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The official publication of the General Robert E. Lee Camp #1640
Sons of Confederate Veterans, Germantown, Tennessee
Duty, Honor, Integrity, Chivalry ~ Deo Vindici

January 2011 Traveller

CAMP MEETING

January 10, 2011

Speaker: Bradford Waters

Topic: The Role of the Clergy in the War of Northern Aggression

7:00 p.m. at the Pickering Center

Black eyed Peas & Southern Luck

The Real Story of how the legendary “black-eyed pea” came to be a symbol of good luck has gone untold in fear that feelings would be hurt. It’s a story of war, the most brutal and bloody war, military might and power pushed upon civilians, women, children and elderly. Never seen as a war crime this was the policy of the greatest nation on earth trying to maintain that status at all cost. A unhealed wound remains in southern states even today, on the other hand the policy of slavery has been a open wound that has also been slow to heal but ok to talk about.

The story of THE BLACK EYED PEA being considered good luck relates directly back to Sherman's Bloody March to the Sea in late 1864. It

was called The Savannah Campaign and was lead by

Major General William T. Sherman. The Civil War campaign began on 11/15/64 when Sherman 's troops marched from the captured city of Atlanta, Georgia and ended at the port of Savannah on 12/22/1864.

When the smoke cleared, the southerners who had survived the onslaught came out of hiding. They found that the blue belly aggressors that had looted and stolen everything of value, and everything you could eat including all livestock, death and destruction were everywhere. While in hiding few had enough to eat starvation was now upon the survivors.

There was no international aid, no Red Cross meal trucks. The Northern army had taken everything they could carry and eaten everything they could eat. But they couldn’t take it all. The devastated people of the south found for some unknown reason Sherman’s bloodthirsty troops had left silos full of black eyed peas.

You see at the time in the north the lowly black eyed pea was only used to feed stock. The northern troops saw it as the thing of least value, taking grain for their horses, livestock and other crops to feed themselves they just couldn’t take everything. So they left the black eyed peas in great quantities assuming it would be of no use to the survivors because all the stock that it could feed had either been taken or eaten.

Southerners awoke to face a new year in this devastation; facing massive starvation if not for the good luck of having the black-eyed peas to eat. From New Years Day 1866 forward the tradition grew to eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day for good luck.

The SCV and the Politically Correct "History" Channel

by Al Benson Jr.

Lots of people, when they want to view something of a historical nature, turn to the "History" Channel on television. Unfortunately, in many cases, when it comes to real history, that is one of the last places they should go.

Over the years, on and off, I have watched some "History" Channel offerings. Many others I have shut off after the first five minutes. This channel takes a completely politically correct view on most historical subjects. Some of their programs, over the years, have questioned the truths found in Holy Scripture, and done it in such a way as to leave folks who don't really know much about the Bible with serious doubts. In this area they seem to take a thoroughly humanist, anti-Christian position. Of course they'd staunchly deny that, but I never recall seeing anything on that channel that defended Scripture--only things that questioned it.

Historical facts prove too controversial for cable television’s “History” Channel…

They do exactly the same thing with programs dealing with the War of Northern Aggression (a term they'd never use). Three years ago, if I recall correctly, they broadcast an offering about Sherman's March through Georgia that neither my wife nor I could stomach after the first five minutes. It was pure pro-Sherman spin and little else. In my opinion the "History" Channel has no interest in promoting accurate history, but rather in propagating the standard propaganda you would expect to find in any government school "history" book.

As we approach the Sesquicentennial observance of the War of Northern Aggression this becomes all too clear. According to a press release on http://georgiascv.org for November 29th "The nationally syndicated cable television History Channel has made the controversial decision to force cable television companies, including Comcast and Charter to pull adds paid for by the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Georgia commemorating the Sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) of the War Between the States...Vice-president Nancy Alpert of

… Based on this History Channel offering it would appear that history is more entertaining when you make it up as you go along.

A & E Television, the parent company of the History Channel, gave the following explanation of her decision to ban the historical adds: 'The subject matter of each of the SCV ads, plus the actual language...is well beyond our guidelines for any advertising on AETN.' Alpert cited her opinion that the ads violated History Channel guidelines by quoting, among other things, a statement in one commercial that the war was 'Not a civil war fought to take over the United States, as it is called in history books today, this was a war...against an aggressive invasion by federal troops'."

What, pray tell, is wrong with that statement? It happens to be the truth! It was not a war in which the South was trying to take over or conquer the United States--all the Southern states sought to do was to separate themselves from the United States via secession--which was not prohibited in the Constitution.

Ms. Alpert seems to have had problems with the wording of the ads, of which there were twelve. I have not seen all twelve of them, but I did take the time to view six of them. I could find no problem whatever with what they said or they way they said it. They told the truth, but it would seem that the truth is a little too strong for the "History" Channel. It appears that they would much prefer the watered-down drivel about how wonderful Sherman's humanitarian march was for the people and state of Georgia, or how the "Great Emancipator" "freed" all

the slaves (he really didn't free any).

One of the ads I viewed dealt with the Morrill Tariff and how it penalized the South while helping the North. Another dealt with the obvious theological differences between North and South. This is a forbidden subject in history books today. Yet another ad noted the cultural differences between the two regions. All of this is stuff our current "history" books will not touch. It's the stuff of which real history is constituted, and it's just those kinds of things that the "History" Channel chooses not to deal with. I just wonder if the "History" Channel people gave the Georgia SCV their money back, seeing they opted not to run their ads.

Actually, in my opinion, the Georgia Sons of Confederate Veterans did an excellent job with this series of ads. They were succinct, well-done, and each presented a historical viewpoint that needs to be dealt with, and did it in 60 seconds flat. The subjects noted in each of these ads would be well worth doing a television presentation, prime time, so that people going into this Sesquicentennial year of the War could begin to see what the real issues were that the South fought over. I'm sure the liberal and socialist media will, for the next four years straight, hammer at us that it was all over slavery and nothing else. However, if you are looking for an honest presentation of what the War was really all about, don't hold your breath waiting for the "History" Channel to provide it.

SCV LIFE MEMBERS ROSTER

T. Tarry Beasley II T. Tarry Beasley III

Winston Blackley John Cole

James Anthony Davis Hubert Dellinger Jr., MD H. Clark Doan Eugene Forrester Robert Freeman Frank Holeman William P Hunter, Jr. Bobby Lessel Jerry C. Lunsford Frank M. McCroskey Arthur Oliver Charles Wendell Park Bill Simmons Larry J. Spiller, Sr. Charles E. Toney Osborn Turner, IV Charles L Vernon William C. Wilson

41 % of active members

Commander’s Corner

Commander’s Corner

The 150th anniversary of the War for Southern Independence is upon us!

Who would have imagined that we would be so privileged to be present for this moment in Southern history? Over the next several years there will be numerous events commemorating the history of the struggle to defend the constitution as it was written by our forefathers. It was truly, a war in the defense of states rights and against centralized government. Where would we be today had the south not endeavored to fight towards those ends? What would the southern soldier have done without the faith in their cause and their God in their fight for Southern Independence?

Come to the next meeting and hear of the role of the clergy in the War Against Northern Aggression. Bradford Waters, newly certified as a Son, will enlighten us. When reading letters from the front, one can see how important faith was in providing solace and courage in the fight. Bless our ancestors, and bless the cause for which they fought!

Having the honor to be the Commander,

Mark E. Buchanan

Check Out This Archival Video of Confederate Veterans

Thanks to Alan Doyle of the Forrest Camp who recently posted an interesting internet link on the “Tennessee SCV Division Echo” providing video footage of some old Confederate veterans. Alan encourages you to turn your speakers on first:

http://www.sc.edu/library/newsfilm/flash/NewsfilmFLASH4.html

(Note: If you are viewing the electronic version of Traveller and have internet access you should be able to point your cursor on the above URL and hit “Ctl+Right Click” to follow the link. Otherwise you may copy and paste, or type the link into your internet web browser.)

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO RE LEE CAMP MEMBERS

Due to a scheduling conflict the February 2011 meeting of the RE Lee Camp, SCV will be held on the evening of Monday February 7, 2011 at the Germantown Pickering Center. As the 2nd Monday in February (our normal meeting night) will fall on Valentines Day (the 14th) the Pickering Center will be used for a City of Germantown Valentines party. RE Lee Camp members are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to spend Valentines Day with their wives or girlfriends (but not both - as Commander Beasley reminds us) and attend the February 2011Camp meeting on the 7th.

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Traveller is the monthly newsletter of:
The General Robert E. Lee Camp #1640
Sons of Confederate Veterans
and
The Mary Custis Lee Chapter,
Order of the Confederate Rose
P.O. Box 171251
Memphis, Tennessee 38187
Steve M. McIntyre, Editor