issue 11 March 2015 Camp Officers: 150 years after sinking, Confederate Camp Cmdr: John L. Maxey [email protected] submarine slowly reveals its secrets

1st Lt. Cmdr: Jerry New By; Fox News & The Associated Press Scientists may finally solve the gunk of encrusted sand, sediment 1st._ [email protected] mystery behind the sinking of and rust that scientists call con- Mardikian said the exposed hull 2nd. Lt. Cmdr: Mark Camp Confederate submarine H.L. cretion. indeed has revealed some things Hunley, the first sub in history to that may help solve the mystery 2nd_Lt. [email protected] sink an enemy warship. Last May, it was finally ready to of the sinking. be bathed in a solution of sodium Camp Adjutant: Steve Camp A century and a half after it sank hydroxide to loosen the encrusta- "I would have to lie to you if I [email protected] and a decade and a half after it was tion. Then in August, scientists said we had not, but it's too early raised, scientists are finally getting using small air-powered chisels to talk about it yet," he said. "We Editor: J. H. Underwood a look at the H.L. Hunley’s hull. and dental tools began the labori- have a submarine that is en- [email protected] Experts hope to solve the mystery ous job of removing the coating. crypted. It's like an Enigma ma- of why the famed hand-cranked chine." submarine sank during the Civil Now about 70 percent of the War. outside hull has been revealed. He said the clues will be studied Coming Events closely as scientists try to piece together what happened to the March 10, 2015 - Regular 40-foot submarine that night in meeting of Maj. Gen. Joseph 1864. Wheeler Camp #863 - Masonic Lodge, Conyers, Georgia The Hunley had a 16-foot spar tipped with a charge of black April 14, 2015 - Open House powder that was exploded, sink- meeting of Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler Camp #863 - Masonic ing the Housatonic. After close Lodge, Conyers, Georgia examination of the spar two years ago, scientists speculated the crew was knocked uncon- scious by the shock wave of the Inside this issue: explosion. “Our Commanders Comments” 2 When the Hunley was first "It's like unwrapping a Christmas The last remaining areas have By: Commander John Maxey raised, scientists speculated the gift after 15 years. We have been been described as “forensic hot crew may have run out of air 2 wanting to do this for many years spots.” “CWRT Honors Authors of before they could crank back to Gettysburg Guidebook” now," said Paul Mardikian, senior From: February issue of Civil War News the coast. Scientists have also conservator on the Hunley project Friends of the Hunley , a group discussed the possibility the sub in North Charleston, S.C. dedicated to conserving and “Compatriot Forrest Sellers 2 eventually exhibiting the vessel, may have been sunk by an open Passes” hatch. By: J. H. Underwood, Editor The Hunley sank the Union block- says that the remaining parts of ade ship USS Housatonic off the vessel’s exterior should be 3 After the Hunley was raised, the “The Confederate Cemeteries Charleston in February 1864 as the revealed during the coming of Covington & Oxford” sand and the silt and the remains South tried to break the Union weeks. The team of conservators (88th Soldier’s in a series) Last Biogra- of the crew in the interior were phy in the Continuing project by Compa- blockade strangling the Confeder- from Clemson University has triot Gene Wade removed. acy. But the sub and its eight-man already made some interesting “Confederate Odyssee: The 4 crew never made it back to shore. discoveries, such as an area of the In April 2004, thousands of men George W. Wray Jr. Civil War hull where the metal surface is in Confederate gray and Union Collection at the Atlanta His- The Hunley was discovered off stamped with the letters “C N.” tory Center” blue walked in a procession with the South Carolina coast in 1995, Book review from the February/March Experts are investigating the the crew's coffins four miles 2015 Civil War News. raised in 2000 and brought to a meaning of the stamp, which is from Charleston's waterfront conservation lab in North Charles- thought to represent the foundry Battery to Magnolia Cemetery in ton. where the Hunley’s iron was what has been called the last forged. It was covered with a hardened Confederate funeral.

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Our Commanders’ Comments By: Commander John Maxey

Southern At our February meeting we all enjoyed We tip our hats to #863 Camp Adj. and Gentlemen, the presentation of "Walking the Line" 13th Brigade Cmdr. Steve Camp for pro- by Dr. Larry Krumenaker. He has done viding such an interesting program. I hope all of you an excellent job of researching the for- survived the ice tifications of Atlanta during the inva- Our next meeting will be on March 10th at and cold weather. sion and plunder of the vile Yankees. 7:30 PM. I'm looking forward to seeing All of you are each of you there. probably like It also brought to light that much of myself in wanting Atlanta's War history has been lost. It's some warm important that each of us work to keep John Maxey, Cmdr. weather. what we have left.

CWRT Honors Authors Of Gettysburg

Guidebook From: March issue of Civil War News

GETTYSBURG, Pa. — The Gettysburg Both are residents of Gettysburg. Their col- scribes the combat that took Civil War Round Table recently presented laboration resulted in a book which the place in each location. It also tells who the its annual book award to Dr. Carol Reardon round table said, “will stand for years as the commanders were in each part of the field and and Col. (Ret.) Tom Vossler for their book, premier guidebook for the Battle of Gettys- identifies some of the men who fell at each A Field Guide to Gettysburg (2013, Uni- burg.” place. In addition, the book introduces readers versity of North Carolina Press). to the people who owned and lived on the It breaks the battle into 35 “stops” and de- land affected by the battle

Compatriot Forrest Sellers Passes J. H. Underwood, Editor

Compatriots; ter-in-law, Denny and Tracey Sell- Supervisor in 1996 and began a sec- ers of Covington; daughter and- ond career with Corning Cable. He It saddens me son-in law, Dineen and Buz belonged to the Pioneers Club, Ro- to inform you Shubert of Monroe; seven grand- meo Club and Sons of Confederate that our Com- children, Haley Shubert, Casey Veterans; his passion was Youth and patriot and Shubert, Riley Shubert, Summer Little League Football and Baseball. friend of more that 20 years Sellers, Sydney Sellers, Savannah He was loved by all. He supported passed away Evans and Chloe Evans; brother his children and grandchildren in on February 7, and sister-in-law, Ralph and all of their activities. Forrest was a 2015. The following is his obituary as it Lillian Sellers of Stockbridge; sis- member of Rockdale Baptist appeared on the Scott Ward Funeral ter and brother-in-law, Martha Church” Home web site; and James Hewatt; brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, Donnie and Forrest was a true “Southern Gen- “Mr. Forrest Sellers, age 73 of Mon- Dawn Lee, Joyce VanHorn and tleman” and a champion of our roe, formerly of Conyers, died Sat- Ramona Morgan; several nieces cause and he will be greatly missed. urday, February 7, 2015. He was and nephews. Forrest graduated preceded in death by his parents, from Rockdale High School in E. J. and Hester Sellers. He is sur- 1959 and served his country in the vived by his wife of 50 years, Jean Army and Army Re- Sellers of Monroe; son and daugh- serves. He retired from AT&T as a

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The Confederate Cemeteries of Covington and Oxford (88th Soldier in the series) Continuing Project by Compatriot Gene Wade

Headstone at Oxford shows: was one of the units which, under Major Gen- 22, 1864 and then later at Franklin and eral 's direction, rushed Nashville, Tennessee before the final battle J. A. WOOD through the gap in the federal line and put one at Bentonville, North Carolina in March of CO A, 4 ARK wing of the to rout. The consoli- 1865 dated Arkansas regiments, 4 th /31 st /4 th Arkansas Actually: lost twenty-four percent of the 385 soldiers It is not known when private Joseph A engaged at Chicamauga. Wood arrived at the Hood Hospital at Ox- JOSEPH A. ford, Georgia but records of the Hood Hos- WOOD The 4 th Arkansas Infantry Regiment, now a part pital show that “Wood, J. A., private, 4 th COMPANY A of McNair's Brigade, moved back to Missis- Ark, Company A, died of Rubeola 4th ARKANSAS sippi to oppose General Sherman's Meridian (measles) on June 22, 1864”. He likely be- INFANTRY REGI- Campaign (Feb 14-20, 1864). Sherman's Me- came ill around the time of the fighting at MENT ridian Campaign was an expedition of 20,000 New Hope Church (May 25-26, 1864). men moving through central Mississippi to This soldier enlisted as a private on February break up Confederate communications and Joseph A Wood was born in 1846 in Missis- 25, 1862 in Company A of the 4 th Regiment, infrastructure. Sherman's Meridian Campaign sippi and was one of ten children. His par- Arkansas Infantry. Company A was called was a “dress rehearsal” for the style of war ents were William Wood (1818-1877) and the “Calhoun Escopets”. (Escopet was on old against civilians that Sherman was to later Mary Ann Ware Wood (1821-1878) both of French term for a type of carbine.) The 4 th bring to Georgia. The defense of central Mis- whom were born in Alabama. His sisters Arkansas was originally organized in August sissippi by Confederate troops, now under the were Ruth (1841-unk), Sarah (1842-aft 1861 and served in Indian Territory (present command of Lieutenant General Leonidas 1878), Nancy (1849-unk) and Martha day Oklahoma) Sept-Oct 1861. Our private Polk, was insufficient and Meridian, Missis- (1859-1924). The brothers were Silas Wood enlisted in February 1862, about the sippi was essentially destroyed by Sherman. (1845-abt1864), Sterling (1848-1919), time the regiment became part of General Most of the Confederate troops, to include the James (abt 1851-aft 1890), George (1855- Earl Van Dorn's Army of the West. 4th Arkansas , was soon transferred to the Army 1927) and Bennett (1862-1944). The family of Tennessee in time to oppose Sherman's At- started out in Alabama and moved to Mis- The regiment fought at the battle of Pea lanta Campaign. sissippi about 1844, then to Arkansas about Ridge, Arkansas on March 7-8 1862. At this 1848. time the 4 th Arkansas consisted of 695 men, and reported 55 casualties at Pea Ridge. The In addition to our Private Joseph A Wood, 4th Arkansas re-consolidated at Van Buren, the two brothers who were old enough to Arkansas and then marched to Des Arc, Ar- have served the Confederacy did serve. kansas where the regiment was transported Brother Silas H Wood, about age 17 at by riverboat to Memphis, Tennessee in an enlistment in 1862, also served in Company attempt to unite the Army of the West with A of the 4 th Arkansas and although his re- the Confederate to at- cords are incomplete family genealogists tack General Grant at Pittsburg Landing say he died in the war in 1864. Brother Ster- (Shiloh) Tennessee. Unfortunately, the 4 th ling Wood appears to have also enlisted at a Arkansas arrived too late for the battle of young age late in the war and served in an Shiloh (April 6-7 1862). The regiment then Arkansas unit, possibly Tanner's Battalion. encamped near Tupelo, Mississippi. His service could not be further identified but he was approved for a Confederate pen- The regiment soon joined General Kirby sion in 1914. It is interesting that our subject Smith's moved north and participated in the Joseph and his brother Silas both enlisted on battle of Richmond, on August 29- the same day, February 25, 1862. Brothers 30 1862 where the regiment suffered 23 casu- James, George and Bennett were too young alties. The Regiment soon fought at Mur- to have served. freesboro, Tennessee (December 31 st , 1862) and suffered 79 casualties in what was de- Private Joseph A. Wood was only about age scribed as a brilliant charge against the union 18 when he died. No record of a wife or right flank. children was found. How can we not lament the death in war of someone so young. The 4 th Arkansas was part of the unsuccessful attempt in June-July 1862 by General Joseph E. Johnson to relieve the , The 4 th Arkansas Infantry Regiment partici-

Mississippi. The regiment soon returned to pated in the Georgia fighting at Dug Gap (Sept the Army of Tennessee and after consolida- 10-11 1864), Resaca (May 13-15, 1864), New This is the last Soldier in the series. The tions with other Arkansas regiments soon Hope Church (May 25-26 1864) Pickett's Mill book “Confederate Cemeteries of Coving- participated at the Battle of Chicamauga, May 27, 1864) and most of the other battles ton and Oxford” will be available soon. Georgia (Sept 19-20, 1863). The 4 th Arkansas leading up to the final battle of Atlanta on July

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MAJ. GEN. JOSEPH WHEELER CAMP #863, CONYERS, GA.

P. O. Box 82718 Conyers, GA. 30094

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We’re on the Web!

www.campjoewheeler.org

Another Confederate Monument Restored A Georgia Press Release

(BARNESVILLE, GA - February 26, federate Section of Greenwood Ceme- cleaning and restoration of those Confed- 2015) As a continuation of the ongoing tery in Barnesville, Georgia, which was erate monuments which were erected in monument restoration work of the Sons formerly part of Pike County until town squares and parks around the state of Confederate Veterans during this Lamar County was created in 1926. The near the turn of the twentieth century, as final year of the Sesquicentennial com- funds for this project were raised by the well as erecting dozens of new monu- memoration of the War, the Georgia General John B. Gordon Memorial ments in commemoration of the ongoing Division, in conjunction with its local Camp and the Georgia Division of the 150th anniversary of the War. camp in Thomaston, has completed the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The cleaning and restoration of the only cleaning and restoration was under the Confederate monument in Lamar direction of Mr. Jeff Ellis of Clark Me- morials in Macon, Ga. The Monument now sparkles like new and is a fitting tribute to those Southern heroes who gave their lives in the fight for Southern Independence and their country, the Confederate States of America. A Con- federate battle flag flies on a nearby pole, adorning the Confederate section of the cemetery.

This is just one of the dozens of projects For more information about the Sons of Con- which has already been completed in federate Veterans or any of this year's planned recent years by the Georgia Division. events to commemorate the Sesquicentennial The monument is located in the Con- The Division has tasked itself with the of the War, contact the Georgia SCV at 404- 456-3393 or online at www.GeorgiaSCV.org

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