Camp Cresset Finley s Brigade Camp #1614 Havana, Florida

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1 Camp Cresset Finley s Brigade Camp #1614 Havana, Florida Recipient 2011 and 2012 Dr. George R. Tabor Most Distinguished Camp Award "To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we will commit the vindication of the cause for which we fought. To your strength will be given the defense of the Confederate soldier's good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those principles which he loved and which you love also, and those ideals which made him glorious and which you also cherish." Finley s Brigade Present JROTC Awards in area High Schools In this issue of the Cresset you will see many pictures where Finley s members presented the H. L. Hunley JROTC Award to deserving Cadets. Our award is highly sought after by cadets. Even the instructors comment on how attractive our award is. At many Awards Ceremonies, we are given special recognition as a presenter of a National Award. Perhaps most gratifying is talking with the recipient of our award and his family! Photo left: Ellis Harvey, Chief USN Ret. Presents award to Cadet Gary Germanton of Wakulla High School Navy JROTC Photo credit: Anthony Harvey 1

2 This month s meeting will be dedicated to Private James T Bourne of Company A 2 nd Battalion Florida Infantry The H. L. Hunley JROTC Awards at Godby High School Photo above: Phillip Smith, Colonel USAF Ret. Presents the H.L. Hunley Award to Cadet 2LT Joshua Choi Photo left: L-R Commander Crocker, Cadet Ian Foor (last year s Hunley recipient) Cadet Choi, Compatriot Phi; Smith. Photo credit: Graham Smith 2

3 The H. L. Hunley JROTC Awards at Leon High School This was the first year that we were able to present our award at Leon High School. But, we are in now and look forward to going back next year. Finley s Brigade was well represented at the Awards Ceremony. Compatriot Ellis Harvey asked to present the Hunley Award at Leon High, since it is his Alma Mater. Finley s member Scott Sutton is a Cadet in the USMC JROTC program there and received awards of his own. Also, Member Stan Willis and his wife Sandra received an award for being a Leon High School JROTC Booster. In all, Finley s Brigade had six members in attendance. Finley s Brigade Life Member Scott Sutton receives the Sons of the American Revolution Award. Photo: L-R Merry Sutton, Scott Sutton, and CW2 Foster USMC 3

4 Photo Above: L-R Anthony Harvey, Ellis Harvey, Award recipient Cadet Dylan Rudlaff, 1LT Charles Smith, and Commander Crocker. Photos by Graham Smith Photo Right: Compatriot Stan Willis and his wife Sandra. They have been JROTC Booster members at Leon for eight years. Their daughter graduated the program 4 years ago, and they keep serving! Job well done! 4

5 The H. L. Hunley JROTC Awards at Lincoln and Liberty County High School Photo Right: Compatriot Ellis Harvey, Chief USN Ret. Presents the H. L Hunley Award to Liberty County High School Army JROTC Cadet SSG Caylob Hall. Also in attendance was Compatriot Roy Grissett. Photo by Anthony Harvey. Photo left: Commander Crocker presents the H. L. Hunley award to Cadet Chief Petty Officer Erin Lunt at the Lincoln High School Navy JROTC Awards Ceremony. Lincoln High School JROTC has their Awards Ceremony at the University Center at FSU. It is a formal affair known as a Dining In and is one of the nicest events that I attended this year. As I was approaching the presentation area, and the citation for the Hunley was being read, Lt. Commander Snyder, Senior Instructor, leaned over and said to me and by far, the best looking award of the night. (the Hunley) Photo by Graham Smith 5

6 Finley s Welcomes New Members James Robert Marsh Jim joins Finley s on the service of his ancestor Private John F Bowdoin of Company K 25 th Alabama Infantry. John was born in June of 1837 in Stewart County, Georgia. John enlisted in the 25 th Alabama Infantry near Coffee County, Alabama in December Records show that the regiment was stationed at Mobile, Alabama. On April 6 and 7, John Bowdoin and the 25 th were engaged in the bloody Battle of Shiloh. Later in 1862, the 25 th were camped near Murfreesboro, TN. On November 8, 1862, Private Bowdoin was wounded in the right arm during skirmishing around Tullahoma, TN. His right arm had to be amputated above his wrist. John was discharged later that month, but his name remained on the roll. His parole describes him as 5 10 tall, dark hair, blue eyes, and fair complexion. He was married and raised his family after the War. John died December 15, 1914 and is buried in the Moore Cemetery in Coffee County, Alabama. Mark Alan Templeton Mark joins Finley s on the service of his ancestor 1 st LT William White Richardson of Company C 2 nd Battalion Georgia Infantry. William was born May 27, 1820 in Georgia. When the War began William was living in Tallapoosa County, Alabama with his wife and four children. William would go on to father seven more children. William Richardson enlisted as a Sergeant at Macon, Georgia on April 20, The 2 nd were sent to Virginia immediately and were assigned to General A. P. Hill s Corp in the Army of Northern Virginia. William was later promoted to 1st LT and was involved in every battle in Virginia, from the Seven Days Battle, Malvern Hill, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Orange Courthouse, to the trenches at Petersburg. In January of 1865, LT Richardson was taken ill and sent to the hospital at Macon, Georgia. After the War, William continued to rear his family and listed farming as his vocation. He died in 1899 and is buried in Society Hill Cemetery in Macon County, Alabama. Heritage 1. Property that is or can be inherited; an inheritance. 2. Something that is passed down from preceding generations; a tradition. 3. The status acquired by a person through birth; a birthright: 6

7 John Jackson Dickison The Grey Swamp Fox of Florida By Compatriot JR Miller John was born March 28, 1816 in Monroe County Virginia (now West Virginia) and was raised and educated in South Carolina. He died August 20, 1902 at Budd Spring in the town of Okahumpka, Florida and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida. A father, husband, and author of Florida s section of the 12 Volume Confederate Military History. He was Captain of Company H Second Florida Cavalry, and was promoted to the rank of Colonel in May 1865, a few days after the surrender of all CSA troops. He was also elected six times Commander of Florida Division of United Confederate Veterans and also served as Florida s Adjutant General in the 1870 s. John lived in Georgetown South Carolina and was a successful businessman as a cotton merchant. He would eventually join the South Carolina militia; this is where he received his formal military training and was commissioned officer in the cavalry. In 1845 he married Mary Elisabeth Ling which marriage bore two children. In 1857 John moved to Ocala, Florida lived at a plantation called Sunnyside which became a very profitable plantation. In 1861 he joined The Marion Light Artillery in Fort Clinch and was appointed a Lieutenant under Captain John M. Martin. On July 2, 1862, he was promoted to Captain and ordered to create and command a new cavalry unit. The unit which Dickison commanded was Company H of the Second Florida Cavalry which was composed of men from the counties of Marion, Alachua, St. Johns, Putman, Bradford, Duval, Columbia, Clay, Volusia, Sumter, Hillsborough, Nassau, and Madison. The unit was officially organized on August 1862 at Flotard Pond in Marion County and mustered into Confederate Service by Major R.B. Thomas, Adjutant and Inspector-General on General Finegan s staff. Dickison had returned from a successful raid and received the following recognition from Major General Sam Jones, his Commanding officer: "I directed Captain Dickison, of the Second Florida Cavalry, who had just returned from a most successful raid east of the Saint John s, to endeavor to get in the rear, and concentrated on a large a force as I could at Newnansville. The enemy meetings, perhaps, more opposition than they had anticipated, fell back and were followed by Captain Dickison, who attacked them on the mainland, near Cedar Keys; and though his force was outnumbered five to one, the enemy retreated to Cedar Keys, after a sharp skirmish, leaving a portion of their dead on the 7

8 field. Captain Dickison reports that he killed and wounded between sixty and seventy, and captured a few, with very slight loss on his part. I have heretofore frequently had occasion to report the gallant and valuable services of Captain Dickison and his command, and to present the captain, as I do now, to the favorable notice of the Government." The area that Captain Dickison patrolled was called by the yankee s DixieLand and the captain was referred to as Dixie. This area was primarily west of the St. John River. They protected the area near Gainesville, known as Payne s Prairie. Payne s Prairie at the time was a vital feeding prairie for Florida Cracker Cattle and horse stock for the Confederate Army. Today it is a State Park where horse and buffalo still graze. Dickison is mostly remembered as being the person who led the attack which resulted in the capture of the Union warship USS Columbine in the "Battle of Horse Landing". This was one of the few instances in which a Union warship was captured by landbased Confederate forces during the Civil War and the only known incident in U.S. history where a cavalry unit sank an enemy gunboat. Dickison had two artillery pieces with him at the time of Horse Landing. Not to take away anything from the captain, but it was these two cannons placed under his command that rendered the Columbine to surrender. In fact there was a report that the cannon crew fired some rounds at the ship before the ship could return fire. After removing all the supplies and armament possible, they disabled and set the ship on fire. Of the 148 men aboard the Columbine, only 66 survived and the rest were killed. 8

9 Dickison s Florida Confederate exploits can be found in the Book: Dickison and His Men: Reminiscences of the War in Florida" written in 1889 by his wife. Dickison and his troopers have a rare distinction of being one of the few Confederate units never to be defeated on the battle field. Commanders Comments Since we last met, 2LT Larry Thomas and I travelled to Ocala, Florida and attended the Florida Division SCV Reunion. This year was an election year for all Division offices. Compatriot Don Young of Melbourne was elected as our new Division Commander. Other decisions that have an impact on Finley s are: Kevin Hobson of Tampa was elected as the new Division Adjutant, Ken Daniel of Pensacola was elected the new Division Lieutenant Commander for our area, and Kelly Crocker will remain the 3 rd Brigade Commander. The Division has a new Flags-Across-Florida Committee Chairman, in Jerry Emerson of Lake City. Also, I stepped down as the Division Graves Committee Chairman, but will remain on the committee. Past Division Commander James Davis is the new Graves Committee Chairman. I am looking forward to working with the new leadership in promoting the SCV and preserving our heritage. Kelly 9

10 Compatriot Scott Sutton Fulfills Eagle Scout Requirements Graham F. Smith At the May camp meeting Compatriot, and Boy Scout Scott Sutton solicited volunteers to help him complete his Eagle Scout project. Lieutenant Commander Larry Thomas and I signed up to assist him on Saturday May 14 at the Holy Comforter Episcopal School. The Eagle project is intended by the Boy Scouts of America for the Eagle candidate to culminate his scouting career by exercising his cumulative knowledge, skills, abilities, and leadership attributes acquired advancing through the ranks of scouting. The eagle candidate must, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or the community in general. It is the most tedious and difficult challenge a young man experiences in the scouting program. Being an Eagle Scout myself (earned in 1968), I am aware that Eagle is the pinnacle achievement in scouting. It is the conclusion of much work and many challenges over a period of several years in the Scouts. It involves a lot of dedication and motivation just to reach the Eagle phase of scouting. Keep in mind that the Eagle award is achieved when a young man is either a junior or senior in high school and the scouting program ends at the age of 18. This a very busy time in a young man s life considering time for family and friends, school academics, sports, extra-curricular activities (U.S. Marine Corps JROTC in Scott s case), jobs, and in many cases dating. Throughout the history of the Boy Scouts, only 2 percent of all young men who entered the scouting program went on to earn the rank of Eagle. Therefore, wanting to assist Scott as others had helped me with my Eagle project 48 years ago, I was anxious to get involved. I had given no consideration of the magnitude of Scott s project until I arrived on-site. On the perimeter of a huge field (at least 300 to 400 yards wide by 400 to 500 yards long, the best I could tell) was a walking/jogging trail. Along the trail were many exercise/workout stations ; some in a state of disrepair. Scott s project was to repair, rebuild, and rejuvenate many of the stations. Not only was the area of the project very large, the planning for the repairs and materials at each station as well as human resources needed to complete the project was quite involved. Once Scott s plan was established and approved by scouting review boards, he needed to acquire commitments from volunteers as well as the construction and repair material or the funding for the items. The project was ambitious to say the least. I helped on the inclined push-up and the tire-flip stations while Commander Thomas worked on projects across the field from me. There were four or five projects going at the same time. Each was staffed with three to six workers. Throughout the day Scott would drive from station to station checking on the progress of work, advising as 10

11 necessary, dropping off materials and tools as needed, and in general, ensuring the work was being performed according to his original plan. When unexpected challenges would come up at specific stations, Scott would make executive decisions to deal with the situation, yet complete the project. Scott executed his Eagle Scout project using exceptional leadership skills and ingenuity. His resourcefulness in acquiring materials and volunteers to make his plan come together is to be commended. I am certain that the Eagle Board (Scout Executives) will be as impressed with Scott as I am and will be more than happy to bestow Scouting s highest honor on him. I am very proud of my soon to be Eagle Scout brother and SCV compatriot, and am honored that he gave me an opportunity to participate in his project. Job well done Scott! Compatriot Scott Sutton (foreground) stops the work of his volunteer/recruited workers an one of the stations just long enough for a picture. Afterwards...Back to work!" 11

12 Beard Cemetery Clean-up On May 14 th, 10 members of Finley s Brigade cleaned-up the Beard Cemetery in Midway. We will be doing a follow-up visit in the future. Photo left: before clean-up Photo below: after clean-up 12

13 Left to right: Tim Ward and his four sons, Jim Windsor, Lamar Cox, Chris Miller, and JR Miller At least we were in the shade! 13

14 Show me the manner which a nation or a community cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender sympathies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land and their loyalty to high ideals." Lord Gladstone Help Wanted Newsletter Editor and contributing writers Check us out at : We are on Facebook at: Heritage Opportunities Jun 14 Regular Camp meeting Jun SCV Mech Cav Reunion in Cedar Key Jul 12 Regular Camp meeting Jul SCV National Reunion in Richardson, Texas For times, locations, and details for the following events please contact Commander Crocker at kvcroadking@yahoo.com or Our meetings are always held on the second Tuesday of each and every month at the Golden Corral restaurant on North Monroe Street across from Lake Ella. The program will start promptly at 6:45 so be sure to arrive early (6:00) to enjoy a fine meal and socialize before the meeting starts. The Camp Cresset Newsletter is the official publication of Camp 1614, Finley s Brigade Sons of Confederate Veterans. No content may be reproduced in part, or in whole, without the expressed written authorization from the Editor-in-Chief. All parts herein remain the sole property of SCV Camp