January 2018 Alamo City Guards Camp #1325 FROM HEADQUARTERS, David Calandra Compatriots, I would first off like to thank each of you for electing me as your new commander. I hope that I will be as great as the last and am aware of the big shoes I have to fill. I would also like to thank all of the Officers who decided to stay on and those who were newly elected. I believe we have a fantastic team and will be successful in growing our Camp. We are looking forward to the Heroes Day Dinner set to take place January 13th, 2018 6pm to 10pm. Guest speaker Scott Bowden will be giving a never before heard presentation on General Robert E. Lee. The Camp Executive Committee will be meeting on January 27th, 2018 at Grady s BBQ from 11am to 1pm. This will be the first meeting of the new administration. The lawsuit against the City of San Antonio over the removal of the monument in Travis Park lead by the Albert Sidney Johnston Chapter 2060 UDC continues on. They are seeking financial support from Compatriots and request that Compatriots write a letter of concern to the San Antonio mayor. A sample letter will be printed and provided at the next camp meeting or will be emailed to compatriots upon request. Our camp voted to donate $1,000 to the cause back in November and many compatriots have donated personally. You may donate via pay-pal by visiting their website, udc-asj-2060.org, or writing a check made payable to ASJ-2060 UDC for the Travis Park Monument Legal Defense Fund and mailed to: ASJ 2060, 15720 Bandera Road, Box 9, Helotes, TX 78023. Curtis Tatsch, Warrington Austerman, and Patrick Bennett were sworn in during the December 2017 Camp Meeting. Photo courtesy of Martin Callahan. The new recruiting year started on 1 August. Recruiters get credit for new members, new Cadets, new Friends, reinstating members and transfers. Consider giving a membership as a gift to your eligible family members who are not already members. Let us all keep working to help the SCV continue to grow. If you are aware of any recruiting opportunities, please notify our 2Lt Commander Joe Ellis at joesephellis88@gmail.com.
Page 2 January 2018 We raised a toast to General Robert E Lee during our December meeting, thank you to the Texas Order of Confederate Rose for providing the wine/juice and the gifts for the members of the camp. We appreciate all that you do and will continue to support the TXOCR just as you support us. Members of the Alamo City Guards Camp 1325 and the Alamo Rose Chapter 4, San Antonio, TX join in the annual toast to General Robert E Lee. Photo courtesy of Martin Callahan. Our next meeting will be held January 4th, 2018 at Luby s. Our speaker will be Compatriot Chuck Meade who will be presenting on Alligator Horses. We are always looking for speakers for our meetings, if you would like to present or know someone who might want to, let 1Lt Commander Raymond Reeves, defiantray53@gmail.com, know so that he can coordinate a month for the presentation. Facebook As you are all aware we are always trying to grow our Facebook page. By doing so more people get to see our posts, and therefore, we remain relevant. One way to help us continue growing is to invite your friends to like our page! To do this you will want to go to our page and press the button that says Invite your friends to like this page it will then allow you to select which friends you would like to invite. Please take part in doing this so that we are able to reach more people and hopefully gain more members. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! Three Cheers for Russ Lane!! Russ Lane has been the Commander of the Alamo City Guards for the past 15 years. During that time period, he has taken the Camp from a membership of approximately 25 to the largest Camp in the Texas Division, with a membership of 177 members and growing. Russ personifies the Confederate Cause, he is always willing to take the lead and educate both the membership and the public on the true history of the South and the Confederacy. He is well read on everything Confederate and always expands his knowledge with his ever-expanding personal library. He has developed a suggested reading list of publications for the Camp membership and newly recruited members, hopefully giving them a better understanding of why the Confederacy entered the War Between the States. Jean and Russ Lane at the Confederate Cemetery. Photo from the Alamo City Guards Facebook page.
Page 3 January 2018 He has lead by example, being a 1st Lt Commander of the Alamo City Guards, the communications officer for the Camp and the 6th Texas Brigade, and also set on various committees at Camp, Brigade, Texas Division and the SCV. He looks for ways to engage Camp membership in recruiting, school history fairs, community parades and any other events that helps expose the public to the Camp and the SCV. Russ can be said to have his own Confederate unit. He has documented over 130 ancestors in his familial tree. He is always willing to assist in finding ancestors for current and new members and recruited Joyce Manuel as the Camp Genealogist to further assist members in finding their family ties to the Confederacy. Russ not only recruits for our Camp but willingly will help a member or recruit to find a Camp in their own locality throughout the United States. Throughout his time as Commander, he has enlisted Camp members to combine their talents to further educate the public by exhibiting their individual talents. He has lead the Camp to recognition of the Best Camp Newsletter, and Texas Division Camp of the Year in 2013/2014 year among other Camp and personal recognitions. In short, Russ Lane is an innovator, teacher, historian and TRUE CONFEDERATE COMPATRIOT!! This is my happy face. When Russ was elected 15 years ago, he was just a young little Rebel. Russ, all grown up now and showing his happy face, testifies to seeing the elephant during his command.
Page 4 January 2018 Back in the 60s... 1960s! Six Flags over Texas The Confederate Drill Team would perform for audiences in 1962. Often times, they would look to shoot Yankees! (http://www.kencollier.org/sixflags/sixflagspostcardportfolio1962/ SixFlagsPostcards1962.html) From the original postcard: DEATH TO THE YANKEES SPY CONFEDERATE SECTION In the midst of an enlistment rally, a Yankee spy is discovered. The Confederate firing squad solves the problem with one short burst. (http://www.kencollier.org/sixflags/ sixflagsfavorites.html) The Southern Palace was built for the 1968 season. Prior to that time, an Amphitheater was at this location. (http://parktimes.com/pxcontent/southernpalace)
Page 5 January 2018 CONFEDERATE HEROES DAY DINNER Hosted by Alamo City Guards Camp 1325 Saturday JANUARY 13 th, 2018 6:00 pm 10:00 pm Please plan to attend and include your family and friends. The Alamo City Guards Camp 1325, San Antonio, TX is hosting our Second Annual Confederate Heroes Day celebration in January 2018. Details and registration forms are attached. Based on last year's response, we are anticipating a full house. Please register as soon as possible. A new feature this year will be the display of the original painting, "The Texas Battle Flag", by John Paul Strain, that will be used on the Texas Division, SCV specialty license plate application. Special guest-speaker is Scott Bowden, author of Robert E. Lee at War. Let's look forward to a great celebration of our Confederate heroes with like-minded people.
Page 6 January 2018 "To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we submit 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 he loved and which made him glorious and which you also cherish. Lt. General Stephen Dill Lee, Commander General, United Confederate Veterans, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1906 Camp Officers Commander David Calandra, davidcalandra202@yahoo.com 1Lt Commander Raymond Reeves, defiantray53@gmail.com 2Lt Commander Joseph Ellis, joesephellis88@gmail.com Adjutant Rodney Seiler, acg1325adj@outlook.com Genealogist Joyce Manuel, southern_heart_ranch@juno.com Judge Advocate Egon Tausch, ertausch@aol.com Chaplain John Carleton, navybee355@gmail.com Color Sergeant Scott Davis, historicalone@hotmail.com Web Master Michael Climo, mclimo@ca.rr.com Communications Officer Russ Lane, alamocamp@yahoo.com Newsletter Editor Scott Woodard, scott.c.woodard92@gmail.com RECRUITER OF THE YEAR STATUS RECRUITER OF THE YEAR STATUS Total recruited 1 August 2017-31 July 2018 (New, Reinstated, Cadets, Transfers and Friends): 37 Communications Officer (Not eligible for the award):2 Adjutant (Not eligible for the award): 0 Hawk Bennett 27 Bill Manuel 1 Yancey Swearingen 1 Russell J Lane 4 Dustin Seiler 1 Scott Woodard 1 Upcoming Events 4 January, Monthly Meeting, Chuck Meade, Alligator Horses, Luby s 13 January, Confederate Heroes Day Dinner, Double Tree Hotel 27 January, Camp Executive Meeting, Grady s BBQ 1 Feburary, Monthly Meeting, Ken McAllister, Joshua Chamberlain; Lion of the Union" 17 February, 2018 Stephen D. Lee Institute Symposium, Shreveport, Louisiana, The Rational Confederate in an Irrational World, Defending our Southern heritage in an age devoid of logic and reason. 1 March, Monthly Meeting, Dr. Catherine Clinton, "Stepdaughters of History; Southern Women and the American Civil War" Meetings are on the first Thursday of the month at Luby s Cafeteria, 911 N. Main at I 35 South in San Antonio. Visitors are always welcome. We meet to eat and visit at 6 PM; meetings start at 7 PM. Bring a family member, a friend or another potential recruit. Remember, the Confederate Battle Flag is the internationally recognized symbol of resistance to tyranny. Fly it proudly and defend it!