Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler 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. 1 GEN. JOE’S DISPATCH VOLUME 10, ISSUE 11 PAGE 2 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 United States Army and Army Re- Sellers of Monroe; son and daugh- serves. He retired from AT&T as a 2 VOLUME 10, ISSUE 11 GEN. JOE’S DISPATCH PAGE 3 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 James Longstreet'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 union army 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.