May, 2013 Volume 25 Number 12 ConfederateConfederate GazetteGazette Ceremonies Held in Belton Major Robert M. White Camp #1250 The Major Robert M. White At the South Belton Ceme- States Census. Sons of Confederate Camp #1250 held its’ annual tery, Confederate Battle A disappointing and very Veterans Temple, Texas Confederate History Month flags were placed on each sparse crowd attended both ceremonies in Belton on Confederate veteran’s th events, www.scvtemple.com April 13 . although Two events the court- Jimmy D. Dossey house cer- Camp Commander were held. 115 Lakewood Dr. The Con- emonies Gatesville, TX 76528 federate attracted First Na- some Bel- John C. Perry tional flag ton Market Newsletter Editor was raised Day partic- P.O. Box 794 Salado, TX 76571 on the flag ipants. pole next Confeder- © 2013 Major Robert M. to the Con- ate History White Camp #1250 federate Left: Al Harris (l) and John Larson, Jr. (r) prepare to raise First National Flag. Right: Sandra Perry speaks at the South Belton Cemetery. (Photos by John C. Perry) Month was Soldier’s established monument at the court- by the Texas legislature in house. John Larson, Jr. gave grave. Sandra Perry gave a Inside this issue: talk on what Bell County was 1999. Each year Camp a talk about the units raised #1250 celebrates the month for the Confederate war like during the war, mainly based on the 1860 United with an event in Belton. Profile on: 2 effort from Bell County. Benjamin Huger Court Rules Against the SCV Confederate Mar- 2 In 2011 the Texas Depart- April that Texas was not cause the design includes a shall, Texas ment of Motor Vehicles ruled obligated to release a plate Confederate Battle flag, part against the Texas Divi- of the SCV’s logo, the Gazette Completes 3 sion-SCV’s application plate design is consid- 25 Years to create specialty li- ered by the state to be cense plates. unacceptable. Camp 3 The Texas Division sued The Texas Division is on the grounds that the considering what steps Calendar plate was protected by Proposed Texas specialty license plate recently rejected. to take. One option free speech. Unfortunately, would be for the Division to that contradicts its rule April Camp Meet- 4 U.S. District Judge Sam appeal to the Fifth Circuit against derogatory or in- ing Review Sparks, in Austin, ruled in Court of Appeals. flammatory symbols. Be- Page 2 Confederate Gazette CCONFEDERATEONFEDERATE PPROFILEROFILE Ordnance Man lthough he was a war U.S. Army career. general on June 17, 1861. He hero during the Mexican He married a cousin Elizabeth was promoted to Major- War his military record Pinckney in 1831. Together they General on October 7, 1861. was tarnished during A would have five children, in- Huger was placed in command the Peninsula Campaign, but he cluding one son, Frank, who of the department encompass- continued to serve the Confed- attended West Point graduating ing the Norfolk, Virginia area in eracy part of the time in Mar- May of 1861, He soon came to in 1860. shall, Texas. believe he was too weak to From 1841 to 1846 Huger com- Benjamin Huger was born in withstand a Federal attack as manded the Fort Monroe Arse- Charleston, SC, on November George B. McClellan's Union nal until he was appointed Ma- 22, 1805, son of Francis Kinloch army approached, so he dis- jor General Winfield Scott’s Benjamin and Harriet Lucas Pinckney mantled his fortifications, set chief of ordnance during the Huger. He was the grandson of fire to the Navy Yard, blew up Huger U.S. Army invasion of Mexico. Major General Thomas Pinckney the captured USS Merri- of American Revolutionary War Post Mexican War Huger re- mac (later to be raised at the CSS Virginia) and evacuated fame. turned to command the Fort Monroe Arsenal and also arse- the city in May, 1862. After attending local schools nals at Harper’s Ferry and Huger received an appointment Although he came under fire by th Pikesville, Maryland. In 1856 he Huger graduated 8 in 1821 to the United States some for his actions President was sent to Europe to observe Military Academy at West Point. Jefferson Davis gave him com- in his class from the Crimean War. In 1860 he He graduated in 1825 finishing mand of a division under Jo- returned home to command the West Point 8th out of a class of 37. He was seph E. Johnston. Huger per- Charleston Arsenal. He re- mustered into the U.S. Army on formed poorly during the Battle mained in the U.S. Army even July 1, 1825 as a second lieu- of Seven Pines and the Seven after South Carolina left the tenant. He served as a topo- Days' battles. He was harshly Union, not resigning until the graphical engineer and he held censured for what seemed his hostilities commenced at Fort a variety of duty stations until slow movements at Seven Sumter. 1832 when he joined the army’s Pines, which led to an investi- ordnance department, where He was appointed by the Con- (Continued on page 4) he would spend the rest of his federate Army as a brigadier Confederate Marshall Marshall, Texas was an im- Confederate city west of the ment from Marshall. portant city to the Confedera- Mississippi River. The Marshall Powder Mill pro- cy. By 1860 Marshall was the The Confederate state govern- duced gunpowder, some small fourth largest city in the state ment of Missouri moved to and artillery ammunition and and was surrounded by pros- Marshall from 1863 to 1865. repaired small arms for the perous farms and plantations. The town became the center of Confederacy. As Union troops moved through operations for Kirby Smith’s Marshall, Texas, in the last half Arkansas and after Vicksburg Army of the Trans Mississippi. of the war, made a major con- fell in 1863, Marshall became Benjamin Huger led the Trans tribution to the Confederate arguably the most important Mississippi Ordnance Depart- States of America. Page 3 Volume 25 Number 12 Gazette Completes 25 Years The Confederate Gazette, For the first nine years the file, traditionally found on page which is the official newsletter Gazette was produced eleven two. The first profile appeared of the Major Robert M. White months of the year, not print- in 1988 in the Gazette’s ninth Camp #1250, with this edition ing an issue in August to allow issue, it was on James Long- will finish 25 years of publica- the editor time to attend the street. Since then there have tion. SCV’s national reunion. Since been 217 profiles. All but a 1999 the Gazette has been handful have been written by published twelve times per Perry. “I try to find interest- year. ing Confederate personalities The first Gazette and write about them. Several The Gazette people have encouraged issue was me to put them all in a produced in June of 1988 The first issue of the Gazette was published in June of 1988. John The four previous formats C. Perry is the of the Confederate Gazette. Gazette’s founder and has been the editor since its has been inception. According to Perry published continuously except the first issue of the Gazette for an eight-month period. book, but I just haven’t found was a two page newsletter “For a time I was serving as the time to do so,” Perry said. that was sent to prospective both the Texas Division Com- Perry admits that over the Sons of Confederate Veterans mander and the SCV’s national years he has repeated a few members. “I was trying to Chief of Heritage Defense,” profiles, “Not many of our start a SCV Camp in Temple, Perry explained, “and some- members were around ten or and the first issue was not thing had to give.” Perry dis- twelve years ago, so I have much more than a two-page continued the publication of repeated some of the better flyer, inviting people to attend the Gazette from January of an organizational meeting at 1998 through August of 1998. ones,” Perry indicated. my house,” Perry said. He resumed publishing the The Gazette is now on its fifth different format. “I try to Since that first issue the Ga- Gazette in September of 1998. zette has produced a total of One hallmark of the Gazette (Continued on page 4) 282 issues, including this one. has been its Confederate Pro- Camp Schedule Next Meeting: th May 14, 2013 35, just north of Belton on May 14 Regular Camp meeting at Cot- Leon River. Cotton Patch Cafe ton Patch Café, Temple Mall, 7:00 PM. Speaker: Jerry Nelson June 7-9, 2013 6:00 PM Social Texas Division Reunion, Tangle- 7:00 PM Meeting May 17-19, 2013 wood Resort near Pottsboro, June 11, 2013 Battle of Temple Junction TX. http://scvtexas.org/ Regular Camp meeting at Cotton Reenactment, Bend of the River State_Convention_6YY5.html Patch Café, Temple Mall, 7:00 PM. Ranch, located on Interstate Speaker: To Be Determined ConfederateConfederate GazetteGazette P.O. Box 794 Salado, Texas 76571 Page 4 service to our country during April Camp Meeting Operation New Dawn and Opera- Ordnance Man tion Spartan Shield, while serving By Michael Belcher James M. Chism, a private in abroad in Iraq and Kuwait. (Continued from page 2) th A good crowd attended the April Company L, 24 Regiment, Missis- gation by the Confederate Con- Camp #1250 meeting held on sippi Infantry; and Michael Wayne > > Gazette 25 Years < < gress. Huger was relieved of field April 13, 2013 at the Cotton Patch Kelsey, whose ancestor was Fran- (Continued from page 3) command by Robert E.