The May meeting was held April at the Commander's cabin.  We had a great meal around the fire with beans, ham, biscuits, cornbread, and some other great stuff that I didn't get because I was stuffed on beans, ham, biscuits, and cornbread (and some Mississippi mud cake with a slab of pecan pie on the side).  After a short, but informative, business meeting we heard a blow-by-blow account of the journey of Union Colonel Abel Streight and 3,000 Union calvarymen through North Alabama as they were chased, bothered, harassed, annoyed, pestered, and, finally, captured at Cedar Bluff by some 300 Confederates under the command of General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

The April meeting was held at the Burnt Church and we were especially blessed to be entertained by the Allison family... the Reverend Allison and the most talented bunch of girls (and one boy) that I ever saw - playing traditional music on fiddles, guitars, and piano.  We conducted some business and had a wonderful time.

The March meeting was held, as usual, on the second Monday of the month -  March 10 - at the Burnt Church.  We continued to take turns sharing the personal accounts of our Confederate ancestors.  We want to say a special thanks to all those who shared their family history.   

The February meeting was held Monday, 2/11, at 6:30 in the Fellowship Hall of the Burnt Church (aka Trinity Methodist, Sylvania).  Some of our members  shared what they know about their Confederate ancestors--not only as a soldier, but as a person.  Leading off was Russ Hare, who told about his gg-grandfather Pvt. Alvah Griffin, Co. C, 5th Alabama Infantry.  

For those who aren't sure, here is how to get to our new meeting place:

Directions to the Burnt Church:

From I-59 coming from Gadsden, take the Fort Payne exit (the South exit) onto Highway 35.  Go West, up Sand Mountain to Rainsville (about 10 miles).  Go to the red light at the intersection of Hwy 35 and Hwy 75 and turn right (North).  (If you came up 35 East from Scottsboro, turn left.  If you come up 75 from Geraldine or Fyffe, keep going).  Travel up 75 for 3.5 miles and turn your left signal on.  At 3.7 miles, turn left on County Road 102.  Go 1 mile and turn left...the church is at the corner on your right.  The fellowship hall is at the extreme right as you face the church.  Park and come in through the double glass doors and down the hallway to the fellowship hall.

(If you're coming from the other direction on 75, continue about 2.5 miles South of the light at 75 and Sylvania Gap Road, turn right on CR 102).

On the 26th, we held our annual ROBERT E. LEE & STONEWALL JACKSON BANQUET in the fellowship hall of the Burnt Church (aka Trinity Methodist).
Our special guest speaker was the Honorable Todd Gober of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  Compatriot Gober gave a special presentation on the Christian faith of Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.  It was a thoroughly fascinating talk and a real blessing.  We were pleased and honored to have Todd and his lovely wife this year.  In addition to the presentation, we were treated to some rousing music by our camp commander, Gary Carlyle.  And, of course, since it was a banquet--we feasted on chicken fingers, baked beans, some of the best cole slaw I ever ate, and dessert.  Please check out the photos here, or on our Heritage page.

    Compatriot Oz and his lovely wife Carolyn hosted the 2nd annual Aldrich Family Barbecue and MusicFest for the SCV Camp.  Their gracious hospitality was a blessing to us all the pork ribs and fixin's were outstanding.  Our bellies were filled, our ancestors were honored, and the Cause was not forgotten.     

    The November meeting was held Monday, November 12, at 6:30 at Sylvania High School.  I'm sorry to say I was out of town (but still in Dixie) and missed it.  Our next meeting will be December 10 and, God willing, I won't miss that one. 

    Our meeting was held Monday, October 8 at Sylvania High School.  Todd Gober, Lt Commander of SCV camp #33, Murfreesboro, Tennessee was our honored guest and speaker.  Todd has 26 ancestors, at last count, that fought in the WBTS -- some white, some black, some Confederate, and some Yankee.  He is especially proud of the Confederates, including Colonel Daniel Gober of the 16th Louisiana Calvary and Pvt George Gober, from here in Dekalb County who fought, and died, with the 49th Alabama Infantry.  Todd gave an OUTSTANDING history lesson on Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest's attacks on Murfreesboro on July 13, 1862.  On his 41st birthday, Colonel Forrest and 1300 troops, captured some 2000 Union soldiers, including an entrenched regiment of the 3rd Minnesota, along with a number of cannon.  Eight days later, Forrest was promoted to Brigadier General.  He was the only man on either side to enter the war as a private and rise to the rank of general.         

    We have had some great meetings and I attended them all but I have been lax in my duties to record them here and I apologize.  We learned some more of the history of our beloved Confederacy and, as always, took every opportunity to honor our ancestors for their bravery and sacrifice.  We also ate well and had some fun.  Our next meeting will be at Sylvania School, Monday, October 8 at 6:30.  Our speaker will be the Honorable Todd Gober of Murfreesboro.  Ya'll come.    

Thanks to Compatriot Jimmy Smothers for providing the reenactment photos -- Please go to the Heritage page and take a look!  

    The June meeting was held on Monday, June 11 at the Commander's cabin.  We had a great evening of pickin' and chompin'.  The vittles were excellent and the music was simply outstanding.  If you missed it, you really missed something. 

    The May meeting was held Monday, May 14, at the Sylvania School Library at 6:30.  The Honorable Thomas Wilson instructed us on the use of artillery using a real cannon and all the accessories.  The demonstration was very interesting and very LOUD.  We held the drawing for the Confederate print we've been selling raffle tickets for and the winner was Freddy Glover.  We also announced the recipients of our SCV scholarship awards.  We had three awards this year.  A $350 scholarship was awarded to Tyler Coots of Fyffe.  A $350 scholarship was awarded to Whitney Strange, also of Fyffe.  A $500 scholarship was awarded to Alicia Bailey of Pisgah.  Congratulations to these fine young folks.  

    The April meeting was held Monday, April 9, at the Sylvania School Library.  The program included a rolll call for our Confederate ancestors, a reenactment and dramatic reading.       

     I was unable to attend the March meeting and Commander Carlyle tells me I missed a good'un. 

    The February meeting was held Monday, February 12 at 6:30pm at Sylvannia High School.  We were blessed with the musical artistry of Miss Jessa Hawthorne of Waleska, GA.  Miss Hawthorne played traditional songs that our ancestors would have known on the Hammer Dulcimer.  She told us quite a bit about this marvelous instrument that would have been a feature in Southern parlors, rather than the pianos we find today.  She also brought a fiddle, in its original case, that was sold through the Sears Roebuck catalog in the 1840's for $12.      
 

    The annual LEE-JACKSON Banquet was held January 13, 2007, 6:30 PM, at the fellowship hall of Trinity United Methodist Church (the Burnt Church) in Sylvannia, Alabama.  We had a great time of food, fun, and fellowship.  We were blessed to be joined by the ladies of the UDC who added some much-appreciated charm and gave a stirring tribute to one of their members - a Real Daughter - who recently passed away.  The musicians were in top form and entertained us with singing, picking, strumming, and fiddlin'.  Commander Carlyle and Adjutant Bouldin distributed door prizes and conducted a little bit of business - reminding us that there will be a parade in Montgomery this coming Saturday (1/20) to honor Generals Lee and Jackson.  All are welcome to participate - join us at the fountains at the foot of Dexter Avenue at 11:00 AM to march to the Capitol at 12:00.  The highlight of the evening was the presentation by our keynote speaker, author and historian Dr. Michael Bradley.  Dr. Bradley gave us an inspiring profile of the greatest American in our nation's history - Robert E. Lee.
 

    The December camp meeting was held December 11, 6:00 PM, at the home of Compatriot Oz Aldrich.  The program included a business meeting followed by wondrous songs of the War era from Oz's extensive private collection. 

    Camp meeting was held at Sylvania High School.  In addition to a business meeting we were entertained with music from a fabulous quartet of young shaped-note singers, along with a few songs by Commander Carlyle.  We watched a documentary with film clips from the early 20th century showing reunions of surviving Confederate and Union veterans. 

    Camp meeting was held outdoors at Compatriot Hare's barn in the valley at Fort Payne.  We viewed the new SCV recruiting DVD and members in attendance received a copy (Camp Commander Gary Carlyle is the new 2LT Commander of the Alabama Division SCV and the Recruiting Officer.)  We were surprised with a visit from Alabama Division Commander Leonard Wilson who presented Gary Carlyle with a well-deserved award.  We conducted business, heard music, ate food, and left satisfied.       

    Camp meeting was held at Sylvania High School.  I couldn't make it, but I heard it was great.   

    Camp meeting was at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, August 22 at Sylvania High School.  Our special guest speaker was First Lieutenant Commander Wyatt Willis, Alabama Division SCV. 

    NO MEETING THIS MONTH!  July was reserved for family vacations and taking care of what needs to done.
 

    Camp meeting was held on Saturday, June 24 at 6:30 pm at the Commander's cabin.  Commander Carlyle gave us a rundown on the 2006 Alabama Division Convention in Athens.  We announced the advent of our first official camp website.  After regaling us with a few traditional songs, we feasted on Mrs. Carlyle's pinto beans and world-famous cornbread.  A good time was had by all.