Camp Meeting Thursday August 21st, 6 pm at Columbia's

Summer break is over, as we return to regular meetings beginning with our own Commander Sam Flora speaking this Thursday on Morgan's Christmas Raid. Sam has extensive experience researching Kentucky units and their engagements, and has been this camp's guiding light (in many different roles) for 30 years. Come enjoy a meal, fellowship and knowledge with your camp Compatriots this Thursday, August 21st, at Columbia's Steak House in downtown Lexington on N. Limestone, 6 p.m.

Camp Member Burl McCoy Given the SCV's Highest Honor

Like any volunteer organization, the SCV is pretty good at handing out awards, occasionally to the point we make a few jokes about it. However, there are a few awards which are very noteworthy. The heritage defense award is only given to a few, for example. The SCV's second highest award is the Robert E. Lee. It is limited to a maximum of three each year. Only four Kentuckians have received this award in the 39 years it has been given.

The SCV's highest award is the Jefferson Davis Chalice. Only one is given each year, and to be eligible a member must have already received the Robert E. Lee award. Until now, only one Kentuckian (Frank Rankin in 1993) had received the Davis Chalice. Now there are two. 

Congratulations to Camp 100's own Burl McCoy, who has served as the SCV's JAG-in-Chief for 10 years! Those years included the coup and many other trying times. It is an honor well deserved!

Burl asked me not to tell anyone, but I told him that I wasn't going to keep this quiet!

Camp 100 Member Sam Hood to Appear on C-Span

Sam Hood's superb talk on evidence, some recently uncovered some that has been around for a while but seemed to escape the noted historians, which clarifies and even debunks many of the myths and controversies surrounding Gen. John Bell Hood is going to be aired on C-Span 3 July 26th at 6 p.m. and again at 10:00 p.m. EDT. Here is a link to a preview clip: http://series.c-span.org/History/Events/The-Civil-War-Confederate-Gen-John-Bell-Hood/10737444399/

Spread the word.

Camp 100 Now has a You Tube Channel

You Tube is a juggernaut which cannot be ignored; in many ways much more effective at reaching people than Facebook, Twitter and such. Our camp now has a You Tube channel. Our first channel posting is of Kent Masterson Brown's fascinating talk on the specifics of the first Confederate Battle Flag. You can see part 1 (it's posted in two parts) at http://youtu.be/r5cbhEEVEHs

2014 Kentucky Division Reunion Report

Paducah was the site of this year’s reunion; Friday night began with a social at the Tilghman House and Museum; the free tours (thank you!) revealed that tremendous progress continues on the work of repairing and upgrading the house; the upstairs especially has been greatly improved since our last visit. The displays are “museum quality” and the artifacts are significant. In case you weren’t aware, this house and museum are SCV property. It’s a place where we get to tell our story. It’s obvious there has been tremendous community outreach, through events, signage and involvement. Every Kentucky division member should make an effort to visit this unique place.

Saturday the meetings were held at the Trader’s Mall a couple of miles from town; why there, you ask? Because that is next to the site of Kentucky’s only (so far) Interstate Flag project. Visible from a long distance (especially coming from the East) on I-24, the flag and memorial park it rises from are very impressive. One of the major topics in the business meetings was locating a suitable site somewhere else in the state, along I-65, I-75, I-64 etc. The I-69 project is likely to create more traffic on this section of I-24, and new locations we could explore as the rest of 69 is built. If you know of any possible sites, I’m sure Cmdr. Suttles would like to hear from you.

The reunion was well attended, the medals were very nice, and everything was well done. I won’t go into details the minor business matters (of which there were many - allocations for reprinting the “Guide to Confederate Issues in Kentucky”, Commander travel allowance, etc.), but there were items of note:

John Suttles was re-elected our division commander by acclamation, as was our division lt. commander Burl McCoy. This is a testament (in this writer’s humble opinion) to John’s leadership during these last few years, years that weren’t the easiest for our division.

A minor change to the division’s awards was given notice (JAG McCoy determined that the change was not material, so it goes into effect immediately). If there is objection to the change, it should be raised at next year’s business meeting. If you would like a copy of the change, you can contact Cmdr. Suttles.

Russellville was selected as the site of next year’s reunion, date TBD.

The reunion was held in conjunction with observances of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Paducah; I’ll confess I had to leave before these got underway, so if someone could give me a brief report or pictures, I”ll be glad to post them.

Camp 100 was represented by Burl McCoy, Lynn Tucker, David Harbolt and yours truly. Congratulations to the Tilghman Camp on such a fine reunion. Everyone should consider attending next year; Russellville is of course the site of Kentucky’s secession convention.

Don Shelton

Hood Video Online

If you weren't able to attend the meeting where Sam Hood blew away many myths (which had been accepted as fact) about Gen. John Bell Hood, the video is online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nliTeuCcxc

This isn't all of his talk, but it contains the most serious revelations; it's also a crude video, hand held from a smart-phone, so you have to overlook that. However, the information is worth it. If you think you know everything you need to about Gen. Hood, allow me to suggest this video will show you differently. It contains information on original letters uncovered recently which put to lie many things historians have maligned the General over.

March Meeting on the 20th: James Prichard

Our monthly meeting for March will be held on Thursday March 20th at Country Cookin by George, 1801 Alexandria Dr. at 6 p.m. Our speaker will be James Prichard, retired archivist and author who will speak on Morgan's Last Kentucky Raid. James has been a friend of our camp for many years (in the pre-internet 2.0 days most who needed help proving a Kentucky ancestor ended getting that help from James) and is very accomplished in his writings and research. He is a high caliber speaker whom we are fortunate to have, so make plans to attend!. 

Next Meeting February 20th, 2014

The next meeting of our camp will be at our new meeting place, Country Cookin' By George at 6:00 p.m. on February 20th, 2014, speaker to be announced. CCBG is on Alexandria Drive in Lexington.

Confederate Memorial Day June 6th

One of the most important days of the year for our camp will soon be here (and there won’t be another newsletter in between the camp meeting on the 20th, and CMD on June 6th to remind you, so mark your calendars!). We will gather with the ladies of the UDC at the Confederate section of Lexington Cemetery, 3pm on Sunday, June 6th. Always a solemn, beautiful occasion that you’ll want to be a part of. It also presents you with a chance to visit some important gravesites, such as the six Confederate generals interred in the Lexington cemetery (including Breckinridge and Morgan).