"The Constitution...is a mere thing of wax in the hands of the judiciary which they may twist and shape into any form they please." --Thomas Jefferson

The Southern Confederacy will not employ our ships or buy our goods.  What is our shipping without it?  Literally nothing...It is very clear that the South gains by this process, and we lose.  No…we MUST NOT "let the South go." - Union Democrat, Manchester, NH, February 19, 1861

What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? --Thomas Jefferson

Government is not reason. It is not eloquence. It is a force, like fire: a dangerous servant and a terrible master. --George Washington

Jefferson, a Virginia planter, was a Southerner. So were most of the other prominent Founders, among them George Washington and chief architect of the Constitution, James Madison. Truly the roots of American liberty grew from Southern soil and Southern values.

The soul of a people and their region is their culture. With Southern culture, as with every other culture, it is the sum of all values, beliefs, ethnic character, history, tradition, and folklore that binds a people together, ties them to a particular place, and makes them unique.

In the 20^th century, federal courts applied the 14^th Amendment with a vengeance against the South, often in the name of "civil rights." This rule by unelected judges – unchecked and unbalanced – denied representative government in the Southern states.

Camp Commander Nick Posey called the monthly meeting of Brigadier General E. Porter Alexander Camp #158 to order at 7:00 PM. Chaplain Tony Carr gave the invocation and led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States Flag. Commander Posey then led the Pledge of Allegiance to the "Real" Georgia State Flag and the salute to the Confederate Flag; he then recited the "SCV Charge."

Commander Posey introduced nearly twenty guests in attendance, including Charles Lunsford of the Confederate Memorial Camp #1432 of Stone Mountain, and representatives from several local SCV Camps (Evans, Waynesboro, Aiken, SC, and Springfield, SC), Berry Benson UDC Chapter #2584 and Jeanie Benson Chapter #884 of the Children of the Confederacy.

There being no additions or corrections, the meeting minutes of the December and January meetings were approved as published in the January and February newsletters.

For our moment to reflect upon historical facts about the Confederacy and the Southern Cause, Lee Herron read a letter from Major General Daniel Harvey Hill to Union Major General Robert Foster condemning him for ruthlessly evil acts of burning and pillaging.

Commander Posey then introduced the evening's guest speaker, Mr. Milledge Murray, from Augusta. He is the Chairman of the Membership Committee of the Beech Island Agricultural Club. Mr. Murray using a video and Club records presented the intriguing tale of how an original signed copy of General Robert E. Lee's Farewell Order (General Orders No. 9) became the property of the Club. This order, issued at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia on April 10, 1865, commanded the Confederate troops to cease fighting and surrender, return home and remain there until exchanged. Mr. Murray described the detective work used to confirm that the copy was presented to William H. Heywood Atkinson who was loosely attached to Lee's staff. Mr. Atkinson was a member of the Beech Island Agricultural Club.

Mr. Murray then briefly spoke about the Confederate monument on Green Street in front of the St. James Methodist Church. General Clement Evans was pastor of the church in the 1880s and the women of the church raised the funds for the monument in tribute to the 23 men from the church that died in the war and to the 293 Richmond County men who also fought. The Ladies Memorial Association raised money for the monument on Broad Street.

Commander Nick Posey presented Mr. Murray with Real Georgia and South Carolina flag lapel pins and a paperweight made of bronze that was a replica of the Great Seal of the Confederacy.

John Partridge, Commander of the Major General Ambrose R. Wright Camp #1914 requested that our camp participate in the Boy Scouts' Augusta History Walk on March 19^th. The request is particularly for individuals, male and female in 1861 - 1865 period dress to assist in manning many historic buildings and monuments in Augusta.

Commander Posey then asked the following newly elected officers to come forward for installation:

• Chaplain Tony Carr
• Sergeant-at -Arms Henry Gilmer

All other officers were installed in January. However, Chaplain Tony Carr was ill and wasn’t able to attend the January installation and Carl T. Miller, Sr. declined his elected position of Sergeant-at-Arms for personal reasons prior to the January installation. Per Camp Bylaws, Commander Posey recommended appointing Henry Gilmer to fill the Sergeant-at-Arms vacancy. This appointment was approved by the Camp Executive Council, with no objections from the membership.

Commander Posey presented new members Jeff Rowe and Neil Brunson their SCV Membership Certificates and Chaplain Tony Carr administered the membership pledge.

Treasurer Lee Herron provided the December and January camp financial reports.

Lieutenant Commander Ron Udell reminded us of the Adopt-A-Highway cleanup coming up on February 19^th; meet in the lot across from Miyabi Kyoto Japanese Steakhouse on Augusta West Parkway at 9 a.m. Also the camp will set up two booths at the Barnyard Flea Market on February 12^th.

Commander Nick Posey reminded all of Georgia House Bill 15 which would allow a vote between the Real Georgia flag and the present piece of politically correct cloth. Please write to House members on the committee. Camp #158 was well represented at the Private Berry Benson, CSA, Birthday Memorial in North Augusta by 12 reenactors; a thank you letter from the Private Berry Benson Camp #1622 was read. Our Confederate Memorial Day service will be on 23 April and plans need to be started immediately. Camp business cards, as well as camp T-shirts and Confederate History Calendars for 2005 are still available.

Several years ago the camp decided to donate at least $50 per month to the Southern Legal Resource Center as financed by our monthly door prize raffle. Amounts in excess of the $50 have been earmarked in the past few years specifically to support Past Commander Richard Smith, currently involved in a lawsuit. Greater than $4000 has been donated thus far and the Executive Committee is not satisfied with the handling and accountability by the SLRC of these donations. A motion was made to hold amounts in excess of $50 each month in an escrow account ourselves to be provided to the SLRC when it is specifically requested and needed for the Richard Smith case. This motion was seconded and passed by a unanimous vote.

A motion was made to have produced 36 Camp Coffee Cups for 2005 bearing pictures of the Real Georgia flag and the Confederate Powder Works. These souvenir cups would be purchased for approximately $234 plus tax and be made available to camp members for $9.00 and others for $10.00. The motion was passed by voice vote.

A motion was made to have magnetic ribbons made which resemble a Battle flag. The ribbons are similar to the Yellow or Red, White and Blue magnetic ribbons that encourage us to "Support Our Troops." Two hundred and fifty of these would be obtained at $1.99 each for a total cost of $497.50 plus tax. The motion passed in a very close vote (9 to 8) by a show of hands.

Saturday, February 12^th - Camp #158 will set up two booths at the Barnyard Flea Market located on Doug Barnard Parkway (Highway 56 Spur to airport) at Bobby Jones Expressway.

Saturday, February 19^th - SCV Camp #158’s next Adopt-A-Highway Litter Pickup: 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, February 25^th thru Sunday, February 27^th – Battle of Aiken at Confederate Park north of Aiken, South Carolina, off of Interstate 20 (Exit 18) on SC Highway 19 South.

Friday, March 4^th thru Sunday, March 6^th – Battle for Broxton Bridge at Broxton Bridge Plantation on US Highway 601 South, 19.7 miles south from the intersection of US Highway 78.

Thursday, March 10^th - SCV Camp #158 Meeting at Sconyers Bar-B-Que Restaurant at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 9^th – The annual National Confederate Memorial Day Service at Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain, Georgia, will be held under the carving on the Memorial Lawn, in front of the Reflecting Pool, rain or shine, at 10:00 am. The service will conclude by noon.

Drawings were then held for a number of Southern related type door prizes.

There being no objection to adjourn the meeting, it was so declared by general consent by Commander Posey. Past Lt. Commander Roy Williams gave the Benediction; this was followed by our usual resounding rendition of Dixie led by Chaplain Tony L. Carr.

Respectfully submitted,

Conscripted Secretary