August 2014 SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS-MECHANIZED CAVALRY

Transcription

1 SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS-MECHANIZED CAVALRY August 2014 Picture 1. The 15th Annual 2 Dogs Invitational sponsored by the North Carolina Sons of Confederate Veterans Mechanized Cavalry. The first ride on the schedule was to Fort Fisher and the Confederate Monument. There were a total of 19 riders for the first ride on Thursday morning. Located on Battle Acre at the Fort Fisher State Historic Site, this monument to Confederate soldiers is composed of a large bronzed clay eagle perched atop a tall granite column. The column, in Tuscan or simplified Doric style, stands approximately twenty-four feet high. The column rests on a large square base which itself sits on three shallow steps. The front face of the base contains a bronze plaque with the Battle of Fort Fisher depicted in bas-relief. A bronze plaque on the rear is inscribed with the dedication. One side is inscribed on the granite face with a commemoration of the Battle of Fort Fisher on December 24-25, 1864 and January 15, The other side is inscribed with a dedication to the Confederate soldiers who defended the fort. The eagle is depicted with its wings outstretched as it perches on a bronze sphere. The entire structure is mounted on a low rectangular brick platform with four shallow steps leading to the monument. This platform is not original to the installation of the monument. A small stone marker dedicated to "OUR UNKNOWN CONFEDERATE SOLDIER" is located in the brick in front of the monument. An historic black and white photograph shows this plaque located in the grass at some point. Picture 2. Ms. Kelly Hinson portrays Rose O Neal Grenhow, a Confederate Spy during the war of Northern Aggression. Rose O'Neal Greenhow (1813 or 1814 [1] October 1, 1864) was a renowned Confederate spy during the American Civil War. A socialite in Washington, D.C. during the period before the war, she moved in important political circles and cultivated friendships with presidents, generals, senators, and high-ranking military officers. She used her connections to pass along key military information to theconfederacy at the start of the war. In early 1861, she was given control of a pro-southern spy network in Washington, DC by her handler, Thomas Jordan, then a captain in the Confederate Army. She was credited (con pg 2)

2 CONFEDERATE WAR HORSE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 PAGE 2 by Jefferson Davis, the Confederate president, with ensuring the South's victory at the First Battle of Bull Run in late July Captured in August, Greenhow was subject to house arrest; found to have continued her activities, in 1862 after an espionage hearing, she was imprisoned for nearly five months in Washington, DC. Deported to the Confederate States, she traveled to Richmond, Virginia and new tasks. Running the blockade, she sailed to Europe to represent the Confederacy in a diplomatic mission to France and Britain from 1863 to In 1863 she also wrote and published her memoir in London, which was popular in Britain. After her returning ship ran aground in 1864 off Wilmington, North Carolina, she drowned when her rowboat overturned as she tried to escape a Union gunboat. She was honored with a Confederate military funeral. In 1993 the women's auxiliary of the Sons of Confederate Veterans changed its name to the Order of the Confederate Rose in Greenhow's honor. Picture 3. Ms. Kelly Hinson arrives at the Confederate Monument to portray Rose O Neal Greenhow.. Picture 4. (above & right) Rose O'Neal Greenhow with her youngest daughter and namesake, "Little" Rose, at the Old Capitol Prison, Washington, D.C., 1862.

3 CONFEDERATE WAR HORSE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 PAGE 3 Picture 5. The group of riders (SCVMC) and members of the Order of Confederate Rose on the steps of the Confederate Monument at Fort Fisher.

4 CONFEDERATE WAR HORSE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 PAGE 4 Picture 6. The members of the Mechanized Cavalry mingle with members of the Order of Confederate Rose between the monument and the beach. It was a bright sunny day up to this point. Just a half hour later as we were about the leave the sky clouded over and the heavens let loose lightening and thunder followed by a refreshing rain. We skipped our next stop at Oakdale Cemetery where we were scheduled to perform a memorial service for Ms. Rose O Neal Greenhow. We rode back to the host hotel (Surfside). Picture 7. Thursday s morning ride to the Confederate Monument led to a close up group shot of the people who attended the first person interpretation of Rose O Neal Greenhow and a short dissertation on the history of the Order of Confederate Rose and the Mechanized Cavalry.

5 CONFEDERATE WAR HORSE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 PAGE 5 Picture 8. Meeting started to break up. Picture 8. We missed the second event of the day on Thursday, a memorial ceremony at Oakdale Cemetery intended to honor Rose O Neal Greenhow, because of lightening and a torrential downpour of rain. We got back to the host hotel where the Cheeseburgers were being prepared for an early supper. Picture 9. After the cheeseburger supper we all sat around and listened to a presentation by Bernhard Thuersam, Picture 10. Chairman Meeting in of progress. the NC WBTS Sesquicentennial Commission, on local War of Northern Aggression in and around Fort Fisher and Wilmington, North Carolina.

6 CONFEDERATE WAR HORSE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 PAGE 6 Picture 10. Saturday evening, Bernhard Thuersam delivers his history lesson behind the dunes of Carolina Beach, North Carolina. Picture 11. Just after 9 PM on Thursday evening everyone received a free drink at the first annual Chapter #53 OCR Boardwalk Pub Crawl beginning at the Crow s Nest, a cozy little bar just a short two block walk from the host hotel.

7 CONFEDERATE WAR HORSE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 PAGE 7 Picture 12. Visiting the museum and visitor s center of Ft. Fisher on Friday, we were able to occupy much of the parking lot while we explored the surrounding large gun Batteries. Picture 13. Friday morning we visited Ft Fisher and received a detailed account of the battle there. The riders that made the trip stand on top of the Southern most defensive position, Battery Buchanan.

8 CONFEDERATE WAR HORSE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 PAGE 8 Picture 14. After dinning on chicken pikken with trimmings on Friday some went to the Bakkwoodz Concert at Ft Fishers that evening and some took part in another Pub Crawl. Saturday morning we were treated to a Confederate Walking Tour given by Bernhard Thuersam. We met at the Masonic Hall built in It was the third building to house St. John s Lodge No. 1, A.F. & A.M. until Third floor used by several Masonic Lodges. Receptions held here for Henry Clay (1844), Daniel Webster (1847), and President James K. Polk (1849). Public Hall on second floor, Center for Cultural events, later housed the Wilmington Library Association ( ). First floor occupied by Grocery stores, including the Grocerteria ( ). Troutman s Beauty School of Wilmington ( ) located here. Original Gothic Revival style façade replaced in Picture 15 (right). Wilmington water front. Picture 16. (below) This Baptist Church in Wilmington was the church chosen to house Rose O Neal Greenhow s body before burial at Oakdale Cemetery. On August 19, 1864, Greenhow left Europe to return to the Confederacy, carrying dispatches. She traveled on the Condor, a British blockade runner. On October 1, 1864, the Condor ran aground at the mouth of the Cape Fear River near Wilmington, North Carolina, while being pursued by a Union gunboat, USS Niphon. Fearing capture and reimprisonment, Greenhow fled the grounded ship by rowboat. A wave capsized the rowboat, and Greenhow drowned. She was weighed down by $2,000 worth of gold sewn into her underclothes and hung around her neck, returns from her memoir royalties. When Greenhow's body was recovered from the water near Wilmington, searchers found a small notebook and a copy of her book Imprisonment hidden on her. Inside the book was a note meant for her daughter, Little Rose. She was honored with a military funeral in Wilmington, North Carolina, and the Ladies Memorial Association, in 1888, marked her grave with a cross that read "Mrs. Rose O'Neal Greenhow. A Bearer of Dispatches to the Confederate Government."

9 CONFEDERATE WAR HORSE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 PAGE 9 Picture 17. To the right is the tombstone of Rose O Neal Greenhow and to the right of that is a tourist information sign: Rose Greenhow, Confederate spy and Washington society woman. Drowned near Fort Fisher in 1864 while running Federal blockade. Grave 1 m. NE If you would like to visit Rose, you will have to travel to Oakdale Cemetery in Wilmington where she was buried in October When she was buried, her coffin was wrapped in a Confederate flag and Confederate troops carried her to her final resting place. The marble cross that marks her grave bears the epitaph "Mrs. Rose Greenhow, a bearer of dispatches to the Confederate Government." Picture 18. At 5 PM Saturday afternoon after the walking tour of Wilmington, Major Johnny Strickland baptizes a member (center) of the Order of Confederate Rose. Gregory Kalof (left) helped Johnny bring the OCR lady up from the depths of the pool.

10 CONFEDERATE WAR HORSE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 PAGE 10 Picture 19. At 6 PM on Saturday we were beginning to wind down and had a great sit down with the Pig Pickin with Trimmings. The weather was cooperating with the event. Sure there were some cloudy skies but they usually cleared away. In fact, the little rain that we received during the past four days tended to cool things down. Great food and friendships were served with generous helpings. Next years event will be held in the same place before moving back to Maggie Valley in Picture 20. Prizes and awards were given out after the Pig Picken supper. Colonel Kevin Stone was the master of ceremonies handing out door prizes and awards..

11 CONFEDERATE WAR HORSE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 PAGE 11 Picture 21. Major Johnny Strickland handed out The President s Call to Service Award to (left to right) Captain Bill Starnes, Captain David King, Captain Carroll Tucker, Lt. Col. Gregory Kalof, and Colonel Kevin Stone. These awards were given in recognition and appreciation of commitment to strengthening our Nation and for making a difference through volunteer service Lt CIC Charles Kelly Barrow CIC Michael Givens Picture 22. From Left to Right: Major Mark Hall (new 2nd Battalion Commander) from N.C., Jake Stalcup from Georgia, and Colonel Kevin Stone from N.C. during the give-a-way of door prizes and auction items.

12 CONFEDERATE WAR HORSE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 PAGE 12 Picture 23. (Right.) Newly appointed Major for the 2nd Battalion, Mark Hall from North Carolina. He will be replacing Major William Shaker Robinson from Virginia who resigned back in June.

13 CONFEDERATE WAR HORSE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 PAGE 13 Picture 24. Left: The four members of the Florida Company (3rd Battalion, Company D) pose in front of the sand dunes separating the buildings from the beach. From left to right: Greg Kalof, Joey Davis, David King, Johnny Strickland. I just want to mention that I, Greg Kalof, traveled 866 miles on Wednesday (6am to 9 pm) to be in Carolina Beach that evening. I ll never do that again. I was a wreck when I got to the hotel. I was still vibrating when I went to bed. Picture 25. Members of the 1st Battalion Companies D and G at LaGrange College during the ride to benefit the Oakwood Cemetery in Tuscumbia, Alabama. From left to right Top row: Rebel Dog 1D, Jason Sanders 1G, Kevin Nelms 1G, Mug Frost 1G, Terry Mitchell 1G, Front Gunner 1G and Capt. Pat 1D. No uglies here.

14 CONFEDERATE WAR HORSE AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014 PAGE 14 Colonel Kevin Stone, SCV Mechanized Cavalry Commanding Lt Colonel Gregory Kalof, SCV Mechanized Cavalry, Lt Commander. Confederate War Horse Contributions to the newsletter should be addressed to my address: The content of your report or submission should contain the following: the four w s who, where, what, and when. Please provide pictures because we like to look at pictures and as they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Be sure to identify the people in the pictures: first and last names, mechanized cavalry number, and state if possible. Up Coming Events: 1. Gator Run (5th Annual).October 3-5, 2014: Lake Bistineau State Park, Site 2, 103 State Park Rd, Doyline, Louisiana (see flyer on page 15). 2. Andersonville Parade, October 4, 2014, : Americus, GA. POC Capt. Wayne Scarborough (cell , scar2006@cox.net); Host hotel is Quality Inn, 1205 MLK Blvd, Americus, GA Phone Mention SCVMC for rooms that are blocked off th Annual Arkansas (1 st Bat. Co. J) to be held on Wednesday June 3 rd, 4 th, 5 th, and 6 th in Marble Falls, Arkansas at the Hub Biker Resort. for details th Annual Florida (3 rd Battalion, Company D): Cedar Key, Florida date 2nd week in June, th Annual North Carolina (2 nd Battalion, Company B): date to be announced Maggie Valley, NC st Annual 2018 South Carolina nd Annual 2019 Texas SCV-MC Web site: Sons of Confederate Veterans web site: scv.org/ Editor/Writer: Gregory Kalof, Lt Col. HQ, SCV-MC SW 66 Street,#409 Miami, Florida Phone: gregor999@aol.com

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