Border Patrol Volume 3, Issue 11

November 30, 2015

Lee-Bourland Camp 1848

Newsletter

Commander’s Note:

November is the month I think of turkey & dress-

ing. And getting together with relatives. Not eve-

ryone likes turkey & dressing. And not everyone

likes all their relatives.

I was in a human relations class one time. We

were asked on the first day to look around the

room and put in an imaginary boat any one we

thought we might not like. Then the instructor

went around the room asking each of us who we

would put in the boat . No whys, no reasons, no

explanations, just on appearance. And you know

when she was done, all of our names were in the

boat. On the final & fifth day no names were in

the boat. Of course the big difference in that class

and the rest of our lives, was that none of us were

relatives. It’s amazing how acquaintances &

friends don’t find themselves in the boat while

unknowns and family members do.

Families are all the time torn apart by life’s bad

choices. And yet when Thanksgiving comes

around we feel compelled to go eat a meal that is

notorious for over eating, with these folks, why?

Because we are humans and we all know the

meaning of “loved ones”. Yes, some a little less

loved than others, but still the life blood of family,

loved ones, and “relatives” are there at the table.

No one and no family is perfect, we just want it to

be perfect.

Relatives imply a history. A history within that

family. Well, there is a human history filled with

bad choices. When these bad choices get real big,

it’s called “WAR”. We should be thankful that

there has been enough humans in the world’s his-

tory to know when to say “enough” before we

were ALL annihilated.

And for me, erasing Confederate history is the

denying of a time in history that is a piece of eve-

ry American’s human relatives that exists within

us today. And can only extend that “unknown”,

perpetuate that “little less love”, and continue to

fill the “boat of disliked” for no particular reason

except for appearances.

Ozzie the editor says I have raddled on enough,

so,

“Happy Thanksgiving to all “. Yes, I know it’s

history, so food for thought.

Coming Events:

Dec 5 4th Brigade Christmas Party, 1st State Bank Conference Bldg., 837 E. California St.,

Gainesville, TX

Dec 17 Lee-Bourland Camp / Red River Rose # 52 Christmas Party / Meeting

Our story this month will come from an article posted in Confederate Digest, Wednesday,

November 23, 2011 by J. Stephen Conn. First the article, then , about Mr. Conn.

1862 Thanksgiving Day Proclamation by CSA President Jefferson Davis.

To the People of the Confederate States:

Once more upon the plains of Manassas have

our armies been blessed by the Lord of Hosts

with a triumph over our enemies. It is my privi-

lege to invite you once more to His footstool, not

now in the garb of fasting and sorrow, but with

joy and gladness, to render thanks for the great

mercies received at His hand. A few months

since, and our enemies poured forth their invad-

ing legions upon our soil. They laid waste our

fields, polluted our altars and violated the sancti-

ty of our homes. Around our capital they gath-

ered their forces, and with boastful threats,

claimed it as already their prize. The brave

troops which rallied to its defense have extin-

guished these vain hopes, and, under the guid-

ance of the same almighty hand, have scattered

our enemies and driven them back in dismay.

Uniting these defeated forces and the various

armies which had been ravaging our coasts with

the army of invasion in Northern Virginia, our en-

emies have renewed their attempt to subjugate

us at the very place where their first effort was

defeated, and the vengeance of retributive jus-

tice has overtaken the entire host in a second

and complete overthrow.

To this signal success accorded to our arms in

the East has been graciously added another

equally brilliant in the West. On the very day on

which our forces were led to victory on the Plains

of Manassas, in Virginia, the same Almighty arm

assisted us to overcome our enemies at Rich-

mond, in Kentucky. Thus, at one and the same

time, have two great hostile armies been stricken

down, and the wicked designs of their armies

been set at naught.

In such circumstances, it is meet and right that,

as a people, we should bow down in adoring

thankfulness to that gracious God who has been

our bulwark and defense, and to offer unto him

the tribute of thanksgiving and praise. In his

hand is the issue of all events, and to him should

we, in an especial manner, ascribe the honor of

this great deliverance.

Now, therefore, I, Jefferson Davis, President of

the Confederate States, do issue this, my procla-

mation, setting apart Thursday, the 18th day of

September inst., as a day of prayer and thanks-

giving to Almighty God for the great mercies

vouchsafed to our people, and more especially

for the triumph of our arms at Richmond and Ma-

nassas; and I do hereby invite the people of the

Confederate States to meet on that day at their

respective places of public worship, and to unite

in rendering thanks and praise to God for these

great mercies, and to implore Him to conduct our

country safely through the perils which surround

us, to the final attainment of the blessings of

peace and security.

Given under my hand and the seal of the Con-

federate States, at Richmond, this fourth day of

September, A.D.1862.

JEFFERSON DAVIS

A N D O N W E D N E S D A Y , N O V E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 0

Have a Happy Confederate Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in Camp - Harper's Weekly - November 29, 1862

(Keep in mind Harper’s Weekly is a Northern newspaper)

During the Thanksgiving season we often hear that the first national Thanksgiving

Proclamation was given by Abraham Lincoln in Washington, D.C. on October 3,

1863. What the northern history books fail to mention is that Lincoln, bowing to po-

litical pressure, copied the President of the Confederate States of America. Jefferson

Davis actually had made the first national Proclamation of Thanksgiving two years

earlier in Richmond, Virginia. Here it is:

Proclamation of Thanksgiving, 1861

by President Jefferson Davis

WHEREAS, it hath pleased Almighty God, the Sovereign Disposer of events, to protect and defend

us hitherto in our conflicts with our enemies as to be unto them a shield.

And whereas, with grateful thanks we recognize His hand and acknowledge that not unto us, but

unto Him, belongeth the victory, and in humble dependence upon His almighty strength, and

trusting in the justness of our purpose, we appeal to Him that He may set at naught the efforts of

our enemies, and humble them to confusion and shame.

Now therefore, I, Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States, in view of impending con-

flict, do hereby set apart Friday, the 15th day of November, as a day of national humiliation and

prayer, and do hereby invite the reverend clergy and the people of these Confederate States to re-

pair on that day to their homes and usual places of public worship, and to implore blessing of Al-

mighty God upon our people, that he may give us victory over our enemies, preserve our homes

and altars from pollution, and secure to us the restoration of peace and prosperity.

Given under hand and seal of the Confederate States at Richmond, this the 31st day of October,

year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty one.

By the President,

JEFFERSON DAVIS

POSTED BY J. STEPHEN CONN AT 9:51 PM 2 COMMENTS: LINKS TO THIS POST

LABELS: HARPER'S WEEKLY, JEFFERSON DAVIS, THANKSGIVING

Confederate Digest is my way of celebrating America's proud Southern

heritage. This blog is dedicated to the memory of William Elisha Conn,

who died April 26, 1862, as a private in the Georgia/Confederate volunteer

infantry. He was only 24-years-old at the time of his death, leaving behind

his grieving 19-year-old widow and two babies, one of which grew up to

become my great grandfather. William Elisha was a poor tenant farmer

whose ancestors came to the United States from Ireland as indentured

servants. He and three of his brothers fought for freedom from govern-

mental tyranny and in defense of their homes and families against a hos-

tile, invading Union army. Three of the four brothers were killed; the other

was captured. The four Conn brothers, plus numerous cousins and uncles,

along with hundreds of thousands of brave Confederates, young and old,

black and white, fought for the principles of the Declaration of Independ-

ence and the Constitution with the hope that their sacrifice would not be

forgotten. Deo Vindice!

AUTHOR AND ED ITOR

J. STEPHEN CONN

I am a freelance writer and photographer, and also a retired pastor and syndicated newspaper columnist. My writing cred-its include authoring six books and more than 300 articles which have appeared in a large variety of magazines and scores of newspapers.

Members and Their Confederate Ancestor

Ansley, Reynolds: Pvt David Andrew Johnson Co K 39th Inf AL

Armstrong, Chad & Charles: Col Jms G Bourland TX Border Rgt 8th Cv Red River of TX

Britain, Blaine B: Pvt Ambrose Sevier Latham Capt. Collins Co A Frontier Cv TX

Britain, Clint D: Pvt Ambrose Sevier Latham Capt. Collins Co A Frontier Cv TX

Cassidy, Bill: (Fthr side) Pvt Hugh Cassidy Co F 26th Inf SC

(Mthr side) Jerimiah Hurst 8th Cv GA

Davis, Brian: Pvt Josiah Davis Brannen’s Co 12th Wrght’s Cv State GDS GA

Dillard, Robert: Pvt Wm Reece Bourland Co H 9th Cv TX

Dunbar, Thomas: Pvt Thomas Goodrich Dunbar Co B 14th Inf TN

Epperson, Lloyd: Pvt Leander Molinton Epperson Co D 2nd Mntd Rifles AK

Fenner, Farrell & Jameson: Pvt Houston Warren Roberts Co F 16th Inf AL

Hamilton, Gary: Pvt Jms Thomas Victory Co D 1st WP Lane’s Partisan’s Rangers TX

Herman, James: Sgt Wm M Hermann Co G 6th Inf AL

Mann, Jerry P: Pvt Alfred Mann Co A Fitzhugh Rgt 16th CV TX

Montgomery, Ronnie: 2nd Lt. John Calvin Montgomery, SR. 1st Mntd Rifles TX

Newton, Norman: Pvt Charles Samuel Newton, Capt Jms P Douglas’ Co Art TX

Tyler SCV Camp’s namesake is Jms P Douglas who is from Tyler, TX

Peek, James: Pvt Jms W Peak Co F 8th Dibrell’s Cv TN

Reed, David: Pvt Rueben Blankenship Co D 18th Inf AL

Reed, Hunter: Pvt Michael Lorance 2nd Co Cv TN

Riley, Bill: Pvt Wm Chisum Co A 38th Inf TN consolidated to 22nd Batt

Roundtree, Bob: Pvt Jesse Ballard Roundtree Co E Morgan’s Rgt Cv TX

Scott, Timothy: 2nd Lt Joseph B Scott Co E 10th Cv MO

Scott, Tyler Alec: 2nd Lt. Joseph B Scott Co E 10th Cv MO

Scott, Truman Lee, Cadet: 2nd Lt. Joseph B Scott Co E 10th Cv MO

Scott, Tucker Dwayne, Cadet: 2nd Lt. Joseph B Scott Co E 10th Cv MO

Scott, Trevor Ray, Cadet: 2nd Lt. Joseph B Scott Co E 10th Cv MO

Thompson, Johnny: Pvt Wm Rufus Sypert Co E 2nd Inf TX

Tisdale, William: Sgt Augustus William Atwood Co G 8th Inf MS

Waters, Charles: (Fthr side) Pvt Jms M Waters Co G 47th Inf GA

(Mthr side) 5th Sgt George M Aston Co C 9th Inf TX

White, Christopher John: Capt Ambrose B White Co D Bourland’s Frontier Cv Rgt TX

White, Joe: Capt Mack Wilson Loyd Co H 5th Cv AL

Williams, George: Pvt Shelton Linzey Rutherford Co C Terry’s Reg 1st Cv TX

Gainesville, TX Cooke Lee-Bourland Camp #1848 Cmdr. Charlie Waters 940-665-8502 crwaters@swbell.net 1

st Lt – Lloyd Epperson

2nd

Lt – Norman Newton Adj. Joe White 940-902-1393 Meets the 3

rd Thursday of the month at 7 PM

The Woolf Den Family Restaurant 1901 W California St / Hwy 51 Gainesville, Texas 940-665-9653

Border Patrol is the official newsletter for the Sons of Confederate Veterans

Lee-Bourland Camp 1848 and is intended for the sole purpose of keeping the

camp members and friends of the camp informed to the activities and news of

Camp 1848. Statements in this newsletter are those of the author and may not

reflect the opinions of the Lee-Bourland Camp, Texas Division, National Sons

of Confederate Veterans or the editor. Within articles or quotes written by

outside authors mistakes in spelling, grammar or sentence structure are strictly

those of the author and may be left as is.

SEE YA’LL IN THE FIELD

MORE NEWS NEXT MONTH

THE END