SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS, TEXAS DIVISION THE JOHN H. REAGAN CAMP NEWS www.reaganscvcamp.org VOLUME 3, ISSUE 10 OCTOBER 2011 CAMP MEETINGS COMMANDER’S DISPATCH 2nd Saturday of Each Month Compatriots, man all day long. 06:00 PM Light meal served at each meeting. 2nd Lt. Commander Rudy Ray Most of you have read this First Christian Church has a great historical program in January 2, 1864 quote by Ma- 113 East Crawford Street Palestine, Texas store for us at the October 8th jor General Patrick R. regular camp meeting. Major Cleburne C.S.A. before, but Turn north on N. Sycamore St. off of General John T. Furlow, U.S.A. whether you have or not, It is Spring St. (Hwy 19, 84,& 287)(across (Retired), CPA, CFE, will pre- so good, I would like to close from UP train station) travel three blocks, turn right on Crawford St., go sent a program on the 10th Tex- with its TRUTH: one block Church is on left as Infantry. I understand that he has authored a book that will be "... every man should endeav- Guests are welcome! Bring the family. published in the near future or to understand the meaning John H. Reagan about the 10th Texas Infantry. of subjugation before it is too About 1863 www.reaganscvcamp.org late. We can give but a faint Oct 8, 1818 – March 6, 1905 Last month’s program by Jerry idea when we say it means the Post Master General of the Con- Don Watt of Tatum, Texas, on loss of all we now hold most federate States of America “Confederate Guerilla Warfare” sacred ... personal property, Secretary of the Treasury CSA was outstanding! I feel that I can lands, homesteads, liberty, U. S. Senator from Texas speak for the whole camp in justice, safety, pride, man- U. S. Rep. from Texas INSIDE THIS ISSUE: highly recommending Mr. Watt hood. It means that the history District Judge for a speaker on this subject. He of this heroic struggle will be Texas State Representative Camp Events 2 is obviously an authority on Con- written by the enemy; that First Chairman - Railroad Com- 3 mission of Texas 1st Lt. Command- federate Guerilla warfare and has our youth will be trained by er’s Dispatch spent a lifetime visiting various Northern school teachers; will A Founder and President of the Texas State Historical Association museums, libraries, battlefields, learn from Northern school September Camp 4 etc., researching this subject at books their version of the Meeting NEWs every opportunity. War, will be impressed by all influences of history and edu- Mr. and Mrs. 5 Quartermaster Frank Moore cation to regard our gallant Joe Coleman "Take your history honored who is also chairman of the dead as traitors, our maimed Reagan Camp monument com- veterans as fit objects for their and teach it to your Chaplain’s Mes- 6 mittee has been diligently work- derision, it means the crushing children or others sage ing on the memorial plaza with of Southern manhood ... to will teach their his- 7-17 the help of Lt. Hatfield, Sgt. establish sectional superiority Governor tory!" Pendleton Mur- Barnhart, and Compatriot New- and a more centralized form of rah of Texas som. Our camp is blessed to government, and to deprive us by J. D. Murrah have Quartermaster Moore on of our rights and liberties." General John B. staff as he is extremely knowl- Captain Refugio 18 edgeable in construction, is a Respectfully your obedient Gordon Benevides, 33rd very fine leader and at 70 years servant, C.S.A. Texas cav. c.S.A. of age, can still work circles Membership/ 19 around any 20 year old young Marc Robinson contact info VOLUME 3, ISSUE 10 PAGE 2 Left: New members of the John H. Reagan Camp #2156 reciting the pledge as they are being induct- ed into the SCV. Each new member also announces the name and unit of the Confederate ancestor “DUTY IS THE in which they joined MOST SUBLIME the SCV under. From WORD IN OUR left to right: Chaplain LANGUAGE. DO Rod Skelton, Com- YOUR DUTY IN ALL patriots Brice THINGS. YOU McDonald, Vernon CANNOT DO MORE. Holliman, Bobby YOU SHOULD Francis, and Cmdr. NEVER WISH TO DO Marc Robinson LESS.” -GENERAL PRAYER LIST ROBERT E. LEE- The Sovereign State of Texas The Sons of Confederate Veterans The United States of America The United Daughters of the Confederacy “NOTHING FILLS ME Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Davis U.S. WITH DEEPER SAD- Army (Afghanistan). Son-in-law of Lt. NESS THAN TO SEE Cmdr. Ronnie Hatfield A SOUTHERN MAN APOLOGIZING FOR THE DEFENSE WE CALENDAR OF EVENTS MADE OF OUR IN- HERITANCE. OUR October 8, 2011, 06:00 Birthday ceremony. It will CAUSE WAS SO PM—John H. Reagan be held at the John H. JUST, SO SACRED, Camp regular monthly Reagan home site on West THAT HAD I meeting. Reagan Street outside the KNOWN ALL THAT west loop this year. HAS COME TO PASS, October Program: HAD I KNOWN MAJOR GENERAL JOHN WHAT WAS TO BE T. FURLOW, USA INFLICTED UPON (Retired), CPA, CFE ME, ALL THAT MY will present a program on COUNTRY WAS TO SUFFER, ALL THAT the 10th Texas Cavalry OUR POSTERITY (Dismounted) WAS TO ENDURE, I WOULD DO IT ALL October 8, 2011, 11:00 OVER AGAIN.” AM—Davis-Reagan Chap- ter of the UDC will host the -PRESEDENT annual John H. Reagan JEFFERSON DAVIS- President Jefferson F. Davis in later years. VOLUME 3, ISSUE 10 PAGE 3 FIRST LT. COMMANDER’S DISPATCH BY RONNIE HATFIELD Compatriots, As further evidence that our beloved John H. Reagan Camp is indeed not resting on it's laurels, nor in full retreat after last April's mere "speed bump" of a setback at the County Courthouse, I have the honor to an- nounce that we have been given the oppor- tunity to again place the word CONFEDER- ATE on the Courthouse square! At the time of our ceremony on April 1st, Commander Robinson had inquired of the Anderson County Historical Commission Chairman as to why there was no historical marker in the county, save that mentioning the Salt Works west of town, acknowledging the county's contribution to the WBTS and to the Confederacy in particular, in men and resources. The Chairman's reaction was one of concern, and interest in correcting the oversight. Fast forward now to mid-September, and I munity post-war. am pleased to announce that the Commis- Upon approval by the State Historical Commission sion has approached our camp with request and receipt locally of the marker, we intend to place that we write and present the Confederate and dedicate it on the Courthouse square facing the history of the county, along with the impact site of the old Hunter Hotel, where many of our an- post-war, of our local Confederate ancestors cestors waved goodbye to Palestine and their fami- in the development and enrichment of Pales- lies for the last time between 1861 - 1865. tine and the county, into the community we I am extremely proud of this opportunity afford- all call home today. ed our camp, and look forward to yet another long The written overview will be presented to overdue acknowledgement of our county's Confed- the Commission in story format, and will erate heritage! also include suggestions for the text inscrip- tion on the official marker. Some of the data Forward the Colors! offered for inclusion will contain the local Ronnie Hatfield units formed here in the county, and names 1Lt. Commander of former local Confederates who served John H. Reagan Camp 2156 honorably both in the Cause and in our com- SCV VOLUME 3, ISSUE 10 PAGE 4 THE JOHN H. REAGAN CAMP #2156 REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING—SEPTEMBER 10, 2011 Left: Three new members inducted into the John H. Reagan Camp 2156. From left to right, Chaplain Rod Skelton, Compatriot Brice McDonald, Compatriot Vernon Holliman, Compatriot Bobby Francis, and Commander Marc Robinson. Confederate ancestors of these three compat- riots are: Brice McDonald: Pvt. Francis Marion Free- man, Co. C, 24th Texas Cavalry Vernon D. Holliman: Pvt. Green T. Morgan, Co. I, 32nd Georgia Infantry Robert Tucker Thurman Francis: Corporal Lewis Sherwood Camp, Co. A, Georgia 40th Infantry Above left and right: Mr. Jerry Don Watt presents a program on 1861-1865 Confederate Guerrilla Warfare He is a retired public school teacher/coach with 35 years experience. Mr. Watt was born and raised in Tatum, Texas. All of the Mr. Watt’s wife is also a retired teacher/librarian with 35 years expe- branches of his family moved to Rusk County in the 1840s rience. They have two sons. Their oldest son has 19 years in the and 1850s. He has over 100 relatives who were in the Army. He is now serving in South Korea. Their youngest son is on Confederate Army. Most of them were from Rusk Coun- the athletic staff at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. ty. One ancestor was in the Union Army. Mr. Watt is currently completing a 3-volume study of guerrilla war- He graduated from Tatum High School and received his fare 1861-1865 after 35 years of research. He has given over 30 pro- bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University and a grams in the last 10 years to 11 SCV camps in Texas. master’s degree in history from Stephen F. Austin State Mr. Watt’s program was EXCELLENT!!! He had so much knowledge University. Mr. Watt’s master’s thesis was titled An Exer- to share and it was our loss that we had to hold him to a little over 30 cise in Futility: Federal Counter-Insurgency 1861-1865.