Army of Northern Virginia Maryland Division Camp #1398 Colonel William Norris January 2014 The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 7 p.m. See Inside Adjutant Report 2 Camp Activities 2 Annual Holiday Dinner 3 United Daughters of Confederacy Make History With Induction 4 25th Annual Sharpsburg (Antietam Illumination 5 Annual Lee/Jackson Birthday Ceremony Saturday, Jan 18, 2014, 11 a.m. Baltimore, Md. TO: All Confederate Re-Enactment Units All Federal Re-Enactment Units All Camps All United Daughters of the Confederacy Chapters & Officers All Historical, Patriotic and Hereditary Organizations All Friends of the Confederate States of American As in the past, the annual memorial ceremony at the Lee/Jackson Monument in Baltimore will be hosted by the Colonel Harry W. Gilmor Camp #1388, and the Maryland Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy. The purpose of this ceremony is to honor General Robert Edward Lee and General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson on the anniversary of their births, January 19, 1807 and January 21, 1824 respectively. The ceremony will also remember and honor the thousands of soldiers who served the Confederacy during the War Between the States. In previous years, many of you have attended this ceremony even in the coldest weather and because of your effort and dedication to the memory of the Confederate soldier, the ceremony has always been a great success. We would like to once again cordially invite you and your reenactment unit, patriotic organization, and your family and friends to participate in this important annual event. The Lee/ Jackson ceremony will be held on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014, at 11 a.m. The Lee/Jackson Monument is located at Art Museum Drive and Wyman Park Drive about two blocks west of Charles Street and across from the Baltimore Museum of Art. This year we will assemble across from the monument. Paid on street parking by credit card may be required. We cannot park on the Johns Hopkins campus and probably not on their parking lots. There is free parking on some side streets. Continued on page 6
Page 2 Adjutant Activities Minutes, Dec. 3, Camp Meeting at VFW Bingo Entrance The Dec. 3 meeting of the Norris Camp was our annual holiday dinner. As always, everyone worked together and put on a wonderful Christmas feast. A special thanks to Bob Brewer for handling the RSVP list; Katie Brewer for all her work in preparing the delicious holiday ham and turkey; and Harold and Marydon Ford for coordinating the table setups of sodas, tablecloths, silverware, etc. Thanks to all for the delicious dishes brought to share with friends. A great time was had by all. Members and guests in attendance included Commander Frank Brown Jr.; 1st. Lt. Commander Dave Redden; Adjutant/ Treasurer Harold Ford and wife, Marydon; Don and Elaine Beck; Bob and Katie Brewer; Steve and Jan Fernandez; and Ray Parker. Commander Brown held a brief discussion concerning plans for the upcoming Sharpsburg Illumination on Saturday, Dec. 7. Commander Brown reminded attendees of the upcoming Camp Officer installation ceremonies at our Jan. 7, 2014, monthly meeting. December Activities of the Col. William Norris Camp 1. Dec. 3 was the annual Norris Camp Holiday dinner. 2. Saturday, Dec. 7, 2014, the Col. William Norris Camp participated in the 25 th annual Sharpsburg (Antietam) Illumination. Camp members met at the Clara Barton Monument at 10 a.m. The team worked several hours setting up the luminaries. Harold and Marydon Ford treated everyone with welcome hot soup, hot dogs with all the trimmings, and drinks.
Page 3 Annual Holiday Dinner Participating in the Col. William Norris Camp s Annual Holiday Dinner were (left to right) Harold Ford, Bob Jones, Ray Parker, Steven Fernandez and Jan Fernandez. Also participating were (from right to left) Elaine Beck, Don Beck, Katy Brewer, Bob Brewer, Frank Brown Jr. and Dave Redden.
Page 4 United Daughters of Confederacy Make History with Induction By Katie Martin The weather may have been gloomy in Savannah on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013, but Georgia Benton was all smiles as she was inducted into the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Not only is Benton the first African-American member in the Savannah Chapter, but she s also the first in the state of Georgia. A lot of people when they hear the word confederate they run, said Savannah Chapter 2 President Elizabeth Piechocinski. But what they don t realize is that there were a large number of African-Americans who served in the confederacy. Some were musicians or body servants, but some also fought. Benton s great-grandfather, George W. Washington, a slave in Sumter County, S.C., went off to war as the body servant of his master, Lt. Alex McQueen. The pair served in numerous battles together, most notably the Battle of Sharpsburg and the Battle of Gettysburg. Benton said that through the years her grandmother had passed down stories of Washington and his service during the war, so she already had a lot of the documents and information she needed to get started with the process of joining the organization. I thought, wait a minute, I deserve the same right to be a part of a group who are honoring their forefathers, said Benton. Very little is known about black confederate soldiers, so if I can be a starting point in letting the world know the history and making them aware that African-Americans have fought in every war in history, then I m proud to stand up for my great-grandfather. I m honored because he helped form the United States of America, he was a part of that movement and not too many people are aware of that. I m standing here with honor and pride. Benton said it took her about two months to compile the documents needed to trace her family lineage and because there aren t a lot of enlistment records for African-American confederate soldiers it did take patience and a lot of digging, but Benton believes that she can help enhance the organization with her knowledge of African-American soldiers roles in the Civil War. My son tells me I m a trailblazer, because I was also involved in the community Civil Rights movement in Port Wentworth. So, trailblazing, making a difference, I guess it s in my blood. It s just something that you do, Benton said. http://m.savannahnow.com/news/2013-12-14/ united-daughters-confederacy-make-historyinduction PHOTO BY KATIE MARTIN/ SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS Georgia Benton (left) is inducted Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013, into the United Daughters of the Confederacy Savannah Chapter 2 by President Elizabeth Piechocinski.
Page 5 25th Annual Sharpsburg (Antietam) Illumination On Saturday, Dec. 7, 2014, the Col. William Norris Camp participated in the 25 th annual Sharpsburg (Antietam) Illumination. Camp members met at the Clara Barton Monument at 10 a.m. The team worked several hours setting up the luminaries. Rex Cash and his wife, Robin, from the Clem Vann Rogers Camp 481 in Oklahoma participated in the 25 th annual Sharpsburg (Antietam) Illumination on Dec. 7, 2013.
Page 6 Annual Lee/Jackson Birthday Ceremony Continued from page 1 The Tentative Lee/Jackson Birthday Ceremony program includes: Invocation Pledge of Allegiance to the US flag Salute to the Confederate flag Welcoming remarks Presentation of memorial wreaths and floral tributes by various patriotic organizations and military units Dixie Benediction Closing bugle call. Additional Information: Military units, please bring ALL your colors, your drummers and fifers. We ask that re-enactors under 16 years of age not to carry muskets or edged weapons. With all the recent attacks on the Confederate Flag and our Confederate Heritage, and particularly with the affront to us by Johns Hopkins University, this is your opportunity to show the Confederate colors in a positive and honorable way. PLEASE BRING EVERY CONFEDERATE FLAG YOU OWN, Battle, 1st National, 2nd National, 3rd National, Bonnie Blue, State flags, unit flags, SCV Camp Confederate flags. All groups, military or civilian are encouraged to bring wreaths or floral tributes to be placed at the Lee/Jackson Monument. If you are making a presentation, please let us know who will make the presentation for your organization/unit and check in with the Wreath Coordinator at the event. If you have contact in the press, please invite them to this ceremony. Please distribute to your address book, post in your newsletter and on your web site. Thank you very much. Regards to all, Elliott Cummings Adjutant Col. Harry W. Gilmor Camp #1388 (H) 410-296-9235 basilduke@comcast.net
Sons of Confederate Veterans Army of Northern Virginia Maryland Division Camp #1398 Page 7 The newsletter of the Colonel William Norris Camp #1398 is published 12 times a year by the camp as a service to its membership and to the public. Officers Heritage Violations Notify the Camp Heritage Officer compatriot Jim Stargel (jim.stargel@ffa.gov) of any heritage violations. Harold E. Ford Adjutant/Treasurer Colonel William Norris Camp #1398 Frank Brown Jr., Commander 5008 Tothill Drive Phone: 240-876-7470 Olney, MD 20832 Email: fbrwnmcbrwn@aol.com David Redden, 1st Lt. Commander 19109 Dowden Circle Phone: 301-351-7260 Poolesville, MD 20837 Email: daveredden@hotmail.com Major David King Jr., 2nd Lt. Commander 5611 Oak Place Phone: 301-530-7634 Bethesda, MD 20817 Email: Dejota.King@verizon.net Dan Buckingham, 3rd Lt. Commander 11521 Front Field Lane Phone: 301-983-9002 Potomac, MD 20854 Email: danbuckingham@hurrisafe.com Ray Parker, Adjutant/Treasurer 20311 Whites Ferry Road Phone: 301-538-1232 Poolesville, MD 20837 Email: parkerray@hotmail.com Bob Brewer, Historian 205 E. Deer Park Drive Phone: 301-977-0087 Gaithersburg, MD 20877 Email: brewer000@verizon.net Steve Fernandez, Color Sergeant 702 Grandin Avenue Phone: 301-946-2701 Rockville, MD 20850 Email: remissong2730@msn.com Thomas Keefer, Chaplain 12558 Cross Bridge Way Phone: 301-980-9826 Germantown, MD 20874 Email: tskeef@yahoo.com Mitch Mroczka, Recruiting Officer 7333 Brenish Drive Phone: 301-997-2944 Gaithersburg, MD 20879 Email: mroczka1@verizon.net Jim Stargel, Heritage Office/Quartermaster Phyllis Brown, Editor Email: jim,stargel@ffa.gov Email: phyllisbrow20832@aol.com