David's Dispatch Volume 6 Number 7

TABLE OF CONTENTS Even the Monument on the Square here in Mount Please has came under attack. They had one Commander’s Corner ...... 1 protest on June 20th, and I look for more. There Upcoming Events ...... 1 are several petitions to keep the Monument going DavidRReynolds.org ...... 2 around on Facebook, and at least one in person, Our Charge ...... 2 if you can please sign as many as you can. A Blast from the Past ...... 2 Our Schools ...... 5 We need to make sure that our elected officials Confederate Cemetery Memorial ...... 5 know that we will never support or reelect anyone Bledsoe’s Silver Gun ...... 6 who caves in under this pressure of these groups. Battles Fought During the Month ...... 6 I have no problem with peaceful protest on what Save our Monument Petition Signing ...... 7 has happened to George Floyd, but when they After the Pandemic ...... 7 start trying to remove history, they have gone too Birthdays & Anniversaries ...... 7 far. National News ...... 8 Guardian News ...... 9 By now you should have received your dues statement letter from the SCV. And, you can

either mail you payment in or you can bring your COMMANDER’S CORNER payment to the Camp meeting on Monday night, the 20th to save yourself a stamp. Your annual by Larry “Joe” Reynolds dues payments are due by July 31st 2020, as per Well another month has past, and the Texas Division Adjutant, Allen Hearrean. it has been full of destruction and heartbreak for our beloved South! We have If for some reason you do not have the money, or watched on TV and the Internet as statue after will not have it by then, please let me know. If statue have been pulled down, vandalized, you still wish to remain a member of this camp, removed, or destroyed. The BLM and Antifa we can work something out. movement is attempting to destroy everything that we hold dear and cherish. UPCOMING EVENTS

Like you I never imagined we’d be seeing the Monday, July 20th, 7:00 p.m. mass destruction of our heritage and culture at the Refreshments at 6:30 p.m. hands of socialists and terrorist groups like BLM Old Union Community Center or Antifa. It’s just amazing how much damage Hwy 67E, Mount Pleasant, Texas has been done and how quickly we have lost our 2020 NATIONAL CONVENTION monuments and markers across the south. I July 10th – 13th, 2019 realize now, more than ever the importance of the Renaissance Resort SCV. 500 Legacy Park St. Augustine, Florida V

DAVIDRREYNOLDS.ORG A BLAST FROM THE PAST (Taken from the July 1920 Edition of the This month the following changes have been made Confederate Veteran - 100 Years Ago) to our web site: http://www.davidrreynolds.org THE RAID INTO PENNSYLVANIA • I’ve updated our Calendar of Events. ARMORED TRAIN. -THE FIRST • I’ve updated our Events page to include all known events by the Camp and its members. BY THE LATE ROBERT R. EELL, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALA. Please let me know when you do anything for the SCV, this includes attending other camp In June, 1864, General Early was ordered by General meeting, public speaking, or even putting Lee to move his corps to the Valley of Virginia from flags on graves. the eastern part of the State. At this time Col. Bradley Johnson was promoted to brigadier general and I’m still looking for biographies of your Confederate assigned to command the brigade of cavalry Ancestor. Please try to come up with a short bio that previously commanded by Gen. William E. Jones, we can put on-line. who had been killed at New Hope. Va. At this time If you have any suggestions, recommendations or also Harry Gilmor, colonel of the 2d Maryland comments you can send me an email to: Cavalry, was ordered to report to General Johnson [email protected] and I promise to and assume command of the 1st and 2d Maryland give it my full consideration. Cavalry Regiments. For some time General Lee had contemplated sending an expedition of cavalry to release the Confederate prisoners at Point Lookout, Md. a Federal prison located on a point in Southern Maryland at the mouth of the Potomac River below Washington City, where they had large pens full of Our Charge… Confederates. General Early instructed General Johnson to prepare his men for the work of releasing "To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we these 25.000 to 30.000 Confederate prisoners. will commit the vindication of the cause for Johnson's Brigade was composed of both Virginia which we fought. To your strength will be and Maryland regiments of cavalry and the given the defense of the Confederate soldier's Baltimore Light Artillery. good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of About the 6th of July, 1864, General Early crossed those principles which he loved and which you the Potomac River into Maryland and moved toward love also, and those ideals which made him the Monocacy River. Johnson, having been glorious and which you also cherish." instructed to cover Early's left flank, proceeded to Remember, it is your duty to see that the true Frederick, Md.' from which point he was to ride history of the South is presented to future around Baltimore and on to Point Lookout, Md. generations! When he received the order to make this raid he told Lt. General Stephen Dill Lee, Commander General, General Early he would try to carry out his orders, United Confederate Veterans, but that his horses were not in condition to make a New Orleans, Louisiana April 25, 1906 400-mile ride. Nevertheless, he started from V

Frederick City (his old home in Maryland) at toward Chambersburg. which we reached at about daylight on the morning of July 9 and covered Early's five o'clock in the morning. We were skirmishing all left in the battle of the Monocacy, where Early night with the enemy, who fired one shell at us on the whipped Lew Wallace to a finish. Johnson then outskirts of the town, which we captured at daylight. struck out for Cockeysville. Md., where he burned The 21st Virginia Cavalry, commanded by Colonel the bridge on the Northern Central Railroad between Peters, occupied the town, the rest of the command Baltimore and Harrisburg, Pa. He sent Colonel stopping outside. Capt. George Emack, of the 1st Gilmor with the Maryland regiments to burn the Maryland Cavalry, and I were the first two bridge over the Gunpowder River between Baltimore Confederates to ride into Chambersburg. General and Philadelphia on the "Phil., Wil.," and Baltimore McCausland made a demand for the payment of the Railroad, all of which was done, thus cutting of if the $100,000, or he would burn the town. After Federals from sending troops from the North. In the remaining there about three hours and the payment meantime, Early was pushing on to Washington to being refused, we proceeded to burn it. The town was attract the Federals' attention so Johnson could have fired in a number of places, after which we withdrew a free hand to take Point Lookout. General Grant, and proceeded toward McConnellsburg, Pa., which having been notified that Early was threatening place we reached at 5 p.m. and went into camp. The Washington, sent two corps from his army to that Maryland Brigade had been in the advance up to this city. Upon learning this Early ordered Johnson to time. Next morning (Sunday) at sunrise we saddled abandon the raid to Point Lookout. up and marched toward Hancock, Md., the Maryland Brigade in the rear. I mention the position of the Johnson returned to Early's command at Rockville, Marylanders because General McCausland gave the Md., near Washington, and they re-crossed into Marylanders all the fighting to do during this raid. Virginia. In the meantime, General Lee issued orders to General McCausland to join with Johnson's We were now in constant contact with the enemy, Brigade in a raid into Maryland and Pennsylvania who harassed our rear continuously. We learned and to levy on the town of Chambersburg. Pa., for a from several prisoners we captured that General hundred thousand dollars in gold in retaliation for the Averill, with a division of cavalry and battery of destruction done by General Hunter in the Valley of artillery, was after us with instructions to destroy us Virginia. McCausland's Brigade of Virginia Cavalry, before we could re-cross the Potomac River into with Johnson's Brigade, made a force of not over Virginia. fifteen hundred men. It was after Johnson had We were now moving rapidly in close order, as our returned from his trip with Early that I joined the 1st scouts reported a second body of cavalry moving Maryland Cavalry and was appointed a courier on toward us from Cumberland, Md. We arrived in Johnson's staff. Hancock at noon of the 31st, and General We started on this raid and crossed the Potomac McCausland ordered General Johnson to levy on the River at McCoy's Ferry, near Clear Spring, Md., on town for $30,000 and 5,000 rations. To this the July 29, 1864, and arrived at Chambersburg on the Marylanders made serious objection and refused to 30th of July. At Clear Spring we met four or five carry out the order, when McCausland ordered the hundred Federal cavalry and after a sharp fight drove officers under arrest and instructed his own them off toward Hagerstown, Md. We then moved to command to carry out the order. General Johnson Mercersburg, where we arrived at 5 p.m. Major told him that if he did it would be over the dead Sweeney, of the 36th Virginia Cavalry, had a bodies of the Maryland Brigade. Things looked very skirmish with a body of the enemy here and captured squally, and a fight between the Confederates a few of them. We halted and fed ourselves and seemed possible, when General Averill appeared on horses, and at 9 p.m. we again started marching the outskirts of the town and dropped several shells V

into our midst, which gave us something else to think securely fastened. Two of the cars had rifled guns about. Averill's Cavalry charged our rear guard and inside with holes to fire through, while the other cars drove it in, and the fight became general in the main had numerous holes for the infantry to use for firing. street of Hancock. During this my horse was killed They began a rapid fire, and General Johnson had his under me, and I was saved from capture by Lieut. horse killed under him by the explosion of a shell. He Will Reed, of the 2d Maryland Cavalry, who let me ordered Lieutenant McNulty, of the Baltimore Light get up behind him and ride out to the western part of Artillery, to put some shells into the armored train. town, where General Johnson let me have one of his Corporal McElwee sighted his gun. and the first shell led horses. McCausland and Johnson placed their hit the boiler of the locomotive at the smokestack, batteries and drove the Federals back. We moved on blowing up the boiler. This stopped the train. The toward Bevansville, Md., where we arrived at 3 a.m., second shot from the same gun went inside a porthole unsaddled and fed our horses, and cooked something of one of the armored cars and exploded, killing three for ourselves, as we had secured plenty of rations of the enemy; the rest of them crawled out on the from the surrounding country. After sunrise we opposite side. At the same time, we landed two more saddled up and rode toward Cumberland, Md. with shells into the cars containing the infantry, and they General McCausland in the advance. When nearing all left the train and took to the woods. We then gave the forks of the road leading to Cumberland the our attention to the blockhouse on the opposite side generals held a council and decided that, as the at the ford of the river. General Johnson sent a flag enemy was in large force near Cumberland City, we of truce asking them to surrender, which they would take the direct road to Oldtown, Md., on the refused: but after our shells hit the blockhouse twice, Potomac River. This crossing over the river and they put out a white flag and surrendered. Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was well guarded, and The Federal infantry was commanded by Colonel we knew we would have to cut our way through to Stough, of the 153d Ohio Infantry, who surrendered get back to Virginia. We reached this point about eight men, with colors and arms. We burned the daylight on the morning of August 2 and found the blockhouse and the armored train by piling railroad Federals in force there. They had burned the bridge ties under and around the cars and tore up the track over the canal and had taken a strong position in a for some distance, even over the river into Virginia. blockhouse and on a hill opposite the ford in the We marched up the south branch of the Potomac river. They repulsed the charge of the dismounted 5th River to the Old Fields in Hardy County, now West Virginia Cavalry, attached to the Maryland Brigade, Virginia, and went into camp. General Averill owing to their having to swim the canal. We then followed us into Virginia, and we expected him to brought up two more regiments, and they protected attack us at Moorefield, as our scouts reported that the bridge until we had constructed a temporary he had gone up Patterson Creek Valley to head us off bridge on which to get our four pieces of artillery from crossing the mountains back into the Valley of over. One gun of the Baltimore Light Artillery was Virginia. During this raid he attacked us in force but placed in position and fired several shots, when we once, at Hancock. Md. In his official report I find that saw a train coming from toward Cumberland. It was he said the Confederates were in such large force he an odd-looking train and set the boys to guessing, as did not think it advisable to fight them. Having been no troops were in sight. This was the first ironclad, reinforced by both infantry and artillery from or armored, train of which I can find any record. The Cumberland, he advanced to give us battle, and at Federals had built it to use along the Baltimore and daylight the following morning he charged our camp Ohio Railroad to protect it from raids of the while our men were still asleep. We had posted a Confederate cavalry. When it arrived in front of our strong picket in the gap below us, but a negro man position, we saw that it was composed of a piloted them over the mountain behind our pickets. locomotive and six cars covered with railroad rails V

They routed the 1st and 2d Maryland Cavalry and Thompson actively advised how to best destroy art captured two guns of the Baltimore Light Artillery. museum pieces. We lost over three hundred men and horses. San Lorenzo, CA - and to the horror of parents McCausland had moved to Moorefield and saved his everywhere, Alameda County Sheriff's detectives command. General Johnson and most of his staff arrested 4th grade elementary school teacher Robert escaped capture. I had gone to a farm above Stimson for weapons and methamphetamine drug Moorefield to get a horse I had there to remount possession. myself. I secured him and turned General Johnson's horse over to him on South Fork. There is a reason why our children are rioting in the streets and destroying Confederate statues. Are they learning hatred from their

school teachers?

OUR SCHOOLS ??? Providence, RI - Pawtucket middle school teacher Derrick Garforth arrested for vandalizing Christopher Columbus statue. CONFEDERATE CEMETERY MEMORIAL Hollandale, MS - SERVICE - FAYETTE, ARKANSAS Hollandale High School geometry teacher Zack It was great to get out and publicly honor our Borenstien arrested for ancestors again. On June 6th I traveled to vandalizing Confederate statue on Ole Mill campus. Fayette, Arkansas where we held a four- state Philadelphia, PA - Julia de Burgos Elementary memorial service at the Confederate School teacher John Edward Sheerin arrested for Cemetery there. terroristic threats while protesting Police Chief, Frank Rizzo statue. The cemetery is divided off into 4 sections, New York, NY - what has been chilling is the role of Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Texas. teachers like Erin Thompson, a professor at the City Hundreds of soldiers from each state is buried University of New York's John Jay College. there. V

occasions prior to battle Captain Bledsoe could be seen sitting with elbows on his knees and his head between his hands, musing. Not a move was made until he gave the word, and when the time arrived he would leap to his feet and exclaim: 'Come, boys, let Sacramento sing!' He never shot high, and the Federals dreaded him for the accuracy of his aim. The boys looked on Old Sacramento as something almost human and were as attached to the silver gun as they were to their giant captain. "The last I saw of Old Sacramento it was parked on the wharf at Mobile, Ala., and I went up and petted it. I have wondered often what became of it. Sometimes I have wished the boys in France might have had Missouri's silver gun, if only for the sake of keeping romance alive." BLEDSOE'S SILVER GUN.

[From Mrs. Edward Teays, Montrose, Mo., comes a

newspaper clipping giving the following:] BATTLES FOUGHT DURING THE Paris, Mo., March 11,1920 MONTH OF July "I am glad," said an old artilleryman of the Confederate army in this city to-day, "that the Missouri artillery units in France gave a good account of themselves. They had traditions such as no other State units had behind them and lived up to them. That reminds me that the only battery in history to possess a silver gun was a Missouri battery in the Confederate army. It was commanded by Capt. Hi Bledsoe, of Pleasant Hill, and its members came from the Bourbon counties north of the Missouri River. Bledsoe was a born fighter, a Kentuckian, six Battle of Malvern Hill - Malvern Hill Virginia feet and six inches tall, and was with Colonel Doniphan in Mexico. 1 July 1862 - General Robert E. Lee verses General George B. McClellan. Casualties: 5355 Confederate, "The silver gun in question was captured in Old 3214 Union! Mexico in the battle of Sacramento and was dubbed 'Old Sacramento' by the boys of our battery. It had a Battle of Gettysburg - Gettysburg Pennsylvania peculiar and distinctive, almost musical, roar, or 1-3 July 1863 - General Robert E. Lee verses General bark, being only a nineteen-pounder, and when it George G. Meade. Casualties: 28,063 Confederate, opened up the Federals always recognized it. 23,049 Union! 'Bledsoe is in action,' they said, and fear ensued, for Bledsoe's men were berserkers, even covering retreat Siege of Vicksburg Ends - Vicksburg Surrenders in the battles from Missionary Ridge to the sea. On - Vicksburg Mississippi V

4 July 1863 - General John C. Pemberton surrenders Second Battle of Atlanta or Ezra Church - Ezra his Confederate Army and thereby the City of Church Georgia Vicksburg Mississippi to Union General Ulysses S. 28 July 1864 - General John Bell Hood verses Grant. Casualties: 39,941 Confederates and 8873 for General William T. Sherman. Casualties: 4300 the Union! Confederate, 632 Union! Siege of Port Hudson Ends - Port Hudson Battle of "The Mine" - Petersburg Virginia Surrenders - Port Hudson Louisiana 30 July 1864 - General Robert E. Lee verses General 26 May - 9 July 1863 - General Franklin Gardner Ulysses S. Grant. Casualties: 1200 Confederate, surrenders to General Nathaniel P. Bank 3798 Union! Battle of Monocracy River - Monocracy River Maryland

9 July 1864 - General Jubal A. Early verses General Lew Wallace. Casualties: 700 Confederate, 1880 Save our Monument Petition Signing Union! Battle of Rich Mountain - Rich Mountain Western Virginia 11 July 1861 - Colonel John Pegram verses General William S. Rescans. Casualties: 600 Confederate, 46 Union! Battle of Tupelo - Tupelo Mississippi 13-15 July 1864 - General Stephen D. Lee verses General Andrew J. Smith. Casualties: 1376 Confederate, 674 Union! Battle of Peach Tree Creek - Peach Tree Creek Georgia 20 July 1864 - General John Bell Hood verses General George H. Thomas. Casualties: 2500 Confederates, 1600 Union! First Battle of Manassas - Manassas Virginia 21 July 1861 - General Joseph E. Johnston, General P.G.T. Beauregard verses General Irvin McDowell. Casualties: 1981 Confederate, 2645 Union! I would like to thank Kendall Daniel and everyone Battle of Atlanta - Atlanta Georgia who came to the Courthouse Square on Saturday to 22 July 1864 - General John Bell Hood verses sign the Petition. Kendall said that we had 309 General William T. Sherman. Casualties: 8500 signatures, these were people from Titus County, not Confederates, 3722 Union! from an on-line petition signed by people from Chicago and Detroit. V

Our on-line petition which is at: Change.org has over home without infecting their classmates so they can 1,723, of course no way to tell just how many are attend classes remotely? from Titus County, but doesn’t hurt to sign it If we have a health system that is wasting resources anyways. on consultations that simply ask the patient to take a Kendall will be on the square again next Saturday, if test, or to show the doctor the results of a test, should you didn’t get there on the 27th, please make sure you we not develop telemedicine to the fullest extent go sign on the 4th! What better way to celebrate our possible? Independence? Are we really sure that we want to go back to ‘normal’ after the pandemic? Did we like that “normality” so much? And since we have managed

to make a clean break with it… why not take AFTER THE PANDEMIC advantage and move on to something better? forbes.com

It may seem difficult to imagine now, but the coronavirus lockdown will end. One day, when the numbers tell us it’s safe, we will leave our masks at home and return to the streets, revive the economy BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES and reestablish our routines. & OTHER IMPORTANT DATES Until a vaccine is available, it will be essential to be able to identify those who can move freely and those July 7th – Penny Oliver who, like older people or those with underlying July 2nd – Hal & Cindy Fletcher th conditions, will need to maintain protective July 13 – This day in 1821 General Nathan Bedford measures. Forrest was born. The question, increasingly, is no longer whether we will return to normal after the pandemic, but whether we really want to return to normal. Do we want to NATIONAL NEWS return to gridlocked cities, high levels of pollution, inefficient health systems or to schools and colleges Black Lives Matter and the New Religion that could be improved? Shouldn’t the lessons learned encourage change? While friends and family are lamenting their "white privilege" and vowing to own their complicity in If many companies have been forced to try out "systemic oppression," a Marxist revolution is teleworking, should they not, once the emergency is actually taking place, and it's not just a political over, move on to offer their workers flexible systems movement---it's a new religion. that allow them to work from home, in a climate of trust that will enable them, for example, to avoid rush Defunding the police? Ripping down history? hour and be more productive in the process? Silence is violence? Turning a blind eye to murder, stealing, and vandalism? What makes sense of all If schools and colleges have tested e-learning this? This isn't merely a political movement. It's a systems, should they not rethink the way they teach, new religion, complete with saints, holy books, so as to improve communication, assessment rituals, priests, laws, and a salvation plan. Take a systems or allowing students with the flu to stay at look under the hood of the social justice movement V

to explain its fundamental problems and dangerous solutions. In the meantime, let’s pray for the repentance and salvation of our enemies, pray for the clarity and courage of our fellow Christians, and pray for the destruction of evil. Let’s trust in the Lord and keep trying to do as best as possible what He has commanded us to do. Like the godly General Robert E. Lee once wrote, “Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more; you should never wish to do less.” Amen to that. Just like the COVID thing, it's from the top, from the bottom, and everywhere (and everyone) in between. As we all know the Guardian Program is designed to History is our playbook and nothing is new under the honor the memory of our Confederate ancestors and sun, as King Solomon said. provide for the preservation of their final resting The myth is that there is systemic racism against places and their sacrifices. As part of our black folks or even that they're disproportionately responsibilities in being a Guardian is to care for and abused by police. People are basing their support of protect the grave(s) of a Confederate Veteran, the BLM-Antifa-government media-academia- ensuring that the gravesite is kept clean and well church cabal on fallacies and outright lies and maintained year round and to be responsible to backing it up with bad history and unhinged emotion, appropriately mark the grave so it is designated as a violence and vandalism. You can't have moral final resting place of a Confederate Veteran. indignation when you're participating in deception. When visiting a cemetery remember to be respectful. There is definitely systemic racism, but it's aimed A cemetery is a place for families to mourn and visit right at my white, straight, Southern, Christian sons. their loved ones. Be respectful of those around you. The entire riot narrative is built upon lies, which Remember not to leave any trash when you leave, makes the do-gooders complicit in evil, IMHO. This and not to disturb what might be at the memorial. would include the clergy, and the Evangelistic and Your mission is to preserve Ameridox masses who simply don't know enough about history or reality to even make an informed Sometimes in all the excitement of finding a grave decision on any of the matters being brought up marker that might have information we need, we today. Their "activism" and breathless statements are forget about the basics – we want to preserve that based on sand, and not the rock of truth. marker and information on it, not damage it.

And as always, thanks for listening. Stay tough, As usual, I’ll leave you with the question that Phil brothers ... see ya in the gulag Davis, Chairman of both the National and Texas Division Guardian Program always asks,

“Are you a Guardian? If not, why not?” GUARDIAN NEWS by Phil Davis, State & National Chairman

Camp Leadership Chaplain 1st Lt. David Richard Reynolds Shawn Tully Camp #2270 (903) 563-1097 [email protected] Mount Pleasant, Texas Color Sergeant Commander Charles "Richard" Hess Larry “Joe” Reynolds (903) 434-9839 (903) 575-8791 No E-Mail [email protected] Historian st 1 Lt. Commander Rodney Glen Love Danny “Kid” Tillery (903) 756-7264 (903) 717-1593 [email protected] [email protected] Web Master / Newsletter Editor nd 2 Lt. Commander Joe Reynolds David Alan "Dave" Davey (903) 575-8791 (903) 817-3702 [email protected] [email protected]

Adjutant Alvin “Rex” McGee (903) 577-3233 [email protected] NEWSLETTER EDITOR

Treasurer Larry “Joe” Reynolds Larry “Joe” Reynolds 1007 Stone Shore Street (903) 575-8791 Mount Pleasant, TX 75455-7487 [email protected] (903) 575-8791 [email protected] Judge Advocate William "Bill" Guy (903) 434-3759 [email protected]

Quartermaster O. M. Adams (903) 577-2627 [email protected]

Surgeon Jerry Dean Lester (702) 806-4191 Opinions expressed by individual writers are their own and do [email protected] not necessarily reflect official positions of the 1st Lt. David Richard Reynolds Camp #2270. Letters and articles may be submitted to: [email protected] (Cutoff for articles is 20th of the month)