Click on this link to see full article with pictures: http://www.euportal.cz/Articles/5339-confederate-flag-and-st-andrew-s-cross.aspx
Autor: David Dieteman
Publikováno: 30.11.2009
Rubrika: English
Joseph Stromberg rightly points out that the media prefers to refer to the St. Andrew's Cross on the Confederate battle flag as a letter X.
Of course, it is not a letter X. It is a cross – in particular, the St. Andrew's Cross. In vexillology (the study of flags), the technical term for such a cross is a saltire.
Webster's Third New International Dictionary (I don't have the OED on hand; sorry) defines a saltire as: noun, singular:
1.heraldry: an ordinary consisting of a cross formed by a bend dexter and a bend sinister crossing in the center of the field.
2.an X-shaped cross: esp. Saint Andrew's Cross.
The term derives from the Middle English and Middle French words for an X-shaped animal barricade that people could jump over. Presumably, the animals could jump over the middle of the X as well, but it never occurred to them to do so.
Webster's, by the way, provides an additional definition of a saltire: adj.: shaped like an X.
So perhaps there is nothing sinister going on in the mantra that the Confederate flag is an "X," but given that the mere reference to "an X" is an incomplete history of flags featuring the St. Andrew's Cross, and given the larger cultural climate of hatred of all things Christian, I smell a rat.
This is of particular concern to me, as I am a Roman Catholic and a parishioner at, well, wouldn't you know it – St. Andrew's.
In the church, there is a statue of St. Andrew himself, holding a big X in his hands. Why? He lived far too long ago to have been a Spike Lee fan or a follower of Malcolm X.
The reason he is holding the X is that it is not an X – it is a cross. Saint Andrew, you see, was crucified on an X-shaped cross.
The St. Andrew's Cross is not unique to the Confederate battle flag. The reason that the CSA put the St. Andrew's Cross on its flag is the Scottish heritage of the South.
The Scottish national flag, you see, is the St. Andrew's Cross in white on a field of blue.
(This is to be distinguished from the Scottish government flag, the flag of the Scottish monarchy, which features a red lion on a field of yellow.)
A similar situation to the Scottish situation is found in many nations, such as Germany, whose government flag has an eagle in the center of the red, black and gold banner, as does Austria (similar eagle issues).
Joseph Stromberg has brought to my attention the fact that, where the St. Andrew's Cross is concerned, in South Africa, the Transvaal (South African Republic, or ZAR) flag from 1874-75, known as the Burger flag, descended from the Voortrekker flag of 1836-40.
For those who do not read Afrikaans, Stromberg has provided a translation: "This [Burger flag] is a revised form of the Voortrekker flag. T. F. Burgers, as President of the South African Republic, tried to replace the Transvaal Vierkleur with this flag. From 1875, however, the Vierkleur was the official flag of the ZAR. The Burger flag was however sometimes hoisted next to the Vierkleur in Burgers's time, and was usually known as the President's flag."
(Much like those pesky Mississippians, the South Africans did not want a replacement flag.)
But back to St. Andrew and his cross.
Saint Andrew is also the patron saint of Russia. Unsurprisingly, then, the ensign of the Russian Imperial Navy which flew during the reign of the Czars, as well as the Russian Imperial Navy Jack both feature the St. Andrew's Cross.
And let's not forget the flags of Alabama and Florida.
A variant also appears on the Spanish Cross (the Cross of Burgundy, flown from 1516 to 1556 by Charles I of Spain), although I am not sure of any connection. However, since this flag was flown by Cortez in his conquest of Mexico, it is perhaps on the endangered banners list as well.
Given the recent media hysteria over Johnny Hart's "B.C." cartoon, and the general media ridicule of all things Christian, is it any wonder that the Confederate battle flag is hated?
The Confederate battle flag, by the way, is square.
The navy jack (or ensign, which was carried by some ground troups, as noted by AnyFlags.com) (right) is a rectangle.
The Left certainly hates the Confederate flag because it is "the flag of a stateless nation" that, despite its military surrender, has never surrendered its spirit.
Perhaps the Left also despises the St. Andrew's Cross because of Andrew's very name – it means "manly" in Greek. Post-modern, relativist western civilization simply cannot abide the concept of manliness.
April 21, 2001
Mr. Dieteman is an attorney in Erie, Pennsylvania, and a PhD candidate in philosophy at The Catholic University of America.
© 2001 David Dieteman
David Dieteman Archives
http://www.euportal.cz/Articles/5339-confederate-flag-and-st-andrew-s-cross.aspx
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
County prepares to move Confederate monument
Marion County Florida administrator to create list of possible sites for statue.
By Bill Thompson
Staff writer - Ocala.com
Published: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 6:30 a.m.
The Confederate monument that stood guard in front of the Marion County Courthouse for nearly a century, only to be stuck in a corner two years ago as the facility was expanded, is likely moving.
The question remains: Where?
On Tuesday, the County Commission appeared to reach a consensus to relocate the statue of the Confederate infantryman, known commonly as "Johnny Reb."
That came after Ocala lawyer Lanny Curry proposed a public-private partnership to relocate the 101-year-old monument and volunteered to help raise the estimated $25,000 needed to move it from its present location, a nook on the building's south side fronting Northwest First Street.
To further the project, commissioners agreed to set up an account with the court clerk's office to accept tax-exempt donations and accepted Commissioner Charlie Stone's offer to serve as a liaison to work with Curry and other parties interested in finding Johnny Reb a new home.
County Administrator Lee Niblock said he would prepare at least three new locations for the board to consider at its next meeting, scheduled for Dec. 1.
Niblock indicated that the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, a site favored by many, is one option. Leaving the monument where it is will be offered as another, he added. As for where else it might go, Niblock was mum, only saying the spot would reflect the statue's "historical significance."
Johnny Reb was removed in 2007 from the front of the courthouse in downtown Ocala in preparation for a $41-million expansion.
Other than spending a four-year stint in storage in the late 1980s when the courthouse was last renovated, the two-story-tall, 15-ton statue has been a fixture at the facility's entrance since being dedicated in April 1908.
The current courthouse project is expected to be completed in January.
Former county administrator Pat Howard had designated Johnny Reb's current location as permanent and Niblock was inclined to concur unless the County Commission directed otherwise. Curry, a U.S. Navy veteran and member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, appealed to the board to find a "suitable location" for the monument.
Relating that his great-grandfather, Lawton Curry, was a Confederate soldier in the Florida cavalry who had been wounded in battle, Curry said it was not "in a place of honor and not in a proper location."
His preference is the veterans' park, at Fort King Street and Southeast 25th Avenue, about two miles from where Johnny Reb is now situated.
Curry also said he was trying to fulfill a commitment to the late Tommy Needham, a former county commissioner and impetus for the park.
"I promised him that I would not let the issue go away," Curry told the commission.
Curry said he felt strongly about the need to sustain the memory of the efforts of those who fought in the Civil War.
While the monument has periodically ignited controversy as civil rights groups complained it is an affront to blacks, the commission's reluctance to overrule Howard's decision was primarily rooted in the cost of moving it.
Relocating the statue requires a specialized moving company that can dismantle its three fitted parts and reassemble it.
Stone suggested the board could perhaps convince some company to offer in-kind services to move it.
Once the cost issue is resolved, the monument should be placed in a more prominent position, Stone offered.
"It's just not in a location where people can see it on an ongoing basis," he said.
In other action, the board learned that Marion County had received almost $2.5 million in federal stimulus funding to make the courthouse and some county offices more energy efficient.
Roughly $727,000 of that amount will be used to install new cooling units to replace the 50-year-old units at the courthouse's heating and air conditioning system. An additional $303,000 will be spent to replace the facility's windows and lighting. Another $450,000 will go for installing solar heating panels at the Marion County Jail.
Other improvements include updating traffic signals, installing waterless urinals, improving lighting and air conditioning at three county firehouses and replacing windows.
"It's a huge accomplishment that will save the citizens a ton of money," Commissioner Stan McClain observed. Congress passed President Barack Obama's $787-billion spending program in February.
Copyright © 2009 Ocala.com — All rights reserved. Restricted use only.
http://www.ocala.com/article/20091118/ARTICLES/911181013/1402/NEWS
By Bill Thompson
Staff writer - Ocala.com
Published: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 6:30 a.m.
The Confederate monument that stood guard in front of the Marion County Courthouse for nearly a century, only to be stuck in a corner two years ago as the facility was expanded, is likely moving.
The question remains: Where?
On Tuesday, the County Commission appeared to reach a consensus to relocate the statue of the Confederate infantryman, known commonly as "Johnny Reb."
That came after Ocala lawyer Lanny Curry proposed a public-private partnership to relocate the 101-year-old monument and volunteered to help raise the estimated $25,000 needed to move it from its present location, a nook on the building's south side fronting Northwest First Street.
To further the project, commissioners agreed to set up an account with the court clerk's office to accept tax-exempt donations and accepted Commissioner Charlie Stone's offer to serve as a liaison to work with Curry and other parties interested in finding Johnny Reb a new home.
County Administrator Lee Niblock said he would prepare at least three new locations for the board to consider at its next meeting, scheduled for Dec. 1.
Niblock indicated that the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, a site favored by many, is one option. Leaving the monument where it is will be offered as another, he added. As for where else it might go, Niblock was mum, only saying the spot would reflect the statue's "historical significance."
Johnny Reb was removed in 2007 from the front of the courthouse in downtown Ocala in preparation for a $41-million expansion.
Other than spending a four-year stint in storage in the late 1980s when the courthouse was last renovated, the two-story-tall, 15-ton statue has been a fixture at the facility's entrance since being dedicated in April 1908.
The current courthouse project is expected to be completed in January.
Former county administrator Pat Howard had designated Johnny Reb's current location as permanent and Niblock was inclined to concur unless the County Commission directed otherwise. Curry, a U.S. Navy veteran and member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, appealed to the board to find a "suitable location" for the monument.
Relating that his great-grandfather, Lawton Curry, was a Confederate soldier in the Florida cavalry who had been wounded in battle, Curry said it was not "in a place of honor and not in a proper location."
His preference is the veterans' park, at Fort King Street and Southeast 25th Avenue, about two miles from where Johnny Reb is now situated.
Curry also said he was trying to fulfill a commitment to the late Tommy Needham, a former county commissioner and impetus for the park.
"I promised him that I would not let the issue go away," Curry told the commission.
Curry said he felt strongly about the need to sustain the memory of the efforts of those who fought in the Civil War.
While the monument has periodically ignited controversy as civil rights groups complained it is an affront to blacks, the commission's reluctance to overrule Howard's decision was primarily rooted in the cost of moving it.
Relocating the statue requires a specialized moving company that can dismantle its three fitted parts and reassemble it.
Stone suggested the board could perhaps convince some company to offer in-kind services to move it.
Once the cost issue is resolved, the monument should be placed in a more prominent position, Stone offered.
"It's just not in a location where people can see it on an ongoing basis," he said.
In other action, the board learned that Marion County had received almost $2.5 million in federal stimulus funding to make the courthouse and some county offices more energy efficient.
Roughly $727,000 of that amount will be used to install new cooling units to replace the 50-year-old units at the courthouse's heating and air conditioning system. An additional $303,000 will be spent to replace the facility's windows and lighting. Another $450,000 will go for installing solar heating panels at the Marion County Jail.
Other improvements include updating traffic signals, installing waterless urinals, improving lighting and air conditioning at three county firehouses and replacing windows.
"It's a huge accomplishment that will save the citizens a ton of money," Commissioner Stan McClain observed. Congress passed President Barack Obama's $787-billion spending program in February.
Copyright © 2009 Ocala.com — All rights reserved. Restricted use only.
http://www.ocala.com/article/20091118/ARTICLES/911181013/1402/NEWS
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Racial Slurs Spray Painted on Confederate Monument
Channel 6 News WJBF-TV
Augusta, GA—The vandalism happened after dark, Sunday night, and based on the job, it looks like whoever is responsible had some time to finish their work. Spray painted on the Confederate monument in downtown Augusta was “Black power,“ “Cracker killers,“ and “I hate whites.“
Crews got most of the paint off, early Monday morning. They used expensive, heavy-duty graffiti remover on the tough stuff.
People we talked to say it’s disappointing to see this in 2009, but not everyone is totally surprised by it, either.
“It’s sad that it’s happening and that people are taking the time to vandalize buildings instead of encouraging one another. We’re here to encourage one another and build each other up, not tear each other down,“ says Hegar Moody, of Aiken, SC.
Richmond County Sheriff’s Office investigators were checking with local businesses, Monday, to see if any cameras caught the vandals in action. So far, there’s no word on any suspects.
Defacing a public monument is a felony, and if caught, the vandals could serve up to five years in jail.
Click on below link to view video:
http://www2.wjbf.com/jbf/news/crime/article/racial_slurs_spray_painted_on_confederate_monument/37749/
Augusta, GA—The vandalism happened after dark, Sunday night, and based on the job, it looks like whoever is responsible had some time to finish their work. Spray painted on the Confederate monument in downtown Augusta was “Black power,“ “Cracker killers,“ and “I hate whites.“
Crews got most of the paint off, early Monday morning. They used expensive, heavy-duty graffiti remover on the tough stuff.
People we talked to say it’s disappointing to see this in 2009, but not everyone is totally surprised by it, either.
“It’s sad that it’s happening and that people are taking the time to vandalize buildings instead of encouraging one another. We’re here to encourage one another and build each other up, not tear each other down,“ says Hegar Moody, of Aiken, SC.
Richmond County Sheriff’s Office investigators were checking with local businesses, Monday, to see if any cameras caught the vandals in action. So far, there’s no word on any suspects.
Defacing a public monument is a felony, and if caught, the vandals could serve up to five years in jail.
Click on below link to view video:
http://www2.wjbf.com/jbf/news/crime/article/racial_slurs_spray_painted_on_confederate_monument/37749/
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Unknown Civil War soldier to be reburied Oct. 10
Uniforned sentries stand guard while mourners exit the gates of Rest Haven Cemetery.
Photo by Robin Hood
FRANKLIN – The sons of two Civil War veterans who fought for separate causes will meet for the first time over the unearthed remains of an unknown soldier, whose body never made it home from the battlefield 145 years ago.
Harold Becker, 93, of Grand Rapids, Mich., and James Brown, Sr., 97, of Knoxville, Tenn., will join together to help re-inter the unknown soldier’s remains, discovered in a shallow grave during a commercial construction project on the field where 10,000 casualties fell in five hours at the Battle of Franklin on Nov. 30, 1864.
Becker’s father, Charles Conrad Becker, fought through the horrific battle at Franklin with the 128th Indiana Infantry, U.S.A., while Brown’s father, James H. H. Brown – 8th Georgia Infantry, C.S.A. – saw his regiment cut in half at Gettysburg. On Saturday, Oct. 10, they will shake hands over the new grave of an American soldier.
“Most folks don’t consider the sacrifice that these soldiers made, certainly on both sides,” said Robin Hood, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer who is chair of the City of Franklin’s Battlefield Task Force. “And his family was left alone, to eventually come to closure with the fact that he was killed in action in some field a thousand miles from home.”
Thousands like him were buried with simple gravestones marked Unknown, including approximately 750 in Franklin.
It is not known for which army the Unknown Soldier fought. A coffin containing his remains will lie in state at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 510 West Main Street in Franklin – the circa 1827 sanctuary which served as barracks for Federal troops during their occupation of the town in 1864 – from 8 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8 until the funeral ceremony at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10. One Federal and one Confederate honor-guard sentry will be posted at the front doors of the church during the 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. visitation period each day and prior to the ceremony on Saturday morning.
The soldier will receive full military honors from re-enactors representing brothers-in-arms from both the United States and the Confederacy. On Saturday morning, a Union and a Confederate Chaplain will conduct a brief funeral service in the church. Following the service, the flag-draped casket will be borne from the church by uniformed pallbearers (Confederate and Federal) and placed on a waiting, horse-drawn caisson in front of the church.
Accompanied by a color guard, honor guard, period musicians, and hundreds of uniformed re-enactors, the caisson will travel down Main Street and around the Public Square to the Rest Haven Cemetery gates.
As the procession leaves St. Paul's and continues up Main Street, townspeople and visitors are invited to fall in behind the ranks of the marching re-enactors.
After arriving at Rest Haven Cemetery, a brief eulogy will be delivered by the chaplains, and will conclude with period-appropriate military honors including a 21-gun salute and the playing of “Taps” by a uniformed bugler.
Active participation in the ceremonies at Rest Haven and at St. Paul’s will be restricted to uniformed re-enactors, but the public is encouraged to view the ceremonies. Re-enactment units that wish to participate should contact Robert Huff at (615) 500-8211, or via email at rghuff123@aol.com.
For more information, visit http://www.franklincivilwar.com/
http://www.murfreesboropost.com/unknown-civil-war-soldier-to-be-reburied-oct-10-cms-19613
Dedication honors Robeson Confederate
By Hilary Kraus
Staff writer
ST PAULS - The heroics of the late William Townsend were brought to life Saturday afternoon.
Eighty-two years after the Civil War veteran died, a stone dedication was performed by the Sons of Confederate Veterans South Carolina 7th Brigade.
About a dozen members of the Capt. Andrew T. Harllee Camp 2010 chapter from Dillion, S.C., dressed in Civil War garb, presented a dedication fitting for the time.
Rifles were shot, a cannon was fired and taps was played, as a few friends and family members stood near Townsend's tombstone at the Oak Ridge Cemetery.
"It touched my heart to think about what all he must have gone through and what all the others must have gone through," said Jean Townsend Duncan, great-grandaughter of William Townsend and a St. Pauls resident. "It made me almost tearful to think about it."
The ceremony was one of eight performed at six different cemeteries on Saturday. The brigade also was in Hamer, S.C.; Raynham and Lumberton, before arriving in St. Pauls.
Gilbert Townsend, a distant cousin of Duncan and member of the Dillon chapter, is a descendent of all the men recognized. He organized the ceremonies.
William Townsend, a native of Robeson County, was a private with the N.C. Infantry Company D. The infantry was organized in 1861 and included members from Robeson, New Hanover, Bladen, Columbus and Richmond counties.
The army unit of 1,100 men participated in numerous battles and lost 57 percent of the 396 men in the Seven Days battles. Of the 346 in action at Gettysburg, 25 percent were disabled.
Duncan said her great-grandfather was wounded in the war, but she was uncertain of details.
"I know he was known as a sharp shooter and was there right behind Gen. (Robert E.) Lee," Duncan said.
William Townsend was 84 when he died in 1927. He was buried with his confederate pin on his chest.
http://www.fayobserver.com/Articles/2009/10/04/940007
Staff writer
ST PAULS - The heroics of the late William Townsend were brought to life Saturday afternoon.
Eighty-two years after the Civil War veteran died, a stone dedication was performed by the Sons of Confederate Veterans South Carolina 7th Brigade.
About a dozen members of the Capt. Andrew T. Harllee Camp 2010 chapter from Dillion, S.C., dressed in Civil War garb, presented a dedication fitting for the time.
Rifles were shot, a cannon was fired and taps was played, as a few friends and family members stood near Townsend's tombstone at the Oak Ridge Cemetery.
"It touched my heart to think about what all he must have gone through and what all the others must have gone through," said Jean Townsend Duncan, great-grandaughter of William Townsend and a St. Pauls resident. "It made me almost tearful to think about it."
The ceremony was one of eight performed at six different cemeteries on Saturday. The brigade also was in Hamer, S.C.; Raynham and Lumberton, before arriving in St. Pauls.
Gilbert Townsend, a distant cousin of Duncan and member of the Dillon chapter, is a descendent of all the men recognized. He organized the ceremonies.
William Townsend, a native of Robeson County, was a private with the N.C. Infantry Company D. The infantry was organized in 1861 and included members from Robeson, New Hanover, Bladen, Columbus and Richmond counties.
The army unit of 1,100 men participated in numerous battles and lost 57 percent of the 396 men in the Seven Days battles. Of the 346 in action at Gettysburg, 25 percent were disabled.
Duncan said her great-grandfather was wounded in the war, but she was uncertain of details.
"I know he was known as a sharp shooter and was there right behind Gen. (Robert E.) Lee," Duncan said.
William Townsend was 84 when he died in 1927. He was buried with his confederate pin on his chest.
http://www.fayobserver.com/Articles/2009/10/04/940007
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Ringgold Gap Festival to honor Cleburne
Dalton Daily Citizen
by: Rachel Brown
September 29, 2009 07:12 pm
The Ringgold Gap Civil War Festival this weekend will honor the Confederate general who gained notoriety when he staved off federal forces at the town in 1863.
Festival organizers are planning a dedication of a statue to Patrick R. Cleburne, the Irish immigrant who they say is the first Confederate general since 1912 to have a statue dedicated in his honor in Georgia. The last one was dedicated to Joseph E. Johnston in downtown Dalton.
Festival committee member and historian Stephen McKinney said Cleburne is known for being the first Confederate general to propose freeing Southern slaves in exchange for their military service, and he’s also remembered for holding back Union troops at Ringgold long enough for the Confederates to retreat to Dalton and regroup after a defeat at Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga.
Cleburne died a year later when he was shot during combat in Franklin, Tenn., McKinney said. He was 36. Ringgold Telephone Company and the city of Ringgold are sponsoring the festival, which will be held off of Robin Road on county historian Bill Clark’s property. Robin Road is accessible from Alabama Highway and from Tennessee Street.
The two-day festival kicks off Friday with events scheduled for students, while Saturday’s events are all open to the public free of charge. Ringgold downtown events coordinator Andrea Sherman said this is the first year for the festival, and it could be an annual event. Sherman said the Civil War is a high-interest subject and a big tourist draw. “We have so many people that are fans of Gen. Cleburne,” she added. “He’s quite well respected.”
Historians say Cleburne’s 4,000 men kept 12,000 Union soldiers from breaching Ringgold Gap in November 1863. The feat earned him a resolution of thanks from the Confederate Congress a few months later. “Ringgold Gap is very narrow, and it was much narrower in 1863 than it is today,” McKinney said. “They had to widen the gap to put I-75 through.” Sherman said she couldn’t speculate about how many visitors the event might bring to Ringgold, but she knows the Cleburne statue will continue to draw tourists long after the festival is over. Close to 100 re-enactors are scheduled to be on site. There won’t be a battle re-enactment, but re-enactors will be set up with living history displays and will be available for questions, organizers said. “This is really an opportunity for the public to get a hands-on educational experience,” McKinney said.
Saturday schedule
9 a.m. — Festival grounds open
10 a.m. — Unveiling ceremony of Gen. Patrick Cleburne statue at Ringgold Confederate Park, Ga. Highway 41. Shuttles will be provided from the festival grounds to the ceremony and to Ringgold Depot.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. — Art exhibition at the Ringgold Depot
Cleburne’s tent historical lecture schedule
11 a.m. — Cathy Kaemmerlen will tell stories from her book “General Sherman and the Georgia Belles: Tales from Women Left Behind.” She will sign copies afterward.
Noon — Bruce Stewart, author of “Invisible Hero Patrick R. Cleburne”
1 p.m. — Jim Ogden, historian at Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
2 p.m. — Mauriel Joslyn, author and immediate past president of the Gen. Patrick Cleburne Society
3 p.m. — Ron Tunison, historical sculptor and creator of the Cleburne statue
4 p.m. — Thomas Cartwright, historian, speaking on Cleburne’s life and death
5 p.m. — Cathy Kaemmerlen, appearing as Clara Barton
6 p.m. — Bill Clark, Catoosa County historian, speaking on the county’s history
General’s tent schedule
Noon — Buttonwillow Church play
3 p.m. — Buttonwillow Church play
7 p.m. — Period ball (the public is invited to join in Civil War period dances)
Ringgold Telephone Company tent schedule
All day — Lincoln Exhibit provided by Gilder Lehrman, Institute of America History
11 a.m. — Mountain Cove Bluegrass Band
2 p.m. — Mountain Cove Bluegrass Band
Living history experience camp provided by Hardee Guard Battalion all afternoon
11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. — Unit and first person impressions in Confederate camps
Noon-5:30 p.m. — Roving and static music, period songs and tunes of the Civil War
Noon-1 p.m. — “Join the Army!” camp for kids and adults to learn about the average soldier
12:30 p.m.-1 p.m. — Artillery demonstration
1 p.m.-5:30 p.m. — Drill and artillery demonstrations
1:30 p.m.-2 p.m. — Speaker Stephen McKinney on functions of brigade and staff positions in the field
For more information
http://www.ringgoldgapfestival.com/
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
http://www.daltondailycitizen.com/statenews/local_story_272191312.html?keyword=topstory
by: Rachel Brown
September 29, 2009 07:12 pm
The Ringgold Gap Civil War Festival this weekend will honor the Confederate general who gained notoriety when he staved off federal forces at the town in 1863.
Festival organizers are planning a dedication of a statue to Patrick R. Cleburne, the Irish immigrant who they say is the first Confederate general since 1912 to have a statue dedicated in his honor in Georgia. The last one was dedicated to Joseph E. Johnston in downtown Dalton.
Festival committee member and historian Stephen McKinney said Cleburne is known for being the first Confederate general to propose freeing Southern slaves in exchange for their military service, and he’s also remembered for holding back Union troops at Ringgold long enough for the Confederates to retreat to Dalton and regroup after a defeat at Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga.
Cleburne died a year later when he was shot during combat in Franklin, Tenn., McKinney said. He was 36. Ringgold Telephone Company and the city of Ringgold are sponsoring the festival, which will be held off of Robin Road on county historian Bill Clark’s property. Robin Road is accessible from Alabama Highway and from Tennessee Street.
The two-day festival kicks off Friday with events scheduled for students, while Saturday’s events are all open to the public free of charge. Ringgold downtown events coordinator Andrea Sherman said this is the first year for the festival, and it could be an annual event. Sherman said the Civil War is a high-interest subject and a big tourist draw. “We have so many people that are fans of Gen. Cleburne,” she added. “He’s quite well respected.”
Historians say Cleburne’s 4,000 men kept 12,000 Union soldiers from breaching Ringgold Gap in November 1863. The feat earned him a resolution of thanks from the Confederate Congress a few months later. “Ringgold Gap is very narrow, and it was much narrower in 1863 than it is today,” McKinney said. “They had to widen the gap to put I-75 through.” Sherman said she couldn’t speculate about how many visitors the event might bring to Ringgold, but she knows the Cleburne statue will continue to draw tourists long after the festival is over. Close to 100 re-enactors are scheduled to be on site. There won’t be a battle re-enactment, but re-enactors will be set up with living history displays and will be available for questions, organizers said. “This is really an opportunity for the public to get a hands-on educational experience,” McKinney said.
Saturday schedule
9 a.m. — Festival grounds open
10 a.m. — Unveiling ceremony of Gen. Patrick Cleburne statue at Ringgold Confederate Park, Ga. Highway 41. Shuttles will be provided from the festival grounds to the ceremony and to Ringgold Depot.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. — Art exhibition at the Ringgold Depot
Cleburne’s tent historical lecture schedule
11 a.m. — Cathy Kaemmerlen will tell stories from her book “General Sherman and the Georgia Belles: Tales from Women Left Behind.” She will sign copies afterward.
Noon — Bruce Stewart, author of “Invisible Hero Patrick R. Cleburne”
1 p.m. — Jim Ogden, historian at Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
2 p.m. — Mauriel Joslyn, author and immediate past president of the Gen. Patrick Cleburne Society
3 p.m. — Ron Tunison, historical sculptor and creator of the Cleburne statue
4 p.m. — Thomas Cartwright, historian, speaking on Cleburne’s life and death
5 p.m. — Cathy Kaemmerlen, appearing as Clara Barton
6 p.m. — Bill Clark, Catoosa County historian, speaking on the county’s history
General’s tent schedule
Noon — Buttonwillow Church play
3 p.m. — Buttonwillow Church play
7 p.m. — Period ball (the public is invited to join in Civil War period dances)
Ringgold Telephone Company tent schedule
All day — Lincoln Exhibit provided by Gilder Lehrman, Institute of America History
11 a.m. — Mountain Cove Bluegrass Band
2 p.m. — Mountain Cove Bluegrass Band
Living history experience camp provided by Hardee Guard Battalion all afternoon
11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. — Unit and first person impressions in Confederate camps
Noon-5:30 p.m. — Roving and static music, period songs and tunes of the Civil War
Noon-1 p.m. — “Join the Army!” camp for kids and adults to learn about the average soldier
12:30 p.m.-1 p.m. — Artillery demonstration
1 p.m.-5:30 p.m. — Drill and artillery demonstrations
1:30 p.m.-2 p.m. — Speaker Stephen McKinney on functions of brigade and staff positions in the field
For more information
http://www.ringgoldgapfestival.com/
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
http://www.daltondailycitizen.com/statenews/local_story_272191312.html?keyword=topstory
Monday, September 28, 2009
Confederate Wooden Canteen
This episode deals with a Southern ( Rebel ) canteen made of wood and why a wooden Confederate canteen was often seen as better than its metallic Union counterpart. A rare Confederate canteen is examined. What is the common motto about Civil War canteens that was remembered by all soldiers well after the war?
Though people often remember the generals and commanders from a major war, its outcome also depends largely on the nameless soldiers in the front lines. Illuminating little known history, CIVIL WAR MINUTES® - Confederate features rarely told stories of both the famous and average Confederate soldiers in the Civil War. This film reveals the intimate details of the soldiers' lives in their own words, such as their weapons of choice, their uniforms and how soldiers form fellowships during the war that last throughout their lives.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
