Monthly Archives: March 2015

Confederate Grapevine

In a January 31, 1864 letter to Major R.M. Sawyer, Sherman explained the reason why he hated the South in general, and South Carolina in particular, so much. The war, he said “was the result of a false political doctrine that any and every people have a right to self-government.” In the same letter Sherman referred to states’ rights, freedom of conscience, and freedom of the press as “trash” that had “deluded the Southern people into war.”

Sherman’s subordinates expressed similar opinions. In 1865 Major George W. Nichols published a book about his exploits during Sherman’s “march” in which he describing South Carolinians as “the scum, the lower dregs of civilization” who are “not Americans; they are merely South Carolinians.” General Carl Schurz is quoted by Stokes as remarking that “South Carolina – the state which was looked upon by the Northern soldier as the principal instigator” of the war was “deserving of special punishment.”

All of this is so telling because it reveals that neither Sherman, nor his subordinate officers, nor the average “soldier” in his army, were motivated by anything having to do with slavery. South Carolina suffered more than any other state at the hands of Sherman’s raping, looting, plundering, murdering, and house-burning army because that is where the secession movement started. It was NOT because there were more slaves there than in other states, or because of anything else related to slavery. It was because South Carolinians, even more than other Southerners, did not believe in uncompromising obedience to the central state.

Shortly after the war ended some prominent Northerners began to pour into South Carolina to revel in the scenes of destruction (and to steal whatever they could). The goofy Brooklyn, New York, Reverend Henry Ward Beecher went on one such excursion and gave a speech while standing under a giant U.S. flag in Charleston in which he declared:

“Let no man misread the meaning of this unfolding flag! It says, ‘GOVERNMENT hath returned hither.’ It proclaims in the name of vindicated government, peace and protection to loyalty; humiliations and pains to traitors. This is the flag of sovereignty. The nation, not the States, is sovereign. Restored to authority, this flag commands, not supplicates . . . . There may be pardon [for former Confederates], but no concession . . . . The only condition of submission is to submit!”

In other words, the purpose of the war was to “prove” once and for all the false nationalist theory that the states were never sovereign; they did not ratify the Constitution, as explained in Article 7; the constitution created them; that the states never delegated certain powers to the central government in the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8); and that the central government is to have unlimited “supremacy” over all individuals and institutions.

This was the nationalist superstition about the American founding, first fabricated by Alexander Hamilton and repeated by successive generations of nationalist/consolodationist/mercantilist despots such as John Marshall, Joseph Story, Daniel Webster, and Abraham Lincoln.

—Valerie Protopapas

Editor Corner – Feb/Mar 2015

Certainly it did not escape your notice that there was no newsletter at the beginning of February. My computer developed a problem which required me to go out and get a new one. I am still ironing out a few issues, but I am partially back in business. Sorry about that… it happens (as you know).

While I have your attention, be aware that in June we will be having our annual Texas Division Reunion, this year in Temple, Texas. I would strongly encourage each of you to consider attending. This is a voting year, and we will be electing for the Texas Division a Commander, and a 1st, 2nd and 3rd Lt. Commander to help lead us through the next 2 years. Our current Texas Division 2nd Lt. Commander, Gary D. Bray, has announced that he will be running for the office of Division Commander. Brigade elections will also take place, and we will need to be present to elect our three Fourth Brigade officers who will represent us on the Division Executive Council. As it stands right now, I will be running for 2nd Lt. Commander of the Brigade, a position I am currently serving in.

Daryl Coleman, Editor

Upcoming Meeting – Feb/Mar 2015

Our January meeting was a bit unusual as we were supposed to view a movie on the creation of the Confederate Battle Flag. Due to a technical glitch, we could not get the audio to function correctly, so we had to bypass the viewing, but we will try again in the near future. In our February meeting we had a business meeting. As most of you know, Dan DuBose has agreed to serve as our Chaplain, and is already taking care of that duty on behalf of the camp.

On March 9 Richard Montgomery, Chaplain for the Stonewall Jackson Camp in Denton will be back with us with the presentation, “Culture of the Confederacy”. As usual with him, it is expected that his presentation will have lots of good information and education for us.

Meetings remain on the second Monday of each month, at Soulman’s BBQ, 691 E. I-30, Rockwall (near SE corner of Ridge Rd. and I-30, next door to Applebee’s). Dinner at 6 pm, meeting starts at 7 pm.

Dispatch – Feb/Mar 2015

Howdy Y’all !

Going into our third month of the year. We are off to good start… a lot of good things are in the planning stage. There’s a lot of great speakers lined up. Many events planned. We as a camp must keep pushing ahead. With all the talking and planning we must follow through with all of it. A lot of good people have put a lot of time and effort into all this, so we MUST push AHEAD. As you are out, talk to everyone you can. We need people to know what we are all about. We are now listed on Rockwall events list. These are the kind of things that will get more people involved. Please speak up with any idea or suggestion you may have. Don’t forget about the Guardian Program !!!

Deo Vindice

Rub L. Bass, Commander
Rockwall Cavalry Camp #2203
rlbass@rockwallcavalry.org
214-808-UGLY