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“The flags of the Confederate States of America were very important and a matter of great pride to those citizens living in the Confederacy. They are also a matter of great pride for their descendants as part of their heritage and history.”

Come all and bring your family and friends to learn a little Southern history at the 14th Annual National Confederate Memorial Day Service to be held at Stone Mountain Park on, near Atlanta, on Saturday April 11, 2015 at 1 PM in front of the Carving Reflection Pool. The event is Hosted by: The Georgia Society Military Order of the Stars & Bars. The guest speaker will be: Mr. Michael Shaffer President of the Civil Round Table of Cobb County and member Friends of Camp McDonald. For additional information contact:

Mr. David Denard 706-678-7720 or denardodian@bellsouth.net

The Georgia General Assembly in 2009 officially and permanently designated the month of April as Confederate History and Heritage Month of every year.

April, Confederate History and Heritage Month, is significant as it is the month the War Between the States began (1861) and ended (1865)., and

The Great Locomotive Chase, where Union spies attempted to steal the Confederate Locomotive "The General" and destroy rail lines and bridges, took place on April 12, 1862.

Why do some schools ignore the teaching of American history? Boys and girls once learned about American soldiers who for over 200 years marched off to war. The young people read about: George Washington, Robert E. Lee and Booker T. Washington. Northern and Southern children stood up proudly to sing patriotic songs from a standard song book that included "Dixie".

After the end of the War Between the States, Northern and Southern women formed memorial organizations. They made sure all soldiers were given a Christian burial and a marked grave. Memorial Days were begun in many states North and South of the famous Mason-Dixon Line. Great monuments were also erected that still cast a giant shadow over many town squares and soldiers' cemeteries across the U.S.A.

April 26, has become to be recognized as Confederate Memorial Day in many states. For over one hundred years the Ladies' Memorial Association, United Daughters of the Confederacy and Sons of Confederate Veterans have held memorial services on or near this day.

Efforts to mark Confederate graves, erect monuments and hold memorial services were the idea of Mrs. Charles J. Williams. It is written that she was an educated and kind lady. Her husband served as Colonel of the 1st Georgia Regiment during the war. He died of disease in 1862, and was buried in his home town of Columbus, Georgia.

Mrs. Williams and her daughter visited his grave often and cleared the weeds, leaves and twigs from it, then placed flowers on it. Her daughter also pulled the weeds from other Confederate graves near her Father. It saddened the little girl that their graves were unmarked. With tears of pride she said to her Mother, "These are my soldiers' graves." The daughter soon became ill and passed away in her childhood. Mrs. William's grief was almost unbearable.

On a visit to the graves of her husband and daughter, Mrs. Williams looked at the unkept soldiers' graves and remembered her daughter as she cleaned the graves and what the little girl had said. She knew what had to do. Mrs. Williams wrote a letter that was published in Southern newspapers asking the women of the South for their help. She asked that memorial organizations be established to take care of the thousands of Confederate graves from the Potomac River to the Rio Grande. She also asked the state legislatures to set aside a day in April to remember the men who wore the gray. With her leadership April 26 was officially adopted in many states. She died in 1874, but not before her native state of Georgia adopted it as a legal holiday. It is still officially recognized in Georgia today.

Mrs. Williams was given a full military funeral by the people of Columbus, Georgia and flowers covered her grave. For many years a yearly memorial was conducted at her grave following the soldiers' memorial.

Follow the many Confederate History Month events during April and throughout the year on face book at: http://www.facebook.com/ConfederateHeritageMonth

It has been my pleasure to write many articles pertaining to the America’s past and the Old South land loving called ‘Dixie’ for your reading enjoyment for over 10 years. Thank you to the editors of newspapers and on line folks who have been so kind to publish my letters.

One month ago I was admitted into the hospital and diagnosed with Lymphoma Cancer. Today, through the good doctors and nurses with God and Jesus and family beside me, I am doing much better, doing therapy that will lead me back to good health and ready to write many more articles like the following as long as you the reader enjoy reading them. Remember, people of all races can be proud of their Christian, Southern, Confederate and American Heritage. God bless you, my American family and God bless people of all people who are or wish they were free.

And, now for a good Irish-American story!

Jefferson Davis President of the Confederacy was of Welsh and his Mother Jane Cook of Scotch-Irish descent. A lot has been written about the 150,000 Irishmen who fought for the Union during the War Between the States but do you know about the 30,000 equally brave Irishmen who fought for the Confederacy? It is written that by population a comparable number of Irishmen fought for the Confederacy as did those who supported the Union.

The 8th Alabama Irish Brigade made their mark in history fighting for the Confederacy and is remembered for their Erin Go Braugh! flag with a field of green with Faugh A Ballagh on bottom that is Irish for “clear the way.”

Tuesday, March 17, 2013 is Saint Patrick’s Day and it’s also the 185th birthday of Patrick Ronayne Cleburne.

Among the Union Armies fighting Irish was the 69th New York but….

Did you know the Confederacy’s units included the 10th Louisiana and the 10th Tennessee Infantry which was formed at Fort Henry in 1861 and defended Fort Donelson before becoming part of the Army of Tennessee?

Who was Patrick R. Cleburne?

Patrick Ronayne Cleburne was born on March 17, 1828, in Ovens, County Cork, Ireland. He was an Anglo-Irish soldier who served in the 41st Regiment of Foot of the British Army. He is however best known for his service to the Confederates States of America.

He was only eighteen months old when his Mother died and a young fifteen when his Father passed away. He tried to follow in his Father’s footsteps, Dr. Joseph Cleburne, in the field of medicine but failed his entrance exam to Trinity College of Medicine in 1848. He immigrated to America three years later with two brothers and a sister and made his home in Helena, Arkansas.

In 1860 Cleburne became a naturalized citizen, lawyer and was popular with the residents.

He sided with the Confederacy at the outbreak of the War Between the States and progressed from the rank of private of the local militia to major general.

Cleburne, like many Southerners, did not support the institution of slavery but chose to serve his adopted country out of love for the Southern people and their quest for independence and freedom. In 1864, he advocated the emancipation of Black men to serve in the Confederate Armed Forces.

Cleburne participated in the Battles of Shiloh, Richmond, Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold Gap and Franklin. He was killed at the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee on November 30, 1864.

General Patrick R. Cleburne said before his death:

"If this cause, that is dear to my heart, is doomed to fail, I pray heaven may let me fall with it, while my face is toward the enemy and my arm battling for that which I know is right."

Cleburne was engaged to Susan Tarleton of Mobile, Alabama.

On March 17, 1979, Cleburne’s birthday, I proudly organized the Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne Camp 1361 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Jonesboro, Georgia which is still active.

General Cleburne is buried in Maple Hill Cemetery in Helena, Arkansas.

A good book “A Meteor Shining Brightly” Essays on Maj. Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne” --edited by Mauriel Phillips Joslyn, is a good source of information about Cleburne.

April is Confederate History and Heritage Month. Read more on face book at: https://www.facebook.com/ConfederateHeritageMonth

Please let me call to your attention that Monday, January 19, 2015, is the 208th birthday of Robert E. Lee, whose memory is still dear in the hearts of many Southerners. Why is this man so honored in the South and respected in the North? Lee was even respected by the soldiers of Union blue who fought against him during the War Between the States.

What is your community doing to commemorate the birthday of this great American?

General Lee’s portrait adorns the State Capitol in Atlanta where the Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans hosted their 1st Lee birthday in 1988. The SCV will host their annual Robert E. Lee birthday celebration on Saturday January 17, 2015 at Georgia’s Old Secession Capitol on Greene Street in Milledgeville. Read more at: http://gascv.org/2015-annual-robert-e-lee-birthday-celebration/

During Robert E. Lee's 100th birthday in 1907, Charles Francis Adams, Jr., a former Union Commander and grandson of US President John Quincy Adams, spoke in tribute to Robert E. Lee at Washington and Lee College's Lee Chapel in Lexington, Virginia. His speech was printed in both Northern and Southern newspapers and is said to had lifted Lee to a renewed respect among the American people.

And In Lexington, Virginia events are scheduled for the birthday of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson on January 16th and 17th. Read more at:

http://leejacksonday.webs.com/

Dr. Edward C. Smith, respected African-American Professor of History at American University in Washington, D.C. , told the audience in Atlanta, Ga. during a 1995 Robert E. Lee birthday event, quote 'Dr. Martin Luther King and Robert E. Lee were individuals worthy of emulation because they understood history.' Unquote

During January students, teachers, parents, Joe and Jane America and indeed the world will hear much praise and tribute to the late Civil Rights leader and Baptist Pastor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia…But, will parents and educators also teach young people about General Stonewall Jackson and General Robert E. Lee born during the same month…Will the American Media give fair news coverage to those who honor these two great American-Christian men of Southern valor? Their birthday is not on calendars, but….

Robert E. Lee’s birthday is January 19th and Stonewall Jackson’s is two days later on the 21st. Their memory is still dear in the hearts of many Americans and folks all around God’s good earth.

Booker T. Washington, America's great African-American Educator, wrote in 1910, quote 'The first white people in America, certainly the first in the South to exhibit their interest in the reaching of the Negro and saving his soul through the medium of the Sunday-school were Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.' unquote

American Presidents who have paid tribute to Lee include: Franklin D. Roosevelt, who spoke during the 1930s at a Lee statue dedication in Dallas, Texas, Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower who proudly displayed a portrait of Lee in his presidential office.

During a tour through the South in 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt told the aged Confederate Veterans in Richmond, Virginia, quote, 'Here I greet you in the shadow of the statue of your Commander, General Robert E. Lee. You and he left us memories which are part of the memories bequeathed to the entire nation by all the Americans who fought in the War Between the States.' Unquote

Georgia's famous Stone Mountain carving of Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee was dedicated on May 9, 1970. William Holmes Borders, a noted African-American theologian and pastor of the Wheat Avenue Baptist Church, was asked to give the invocation. The many dignitaries attending this historic event included United States Vice President Spiro Agnew. Thousands of people bring their families each year to see this memorial to these three great Americans.

Who was Robert E. Lee that has been praised by both Black and White Americans and people from around the world?

Robert E. Lee, a man whose military tactics have been studied worldwide, was an American soldier, Educator, Christian gentlemen, husband and father. Lee said quote, 'All the South has ever desired was that the Union, as established by our forefathers, should be preserved, and that the government, as originally organized, should be administered in purity and truth.' Unquote

Robert E. Lee was born on Jan. 19, 1807, at ' Stratford ' in Westmoreland County, Virginia. The winter was cold and the fireplaces were little help for Robert's mother, Ann Hill (Carter) Lee, who suffered from a severe cold. Ann Lee named her son 'Robert Edward' after two of her brothers.

Robert E. Lee undoubtedly acquired his love of country from those who lived during the American Revolution. His Father, 'Light Horse' Harry was a hero of the revolution and served three terms as governor of Virginia and as a member of the United States House of Representatives. Two members of his family also signed the Declaration of Independence.

Lee was educated at the schools of Alexandria, Va., and he received an appointment to West Point Military Academy in 1825. He graduated in 1829, second in his class and without a single demerit.

Robert E. Lee's first assignment was to Cockspur Island, Georgia, to supervise the construction of Fort Pulaski. While serving as 2nd Lieutenant of Engineers at Fort Monroe, Va., Lee wed Mary Ann Randolph Custis. Robert and Mary had grown up together, Mary was the daughter of George Washington Parke Custis, the Grandson of Martha Washington and adopted son of George Washington. Mary was an only child; therefore, she inherited Arlington House, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., where she and Robert E. Lee raised seven children, three boys and four girls.

Army promotions were slow. In 1836, Lee was appointed to first Lieutenant. In 1838, with the rank of Captain, Robert E. Lee fought in the War with Mexico and was wounded at the Battle of Chapultepec.

Lee was appointed Superintendent of West Point in 1852 and is considered one of the best superintendents in that institution's history.

President to-be Abraham Lincoln offered command of the Union army to Lee in 1861, but he refused. He said, 'I cannot raise my hand against my birthplace, my home, my children.'

The Custis-Lee Mansion 'Arlington House' would be occupied by Federals, who would turn the estate into a war cemetery. Today Arlington House is preserved by the National Park Service as a Memorial to Robert E. Lee. Lee served as adviser to President Jefferson Davis, and then on June 1, 1862, commanded the legendary Army of Northern Virginia. After four terrible years of death and destruction, Gen. Robert E. Lee met Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia and ended their battles.

Lee was called Marse Robert, Uncle Robert and Marble Man. Lee was a man of honor, proud of his name and heritage. After the War Between the States, he was offered $50,000 for the use of his name. His reply was: 'Sirs, my name is the heritage of my parents. It is all I have and it is not for sale.' His refusal came at a time when he had nothing.

In the fall of 1865, Lee was offered and accepted the presidency of troubled Washington College in Lexington, Virginia. The school was later renamed Washington and Lee College in his honor.

Robert E. Lee died of a heart attack at 9:30 AM on the morning of October 12, 1870, at Washington College. His last words were 'Strike the tent.' He was 63 years of age.

He is buried at Lee Chapel on the school grounds with his family and near his favorite horse, Traveller. On this his 208th birthday let us ponder the words he wrote to Annette Carter in 1868: 'I grieve for posterity, for American Principles and American liberty.'

Robert E. Lee was a great American who should not be forgotten.

You are very welcome!

The movie “Field of Lost Shoes” will premiere on May 17th.

“Field of Lost Shoes” is about one of the more storied minor battles of the Civil War, when cadets from Virginia Military Institute were hurled into action to stop a Union invasion of their corner of the Shenandoah Valley. Read more at: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2014/09/26/0926-field-of-shoes-review.html

September through October is Hispanic Heritage month and an Atlanta TV station is currently airing Hispanic Heritage Month tributes. Will the American media that are doing Hispanic segments include the story of Moses Jacob Ezekiel who had a Jewish-Hispanic Heritage and who marched with his fellow VMI Cadets to engage the Yankee invasion at the Battle of New Market?

Are children taught about such great Americans like Moses Ezekiel?

Moses J. Ezekiel was born in Richmond, Virginia on October 28, 1844. He was one of fourteen children born to Jacob and Catherine De Castro Ezekiel. His grandparents came to America from Holland in 1808, and were of Jewish-Spanish Heritage.

At the age of 16, and the beginning of the War Between the States, Moses begged his father and mother to allow him to enroll at Virginia Military Institute.

Three years after his enrollment at (VMI) the cadets of the school marched to the aid of Confederate General John C. Breckinridge. Moses Ezekiel joined his fellow cadets in a charge against the Yankee lines at the "Battle of New Market."

When the War Between the States ended, Moses went back to Virginia Military Institute to finish his studies where he graduated in 1866. According to his letters, which are now preserved by the American Jewish Historical Society, Ezekiel met with Robert E. Lee during this time. Lee encouraged him by saying, "I hope you will be an artist.....do earn a reputation in whatever profession you undertake.

The world famous Arlington National Cemetery is located in Virginia and overlooks the Potomac River. At section 16, of the cemetery, is a beautiful Confederate Monument that towers over the graves of 450 Southern soldiers, wives and civilians. These words are inscribed on the memorial:

"Not for fame or reward, not for place or for rank, Not lured by ambition, or goaded by necessity, But in simple obedience to duty, as they understood it, These men sacrificed all, dared all....and died."

The United Daughters of the Confederacy entered into a contract with Moses J. Ezekiel to build this Confederate Monument at Arlington National Cemetery. It is written that he based his work on the words of Prophet Isaiah, "And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks."

This Confederate Memorial towers 32 and 1/2 feet and is said to be the tallest bronze sculpture at Arlington National Cemetery. On top is a figure of a woman, with olive leaves covering her head, representing the South. She also holds a laurel wreath in her left hand, remembering the Sons of Dixie. On the side of the monument is also a depiction of a Black Confederate marching in step with white soldiers.

Ezekiel was not able to come to the dedication of the monument held on June 4, 1914, with President Woodrow Wilson presiding. Many Union and Confederate soldiers were in attendance among the crowd of thousands.

Moses Jacob Ezekiel studied to be an artist in Italy. As a tribute to his great works, he was knighted by Emperor William I of Germany and Kings Humbert I and Victor Emmanuel, II of Italy---thus the title of "Sir." Among the works of Sir Moses J. Ezekiel are: "Christ Bound for the Cross", "The Martyr", "David Singing his song of Glory" and "Moses Receiving the Law on Mount Sinai."

Upon his death in 1917, Moses Ezekiel left behind his request to be buried with his Confederates at Arlington. A burial ceremony was conducted on March 31, 1921, at the amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery. It was presided over by the United States Secretary of War John W. Weeks. He was laid to rest at the foot of the memorial that he had sculptured. Six VMI cadets flanked his casket that was covered with an American flag.

The death of Moses Ezekiel, the distinguished and greatly loved American, who lived in Rome for more than forty years, caused universal regret here----1921, The New York Times Dispatch from Rome, Italy.

The following is inscribed on his grave marker:

"Moses J. Ezekiel Sergeant of Company C Battalion of Cadets of the Virginia Military Institute."

Did you know that Roger Staubach--one of the greatest NFL Quarterbacks of all times--last played for Coach Tom Landry and the Dallas Cowboys in 1979?

The Dukes of Hazzard premiered the same year on the CBS Television Network starring the Dodge Charger-01 the “General Lee” that beautifully featured a Confederate battle flag on the roof and Dixie horn. The show was narrated by a legend of country music Waylon Jennings who sang the introduction song ‘Good Ole Boys’ which ended with a spectator car jump and a Rebel Ye’ll of a ‘Yee Hah’ from the Duke boys.

And in 1979 the country music brother-duo the ‘Bellamy Brothers’ released their song “You ain’t just whistling Dixie.”

Do you remember when Waffle House restaurants included Elvis Presley’s ‘Dixie-An American Trilogy’ on the jukebox where you could play six songs for a buck? Dixie was always my first selection and on one occasion brought cheer to a customer who whistled the song as he exited the building.

During America’s Bi-Centennial, in the year of our Lord 1976, ‘Dixie’ was played during the Brave’s baseball games at Atlanta’s old Fulton County Stadium and that same year by the Atlanta NBC TV affiliate in promotion of the NBC Television premiere of Gone With the Wind. Dixie was also played by the Lawrence Welk Band with George Cates conducting on a Welk show in 1976 commemorating America’s Bi-Centennial.

Sadly, Dixie is rarely heard anymore, and….

A recent newspaper headline reads “Howard County Schools disciplines student who displayed Confederate flag at game.” Read complete story at:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/howard-superintendent-responds-to-display-of-confederate-flag-at-football-game/2014/09/09/a3903f22-3833-11e4-8601-97ba88884ffd_story.html

What happened to those days when it was cool for bands to play Dixie at both Northern and Southern schools while students cheered and waved Confederate flags? It was even cool for Rock, Country, Blues, Jazz and Big Bands to play America’s song Dixie that included Hank Williams, Jr. singing ‘Dixie on My Mind’; Dwight Yoakum’s ‘I Sang Dixie’ and hush my mouth Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ with the Confederate Battle flag hanging on the back drop.

Autumn-time is the time for football….But, gone are the days when school bands played Dixie, like the Dixie Redcoat Marching Band did at University of Georgia Bull Dog games, and….

The Ole Miss Cheerleaders and their school Mascot Colonel Reb that lifted the spirit of fans who waved Confederate flags and cheered to the band playing Dixie. Unfortunately, Colonel Reb has been replaced by a bear, flag waving has been discouraged and Dixie is rarely heard anymore. Some say this was done in the spirit of diversity. But, doesn’t diversity supposed to include everyone including: Black, White, Hispanic, Jewish and Native American folks from the South whose Confederate ancestors fought during the War Between the States?

Do you know the history of the song Dixie that is a joyful sound of inspiration and pride for many people? In 1859, Ohio Native Dan Emmett first performed “Dixie” in New York City to an enthusiastic-cheerful crowd. Two years later, on February 18, 1861, the band played Dixie at the Inauguration of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Montgomery, Alabama, and….

On April 14, 1865, after General Robert E. Lee’s surrender, President Abraham Lincoln said: “Now Let the Band Play Dixie; it belongs neither to the South, nor to the North but to us all.”---New York Times Sunday Magazine, August 11, 1907.

For 150 years American school bands have played Dixie including the Milton High school ‘Dixie Eagles’ Band that performed Dixie at the invitation and inauguration of the late Lester G. Maddox as Governor of Georgia in January 1967.

In a cemetery in Mount Vernon Ohio lies Dan Emmett, the Composer of Dixie, whose headstone reads: "Daniel Decatur Emmett 1815 - 1904 whose song ‘Dixie Land’ inspired the courage and devotion of the Southern people and now thrills the hearts of a reunited nation." Three miles North of Emmett’s grave is the burial ground of Ben and Lew Snowden of a Black musical family. On their tombstone are the words “They taught Dixie to Dan Emmett.”

The Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans http://150wbts.org/ commemorates the 150th Anniversary of the War Between the States.

Let the Band Play Dixie!

The first woman to be recorded in the Congressional Record “Mildred Lewis Rutherford” was 10 years young at the outbreak of the American War Between the States in 1861. Fifty-five years later she said in a 1916 speech:

“The civilization of the Old South was very different from the civilization of today. There was leisure then to think, to read and to meditate. There was time to be thoughtful of others, to be courteous, to be polite. In this rushing life of today we have lost the social graces, the charming manners, the art of letter writing, the gift of conversation. It is now hurry, hurry to keep up with the telegraph, the telephone, the type writer, the phonograph, the automobile, the moving picture shows, yes, and the flying machine, too.”

Miss Rutherford lived during a time when people were closer and the pace was slower!

“Miss Rutherford writes often about the Confederacy, and Southern traditions, and was overall a champion of all things Southern. While her writings may not be politically correct in today’s world, they are an important look into her era and document views and events from someone who lived through them and knew people who did.”---Kenneth H. Thomas, Jr., Genealogy Columnist, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

Mildred Lewis Rutherford’s writings are not politically correct but are historically accurate.

Let me tell you about a great Southern author and educator Mildred Lewis Rutherford who was born on July 16, 1851 on South Lumpkin Street in Athens, Georgia. She also served as Historian-General of the United Daughters of the Confederacy http://www.hqudc.org/ and she was the first woman to be recorded in the Congressional Record by a speech she made in 1916 to the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Rutherford, served the Lucy Cobb Institute http://en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Lucy_Cobb_Institute in Athens, Georgia as its head and in other capacities, for over forty years, and oversaw the addition of the Seney-Stovall Chapel to the school.

Rutherford was the daughter of Laura Cobb Rutherford and Williams Rutherford, a professor of mathematics at the University of Georgia. She was the niece of Howell Cobb and the legendary Thomas R.R. Cobb who was one of the founders of the University of Georgia School of Law. He codified Georgia’s state laws and wrote the wartime state Constitution of 1861. See more at:

http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/government/related_article/constitutions/georgia-constitution-of-1861

Rutherford proudly held Pro-Confederate views of the South’s quest for independence. She was known to be a great Orator and wore Southern-Belle attire when delivering her memorable speeches. She is said to have had a powerful personality, commanding presence and very outspoken in her opinions.

She entered the Lucy Cobb Institute at the age of eight and graduated from there in 1868.

Mildred Lewis Rutherford first taught in Atlanta, Georgia for eight years and then served as principal of the Lucy Cobb Institute in Athens, Georgia from 1880 to 1895. Under her direction the school turned out students with the best traits of the Old Southern Belle and New South womanhood. A Lucy Cobb commencement speaker argued that women ought to be allowed into more professions.

Rutherford was a strong Southern Baptist who believed in morality in her textbooks and wasn’t shy in criticizing authors who openly expressed sexuality in their books or lived their lives in a manner she found to be immoral. Mildred Lewis Rutherford is best known for her Confederate memorial activities and for her books on the South. She wrote twenty-nine widely read books and pamphlets, including The South in History and Literature (1907); What the South May Claim; or, Where the South Leads (1916); King Cotton: The True History of Cotton and the Cotton Gin (1922); and The South Must Have Her Rightful Place in History (1923).

Rutherford died on August 15, 1928 and was buried on Oconee Hill Cemetery in Athens, Georgia. The eulogy in the Confederate Veteran magazine read as follows: As an active member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy from its organization, she was known as a leader in the work in the Georgia Division and was honored by high office in Chapter and Division, and had been made Life Historian of that Division. For five years she served as Historian General, U.D.C., and made that office one of the most important in the general organization, by which she was later made Honorary President. She was President of the Ladies Memorial Association of Athens, Ga., from 1888 to her death, and had been Historian General, C.S.M.A., since 1921; and she was also an officer of the Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial Association. The University of Georgia, with which her father was long connected, some years ago conferred upon her its honorary degree, an honor proudly received. [Page 368-9, Confederate Veteran, Vol. 36 No. 9, September 1928.]

Please read: Rutherford’s “Truths of History, A Historical Perspective of the Civil War from the Southern Viewpoint” with introductions by Mauriel P. Joslyn and J.H. Segars.

The Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans joins the nation in remembering the War Between the States Sesquicentennial http://150wbts.org/ through 2015.

May 2014 also marks the Sesquicentennial “150th Anniversary” of the first military burials conducted at Arlington National Cemetery.

On March 4, 1921, Congress approved the burial of an unidentified American soldier from World War I in the plaza of the new Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington and a Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony is held at what has become known as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Inscribed on the back of the Tomb are the words: “Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.” Read more about Arlington at: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/visitorinformation/TombofUnknowns.aspx

And since President Woodrow Wilson a wreath has also been sent to the Confederate section of Arlington where a beautiful Southern monument towers 32.5 feet with an inscription with the words “An Obedience To Duty As They Understood It; These Men Suffered All; Sacrificed All and Died!

The first Memorial Day may have taken place in the South where ladies groups cared for both Confederate and Union graves.

A hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead." Read more at: http://www.patriotledger.com/x1070017938/Iraq-Afghanistan-war-tribute-index

Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for those who fought for the Confederacy and Union during the War Between the States. It is also the burial place for men and women who fought our nation's wars since the War Between the States.

There are over 245,000 Servicemen and Women, including their families, buried at Arlington.

The Union burial site at Arlington National Cemetery is located at (section 13). Also those buried at Arlington include: President John F. Kennedy, General Jonathan M. Wainwright, Actor-War Hero Audie Murphy and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

About the turn of the century 1900 the USA also honored the men who fought for the Confederacy. The burial site for Dixie's soldiers is located at (section 16).

Some people claim the Confederate monument at Arlington may have been the first to honor Black Confederates. Carved on this monument is the depiction of a Black Confederate who is marching with the white soldiers. In 1898, President William McKinley, a former Union soldier, spoke in Atlanta, Georgia and said, "In the spirit of Fraternity it was time for the North to share in the care of the graves of former Confederate soldiers.”

In consequence to his speech, by act of the United States Congress, a portion of Arlington National Cemetery was set aside for the burial of Confederate soldiers. At this time 267 Confederate remains from and near Washington, D.C. were removed and re-interred at this new site at Arlington.

In 1906, The United Daughters of the Confederacy asked for permission from William Howard Taft to erect a Confederate monument. Taft was at the time serving as the United States Secretary of War and was in charge of National Cemeteries.

With permission the Arlington Confederate Memorial Association was formed and the ladies of the UDC were given authority to oversee work on the monument.

An agreement and contract was made with Sir Moses J. Ezekiel who was a Jewish Confederate Veteran by the record of his service at the Battle of New Market while he was a cadet at Virginia Military Institute. Work started at his workshop in Italy in 1910, and upon his death in 1917, the Great Sculptor, was brought back home and buried near the base of the Arlington Confederate Monument.

In 1914 the Arlington monument was unveiled to a crowd of thousands that included former Union and Confederate soldiers.

This memorial event was presided over by President Woodrow Wilson and the people applauded the stirring speeches given by: General Bennett H. Young---Commander In Chief of the United Confederate Veterans, General Washington Gardner---Commander In Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, Colonel Robert E. Lee---grandson of General Robert E. Lee and Mrs. Daisy McLaurin Stevens President General of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

The Arlington Confederate Monument unveiling was concluded by a 21 gun salute and the monument was officially given to the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the UDC gave it back to the United States War Department for keeping and was accepted by President Woodrow Wilson who said:

"I am not so happy as PROUD to participate in this capacity on such an occasion---proud that I represent such a people."

Lest We Forget!

“The flags of the Confederate States of America were very important and a matter of great pride to those citizens living in the Confederacy. They are also a matter of great pride for their descendants as part of their heritage and history.”

You ain’t just whistling Dixie!

Memorial Day in America was first held in the South in honor of both the soldiers of Confederate gray and Union blue.

Some folks call the War Between the States, 1861-1865, a lost cause but stories of the heroic—brave men and women who stood for Southern Independence are still cherished in the hearts and souls of many people throughout the South.

Saturday, April 26th is Confederate Memorial Day in Georgia and other states.

The only surviving copy of the permanent Constitution of the Confederate States of America — a part of the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library collections — will be displayed a day earlier on Friday April 25 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Richard B. Russell Special Collections Libraries at the University of Georgia, 300 S. Hull Street, Athens, Georgia. Read more at:

http://www.libs.uga.edu/blog/?p=8612

Confederate Memorial Day has been a legal holiday in Georgia since 1874 by an act of the Georgia General Assembly and bill signed by then Governor James Smith, who also served as Confederate Colonel, Lawyer and Congressman.

Some say one of the first Confederate Memorial Days took place in Columbus, Mississippi on April 25, 1866. Today, it is held on April 26th in some states and May and June in others. For over 100 years the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Ladies Memorial Association have kept the memory of the Confederate soldier eternal.

Southern newspapers once reported Confederate soldiers marching in Confederate Memorial Day parades and sounding off with a husky Rebel Yell of "Yip, yip, yip" that turned the tides of many battles.

There was a time when businesses and schools closed in observance of Confederate Memorial Day. It was a day when many thousands of people would congregate at the Confederate cemetery for the day's events that included: a parade, memorial speeches, military salute and children laying flowers on the soldiers' graves. The band played "Dixie" and the soldier played taps.

Today, those of little knowledge about those men of gray attack the Confederate flag that was bravely carried in many battles...And they want the Confederate flag removed from the Confederate statue at the State Capitol in Columbia, South Carolina. When the soldiers of Blue and Gray walked the earth, few criticized these men. Did you know that Black Confederate soldiers are buried at a historic Black College for men in Atlanta, Georgia? April is Confederate History and Heritage Month. Read more on face book at: https://www.facebook.com/ConfederateHeritageMonth

April is also the time for enjoying hot dogs, baseball and remembering the sons and daughters of the South during Confederate History and Heritage Month.

If you have not visited Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta, Georgia and seen the beautiful Confederate Memorial carving of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson you should plan a visit for your family. Make your plans to attend the Annual National Confederate Memorial Day observance on Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 1 PM in front of the magnificent carving. Read more on face book at: https://www.facebook.com/events/467817253329352/

Tennessee Senator Edward Ward Carmack said it best in 1903; “The Confederate Soldiers were our kinfolk and our heroes. We testify to the country our enduring fidelity to their memory. We commemorate their valor and devotion. There were some things that were not surrendered at Appomattox. We did not surrender our rights and history; nor was it one of the conditions of surrender that unfriendly lips should be suffered to tell the story of that war or that unfriendly hands should write the epitaphs of the Confederate dead. We have the right to teach our children the true history of the war, the causes that led up to it and the principles involved.

The War Between the States “1861-1865” claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of brothers, husbands and sons. Though enemies on the battlefield, after the war, the men of Yankee blue and Confederate gray sponsored reunions at such places as Gettysburg. The soldiers told war stories while the United States and Confederate flags flew briskly in the warm summer breeze.

After the War Between the States, Northern and Southern women formed memorial organizations. They made sure all soldiers were given a Christian burial and a marked grave. Memorial Days were begun in many states North and South of the famous Mason-Dixon Line. Confederate graves were also cared for in the North and Union graves in the South. Great monuments were also erected that still cast a giant shadow over many town squares and soldiers' cemeteries across the U.S.A.

April 26, has become to be recognized as Confederate Memorial Day in many states. For over one hundred years the Ladies' Memorial Association, United Daughters of the Confederacy and Sons of Confederate Veterans have held memorial services on or near this day. Other Southern States recognize this day, which began as Decoration Day, on May 10th and June 3rd.

Efforts to mark Confederate graves, erect monuments and hold memorial services was the idea of Mrs. Charles J. Williams. It is written that she was an educated and kind lady. Her husband served as Colonel of the 1st Georgia Regiment during the war. He died of disease in 1862, and was buried in his home town of Columbus, Georgia.

Mrs. Williams and her daughter visited his grave often and cleared the weeds, leaves and twigs from it, then placed flowers on it. Her daughter also pulled the weeds from other Confederate graves near her Father.

It saddened the little girl that their graves were unmarked. With tears of pride she said to her Mother, "These are my soldiers' graves." The daughter soon became ill and passed away in her childhood. Mrs. William's grief was almost unbearable.

On a visit to the graves of her husband and daughter, Mrs. Williams looked at the unkept soldiers' graves and remembered her daughter as she cleaned the graves and what the little girl had said. She knew what had to do. Mrs. Williams wrote a letter that was published in Southern newspapers asking the women of the South for their help. She asked that memorial organizations be established to take care of the thousands of Confederate graves from the Potomac River to the Rio Grande. She also asked the state legislatures to set aside a day in April to remember the men who wore the gray. With her leadership April 26 was officially adopted in many states. She died in 1874, but not before her native state of Georgia adopted it as a legal holiday.

Those who served the Confederacy came from many races and religions. There was Irish born General Patrick R. Cleburne, black Southerner Amos Rucker, Jewish born Judah P. Benjamin, Mexican born Colonel Santos Benavides, American Indian General Stand Watie who was born in Rome, Georgia and Scottish born Confederate nurse Kate Cumming.

April is Confederate History and Heritage Month. Read more on face book at: https://www.facebook.com/ConfederateHeritageMonth

He was nicknamed “Stonewall Jackson of the West” during America’s War Between the States.

Monday March 17, 2013 is Saint Patrick’s Day and it’s also the 186th birthday of one of Ireland’s sons Patrick Ronayne Cleburne.

A statue of Cleburne was unveiled in the year of our Lord 2009 at Confederate Park in Ringgold, Georgia and a life-size bronze statue of General Patrick R. Cleburne was unveiled in 2012 at the Helena Museum of Phillips County, Arkansas. The Patrick R. Cleburne Confederate cemetery in Jonesboro, Georgia is also named for him.

There has been much written about the 150,000 Irishmen who fought for the Union during the War Between the States “1861-1865” but did you there were 30,000 equally brave Irishmen who fought for the Confederacy? It is written that by population a comparable number of Irishmen fought for the Confederacy as did those who supported the Union.

The 8th Alabama Irish Brigade made their mark in history fighting for the Confederacy and is remembered for their Erin Go Braugh! flag with a field of green with Faugh A Ballagh on bottom that is Irish for “clear the way.”

Among the Union Armies fighting Irish was the 69th New York but….

Did you know the Confederacy’s units included the 10th Louisiana and the 10th Tennessee Infantry which were formed at Fort Henry in 1861 and defended Fort Donelson before becoming part of the Army of Tennessee?

Patrick Ronayne Cleburne was born on March 17, 1828, in Ovens, County Cork, Ireland. He was an Anglo-Irish soldier who served in the 41st Regiment of Foot of the British Army. He is however best known for his service to the Confederates States of America.

He was only eighteen months old when his Mother died and only fifteen when his Father passed away. He tried to follow in his Father’s footsteps, Dr. Joseph Cleburne, in the field of medicine but failed his entrance exam to Trinity College of Medicine in 1848. He immigrated to America three years later with two brothers and a sister and made his home in Helena, Arkansas.

In 1860 Cleburne became a naturalized citizen, lawyer and was popular with the residents.

He sided with the Confederacy at the outbreak of the War Between the States and progressed from the rank of private of the local militia to major general.

Cleburne, like many Southerners, did not support the institution of slavery but chose to serve his adopted country out of love for the Southern people and their quest for independence. In 1864, he advocated the emancipation of Black men to serve in the Confederate Armed Forces.

Cleburne participated in the Battles of Shiloh, Richmond, Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold Gap and Franklin. He was killed at the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee on November 30, 1864 while charging the enemy lines with his sword held high.

Yankee troops were quoted as dreading to see the blue flag of Cleburne’s Division on the battlefield. General Robert E. Lee referred to him as “a meteor shining in the clouded sky”.

William J. Hardee, Cleburne's former corps commander, had this to say when he learned of his loss: "Where this division defended, no odds broke its line; where it attacked, no numbers resisted its onslaught, save only once; and there is the grave of Cleburne.”

Gen. Cleburne was engaged to Susan Tarleton of Mobile, Alabama. Cleburne is buried in Maple Hill Cemetery in Helena, Arkansas.

A good book “A Meteor Shining Brightly” Essays on Maj. Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne” --edited by Mauriel Phillips Joslyn, is a good source of information about Cleburne.

April is Confederate History and Heritage Month. Read more on face book at: https://www.facebook.com/ConfederateHeritageMonth

Why do some people tend to always get upset over the display or flying of the Confederate flag?

The recent approval of the Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans Georgia State specialty car tag is a good thing and the polls show a high approval rating with the folks. The design of the tag is beautiful with the Confederate flag that is the Southern soldier’s cherished banner and the official symbol of the “SCV” Sons of Confederate Veterans organization that was founded in 1896 by the “UCV” United Confederate Veterans.

In America, the land of the free and home of the brave, we all have a God given right to our opinion but do we really know the true story about the men and women who fought for the Old Confederacy?

The Confederate States of America 1861-1865 and was a nation of Black, White, Hispanic, Jewish, Native American and even Chinese soldiers. Why did these men lay down their lives for the South? They did so because their peaceful-independent Southern nation was invaded by a foreign nation. They fought for God, family, country and their way of life.

Some say today the Confederate flag has been hijacked by people of racist intent but if the truth be known, some have also used the United States flag for less than patriotic purposes. Should the United States flag also be banned? Of course not and neither should the Confederate flag.

There are many men and women today like: Mr. H.K. Edgerton, Mr. Nelson Winbush, Miss Karen Cooper, Susan Hathaway and many more who spend a great deal of their time talking to people, especially the young people, about the true history of the Confederacy and they find friends everywhere who re enlightened by their knowledge of the past.

Edgerton, Winbush and Copper are also Black! Mr. Winbush’s Maternal Confederate Grandfather Louis Napoleon Nelson fought with General Nathan Bedford Forrest and both Winbush and Edgerton are members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

The War Between the States was not about slavery! There could not be a better time for the new Georgia Division SCV Heritage tag as the month of April is Confederate History and Heritage Month in Georgia and many other states. See us on face book at:

http://www.facebook.com/ConfederateHeritageMonth

Those Georgian’s who do not want to purchase a Georgia Division SCV tag doesn’t have to but those who are proud of our Southern Heritage have a right to!

The Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans joins the nation in remembering the Sesquicentennial, 150th Anniversary, of the War Between the States. Read more at: http://www.150wbts.org/

The motion picture capitol of the world Hollywood, California as well as the rest of America and the world are a little poorer with the loss of so many great American and foreign actors including the recent deaths of Ralph Waite who played the Father on the long running CBS TV family classic hit “The Walton’s” and the sweet heart of the silver screen “The Littlest Rebel” Shirley Temple.

Do you remember when….

We flocked to the movies to see our favorite actors that included child stars like: Shirley Temple, Margaret O’Brien, Jackie Cooper, Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Roddy McDowall and Elizabeth Taylor whose movies through the magic of television are still enjoyed by new generations of movie lovers?

The movie “Lassie Come Home” with McDowall and Taylor is a tear jerker and….

Shirley Temple made us laugh and cry in such memorable movies like “The Littlest Rebel” where she gets a rise out of Union Commander Colonel Morrison by wearing a Confederate cap and singing Dixie.

Later in the movie after Morrison tries to help her and her father and Shirley tells him “You're nice enough to be a Confederate”!

And, who can ever forget the wonderful dancing team of Miss Shirley Temple and Mr. Bill “Bojangles” Robinson in movies like: “The Littlest Rebel”, “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm” and “The Little Colonel.” In the “Little Colonel” Shirley stars alongside legendary Lionel Barrymore who plays a stubborn but proud Old Kentucky Colonel. The movie was made in black and white except for the ending that was photographed in “Technicolor” with the band playing Dixie.

The Golden Age of Hollywood was a wonderful time with great actors like: Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Robert Taylor, Gary Cooper and Joan Crawford, but…. A cute-curly haired little girl with an beautiful smile would beat them all at the box office during the Depression Era of 1935 and 1938 and was credited for helping save 20th Century-Fox from bankruptcy with such films as “Curly Top” and “The Littlest Rebel.” Shirley Temple, little dimple face, who stole the hearts of movie goers, has sadly died at age 85.

In 1999, the American Film Institute ranking of the top 50 screen legends ranked Shirley Temple at No. 18 among the 25 actresses.

In 1934, Shirley starred in "Little Miss Marker," and in "Bright Eyes," Temple introduced "On the Good Ship Lollipop" that also starred Jane Withers that helped Withers on her way to also become a big child star.

Shirley Temple was an actor, a diplomat, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and wife for fifty-five years to the late Charles Alden Black.

America and indeed the whole world misses you Miss Shirley Temple. During these crazy times we could use a dose of Mickey Rooney, Margaret O’Brien and Miss Shirley Temple to make our day a just a little brighter.

God bless those grand ole stars of yesterday!

February is Black History Month and America will not forget her past!

This Black History Month tribute is dedicated in memory of Atlanta, Georgia native and friend Eddie Brown Page, 111. Eddie was a Black Historian who loved American history “not political correctness” and knew the true stories about the men and women who bravely carried the United States and Confederate flags into battle.

The stories about Billy Yank and Johnny Reb of color should be shared during Black History Month by teachers, students, parents, historians and all who love the true history. Please read the Sons of Confederate Veterans information sheet about Black Confederates at:

http://www.scv.org/documents/edpapers/blackhistory.pdf

Black Americans today like: Mr. H.K. Edgerton from North Carolina, Mr. Nelson Winbush from Florida and Professor Edward Smith from Washington, D.C. teach the true history of the South and the USA. Mr. Winbush’s Maternal Confederate Grandfather Louis Napoleon Nelson fought with General Nathan Bedford Forrest and Winbush and Edgerton are both members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Mr. Edgerton is also past president of a North Carolina Chapter of the NAACP. Read more about Mr. Edgerton at: http://www.southernheritage411.com/

Black Confederate Soldiers included men like: Amos Rucker who fought alongside his Southern Comrades and upon his death in 1905 was buried with full honors with his Confederate gray uniform and casket draped with the Confederate Battle flag. His long missing grave marker at Atlanta’s Southview Cemetery was remarked in 2006 by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. http://gascv.org/

The 1989 movie “Glory” educated us about the Black men who fought in the Union Army during the War Between the States…But, where are the movies about the Black men who served the Southern Confederacy? Did you know that Black units were segregated in the Union army but Black soldiers were integrated in the Confederate Army?

Mr. Ed Bearss, who served as Chief Historian of the National Park Service from 1981 to 1994 said:

“I don’t want to call it a conspiracy to ignore the role of Blacks both above and below the Mason-Dixon Line, but it was definitely a tendency that began around 1910.”

Did you know that….

Frederick Douglas, a former slave, made an interesting but accurate statement in 1861, saying:

“It is now pretty well established, that there are at the present moment many colored men in the Confederate army doing duty not only as cooks, servants and laborers, but as real soldiers, having muskets on their shoulders, and bullets in their pockets, ready to shoot down loyal troops, and do all that soldiers may to destroy the Federal Government and build up that of the traitors and rebels. There were such soldiers at Manassas, and they are probably there still.”

Some people today call for the removal of Southern monuments but do they know that….

In Mississippi on February 1, 1890, an appropriation for a monument to the Confederate dead was being considered. A delegate had just spoken against the bill, when John F. Harris, a Black Republican delegate from Washington, county, rose to speak:

"Mr. Speaker! I have risen in my place to offer a few words on the bill.

I have come from a sick bed. Perhaps it was not prudent for me to come. But sir, I could not rest quietly in my room without contributing a few remarks of my own.

I was sorry to hear the speech of the young gentlemen from Marshall County. I am sorry that any son of a soldier would go on record as opposed to the erections of a monument in honor of the brave dead. And, Sir, I am convinced that had he seen what I saw at Seven Pines, and in the Seven Day's fighting around Richmond, the battlefield covered with mangled forms of those who fought for this country and their country's honor, he would not have made the speech.

When the news came that the South had been invaded, those men went forth to fight for what they believed, and they made not requests for monuments. But they died, and their virtues should be remembered.

Sir, I went with them. I, too, wore the gray, the same color my master wore. We stayed for four long years, and if that war had gone on till now I would have been there yet. I want to honor those brave men who died for their convictions.

When my Mother died I was a boy. Who, Sir, then acted the part of Mother to the orphaned slave boy, but my old Missus! Were she living now, or could speak to me from those high realms where are gathered the sainted dead, she would tell me to vote for this bill. And, Sir, I shall vote for it. I want it known to all the world that my vote is given in favor of the bill to erect a monument in HONOR OF THE CONFEDERATE DEAD."

When the applause died down, the measure passed overwhelmingly, and every Black member voted "AYE."

Confederate History and Heritage Month is coming in April. Please read more at: https://www.facebook.com/ConfederateHeritageMonth

Fess Parker played “Davy Crockett” on TV, American school and military bands played “Dixie” and the late country music legend Johnny Cash sang “God Bless Robert E. Lee” that includes these words:

“I won't ever stop loving you my Dixie till they put me in the ground. And the last words they probably hear from me are God bless Robert E Lee.”

What was General Robert E. Lee’s favorite war horse? See answer at end of article.

January is a historic month of history when students, teachers, parents, Joe and Jane America and the world will hear much praise in memorial tribute to the Civil Rights leader and Baptist Pastor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who was born on the 15th day of January, in the year of our Lord, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia…. But, shouldn’t local, state and national news institutions also give fair and equal treatment and coverage to those who will remember the birthdays of General’s Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee who were also born during the month of January?

There will be memorial tributes to honor Dr. Martin Luther King in January and….

General Robert E. Lee will be memorialized in Lexington, Virginia with a tribute to both him and Stonewall Jackson on January 17th and 18th. Read more at: http://leejacksonday.webs.com/

The Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans will again sponsor their annual Robert E. Lee Birthday Commemorative on Saturday January 18, 2014 at the Old Capitol Building, 201 E. Greene St., Milledgeville, Georgia. The parade route will assemble at 10:30 a.m. at the Old Governor's Mansion on W. Hancock Street and proceed through downtown to the Old Capitol on East Greene St.

The ceremony should begin around 11:00 a.m. at the Old Capitol where Georgia voted to secede from the Union in 1861. Read more at: http://gascv.org/robert-e-lee-celebration/#comment-4

During Robert E. Lee's 100th birthday in 1907, Charles Francis Adams, Jr., a former Union Army Commander and grandson of United States President John Quincy Adams, spoke in tribute to Robert E. Lee at Washington and Lee College's Lee Chapel in Lexington, Virginia. His speech was printed in both Northern and Southern newspapers and is said to had lifted Lee to a renewed respect among the American people.

Could you imagine the President of the United States, members of Congress or A Northern Veteran speaking publicly today in tribute to General Lee like Commander Adams and President Theodore Roosevelt did while touring the South in 1905?....The president told an aged group of Confederate Veterans in Richmond, Virginia:

“Here I greet you in the shadow of the statue of your Commander, General Robert E. Lee. You and he left us memories which are part of the memories bequeathed to the entire nation by all the Americans who fought in the War Between the States.”

Who was Robert E. Lee?

Robert E. Lee was born on Jan. 19, 1807, at “Stratford” in Westmoreland County, Virginia. The winter was cold and the fireplaces were little help for Robert's mother, Ann Hill (Carter) Lee, who suffered from a severe cold. Ann Lee named her son "Robert Edward" after her two brothers.

Lee was educated at the schools of Alexandria, Va., and also received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York in 1825. He graduated in 1829, second in his class and without a single demerit.

Robert E. Lee's first assignment was to Cockspur Island, Georgia, to supervise the construction of Fort Pulaski.

Robert E. Lee wed Mary Anna Randolph Custis in June 1831. Robert and Mary had grown up together. Mary was the daughter of George Washington Parke Custis, the grandson of Martha Washington and the adopted son of George Washington.

In 1836, Lee was appointed to first lieutenant. In 1838, with the rank of captain, Lee fought valiantly in the War with Mexico and was wounded at the Battle of Chapultepec.

He was appointed superintendent of West Point in 1852 and is considered one of the best superintendents in that institution's history.

General Winfield Scott offered Robert E. Lee command of the Union Army in 1861, but he refused. Lee would command the legendary Army of Northern Virginia for the South during the War Between the States.

The answer to the question of what was Lee’s beloved war horse is “Traveller” who is buried near Robert E. Lee and his family at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.

Do our schools teach the young folks about Robert E. Lee and his farewell address to the troops?

Robert E. Lee, Farewell to the Army of Northern Virginia

Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia Appomattox Courthouse, April 10, 1865 (General Orders No. 9)

After four years' arduous service, marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources.

I need not tell the survivors of so many hard fought battles who have remained steadfast to the last, that I have consented to this result from no distrust of them, but feeling that valor and devotion could accomplish nothing that could compensate for the loss which would have attended the continuation of the contest, I have determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have endeared them to their countrymen. You will take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the consciousness of duty faithfully performed, and I earnestly pray that a merciful God may extend to you His blessing and protection. With an increasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your country, and a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous consideration of myself, I bid you an affectionate farewell.

Robert E. Lee General

Let’s not forget our heroes!

Fess Parker played “Davy Crockett” on TV, American school and military bands played “Dixie” and the late country music legend Johnny Cash sang “God Bless Robert E. Lee” that includes these words:

“I won't ever stop loving you my Dixie till they put me in the ground. And the last words they probably hear from me are God bless Robert E Lee.”

What was General Robert E. Lee’s favorite war horse? See answer at end of article.

January is a historic month of history when students, teachers, parents, Joe and Jane America and the world will hear much praise in memorial tribute to the Civil Rights leader and Baptist Pastor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who was born on the 15th day of January, in the year of our Lord, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia…. But, shouldn’t local, state and national news institutions also give fair and equal treatment and coverage to those who will remember the birthdays of General’s Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee who were also born during the month of January?

There will be memorial tributes to honor Dr. Martin Luther King in January and….

General Robert E. Lee will be memorialized in Lexington, Virginia with a tribute to both him and Stonewall Jackson on January 17th and 18th. Read more at: http://leejacksonday.webs.com/

The Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans will again sponsor their annual Robert E. Lee Birthday Commemorative on Saturday January 18, 2014 at the Old Capitol Building, 201 E. Greene St., Milledgeville, Georgia. The parade route will assemble at 10:30 a.m. at the Old Governor's Mansion on W. Hancock Street and proceed through downtown to the Old Capitol on East Greene St.

The ceremony should begin around 11:00 a.m. at the Old Capitol where Georgia voted to secede from the Union in 1861. Read more at: http://gascv.org/robert-e-lee-celebration/#comment-4

During Robert E. Lee's 100th birthday in 1907, Charles Francis Adams, Jr., a former Union Army Commander and grandson of United States President John Quincy Adams, spoke in tribute to Robert E. Lee at Washington and Lee College's Lee Chapel in Lexington, Virginia. His speech was printed in both Northern and Southern newspapers and is said to had lifted Lee to a renewed respect among the American people.

Could you imagine the President of the United States, members of Congress or A Northern Veteran speaking publicly today in tribute to General Lee like Commander Adams and President Theodore Roosevelt did while touring the South in 1905?....The president told an aged group of Confederate Veterans in Richmond, Virginia: “Here I greet you in the shadow of the statue of your Commander, General Robert E. Lee. You and he left us memories which are part of the memories bequeathed to the entire nation by all the Americans who fought in the War Between the States.”

Who was Robert E. Lee?

Robert E. Lee was born on Jan. 19, 1807, at “Stratford” in Westmoreland County, Virginia. The winter was cold and the fireplaces were little help for Robert's mother, Ann Hill (Carter) Lee, who suffered from a severe cold. Ann Lee named her son "Robert Edward" after her two brothers.

Lee was educated at the schools of Alexandria, Va., and also received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York in 1825. He graduated in 1829, second in his class and without a single demerit.

Robert E. Lee's first assignment was to Cockspur Island, Georgia, to supervise the construction of Fort Pulaski.

Robert E. Lee wed Mary Anna Randolph Custis in June 1831. Robert and Mary had grown up together. Mary was the daughter of George Washington Parke Custis, the grandson of Martha Washington and the adopted son of George Washington.

In 1836, Lee was appointed to first lieutenant. In 1838, with the rank of captain, Lee fought valiantly in the War with Mexico and was wounded at the Battle of Chapultepec.

He was appointed superintendent of West Point in 1852 and is considered one of the best superintendents in that institution's history.

General Winfield Scott offered Robert E. Lee command of the Union Army in 1861, but he refused. Lee would command the legendary Army of Northern Virginia for the South during the War Between the States.

The answer to the question of what was Lee’s beloved war horse is “Traveller” who is buried near Robert E. Lee and his family at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.

Do our schools teach the young folks about Robert E. Lee and his farewell address to the troops?

Robert E. Lee,

Farewell to the Army of Northern Virginia

Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia Appomattox Courthouse, April 10, 1865 (General Orders No. 9)

After four years' arduous service, marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources.

I need not tell the survivors of so many hard fought battles who have remained steadfast to the last, that I have consented to this result from no distrust of them, but feeling that valor and devotion could accomplish nothing that could compensate for the loss which would have attended the continuation of the contest, I have determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have endeared them to their countrymen. You will take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the consciousness of duty faithfully performed, and I earnestly pray that a merciful God may extend to you His blessing and protection. With an increasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your country, and a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous consideration of myself, I bid you an affectionate farewell.

Robert E. Lee General

Let’s not forget our heroes

Christmas is a wonderful time to be celebrated with family, friends and supper at Grandma's house. Grandpa will gather the children around the fire place and read the ‘Christmas Story’ about the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

The true spirit of Christmas was alive and well in the Year of our Lord 1919. It was the first anniversary of the end of World War I, and the people of Atlanta, Georgia were happy. Many people attended Church to give thanks for God’s many blessings. Folks, while shopping, were uplifted by sweet sounds of Christmas music played by the Salvation Army Band. There was a friendly and charitable atmosphere during this gay time of the year.

There were, however, some who were not as fortunate!

The aging veterans, in the Confederate soldier’s home, were proud men who had braved many a battle in the 1860s. One of these men was former Captain Thomas Yopp who saw such battles as that of Fredericksburg where a cannon shell burst knocked him unconscious.

The man who stayed with him until he recovered was his servant who had also joined the 14th Georgia Regiment, Company H. Bill Yopp was more than a servant; he and Thomas Yopp were friends who hunted and fished together. Bill Yopp, a Black Confederate, was sympathetic to the men of Atlanta's soldiers home who had been his compatriots in arms over fifty years earlier.

During the War Between the States, 1861-1865, Bill Yopp was nicknamed "Ten Cent Bill" because of the money he made shining shoes. He did this for the soldiers at a dime a shine and ended up with more money than most of his comrades. These men, also, cared for him when sick. During the Christmas of 1919, Bill wanted to pay back the kindness that was shown to him. He caught a train from Atlanta to Macon, where he was offered help from the editor of a local newspaper [The Macon Telegraph]. He then caught a train to Savannah to raise Christmas money for the old veterans.

Just weeks before the Christmas of 1919, he had raised the money and Georgia's Governor Hugh Dorsey helped him distribute envelopes of three dollars to each veteran.

The old Confederates were speechless. Tears were shed because of Bill Yopp's good heart and kind deed. Many of these men had little or nothing. Bill was invited to come into the home's Chapel and say a few words.

Bill Yopp was later presented a medal of appreciation for his support of the old soldiers and also voted in as a resident of the Confederate Soldier's Home.

Bill died on June 3, 1936, the 128th birthday of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. He was buried at Marietta, Georgia's Confederate Cemetery with his compatriots.

Christmas is about love, forgiveness, old friends, family and the Child who became a savior.

Merry Christmas!

The clock was turned back in Atlanta, Georgia for the World Premiere of Gone with the Wind at the Loews Grand Theater on Peachtree Street. The beautiful theater was sadly destroyed by fire in 1978 but many folks still remember when Hollywood came to Atlanta to celebrate that wonderful movie and Atlanta’s own author Margaret Mitchell whose book about Scarlett O’Hara, the Southern people and the War Between the States would be read by millions around the world and be made into this exciting motion picture that has become a classic.

Do you remember when a movie premiere was a red carpet affair of excitement when you could take your family to the picture show without worrying about the language or sexual content of the film?

Gone with the Wind had its grand premiere during the Christmas Season of 1939, just 74 years after the end of the “War Between the States” and Sunday December 15, 2013 marks the 74th anniversary of that wonderful-classic movie that opens with:

“There was a land of Cavaliers and Cotton Fields called the Old South. Here in this pretty world, Gallantry took its last bow. Here was the last ever to be seen of Knights and their Ladies Fair, of Master and of Slave. Look for it only in books, for it is no more than a dream remembered, a Civilization gone with the wind.”

Gone with the Wind won 8 Oscars for 1939, including Best Picture, and;

Hattie McDaniel, the first Black American to win an Academy Award, expressed her heart-felt pride with tears of joy, upon receiving the 1939 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her memorable role as “Mammy.” Victor Fleming won the Academy Award for Best Director and even though Max Steiner did not receive an award for his excellent music score, the “Gone with the Wind” theme song has become the most recognized and played tune in the world.

Vivien Leigh, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a leading role, humbly and eloquently summed her appreciation by thanking Producer David O. Selznick. And, who can forget Olivia De Havilland as the pure-sweet Melanie Hamilton, Leslie Howard as Ashley Wilkes and Clark Gable as Rhett Butler who told Scarlett:

“Take a good look my dear. It's an historic moment you can tell your grandchildren about - how you watched the Old South fall one night.”

The Old South rose again!

Friday, December 15, 1939, was an icy-cold day in Atlanta but people warmed to the excitement of the world premiere of “Gone with the Wind”--The Selznick International Pictures “Technicolor” Production of the Metro Goldwyn Mayer Release of Margaret Mitchell’s novel about the Old South at the Loews Grand Theater. We remember Thomas Mitchell who played (Gerald O’Hara) telling daughter Scarlett:

“Do you mean to tell me, Katie Scarlett O'Hara, that Tara, that land doesn't mean anything to you? Why, land is the only thing in the world worth working for, worth fighting for, worth dying for, because it's the only thing that lasts.”

And, we cried when Bonnie Blue Butler, the daughter of Rhett and Scarlett—played by Cammie King, was killed in a pony accident.

The cast of Gone with the Wind stayed at the historic Georgian-Terrace Hotel.

Anne Rutherford, who played Scarlett’s sister Carreen, took time to visit the Confederate Veterans at the soldier’s home and the stars toured the famous “Cyclorama” at Grant Park.

The festivities surrounding the premiere of Gone with the Wind included a parade down Peachtree Street with over three hundred thousand folks cheering the playing of “Dixie”, waving Confederate flags and shouting Rebel Yells.

And, many witnessed the lighting of the “Eternal Flame of the Confederacy”, an 1855 gas lamp that survived the 1864 Battle of Atlanta. The lamp remained for many years on the northeast corner of Whitehall and Alabama Streets. Mrs. Thomas J. Ripley, President of Atlanta Chapter No. 18 United Daughters of the Confederacy, re-lit the great light with Mr. T. Guy Woolford, Commandant of the Old Guard by her side.

Time Magazine wrote:

“The film has almost everything the book has in the way of spectacle, drama, practically endless story and the means to make them bigger and better. The burning of Atlanta, the great "boom" shots of the Confederate wounded lying in the streets and the hospital after the Battle of Atlanta are spectacle enough for any picture, and unequaled.”

Read entire article at:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,952044,00.html#ixzz0XFQVmsTD

The Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans joins the nation in Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the War Between the States. Read more at: www.150wbts.org Also, read more about the National Sons of Confederate Veterans at:

http://www.scv.org/ Ya’ll come back now, you here!

‘When I was a kid Uncle Remus he put me to bed, with a picture of Stonewall Jackson above my head.’

A good bedtime story for your children and grandchildren might begin with….

‘Now, this here tale didn't happen just yesterday, nor the day before.’Twas a long time ago. And in them days, everything was mighty satisfactual. The critters, they was closer to the folks, and the folks, they was closer to the critters, and if you'll excuse me for saying so, 'twas better all around’----Uncle Remus from Disney’s Song of the South.

William Faulkner said: ‘The past is not dead! Actually, it's not even past.’

The cool winds blew through the Georgia pines during those bitter sweet days of autumn during a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah time in Atlanta.

Hollywood in 1946 was a grand year for movies many of which have become classics like:

The Best Years of Our Lives, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Big Sleep and Song of the South that won the 1947 Academy Award for the best song ‘Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah.’

At the suggestion of the Junior League and the Uncle Remus Memorial Association of Atlanta, Georgia Walt Disney and RKO Pictures agreed to hold the world premiere of Song of the South on Tuesday, the 12th day of November, in the year of our lord 1946 in Atlanta, Georgia. The theater chosen was the Fabulous Fox Theater http://www.foxtheatre.org/ on Peachtree Street.

The premiere of Song of the South is said to have been inspired by the gala events surrounding the premiere of Gone with the Wind that had drawn a half-million people to Atlanta seven years earlier and which the Junior League had also sponsored.

Walt Disney http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney made his introductory remarks for Song of the South, introduced the cast, then quietly left for his room at the Georgian Terrace Hotel across the street. It is written that he paced the floor and smoked cigarettes in nervous anticipation of how Atlanta would receive his movie.

The Song of the South put the Wren’s Nest on the map which is the beautiful home of author Joel Chandler Harris located on Ralph David Abernathy Blvd., formerly Gordon Street named for Confederate General and one time Georgia Governor John B. Gordon, in Atlanta’s Historic West End District.

Joel Chandler Harris, born in 1848 in Eatonton, Georgia where he served as an apprentice on a plantation during his teenage years. He was Associate Editor of the Atlanta Constitution where on July 20, 1879; he published ‘The Story of Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Fox as Told by Uncle Remus.’

Harris lived at the ‘Wren’s Nest’ a Queen Anne Victorian house from 1881 to 1908 and penned many of the Br’er Rabbit tales on the porch. Take a step back in time and join the good folks at the Wren’s Nest for daily tours and storytelling every Saturday at 1 pm.

Read more at: http://www.wrensnest.org/

Song of the South is a wonderful collection of stories that includes a blend of live action and animation, based on the popular ‘Uncle Remus’ stories by Joel Chandler Harris. It is set in the Old South after the War Between the States. The story begins with young boy Johnny (bobby Driscoll) who is sent to live on a Southern plantation with his Grandmother (Lucile Watson) while his parents are considering divorce. The movie also stars the wonderful Hattie McDaniel of Gone with the Wind fame.

Johnny is cheered up by a Black-Southern story teller Uncle Remus (James Baskett) who tells the young boy and other children tales about Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear whose delightful adventures are illustrated in cartoon form. Each story has a morale that Johnny carries into his daily life.

The original book of Joel Chandler Harris is hard to find and the movie’s last release was about thirty years ago. Uncle Remus, please tell us another good story.

Have a Zippy Doo Dah Day!

Lee Chapel at Washington and Lee University is the site of annual programs paying tribute to Robert Edward Lee. On Monday, October 14, 2013 a program commemorating the Washington College presidency of Robert E. Lee on the 143rd anniversary of his death will feature War Between the States historian, Frank O’Reilly. The lecture entitled "Adapt, Improvise, and Overcome: Robert E. Lee's Greatest Victory at Chancellorsville" will begin at 12:15 p.m. Read more at: http://www2.wlu.edu/x56830.xml

The New York Times reported:

(Intelligence was received last evening of the death at Lexington, Va., of Gen. Robert E. Lee, the most famous of the officers whose celebrity was gained in the service of the Southern Confederacy during the late terrible rebellion.)---New York Times, October 13, 1870.

Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0119.html

October 12th is the 143rd anniversary of the passing of Robert E. Lee whose memory is still dear in the hearts of many people around the world.

General Lee died at his home at Lexington, Virginia at 9:30 AM on October 12, 1870. His last great deed came after the War Between the States when he accepted the presidency of Washington College, now Washington and Lee University. He saved the financially troubled college and helped many young people further their education.

Some write that Robert E. Lee suffered a cerebral hemorrhage on September 28, 1870, but was thought to greatly improve until October 12th, when he took a turn for the worse. His condition seemed more hopeless when his doctor told him, "General you must make haste and get well---Traveller---has been standing too long in his stable and needs exercise."

It’s written that the rains and flooding were the worse of Virginia's history on the day General Lee died. On Wednesday, October 12, 1870, in the presence of his family, Lee quietly passed away.

The church bells rang as the sad news passed throughout Washington College, Virginia Military Institute, the town of Lexington and the nation. Cadets from VMI College carried the remains of the old soldier to Lee Chapel where he laid in state. Many buildings and homes were covered in black crepe for mourning.

Memorial meetings were held throughout the South and as far North as New York. At Washington College in Lexington eulogies were delivered by: Reverend Pemberton, Reverend W.S. White--Stonewall Jackson’s Pastor and Reverend J. William Jones. Former Confederate President Jefferson Davis brought the eulogy in Richmond, Virginia. Lee was also eulogized in Great Britain.

Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Cadet William Nalle said in a letter home to his mother, dated October 16, 1870;

“I suppose of course that you have all read full accounts of Gen Lee’s death in the papers. He died on the morning of the 12th at about half past nine. All business was suspended at once all over the country and town, and all duties, military and academic suspended at the Institute, and all the black crape and all similar black material in Lexington, was used up at once, and they had to send on to Lynchburg for more. Every cadet had black crape issued to him, and an order was published at once requiring us to wear it as a badge of mourning for six months.” Read more at:

http://www.vmi.edu/archives.aspx?id=5517

Robert E. Lee’s last words were, "Strike the Tent." The Georgia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans joins the nation in commemorating the Sesquicentennial--150th Anniversary of the War Between the States now through 2015. See additional information at:

http://www.150wbts.org/