Shotguns and Bowie Knives

Newsletter of Terry’s Texas Rangers Camp #1937 Cleburne, Texas

Sons of Confederate Veterans April 2015 – Number 168

Shootin' from the Hip

by Commander Bob Rubel

T.E.A.M.

Together Everyone Achieves More. Let’s all get more involved in the activities of

our Camp. There is something for everyone who wishes to participate. There are

many ways to contribute. You can attend Camp meetings, be a speaker, volunteer

for a leadership role, participate in parades, place flags on Confederate soldier’s

graves, serve on a committee, assist in cemetery clean-ups, participate in visits to

local schools, contribute material for the newsletter and website, recruit new

members, donate items for the drawings, help work the recruiting booth at events

and participate in the Texas Division Guardian Program. Members are encouraged

to attend the Texas Division and National Reunions. It is also important that the

membership do all they can to educate themselves, each other and the public.

If we all work together, we can achieve much more than if we try to do it as

individuals.

I would also like to give a well-deserved “THANK YOU” to Compatriot Mike Smith

for all of his hard work in designing and overseeing the construction of the base

and pedestal for the General Patrick Ronayne Cleburne Statue. He is to be

commended for a “JOB WELL DONE.”

Confederate of the Month

General James J. Archer

Harford County, Maryland

James Jay Archer –a native of Bel Air, Maryland – was born December 19, 1817. A

lawyer by trade, Archer accepted a captain’s commission at the outbreak of the

Mexican War and led a company of Maryland volunteers during the Mexico City

campaign, earning a brevet promotion to the rank of major in the process.

Returning to his home state after war, Archer resumed his law practice until 1855,

when he re-entered the regular army and was sent to the Pacific Northwest.

Archer was a Southern sympathizer, and despite the fact that his state of

Maryland did not secede from the Union, he resigned from the United States Army

in the wake of Fort Sumter and offered his services to the new Southern

Confederacy. He was commissioned colonel of the 5th Texas Infantry under John

Bell Hood. Archer led his regiment with skill at the Battle of Seven Pines during

the Peninsula Campaign of 1862 and was promoted three days later to Brigadier

General, succeeding Robert Hatton, who had been killed in action, to command of

his Tennessee brigade.

‘Archer’s Brigade,’ as it came to be known, played a distinguished role in every

major battle of the Army of Northern Virginia from the Seven Days until

Gettysburg, when he and a large portion of his command were captured on the first

day of the battle. Archer was taken behind the lines to Gen. Abner Doubleday, a

prewar acquaintance, who greeted him, saying, “Good morning Archer! How are you?

I am glad to see you!” To this Archer responded, “Well, I am not glad to see you by

a damn sight!”

Archer was held prisoner – first on Johnson’s Island, Ohio, then at Fort Delaware -

- for more than a year before he was exchanged in August, 1864. Though Archer

was initially ordered to report to Gen. Hood in Atlanta to resume command of his

old brigade, the order was revoked ten days later due to his poor health, which had

begun to deteriorate in prison. Archer was instead sent to link up with the Army

of Northern Virginia at Petersburg, but his illness overcame him, and he died in

Richmond on October 24, 1864. He is buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond.

Chaplain's Corner

April is for Apologetics

1Co 9:1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our

Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

1Co 9:2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal

of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

1Co 9:3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

When you speak to someone you do not know very well, it is reasonable for

you to explain how you are to be trusted when you speak on a certain topic. In

essence, you have to defend yourself. That is an example of an apology in the

original meaning of the word. We always see an apology as saying you are sorry. If

you are in the wrong, but trying to defend what you did then it is an apology or you

are practicing apologetics. If you admit you are wrong without a defense then you

are sorry, but that is not a classic apology. It is repentance. You can be absolutely

right and give an apology or defense of your actions or beliefs.

Some seemingly high class Rabbis had come to Corinth from Jerusalem and

suddenly, Paul looked a bit rough and not as refined as these men so people

questioned his apostleship. Defending himself to them when he first arrived was

logical, but now after he had won them to Christ and worked miracles among them

it was crazy for them to doubt that God sent him. Fine robes, elocution and the

right references or titles do not always mean a person is of God let alone sent by

Him.

Read the whole passage and you see he gave his credentials which cost him

quite a bit more than the Ivy League boys that showed up. They had referrals and

he had scars. He even gave up his right to be supported by the Corinthian church

so they could not say he was in it for the money. Indeed, he gave up many rights

that it is doubtful the new lads would give up for the benefit of the people and for

the glory of God. The passage is his apology to those who should not need one.

As I think of Paul, clearly making his point and yet not railing against the

Corinthians or the Doctors of Theology from Jerusalem, I think about the SCV

Charge. That is our call to apologetics in that we are to make an apology or

defense of the virtues and values of the Confederate soldier. As did Paul, we are

also to act as Southern gentlemen and not rail against those who do not hold our

views. We are not called to rancor or bitterness. We are called to be educators

and apologists, but not raging spouts of sedition that only bring shame and dishonor

to the ones we say we respect.

There has arisen from among us men who have strayed from the Charge and

the exhortation of Gen. Robert E. Lee, whom they say they revere. Indeed, these

are men that we should not have to practice apologetics with as they know the

history and the quotes. Yet, we must defend the Charge and the organization. The

Apostle John spoke of those who “went out from us because they were not of us.”

These have not chosen to go, but rather to tear and destroy. Therefore, if we are

to be true apologists of our history and heroes we must remove them from our

midst or the years since 1898 and the strides we have made we will have been in

vain. To keep the SCV strong, we must make every effort to remove that which is

offensive both to members and non-members alike. We must sacrifice the whole

for the few.

Like church discipline, we must rebuke, reprove and remove the unruly. This

foolishness is in violation of their oath to uphold the Constitution of the United

States. If they cannot respect the flag that represents the nation run by that

Constitution they will not defend the Constitution itself and thus should be

mustered out dishonorably because they are dishonorable.

In honor of Confederate Memorial Day

Gray Ghost

Oh, my body's lyin' moulderin' in the grave.

I was fightin' for my sweet Dixie to save.

A Yankee musket ball ripped me mighty sore,

But I didn't fall 'til I took three more.

They tried to send my butternut soul to Hell

Thinkin' that's where I'd gotten my Rebel yell.

True, I won't be seein' my Texas home no more,

But I'll be in Lee's muster at Heaven's door.

They sang Dixie and a hymn as they laid me in the sod

Committin' my weary soul to a righteous, lovin', God.

As a boy, I had asked the Lord Jesus my soul to save.

Died smilin', seein' Him a comin' and the Bonnie Blue wave!

God bless you Brothers never give up the fight!

I'll see you in that Resurrection morning's light.

When you're 'round the campfire makin' toasts

Raise one for us, the company of Gray Ghosts!

Texas Division Guardian Program

Terry’s Texas Rangers Camp Members Who Are Caring for Confederate Veterans'

Graves

Mike Smith - Guardian

Bob Rubel - Guardian

Wade Chaney - Guardian

Ben Davis - Guardian

Brian Rubel - Guardian

Kevin Rubel - Guardian

Melvin Burt - Guardian Pro Tem

Michael Simons - Guardian Pro Tem

These eight TTR members are caring for a total of 78 Confederate Veteran’s

Graves.

For more information about the Texas Division Guardian Program, contact

Bob Rubel, Commander, at (817) 483-6288 or (817) 929-5576.

History, Heritage & Honor

150 Years

Confederate Heritage Rally 2015

May 30th in Shreveport, La.

If you are Southern, you will be there!

Parade line up will start at 11:30am, you should be in place no later that

Dear Texas Compatriots, First let me congratulate the Texas Division on your pursuit if an SCV license plate. We all look forward to a just ruling. I hope that you are all aware of the upcoming SCV Sesquicentennial Event/Confederate Heritage Rally that will be held May 30th at 1pm in Shreveport, La. This is the last of these events, but the first one to be held in the Army of Trans-Mississippi! The website and email is at the bottom of this message. Please allow me to make a personal request to my brothers in Texas. We need you, in large numbers, to turn out for this. The SCV and Confederate Heritage has been in the news a lot lately. This event gives us the chance to show the public that we are still here and still care about our Heritage. We can make a statement that day. Just like in the Red River Campaign of 1864, Louisiana needs their Texas brothers to show up in force and stand with us. Please make your arrangements to be there. Also please get this message out to others. Thanks you for your consideration, and I hope to see you there. Deo Vindice Chuck McMichael Past Commander in Chief Sons of Confederate Veterans. HTTP://CONFEDERATE150.COM/2015.HTML SCV150RALLY@GMAIL.COM

CAMP CHATTER

Terry's Texas Rangers Camp #1937 members Bob Rubel and Harold Johnston had

the privilege to participate in the honor guard in a ceremony at Oakwood Cemetery

in Waco that bestowed an honorary brigadier general rank on Colonel J. W.

Speight, 15th Texas Infantry, CSA on March 28, 2015. General Kirby Smith

promoted Colonel Speight, but as it was near the end of the war, the Confederate

Congress never confirmed it. SCV Commander in Chief Kelly Barrow conferred the

honorary promotion. Texas Division Commander Johnnie Holley gave the welcoming

address. Charles Oliver, Commander of the General Felix H. Robertson Camp #129,

organized the ceremony.

At the conclusion of this ceremony, many of those in attendance drove over to the

I-35 Confederate Flag Pole to participate in a brief rededication ceremony in

recognition of the repair of the flag pole that had been cut down by vandals. A new

battle flag was hoisted up the pole and again waves in the Texas breeze.

Welcome new members: Royce Donald Kirby on the record of his grandfather

Private Rueben Remus Kirby, 55th Regiment, Alabama Infantry.

Wesley Eugene Cofer on the record of his 2nd great grandfather Private William

Madison Cofer, 15th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry.

Aubrie Hatch, daughter of Michael Hatch, scored 10 kills in her most recent

volleyball game, including 5 aces. Aubrie's team is 1-1 but getting better quickly.

Happy Birthday to members of our camp: Kathy Robinson 4-1, Bob Rubel 4-17,

Tiffany Simons 4-20.

Quotable Confederates

"Surrender means that the history of this heroic struggle will be written by the

enemy; that our youth will be trained by Northern school teachers; we will learn

from Northern school books their version of the War; will

be impressed by all the influences of history and education to regard our gallant

dead as traitors, and our maimed veterans as fit subjects for derision."

"If this cause that is so dear to my heart is doomed to fail, I pray heaven may let

me fall with it, while my face is toward the enemy and my arm battling for that

which I know to be right."

- Patrick Cleburne

Terry’s Texas Rangers

Camp #1937, SCV

2015 Camp Officers

For contact information, visit the camp's website at:

www.scvcamp1937.org

Commander Bob Rubel

1st Lt. Commander Steve Wells

2nd Lt. Commander Dick Glidewell

Adjutant Mike Smith

Chaplain Ron Shultz

Color Sgt./Quartermaster Cecil Bonham

Camp Surgeon Robert McMinn

Communications Officer Ron Shultz

Judge Advocate Melvin Burt

Historian Jerry Jetsel

Newsletter Editor Michael Hatch

Camp Secretary Bill Hawkins

Committee Chairmen

Awards Bob Rubel

Cemetery Wade Chaney

Preservation/Heritage Jerry Jetsel

PLEDGE TO THE TEXAS FLAG

“HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE

AND INDIVISIBLE.”

SALUTE TO THE CONFEDERATE FLAG

“I SALUTE THE CONFEDERATE FLAG WITH AFFECTION, REVERENCE, AND UNDYING DEVOTION TO

THE CAUSE FOR WHICH IT STANDS.”

THE SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS CHARGE

“TO YOU, SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS, WE SUBMIT THE VINDICATION OF THE CAUSE FOR

WHICH WE FOUGHT; TO YOUR STRENGTH WILL BE GIVEN THE DEFENSE OF THE CONFEDERATE

SOLDIER’S GOOD NAME, THE GUARDIANSHIP OF HIS HISTORY, THE EMULATION OF HIS VIRTUES, THE

PERPETUATION OF THOSE PRINCIPLES HE LOVED AND WHICH MADE HIM GLORIOUS AND WHICH YOU

ALSO CHERISH. REMEMBER IT IS YOUR DUTY TO SEE THAT THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH IS

PRESENTED TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.”

LT. GEN. STEPHEN D LEE

SUGGESTED LINKS

SCV National Headquarters

www.scv.org

SCV Army of Trans-Mississippi

www.scv.atm.com

SCV Texas Division

www.scv.texas.org

SCV Terry’s Texas Rangers Camp 1937

www.scvcamp1937.org

SCV Terry’s Texas Rangers Camp 1937 Facebook www.facebook.com/texasterrysrangers

SCV Texas Division email list- This is for official communications from Division Command to

the membership. Excellent for keeping abreast of current events within the SCV.

http://www.scvtexas.org/Mailing_List.html