The "Battle at the Market" on September 22nd & 23rd was, for the most part, a success. Camp #158 re-enactors along with the 32nd Georgia Artillery, the 5th Georgia Infantry Regiment and soldiers from other units participated. There were a few Sutlers there, too. For a first time event it went rather well, with an exceptionally good turnout of artillery and infantry. The weather was unbearably hot and downright miserable, especially for the re-enactors in uniform and the ladies and children in period dress.

The owner of the Barnyard Flea Market could have done more to make the event run smoother. He was supposed to promote the event in the media, but very little of that was actually done, as promised, hence an unusually low turnout of spectators. Hopefully the lessons learned this year will be implemented during next year’s event to make things run more smoothly. The re-enactment has been scheduled for the weekend of October 11th & 12th, next year.

The deadline for annual membership dues is fast approaching, like the end of this month, and time is running out. The membership year runs from August 1st, 2007 through July 31st, 2008. Dues can be paid at the upcoming meeting this Thursday night, or mailed to the camp’s mailing address. SCV National Headquarters must receive our membership dues by November 1st.

We’ll be at our regular meeting place, Sconyers Bar-B-Que Restaurant, this Thursday night. Our program speaker will be Mr. Walter Brian Cisco from Orangeburg, South Carolina. He’s a member of the Colonel Olin M. Dantzler Camp #73. Mr. Cisco is a lifelong student of

Southern history, and over the past 20 years he’s written numerous articles and five books on the subject. He’ll speak on his recently published book, "War Crimes Against Southern Civilians."

I look forward to seeing all of you this Thursday. Come a little early to eat barbecue before the meeting and join us for an evening of good Southern fellowship.

Troy Dwayne Warren - Troy was previously a member of Palmetto Sharp Shooters Camp #1428 in Anderson, South Carolina, and recently transferred to Camp #158. His Confederate ancestor was his Great-Great Grandfather, Lt. John Marshall Warren, who served in the 3rd Cavalry, Company H, Georgia State Guard.

B/G E. Porter Alexander Camp #158: http://www.eporteralexander.homestead.com/Index.html

Georgia Division SCV Website: http://www.georgiascv.com/

SCV National Website: http://www.scv.org/

■ Thursday, October 11th – Brigadier General E. Porter Alexander Camp #158 will meet at Sconyers Bar-B-Que Restaurant at 7:00 p.m. The program speaker will be Mr. Brian Cisco from Orangeburg, South Carolina. He’ll speak on his newly published book "War Crimes Against Southern Civilians."

■ Saturday, October 20th – River’s Bridge Camp #842 in Fairfax, SC, will have their annual "Children’s Southern Heritage Day," a full day of Southern heritage and history for young people. Camp #158 re-enactors will participate in this living history program.

■ Saturday, November 3rd – Living History Presentation at Augusta Canal Interpretive Center located at Enterprise Mill on 1450 Greene Street in Augusta. Confederate re-enactors from Brigadier General E. Porter Alexander Camp #158, the 5th Georgia and the 32nd Georgia Artillery will give living history presentations from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

■ Thursday, November 8th – Brigadier General E. Porter Alexander Camp #158 will meet at Sconyers Bar-B-Que Restaurant at 7:00 p.m. The program speaker will be Dr. C.L. Bragg, who will speak on the newly published book he co-authored, "Never For Want of Powder," the definitive history of the Confederate Powder Works complex in Augusta that produced nearly 3 million pounds of gunpowder for the Confederacy from April 1862 through April 1865. Dr. Bragg co-authored the book with four other authors, which included Gordon Blaker.

Camp #158 dues are $41.00 per year ($20.00 SCV National + $12.00 GA Division + $9.00 Camp #158 = $41.00)

■ If you are a Life Member of SCV National your annual dues are $21.00 ($12.00 GA Division + $9.00 Camp #158 = $21.00)

■ If you are a Life Member of the GA Division your annual dues are $29.00 ($20 SCV National + $9.00 Camp #158 = $29.00)

■ If you are a Life Member of SCV National & the GA Division your annual dues are $9.00 (Camp #158 dues = $9.00)

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. –

The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy. – Psalm 145:18-20

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. – John 3:16

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. – 1 Timothy 1:15

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take it away from those who are willing to work and give it to those who would not." – Thomas Jefferson

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." – Thomas Jefferson

"A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday does not know where it is today...The reputation of an individual is of minor importance to the opinion posterity may form of the motives which governed the South in their late struggle for the maintenance of the principles of the Constitution. I hope therefore, a true history will be written, and justice will be done them" – Robert E. Lee

"It may truly be said of the Southern women of 1861 – 1865 that the simple narrative of their life and work unfolds a record of achievement, endurance, and self-sacrificing devotion that should be revealed and recognized as a splendid inspiration to men and women everywhere." – Matthew Page Andrews (1879 – 1947)

"My religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to always be ready, no matter when it may overtake me." – Stonewall Jackson

A civil conflict is always between two factions within a nation struggling for control of the government. (Reference the civil wars of England, France and Spain.) Therefore, this cannot be applied to the war of 1861 –1865, i.e., the term "Civil War."

The Confederate States of America was a bona fide and functioning government for four years. If this were not so the Southern states would not have had to be "re-admitted" to the Union after the war.

The Confederate States of America sought not to destroy or even conquer the United States. General Robert E. Lee stated: "All the South ever desired was that the Union would continue to be administered as it was originally constituted, in purity and in truth." Therefore, again, there are no criteria for the definition of civil war or even rebellion.

The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution guaranteed the right to secede, therefore, the South clearly did not act in defiance of existing laws.

No civil issue, such as slavery, could have brought even one division to the field in the North or South, and the populace certainly did not embrace this thought in the slightest. The issue of slavery was inflamed and incited mainly by the radical politicians and abolitionists of the North and a few Southerners.

There was nothing CIVIL about the way in which the North conducted war against the South. Clearly Lincoln, his radical cabinet and barbaric generals – Grant, Hunter, Sheridan and Sherman – carried out a hypocritical plan to "save the nation," but to save the nation they had to destroy it.

If the War Between the States had ended after the Battle of Sharpsburg in September 1862, most authors agree it would not be called the Civil War. This is because when Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, the greatest breach of the Constitution, a push was made to keep foreign countries from supporting or allying themselves with the Confederacy. No "civil" causes were envisioned up to this time.

Robert E. Lee would never have used the term "Civil War" if he had lived longer. Indeed, he told sculptor Moses Ezekiel (a former Confederate soldier) that he hoped he would follow his talent for art: "But whatever you do, try to prove to the world that although we were not successful in our efforts for independence, we were worthy of success."

Truly the term civil war is the greatest misnomer in the world today. It most certainly can be applied to the American Revolution of 1776. But a Southerner, at least an enlightened one, should never respond to someone calling the 1861 – 1865 conflict the "Civil War." Just because everyone consistently does or says something wrong doesn’t make it right.

Augusta, Georgia