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In This Issue
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Commander’s Corner
Page – 2
Adjutant/Treasurer’s Report
Chaplain’s Column
News from the OCR
Member Activities
Page – 3
News from the Web Team
North Carolina Generals – Brig-General james Johnston Pettigrew
Page – 4
Camp 15 Programs
Looking Back
Looking Forward
Gun Show Information
Page – 5
From the Editor
Flag Salutes & The Charge
Dear Camp 15 Compatriots,
I know that most of you are busy during this month. I hope that everyone had a great Fourth of July! Our Big Ivy Fourth of July celebration gets bigger and bigger each year. With the Town of Weaverville canceling fireworks for this year, we picked up everyone from their canceled celebration. I wish everyone could have seen our parade, especially one float in particular. The Big Ivy Camp had their own float in this year’s parade! This camp has only been up and running for a short period of time....but are already making their mark here in our Community! No resting on the laurels for those guys!
Speaking of laurels....I have to keep reminding everyone of our upcoming events. In particular, the WNC State Fair. I must keep stressing to everyone the importance of making this year a success. To be a success, EVERYONE is needed for this event. If you can only work half a day.....it WILL HELP! Should we fail to be able to staff our booth, then we will lose our future right to set up for this event. We are already aware that there are several other Camps who would love to take our place. I hope everyone steps up to the plate and makes this their contribution to the Camp for the year!
We have several things going on in the Camp right now including our shirt purchases. These are going to be very nice for use at events (such as the WNC State Fair) LOL! I hope everyone can purchase a couple for their use. Additionally, we will be looking at a new program that may be of interest for you. I hope we can unveil this new program at the CampPicnic. If we like the idea, we will continue this program each month at our regular meeting.
Our National Reunion is coming up and we have several members going. Lt. Commander Hyatt and Compatriot Edgar Benoy can represent our Camp with honor at this reunion. In your current “Confederate Veteran” you will have an inset of proposals which we can look over. If you have any suggestions about these items, please let them be known to a CampOfficer.
In closing I want to remind everyone to stand proud. I have seen several vehicles lately on the road sporting the Confederate flag. Some of these vehicles were people from all branches of society. With a current push towards more government in our Country, we should be able to recruit more and more folks to our cause. Just remember that our cause was the same then as today. Our cause was then and is now, FREEDOM!
Yankee Bull O' Ney
Now youz guys knows that we treated you all with respect during the war! I know that we helped to liberate you from the oppressive Southern regime that sought to destroy the Country! We even protected you from scalawags, bushwhackers and scoundrels who sought to terrorize you! Youz guys should be grateful!
Sincerely,
Pete Allen, Commander
Adjutant/Treasurer’s Report
(From the Editor):Nothing received from Compatriot Alec Arthur this month. However, everyone should have received, via the USPS, their 2009-2010 Membership Renewal Statement (MRS). There is a lot on this statement and some of the information may not be exactly correct. If there is anything on your statement that needs to be corrected, or the amount you owe is not correct, don’t get excited about it. Since this is MRS system’s first year, it is expected that some things will need to be fixed.
The statements and your dues, check or cash, should be turned in to Adjutant Alec Arthur at the July meeting if possible. Any errors can be corrected then. If you can’t make the meeting, contact Alec if there is a problem with your statement (828-628-3698) and then you can mail everything to him; his address is on the bottom of the statement.
If we all get this completed ASAP, it will make it much easier on Alec and save him from writing multiple checks to National Hdqrs and the NCDiv.
Chaplain’s Column
My Christian Brothers and Fellow Compatriots:
I hope that all of you fathers out there had a wonderful Fathers Day.
Below is my message for July
I have noticed that a lot of people, including myself, complain about the money we make. Even though we make good money, we still want more and in doing this we forget the most important part; how blessed we already are. If we would just remember to put God first and devote our lives to Him we are already rich in more ways than we know.
The rich young ruler
(Mark 10: 17-25) And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
Most of the time we let our flesh get in the way and try to do things ourselves and not really understand that if we are truly saved and devote our lives to God then we already have eternal life. How much richer can we be?
And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Andthe disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answered again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Chaplain, David Keever
News from the OCR
Nothing from the OCR this month.....
Member Activities
Lt. CommanderBill Best brought samples of the new Camp 15 shirts to the June meeting. Everyone was pleased with how the shirts looked and how the embroidery on the shirts came out. Many members ordered their shirts at the June meeting. If you did, remember to bring your check book or cash for the amount you owe. Unfortunately, the Camp is not set up to accept plastic of any kind.
If you weren’t at the June meeting, you’ll have a chance to order your shirt at the July meeting. The shirts are especially great when worn at Camp functions, the Gun Show and the WNC Fair.
What’s new with the Web Team
Compatriot Steve Crews says that his work on his house is complete and he will be getting back on to the web page task as soon as he shakes all the sawdust out of his keyboards. He now has the newsletters online up through the June 2009 newsletter. We should see everything up-to-date very soon now.
North Carolina Generals
19th in a Series
Brig-Gen James Johnston Pettigrew
was born on the shores of LakeScuppernong, in TyrrellCounty, N. C., July 4, 1828, at "Bonarva," the home of his father, Ebenezer Pettigrew, representative in Congress. The family was founded in America by James, youngest son of James Pettigrew, an officer of King William's army, rewarded by a grant of land for gallantry at the battle of the Boyne. Charles, son of the founder, was chosen the first bishop of North Carolina.
Young Pettigrew was graduated at the StateUniversity in 1847, with such distinction that President Polk, who attended the commencement, accompanied by Commodore Maury, offered the young student one of the assistant professor ships in the observatory at Washington. He held this position until 1848, when he began study for the profession of law, which he completed under his distinguished relative, James L. Pettigrew, of South Carolina.
After traveling in Europe two years he entered upon the practice of his profession at Charleston, and in 1856 was elected to the South Carolina legislature. In 1859 he again visited Europe and sought to enter the Sardinian service during the Italian war, but was prevented by the early close of that struggle.
Returning, he took an active part in the military organization of Charleston, and became colonel of the First regiment of rifles of that city. During the early operations in Charleston harbor, he was in command at Castle Pinckney, and later on MorrisIsland.
On account of some disagreement about the admission of his regiment to the Confederate service, he went to Richmond and enlisted in the Hampton legion, but in May, 1861, received a commission as colonel of the Twenty-second North Carolina infantry. With this regiment he was engaged in constructing and guarding batteries at Evansport, on the Potomac, until the spring of 1862.
He was then, without solicitation and over his objections, promoted brigadier-general, and assigned to a brigade which he led to the peninsula. At the battle of Seven Pines, July 1st, in which his brigade lost heavily, he was severely wounded in the shoulder, and while lying unconscious on the field was captured.
He was confined as a prisoner two months, during which he asked that his rank might be reduced so that he could be more easily exchanged. But without this sacrifice he returned to the service, and while yet an invalid was assigned to command at Petersburg, and a new brigade of North Carolinians was formed for him.
He operated with much skill and gallantry in North Carolina in the fall of 1862 and spring of 1863, defended Richmond against Stoneman's raid, and then accompanied Lee to Pennsylvania, his brigade forming a part of Heth's division, A. P. Hill's corps.
The conduct of his men on the first day of the battle of Gettysburg was magnificent, and their loss was terrible. General Heth being wounded, Pettigrew took command of the shattered division, and on the third day led it in the immortal charge against the Federal position on Cemetery hill.
A remnant of his brave men gained the Federal lines, but were crushed back by sheer weight of lead and iron. At Gettysburg his brigade suffered the greatest loss in killed and wounded of any brigade in the army, over 1,100 out of a total of 3,000. Though painfully wounded in the hand, Pettigrew kept the field, and was on duty during the painful retreat which followed.
On the morning of July 14th, Heth's division reached the Potomac at Falling Waters, and while Pettigrew was receiving orders from Heth to remain there in command of the rear guard, a body of about forty Federal cavalrymen, who had been allowed to approach under the error that they were Confederates, dashed recklessly into the Confederate troops, demanding surrender.
General Pettigrew's horse took fright and threw him to the ground. Rising he drew his pistol, and was about to take part in the skirmish, when he was shot and mortally wounded.
He was borne tenderly across the river and to a hospitable home at Bunker Hill, Va., where he yielded his life with Christian resignation, July 17, 1863.
Source: Confederate Military History, vol. V, p. 337
Source Article by permission of:
Historical Data Systems, Inc.
Camp 15 Programs
Compatriot Larry Allison has graciously consented to take over the program for July. Larry’s program will be on Confederate currency. He is one of the most knowledgeable people around when it comes to this subject, and more. After the meeting, Larry will be available to look at whatever you have that you would like to have validated and possibly appraised. So bring in your Confederate dollars, Boys, and see what they are worth today!!!
Some of his other areas of expertise are cutlery (swords, knives and sabers), weapons and buttons. We’ll get him to work these into the Camp’s program schedule in the near future.
Compatriot Steve Adams was scheduled to have our July program however Steve is currently and we hope temporarily, residing in Georgia. We wish him the best of luck while he is away.
Looking Back
Many thanks to Compatriot George Cooper for stepping forward last month and providing a great program. George came up with some short vignettes on several Confederates, including Zebulon Baird Vance, and a couple of Yankees. It was a little different than most of our programs because of the so much give and take between George and those in attendance and it brought out a number of little known stories and facts.
Looking Forward
Program Calendar for 2009:
July 23rd: Larry Allison
August: Camp 15 Picnic (Probably on
Sat., August 29th, more later)
September 11th thru September 20th: WNCState Fair – more on this at the meeting!!
We must have Volunteers to cover this event!!!
September24th: SCV Field Rep., Jack Marlar
October 22nd: Camp 15 “Show & Tell”
November 19th: Southern Highlands Brigade
Commander, Michael Hardy
December: Camp 15 Christmas Party (tba)
PLEASE NOTE: This is your Newsletter, if you know of events that need to be publicized in the newsletter, please let me know..... Also articles of interest and pictures are gratefully appreciated.
GUN SHOWInformation- 2009
Asheville Civic Center
August 22 - 23
October 31 – November 1
Since the next Gun Show is the weekend before our August meeting I’m sure that 1st Lt. Commander Bill Best will have a signup sheet at our July meeting. Keep the above dates on your calendars and be ready to serve by letting those who stop by know who we are and what we are all about! Remember that if you are working at the Camp 15 table, you get in free!!!!
Bill can always use extra help with this activity so let him know you appreciate his work and support him and Camp 15 by volunteering when the next list comes around. Those who have helped in the past can tell you how much they have enjoyed spreading the word about our Honored Confederate Veterans and the Southern Heritage cause.
From the Editor
Why did you join the SCV and Camp 15???
When was the last time you read and really gave some thought to the words contained in the “Charge” given to us byLieutenant General Stephen Dill Lee?? Why not take the time now to read it again and think about what it says. You can find it near the bottom of this page. After you read it ask, “How am Idoing as a member of the SCV and Camp 15? Have I been recruiting and trying to enlighten those I meet, especially the younger generations?”Then, remember that it takes all of us, that no one person IS the Camp,and ask“How are we doing as a Camp and an organization?” From the looks of what is happening all around us, I’d say we definitely need to make some improvements. Why should we settle for being a“meet and eat” Camp! Let’s put our thinking caps on and come up with some worthwhile projects in the community, or elsewhere that will get our message out where people will have to stop, look and listen. If you have any ideas or suggestions, let one of your Camp officers hear from you.
If you are not a member of Camp 15 this could be your last Camp 15 newsletter!!
This newsletter is primarily for communicating with and hopefully providing some useful information and/or knowledge to Camp 15 members. If you are not a Camp 15 member and want to continue receiving the newsletter please let me know. Otherwise, you will be removed from the mailing list before the August issue. Just for my own curiosity, I would also appreciate knowing whyyou want to continue receiving it.Any constructive criticisms would also be most welcome.
You can email me at:
or write to: Ron Baldwin
10 Woodmont Dr.
Asheville, NC28806
Ron
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