February, 2011 Volume 23 Number 9 ConfederateConfederate GazetteGazette Lee-Jackson Dinner Held Major Robert M. White The Major Robert M. White Edgerton from “March extraordinary service to Camp #1250 rd Camp #1250 held its 23 Across Dixie” fame. Camp #1250 during 2010. Sons of Confederate Annual Lee-Jackson Dinner Veterans The winner of the George At the meeting Camp Offic- Temple, Texas on January ers for 2011 15, 2011 at were in- www.scvtemple.com the Cultur- stalled by al Activi- John Larson, Jr. Division ties Center Camp Commander Command- 9645 FM 438 in Temple. er James. Troy, TX 76579 About 70 Installed people were John John C. Perry Newsletter Editor attended Larson of P.O. Box 794 the event Troy Com- Salado, TX 76571 which fea- mander, tured Tex- Jimmy © 2011, Major Robert M. as Division Dossey White Camp #1250 Command- Dr. Ray James (far left) installs the Camp’s Officers including (from left) Joe from White, Brandon McGregor, Jimmy Dossey, and John Larson. er Dr. Ray (Photo by John C. Perry) Gatesville, James as 1st Lt. Com- the keynote speaker. Dr. Ballentine award for 2010 mander, Brandon McGregor Inside this issue: James spoke on ”Sharp- was announced by Linda of Salado, 2nd Lt. Commander, shooters of the Confedera- Wooley. The award was giv- cy.” Also speaking was H.K. en to James Kinnear for his (Continued on page 3) Profile on: William 2 Preston Johnston Wal-Mart Withdraws from Wilderness The Death of Robert 2 After years of fighting with Wal-Mart claims it wasn’t Although the local county the National Trust for His- trying to build on battlefield government had approved E. Lee toric Preservation and the the proposed new store nu- Wilderness Battlefield Coali- merous groups rose to pro- tion, Wal-Mart has finally test the development and a Photos from Lee- 3 given in and pulled its plans lawsuit was filed. The case Jackson Dinner for one of its supercenter was supposed to go to trial stores near the Wilderness in late January, but Wal-Mart Battlefield in Virginia. unexpectedly pulled the plug National Archives 4 Opponents of building the on the new store before the Scandal Wal-Mart have been fighting trial began. the store since July of 2008. land, but most historians argued that they were. Page 2 Confederate Gazette CCONFEDERATEONFEDERATE PPROFILEROFILE Son of Albert Sidney is father was more ans. The two married in 1853. Johnston worked closely with famous, but this Con- They had six children, but she Davis, helping him with military federate Veteran died in 1885, and Johnston strategy, delivering important H would build a reputa- remarried in 1888 to Margaret communications, and accessing tion as a great South- Henshaw Avery. various Confederate positions. ern educator post war. When the War Between the He also became quite close William Preston Johnston was States began both father and with President Davis’ family. born on January 5, 1831, the son offered their services to He was present on the field of son of Albert Sidney Johnston the Confederacy. William’s battle at Seven Pines, Cold and Henrietta Preston, in Lou- father was made a full general, Harbor, and during the Peters- isville, Kentucky. When William the second highest ranking burg siege. He was with the William Preston was only four years old his Confederate officer in 1861. Davis entourage as it fled south Johnston mother died of tuberculosis, William entered the Confeder- after Richmond fell in 1865. and soon after that his father ate Army as a major in the 2nd When President Davis was left for the Texas frontier, and Kentucky Infantry. He was captured on May 10, 1865 in ended up fighting for the Re- later transferred to the 1st Irwin, County Georgia, John- public of Texas. Kentucky Infantry and promot- ston was with Davis and was Johnston was Young William was left to be ed to Lt. Colonel. also taken as a captive. raised by his mother’s family. He saw action at First Manas- He was held in solitary confine- captured by the As a youth he first attended sas, but they became ill with ment at Fort Delaware on Pea Federals with public schools and later a pri- “camp fever,” likely typhoid Patch Island in Delaware. After vate academy. As a young man fever. By the time he became being released Johnston fled to Jefferson Davis he headed east for college well his unit had been disband- Canada. studies, graduating from Yale ed and he became an aide-de- Johnston eventually returned in 1852. He then studied law at camp to Confederate President to Louisville, Kentucky and the University of Kentucky and Jefferson Davis. His father resumed his practice of law. later opened a law practice in was killed at Shiloh on April 2, After Robert E. Lee became the Louisville. While at Yale John- 1862 and William was appointed president of Washington Col- ston met Rosa Elizabeth Dun- a full colonel on Davis’ staff on lege (now Washington & Lee can, who was from New Orle- April 19,1862. (Continued on page 4) The Death of Robert E. Lee William Preston Johnston, the Robert E. Lee. When Lee died in 1870 Johnston was at his side and was in- son of Confederate General Post war, after Lee became volved in Lee’s funeral. John- Albert Sidney Johnston, was an President of Washington Col- ston would later write a recol- Aide-de-Camp to Confederate lege, Lee invited Johnston to lection of Lee’s last days and President Jefferson Davis. come to the college and chair his funeral. His writings have Being on Davis’ staff meant the school’s History and Eng- today become the standard that Johnston had much inter- lish Literature Departments. account of the death of Lee and action with various Confeder- Johnston jumped at the are often re-quoted. ate commanders, including chance. Page 3 Volume 23 Number 9 23rd Annual Lee-Jackson Dinner (Continued from page 1) and Joe White from Temple as Adjutant. Edgerton, along with his broth- er, Terry Lee, travelled from Ashville , NC to attend the Lee- Jackson Dinner as guests of the Camp. About 70 Above: Dr. people Ray James speaks; honored the Right: James Kinnear memory of Lee receives Ballentine & Jackson Award; Left: H.K. Edgerton speaks; Below: Attendees at the Lee- Jackson Dinner. (Photos by John C. Perry) Camp Schedule Next Meeting: th February 8, 2011 April 9, 2011 February 8 Regular Camp meeting at Cot- Quarterly Camp Dinner meet- ton Patch Café, Temple Mall. ing at Cotton Patch Café, Tem- Cotton Patch Café 7:00 PM. Speaker: TBD. ple Mall. 7:00 PM. Speaker: Temple Mall TBD. 7:00 PM March 8, 2011 June 14, 2011 Regular Camp meeting at Cot- May 10, 2011 Regular Camp meeting at Cotton ton Patch Café, Temple Mall. Regular Camp meeting at Cot- Patch Café, Temple Mall. 7:00 PM. 7:00 PM. Speaker: TBD. ton Patch Café, Temple Mall. Speaker: TBD. 7:00 PM. Speaker: TBD. ConfederateConfederate GazetteGazette P.O. Box 794 Salado, Texas 76571 Page 4 Son of Albert Sidney zation of the university and by Scandal at the National Archives many is considered the one who In late January the National Ar- 14, 1864, to April 14, 1865, the day (Continued from page 2) got the school on a modern and chives announced that they had John Wilkes Booth assassinated University) in Lexington, Virginia, successful track. In 1883 he left LSU to become the first president discovered that a Lincoln docu- Lincoln. Lee wrote to Johnston asking him ment in their safekeeping had to become the chair of the col- of Tulane University in New Orle- been altered to try to make it Having changed the year from lege’s History and Eng- ans. more historically significant. 1864 to 1865, Lowry was then able lish Literature depart- Johnston was the author to claim that this ments. Johnston eagerly of a number of books. His Thomas Lowry, pardon was of sig- accepted a chance to be biography of his father, a long-time nificant historical reunited with Lee. John- The Life of Albert Sidney Lincoln re- relevance because ston was at Lee’s side Johnston in 1878, was searcher from it could be consid- when he passed away on well received; he also Woodbridge, VA, ered one of, if not October 12, 1870. authored books on poet- confessed on Portion of doctored document the final official act ry, English literature, and January 12, Johnston stayed on at by President Lincoln education. He was also a 2011, to altering an Abraham Lin- Washington College until Grave of William before his assassination. Preston Johnston very popular public coln Presidential pardon. The 1877. That same year speaker. pardon was for Patrick Murphy, a the college confirmed on Lowry apparently brought a foun- Johnston a honorary doctorate of Union Army soldier who was court tain pen into a National Archives He died on July 16, 1899 at the law degree. -martialed for desertion. research room where, using fade home of his son-in-law, Henry proof, pigment-based ink, he al- In 1880 he became the president Tucker in Lexington, Virginia. He Lowry admitted to changing the tered the date of the Murphy of Louisiana State University in was buried in Cave Hill Cemetery date of Murphy’s pardon, written pardon. Baton Rouge. He led a reorgani- in Louisville, Kentucky. in Lincoln’s own hand, from April .