The camp had a really good year in 2007, and I’m looking forward to upcoming events and activities that’ll take place in 2008. It’s already shaping up to be a busy year ahead. Listed below are several of the more significant events that we’ll be having the first half of the year. See the Announcements section for additional listings.

Our annual Lee-Jackson Banquet will be Saturday, January 19th, at American Legion Post #63 on Milledge Road next door to the National Guard Armory. Our program speaker will be Southern activist and author, Mr. Walter Donald Kennedy, who is co-author of The South was Right!

Camp #158 is hosting the Georgia Division Winter Executive Council Meeting on Saturday, February 9th, at 11:00 a.m. at Sconyers Bar-B-Que Restaurant. EC Meetings are held quarterly. If you haven’t ever attended a Division EC Meeting, this is the time to do it. I encourage everyone to attend to see how business is conducted on the Division level. You’ll have an opportunity to meet the Georgia Division officers from around the state.

We’ll have our annual Confederate Memorial Day Service at Magnolia Cemetery at the end of April. The date hasn’t been set yet.

New Division officers will be elected this year at the 111th Georgia Division Reunion. The reunion will be June 13th – 15th in Villa Rica, which is located on Interstate-20 about 35 miles west of Atlanta.

Our next meeting is this Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. at Sconyers. Our program speaker is Mr. Judd Smith, Park Manager of the A.H. Stephens Historic Park located in Crawfordville. He’ll speak on Confederate Brigadier General Alexander Robert Lawton. Lawton was born in Beaufort District South Carolina in 1818. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1839, placing 13th out of 31 in his class. He served as a second lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Artillery until resigning his commission in 1840 to study law. He attended the Harvard Law School, graduating in 1842. He settled in Savannah, Georgia and entered the fields of law, railroad administration and state politics. He favored Georgia's secession and became Colonel of the 1st Georgia Volunteers. He was commissioned a brigadier general in the Confederate army on April 13, 1861, and commanded the forces guarding Georgia's seacoast before being reassigned to Virginia.

Although Alexander Lawton isn’t one of the more well known Confederate generals, he was a very talented soldier and exemplary leader. He made a great contribution to the war effort, almost making the ultimate sacrifice after being severely wounded at the Battle of Sharpsburg in September 1862.

I hope you’ll plan to attend the camp meeting this Thursday at Sconyers for another enjoyable evening of Southern fellowship.

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/

www.sonsofconfederateveterans.blogspot.com

Lee-Jackson Banquet: At this Thursday's meeting Lt. Commander Ron Udell will have tickets available for purchase for our upcoming Lee-Jackson Banquet on Saturday, January 19th. Tickets are $12.00 for adults and $6.00 for children 12 years old and under. Tickets must be purchased in advance in order to attend the banquet.

■ Thursday, January 10th – Brigadier General E. Porter Alexander Camp #158 will meet at Sconyers Bar-B-Que Restaurant at 7:00 p.m. Our program speaker will be Mr. Judd Smith, Park Manager of A.H. Stephens Historic Park in Crawfordville, Georgia. He’ll speak on Alexander Lawton, a Confederate brigadier general and brother-in-law of Edward Porter Alexander. Mr. Smith’s talk is entitled "Satisfaction Wherever he Served: the Career of Alexander Robert Lawton."

■ Saturday, January 12th – Adopt-A-Highway Litter Pickup: Camp members will meet at 9:00 a.m. in the parking lot across the street from the Miyabi Kyoto Japanese Steakhouse Restaurant on Augusta West Parkway.

■ Friday, January 18th – The annual Robert E. Lee Birthday Celebration will be held at the State Capitol in Atlanta from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Business or period attire is preferred.

■ Saturday, January 19th - Camp #158's annual Lee-Jackson Banquet (on Robert E. Lee's Birthday). Our program speaker will be Walter Donald Kennedy, co-author of "The South was Right!" and "Was Jefferson Davis Right?" He is also the author of "Myths of American Slavery." The banquet begins at 7:00 p.m. and will be held at American Legion Post #63 located on 90 Milledge Road in Augusta.

■ Saturday, February 9th – Camp #158 will host the Georgia Division SCV Winter Executive Council Meeting. The EC Meeting will be held at Sconyers Bar-B-Que Restaurant. The meeting starts at 11:00 a.m. and will end around 2:00 p.m. Lunch will be at 12:00.

■ Thursday, February 14th – Brigadier General E. Porter Alexander Camp #158 will meet at Sconyers Bar-B-Que Restaurant at 7:00 p.m. Program speaker to be announced later.

Saturday, February 23rd & Sunday, February 24th - Battle of Aiken: The gate opens at 9:00 a.m., and the battle re-enactment will start each day at 2:00 p.m. near the site of the original battle at Confederate Park just North of Aiken, SC. The site for this event is located in Aiken County off of Interstate 20 (Exit 18) on SC Highway 19 South. Barnard E. Bee Camp #1575, Sons of Confederate Veterans, sponsors the Battle of Aiken.

Saturday, March 1st & Sunday, March 2nd: Seventh annual commemoration and re-enactment of the Battle for Broxton Bridge. This year's event will be held at the original earthen fort battle site on the Salkehatchie River built by Confederate forces in 1865. This is the 143rd anniversary of the battle. Camps are open Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Battle re-enactments are 1:30 p.m. daily. One-day admission is: 18 years and older—$6.00; 10 to 17 years—$3.00; 9 years and under are free. Directions: Broxton Bridge Plantation entrance is on US Highway 601, 20 miles south from the intersection of US Highway 78 in Bamberg, SC. It’s about 13 miles north of Hampton, SC, on US Highway 601, and about 5 miles south of Ehrhardt, SC, on US Highway 601.

[7] Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

[8] All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

[9] I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

[10] The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

[11] I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

[27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

[28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." – James Madison

"The issue today is the same as it has been throughout all history, whether man shall be allowed to govern himself or be ruled by a small elite." -- Thomas Jefferson

"Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny." – Thomas Jefferson

"What a cruel thing is war: to separate and destroy families and friends, and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us in this world; to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors, and to devastate the fair face of this beautiful world." – Robert E. Lee

"The patriot volunteer, fighting for country and his rights, makes the most reliable soldier on earth." – Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson

"If Stonewall Jackson had led the children of Israel through the wilderness, it would not have taken him 40 years; for he would have made the march in three days and on half rations." – Anonymous Confederate Soldier

Abraham Lincoln's wife Mary Todd Lincoln had four brothers in the Confederate Army plus three Southern men who married Mrs. Lincoln's sisters, all three of which also served in the Confederate Army, so old Abe had seven brothers-in-law in the Confederacy. George Todd was a surgeon in the Confederate Army; Samuel Todd was a member of Co. I Crescent Regiment of Infantry from Louisiana, he was killed at Shiloh. David Todd was wounded at Vicksburg and never recovered. Lt. Alexander H. Todd was killed at Baton Rouge. Martha Todd married Clem B. White of Selma, Alabama who was a Confederate Captain. Colonel N. H. R. Dawson also of Selma was the husband of Elodine Todd and became a Confederate Colonel. And Emilie Todd's husband Ben Hardin Helm became a Brigadier General for the Confederacy. Abe especially liked Helm who was a lawyer and past governor of Kentucky, and offered him a commission in the US Army as Major, which Helm declined. He was killed at Chickamauga fighting for the South. Mrs. Helm was at the time living in Selma but moved to the White House in Washington to be with Mary.