October 2013

           The Confederate Informant The official newsletter of the Major James Morgan Utz Camp #1815

                            Sons of Confederate Veterans

                                                and the

                   Brigadier General Francis Marion Cockrell Chapter # 84

                           of the Military Order of the Stars and Bars

 Commander’s Corner;This month we are going to have a special meeting commemorating the 1862 Massacre at Palmyra, Missouri. Palmyra is just north of Hannibal, and a pleasant autumn drive up scenic Highway 61. We will meet at the administrative office of the historic Palmyra jail at 1PM on Saturday October 19th. The building is located behind the Marion County courthouse on the town square. Palmyra has a special place in the traditions that are memorialized by the Sons of Confederate Veterans here in Missouri. The actions taken there on October 18th 1862 typify the complete disregard for the rule of law by the usurpers who had invaded Missouri soil. On that day 10 innocent Confederate prisoners of war were summarily executed by yankee general John McNeil. The murders were in response to the disappearance of one of McNeil’s spies named Andrew Allsman. Allsman was a despicable yankee informant who had caused death and destruction to many Southern families, and his departure was a blessing to all Southerners in north-east Missouri. This was not an isolated incident. Murdering POW’s was a common practice by the invaders. Ten more were killed at Kirksville, and it was a standing rule to execute Missouri prisoners on the spot. 1861, in St Louis 30 people were killed at the Camp Jackson Massacre and 90 more wounded when a yankee captain allowed his untrained immigrant troops to fire into a crowd of innocent civilians, including women and children. In response, Lincoln promoted him to brigadier general. 1864….ditto, 10 more POW’s murdered in St. Louis. Our own camp namesake, Major James Morgan Utz fell victim to yankee genocide when he was murdered by orders of the St. Louis provost marshal just before his stay of execution arrived.  It is important that we never forget these outrages. When someone asks the cause of the War, these are all excellent reasons why Southern people fought to defend their homes and families. Please join us at Palmyra on Saturday October 19th at 1PM for a brief meeting and memorial service honoring our fallen Southern compatriots.

Chaplain's Corner;

SOLDIER"S PRAYERS

Think about the Southern soldiers, the night before an upcoming battle. What kind of things did they ask for in their prayers? I'm sure they asked for courage in the coming battle... to be brought through the battle safely...for victory...to keep their families safe if something happened to them..strength for their leaders...among other requests.Stonewall Jackson was a fervent believer in prayer, but no matter what his specific request was in each prayer, he always ended, "Thine will be done", knowing he would always leave his fate in God's hands.As we solicit God's help in our lives today, may we end our prayers the same as General Jackson.

Sons of Confederate Veterans Commander- In - Chief23 September 2013

Charleston, South Carolina

Re: Offensive PR Strategy Order 1

Urgent read to the end and act ASAP!

Officers and Compatriots of the SCV,

I hope you are well. At our recent reunion in Vicksburg, Mississippi, I asked a packed hall; if after all these years of struggling to defend the noble heritage of our Southern people had they grown weary. The body responded with a resounding “No!” I asked them again if they were not tired of the fight to vindicate the Cause of their ancestors; without hesitation, they emphatically exclaimed, “No!” I then asked them if they were content holding the fort and defending against the constant assault or were they ready to strike with an offensive attack. If you were not in the convention hall, allow me to report, you were represented by an enthusiastic band of warriors to the Cause that, I am sure, would make our ancestors proud. In short, the idea was wholeheartedly embraced. If you were there, then I congratulate you and encourage you to give your highest attention and strongest efforts to the following instructions. If you were not with us then, then I hope you are with us now.

In recent years, the Cause of the Confederacy, indeed the cause of American Liberty, has been under attack at an ever-increasing intensity. The bully-club of choice is mainly “slavery” with the proposed notion that the invaders from the North left their homes and families, risking mortal danger, on a benevolent mission to end the burdensome institution (that was financed and perpetuated to a large degree by their own kith and kin). One only needs to study a little history to realize that that nursery-rhyme was far from reality, but facts will never be found in the arsenal of the liar.

The Cause of the South was simply independence and self-determination. The Cause was quelled (not lost). These United States were formed as a result of a victorious war of independence and self-determination. Our Confederate ancestors were merely continuing the legacy and heritage of that American brand of liberty. But, the liberty ideal did not fit the narrative of invasion and usurpation as was perpetrated by Mr. Lincoln and his hosts in the name of “saving the union.” A

new and more globally palatable excuse was needed—the abolition of slavery. Slavery is indeed the very antithesis of liberty, and what better way to one-up the Southern Cause than to claim the mantle of liberty as their own—hence all the confusion to this day.

Our ancestors fought a bloody, internecine war that resulted in the near destruction of a unique people, who then suffered a tyrannical military occupation that was designed to reprogram the mind of the South to be more in line with that of the oppressors. The surviving Southern veterans of the War came together as the United Confederate Veterans with the intention of setting the story straight and educating the country on the truthful aspects of the War. After the shooting had ceased, our ancestors were again at war—fighting for the intellectual honesty of that struggle.

The struggle continues today and is now in the hands of the sons of those venerable men of the Confederacy—that is you and me. So, now I must ask you to look into your heart and answer the question that I asked the members in assembly in Vicksburg: Are you willing to continue a defensive strategy AND are you ready to engage the enemy in a front-on assault?

The victors of the War of Northern Aggression distracted their fellow countrymen from the true facts concerning the War. They painted a picture of the South as Hades, populated by demons of varying degrees of evil. The leaders of modern misinformation needed to provide their doe-eyed minions with a chief-demon, the Devil himself to help explain the depths of depravity of the typical Southerner. To them, General Nathan Bedford Forrest fit the bill perfectly. He was a slave trader before the War and led the “infamous” assault on Ft. Pillow during the War. They took these truths and twisted them into the vilest and most reprehensible actions of a malevolent racist—all with the intention of cutting the legs from under the true story of the South. Today, General Forrest has become the poster-boy for the current propaganda efforts. This must be answered to and must be answered to sharply and decisively. Recently, General Forrest’s statue was vandalized in Memphis. In that same city, three parks named for Confederates, including General Forrest, have had their names illegally changed. The Forrest bust in Selma has been stolen and his grave desecrated. The list of vandalisms is long, but the verbal abuse is seemingly endless. Take a moment and search the Internet for info on General Forrest. Over and over erroneous statements are made as if they are well-accepted facts.

On a Glen Beck Show earlier this year an “expert” was on as a guest that showed Beck a sword that the guest declared with complete conviction was, “the very sword that Forrest used to skin African-Americans at Ft. Pillow.” The fact that this never happened is no concern to those that wish only harm to the South and to poison her history. Many pundits have accused General Forrest of being the originator of the KKK, and/or the first grand wizard of the KKK.

Now let’s get this straight right from the beginning: the SCV carries no water for any hate group including the KKK. We are not comfortable even having our name on the same page as theirs. This is why we cannot allow the continued slander of one of our most valiant heroes. I refer you to Dr. Michael Bradley’s essay in the July-August issue of the Confederate Veteran concerning the true story of General Forrest. The lies cannot be allowed to continue unchallenged!

Respectfully yours,

Michael Givens

Commander-in-Chief

Sons of Confederate Veterans

From Missouri Division Commander

Darrell Maples Gentlemen,Lt. Commander-in-Chief Kelly Barrow will be here in our fair state of Missouri On November 16, 2013 to conduct an SCV Leadership Workshop.  The Missouri Division and the Kansas Division of the SCV will be sponsoring this workshop together and I highly encourage you to attend.  It is not often that the "SCV Brass" is in the Trans-Mississippi and I feel this workshop can be beneficial to all of us.  It is open to any SCV member, not just Camp officers, etc.  We will also be contacting our compatriots in Iowa and Nebraska to attend.  We can do some carpooling and make a really good turnout for the Missouri Division.  THERE IS NO FEE FOR THIS WORKSHOP other than you cost of travel and lunch.  Please make plans to attend this workshop here are the details:

Date:  Saturday - November 16, 2013Time:  Full Day - probably start at 8:00 a.m., break for lunch on your own.Place:  Alexander Majors Historic Home and Museum            8201 State Line Road            Kansas City, Missouri

I highly recommend that everyone in the camp go to this event. I attend the Leadership Workshop in April in Paducah Kentucky. And it was a life changing event Dave Roper.

 Remembering the Anniversary of Missouri’s Secession on October 31, 1861Hosted by the Missouri Society– Military Order of theStars and Bars.Our Speaker this year will be James L. Orebaugh of Edmond, Oklahoma, Jim’s subject will be “Archives Preservation, Our Counter to Rewritten History” Jim will tell us about his ongoing efforts to preserve

known records (National Archives, etc) and search for those believed to be still out there. Examples of Jim’s progress is the digitization of Oklahoma Confederate pension records, that contain personal data not found elsewhere. You will leave Jim’s talk with a desire to search for the truth! Jim is a Vietnam Veteran and longtime SCV Member.

Inn at Grand Glaize 5141 Highway 54 P.O. Box 969 Osage Beach, MO. 65065

1-800-348-4731 . We have secured a room rate of $69 per night plus tax. Make

your reservations early to get that rate, tell them you are with the MOSB

Secession Day Dinner!

The Story of the Unjust Hanging of our Major James Morgan Utz

By Billy Bowden

     On September 24, 1864 around midnight, a wagon pulled by one horse containing supplies for 

Major General Sterling Price's Army lumbered down Clayton Road toward the intersection with 

Ballas Road. The wagon was occupied  by three men. Major Utz was on horseback. Seventeen

year old Paul Fusz seated in the wagon was wearing a Federal Lieutenant's uniform and carried 

two revolvers. Paul Fusz is the ancestor of the well known St. Louis area car dealer. One of the 

other men was William J. Cole. 

     Suddenly the wagon was challenged by a yankee militia cavalry patrol of nine men. These 

were home grown yankees from the Manchester area. Traitors to the Confederate state of 

Missouri. One of the Southern men (Johnny?) escaped by jumping a fence and hiding in a corn 

field. The others where now prisoners of war.

     James Morgan Utz was born in St. Ferdinand Township, St. Louis County, Missouri. He was

born March 9, 1841 and was the son of Franklin T. and Amelia Ann Hyatt Utz. At this

time I believe the Utz family came from France of German descent to Maryland to Virginia and 

then to Missouri Amelia Hyatt was the daughter of John Frederick Hyatt originally from KY. He 

was a prominent judge (Federal and county) and a Missouri politician. The Utz family was well 

known and regarded as one of the most respected and most moral families in the area.  It was 

said that Major Utz was a fine looking man, at least 5 foot tall, slender of build, with a manly but

delicate oval face. He had soft blue eyes, long black wavy hair, a soft flowing black beard and a 

high forehead. He carried himself like a nobleman.

     James' father, Franklin T. Utz, was arrested August 29 of 1864 as a "Rebel sympathizer" 

and sent to Gratiot Street Prison August 30.  Although no charges were brought against "old 

man Utz", he remained in prison until at least December 28, or sometime in January 1865.  

  Major General Sterling Price preparing for a campaign to liberate Missouri from the barbarian occupying army promoted James to Major and sent him to find out what

he could about the St. Louis area which resulted in the capture of James using the alias James Morgan. 

  James managed to slip young Paul a hundred dollar bill for Paul to use for a lawyer. Paul slipped the greenback to his brother fearing the guards would find it and steal it. Young Paul would escape the fate of Major Utz, but Paul wore the clothes of a convict and served one year of hard labor in the MO State Prison at Jefferson City, MO. Paul later served as the  Commander of the United Confederate Veterans for the North West consisting of Iowa, Montana, Missouri, and Washington.

     The yankee invaders promised James' grandfather, Judge Hyatt that nothing would be done to James before he had time to appeal to Washington. Louis Phillip Fusz, Paul's brother wrote in his diary: "But the tigers, thirsting for his blood, feared to see their prey escape their hands: they anticipated Executive clemency, so they hurried him to the gallows". 

     Fearing clemency from Washington a special commission was called on Sunday, Christmas Day, December 25, 1864. The presiding officer was from the 3rd Cavalry, Wisconsin Volunteers. Yankees had a special kind of hatred for Southerners. Case in point, they would volunteer to come to Missouri from Wisconsin to murder our people.

Take a moment and think about that! 

 The Kangaroo commission found Major Utz guilty of: 1. Being a spy for the Rebel Army. 2. Recruiting men for the Rebel Army. 3. Carrying correspondence and information to the Rebels. 4. Carrying letters to the enemies of the United States. 5. Carrying contraband (medicine) to the enemies of the United States.  "Ape" Lincoln defying civilized warfare had made medicine a contraband of war.

     The commission sentenced twenty three year old James to be hung by the neck until dead.  The following is a quote from "The Sunday Mercury" January 1, 1865. This was a St. Louis Newspaper.  "The affair had been kept secret from the public, and with the exception of those who had been notified to attend in an official capacity none were cognizant of the deed of justice to be there enacted.  By eleven o"clock some forty persons were assembled at the jail yard, which increase to some seventy-five before the hour of execution had arrived.  The condemned man was privately removed from Gratiot Street prison to the jail (in St. Louis) at six o'clock on Sunday evening".   

     A quote from the Diary of Philip Fusz January 3, 1865:  "Tuesday morning last I was horrified at the announcement by a friend that James Utz, Paul's companion and leader in their attempt to go South, has been executed, being hung on Monday, the day after Christmas, in the jail yard.  It plunged me in a stupor of excitement from which my mind was not free for the entire day.  The sentence barely issued and the punishment instantly carried out!  The hurry, the suddenness was most revolting.  No time given for taking leave of family or friends!  No time for appealing for mercy or for a reprieve. No time for composing himself for death!"

     The invaders barbarian hands were on the throat of Major Utz.  At ten till twelve, Monday morning December 26, 1864, he was escorted to the gallows.  Ironically the war would be over in less than four months!  Major Utz showed no sign of fear.  He mounted the scaffold and sat down on a bench. Catholic Father Ward proceeded with James' last church service.  Federal Colonel Heinrich asked James if he had anything to say. James replied, "nothing” but that I desire my body delivered to my relatives after my death."  Soldier Confederate Major James Morgan Utz then arose from his seat and without hesitation stepped on the trap door that would usher him to eternity.  The official could not properly adjust the rope on James' neck because of the white mask (called a cap) that covered his face.  These words were heard from the lips of James Utz, in low smothered tones, his last spoken on this earth, "Loose the cap aside my face, to let the rope on!"  The trap door opened and our hero, a perfect example of Southern manhood dropped eight feet. His body fell with a heavy with a heavy sickening sound.  The twist necessary of the rope did not happen and James' body swung to and fro in such a manner that it is unknown if there were convulsions.  We can only hope that James was immediately unconscious!  The attending physician's examination showed that his neck was not broken or even dislocated.  His pulse beat thirteen minutes before the physician pronounced James dead.  

   Frank Utz, James' father was not allowed to visit his son.  Only a parent that has lost a child could possibly imagine the sorrow that this father suffered, the tears that must have fallen in uncontrollable grief.  Major Utz was murdered without a relative or close friend present. A quote from "The Sunday Mercury", stated: "There was no intimate friend of the deceased at the execution.  From the residence room of the jail, however, there could be heard the most painful sobs and cries of grief, which were said to proceed from the mother or sister of the deceased."

The brother of Paul Fusz noted in his diary, despite the inhuman way he was treated, "He died like a man."

WAS SLAVERY THE CAUSE OF THE CIVIL WAR?  Written By - Robbie Graham (one of our new members).

I don't think so and here is why. At the heart of the issue in the mid-1800s was 2 movements, one that felt States should be more sovereign, and one that wanted a more powerful federal government. The first government we had after the Revolution was the result of the Articles of Confederation (1 March 1781- the revolution was from 1775-1783), in which the 13 States (former colonies) formed a loose confederation with a weak federal government. Where the states were responsible for their own laws, taxes, commerce, and military. There were some issues with it, such as each state only having one vote regardless of population, lack of Federal tax to support the federal government, lack of

power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, no one was in charge to enforce the acts passed by Congress, and no national court system. The states refused to fund the federal government, each had their own money that was not valid in other states, and some states started making agreements with foreign countries on their own. 

Some of the leaders at the time begin to ask for changes to be made to the Articles, and some states started meeting with other states to try and resolve trade and economic problems. As more states started talking they planned a secret meeting for 25 May 1787 (5 years AFTER the Revolution), it ended up being called the Constitutional Convention. Rhode Island refused to attend because they were totally against the idea of a large Federal Government. This meeting lasted 89 days, and instead of revising the Articles of Confederation, the delegates created the Constitution of the United States, named George Washington President, and created a completely new Government with more power over the states. Why was it held in secret? Because NONE of the delegates had permission from their States to make big changes to the Articles of Confederation, MUCH less replace it entirely. Some of the biggest opponents of big federal government, such as Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry, were not even present at this meeting and had no say in the Constitution. Also, NONE of the citizens had a say; they were simply told, here is your new Government and President. 

A lot of people felt that the new Constitution ignored the rights of the individual states to act independently, and took away the states’ rights to decide law for themselves. This festered in the United States until the 1820s-30s when John C. Calhoun created the idea of Nullification, whereby states would have the right to decide which Federal laws they would or would not adopt. The Federal Government refused to give the states the right to Nullification, and the topic of State sovereignty heated up from the 1830s till the late 1850s. Social and economic differences between the north and south rapidly increased due to the industrialization of the North, and the South’s desire to keep things the way they were. Between the State’s fight for nullification rights, the growing abolitionist movement, and the refusal of the Federal Government to allow any of the new territories to become slave states the United States was a ticking time bomb. 

The fuse was lit for many when Abraham Lincoln was elected; a President many believed was only interested in Northern Interests, abolitionism, and big government. Before Lincoln was inaugurated on 4 March 1861, 7 States

(S. Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas) succeeded from the Union heralding the birth of the Confederate States of America. Remember the Articles of Confederation? Got an idea of where the name Confederate States of America came from? Now that I know more about the whole story, I can’t see how someone could say that slavery was the cause of the Civil War. The final straw? Perhaps.

October 1863 - 150 Years ago.October 4, 1863 Steamers Forest Queen, Catahoula, and Chancelor were burned in St. Louis at the foot of Carr Street.

October 5, 1863 General Joseph “Fightin Joe” Wheeler cuts the the railroad between Nashville and Chattanooga at Stones River. The loss is a major blow to the besieged Army of the Cumberland.

October 6, 1863 Quantrill En route to Texas surprised Union troops under Gen. James G. Blunt at Baxter Springs, Kansas, in early October, killed about eighty Federals, and wounded eighteen. Quantrill reached Fort Gibson in Indian Territory on October 10, and his men killed twelve Union soldiers there. His band then joined forces with Col. Daniel McIntosh and Gen. Douglas H. Coop.

October 9 1863 Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia cross the Rapidan to outflank the Army of the Potomac.

October 19 1863 In an all Cavalry battle, General James Ewell Brown “Jeb” Stuart routed Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick in the battle of Buckland Mills (sometimes called the Buckland Races).

October 29 1863 In a rare nighttime assault, James Longstreet battles John Geary just west of Lookout Mountain.

October 29 1863 Jefferson Davis grants Nathan Bedford Forrest's request for an independent command in north Mississippi and west Tennessee.

Compatriot Dean Linardt parents-

Harvey and Jean Linhardt of O'Fallon, MO. celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on October 5, 2013 with an open house from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. for family and friends at Immanuel Lutheran church, Wentzville on Hwy. N. They have been residents of St.Charles County for 23 years.

 The couple have 3 children; Tammy and Richard Mangold, Dean and Renee Linhardt, and Keith Linhardt. The couple have 5 grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren. The couple were married on October 5, 1963 at Messiah Lutheran Church in St.Louis. 

Up Coming Gun Show

November 2 & 3 2013 at St.Charles Convention CenterWe needed Volunteers to help with the following time slots. Saturday Sunday8:00-12:30 9:00-12:00 If you would like to help email 12:30-5:00 12:00-3:00 daveroper166@gmail.com or phone 618-304-7758

Walk Back in Time

Camp member’s That Attened

Gene Dreesel, Robbie Graham, Doug Neff, Billy Bowden and Dave Roper.

26 Raffle Tickets were sold.

Thursday October 3 2013 Adjutant Dave Roper presented the Dixon Camp of Belleville IL. with a Missouri Battle Flag. Dave also sold 40 raffle tickets.

Dixon Chaplain Johnny Kicklighter, Dave Roper and Dixon Commander Mark Morgan.

In Closing I would like to thank everyone that helped with this addition of Confederate Informant.

Editor - Dave Roper Email daveroper166@gmail.com Phone 618-304-7758