I just finished unpacking from my weekender up in Winchester. What an amazing three days! I’ll be posting details and pictures later this week, but I need to spend some time with the family first. I will say that my trip included: a special tour of the Kernstown Battlefield and Prichard (sp?) House, a private prayer at Turner Ashby’s grave, a photo session at the National and Confederate Cemetery (which was decorated for a special CSA Memorial Day ceremony), a very successful book signing at the “Gathering of Eagles” at Old Historic Winchester Court House in which I witnessed an excellent debate between Presidents Lincoln (who BTW bought a copy of The Southern Cross) and Davis, an incredible 2 ½ hour ‘authentic’ trial over VA’s constitutional right to secede (between 2 talented lawyers in front of a bench of 7 real judges and district attorneys - BTW we, as in Virginia, won after the 'Supreme Court's' deliberation, even the 2 NY judges couldn't argue the verdict giving the Old Dominion the right to leave the U.S.), the largest turnout of Federal and Confederate Generals and attendees to date, an amazingly uplifting period church service by the RMJC, a visit to the Stonewall Jackson Museum at Hupp’s Hill, and much more. My t-shirt design was a big hit too. It was a blessed weekend.

UPDATE: Recap and photos will be posted tomorrow (Tues). Stay tuned…

Warning, the following post is political and preachy... There is a very thought-provoking post over on Lincoln Studies dealing with America's Political Religion. The piece that is quoted was taken from a recent Washington Post editorial in which a writer states that she wants to ‘hear less about each candidate’s religious beliefs.’ My response to the post presented a POV that many secular types just don’t understand:

That is an interesting post to say the least. However, I would venture to guess that those voters, who don't consider a candidate's religious preference important, probably aren't regular church going people themselves (which is certainly their choice). To devout believers - those of us who willingly go to church more than once a week, pray on a daily basis (whether in crisis or not), and believe that every word in the bible to be true - we abide by a doctrine where every aspect of our lives are to be ultimately governed by our faith. Our theology dictates what we do (or don’t do), where we go (or don’t go), and whom we will vote for (or won’t vote for). Choosing the next president is a monumental choice. However, the election (to us) is just another lifetime decision that must be guided and influenced by our religious beliefs and convictions. Therefore, it is probably very easy for people who don’t practice organized religion to make the statement that ‘religion doesn’t matter’ to them at the polls, but to the rest of us in the evangelical community, it makes absolutely no sense.

Please let me add that I don’t feel that everyone has to think the way I do, but to propose that a candidate’s faith shouldn’t be a major discussion point in a presidential campaign as it quote: ‘doesn’t matter’ alienates the portion of the voting population who do care about this subject. People vote on what is important to them. I’m not an ‘animal-lover,’ so I could care less about a candidate’s feelings on fur. That doesn’t mean I believe that a politician's stance on animal rights shouldn’t be up for consideration by those voters who do care.

The bottom line is that different things matter to different people and we should all be able to put up with each other's concerns and considerations when collectively electing the next leader of our country.

I'll be leaving for the GOE at Winchester tomorrow morning. Hope to see you there. Complete schedule and descriptions of events.

Tickets - $7 day or $10 for the weekend (Does not include Court Case)
Court Case of Commonwealth of Virginia v. U.S.A. - $3.00. Available in advance at the museum
(For more details phone: 540-542-1145/46 or email: courtousemuseum@verizon.net)

NOTE: Throughout the weekend, Dr. Dean Havron (local family doctor) will be strolling about the mall area playing banjo and other items (spoons, etc) and telling stories about period music, while “Evergreen Shade” will be set up on the courthouse porch playing period music. Authors (= ME) and artists will be set up on courthouse porch also.

Don’t miss the highly dramatic and original “Court Case: Commonwealth of Virginia v. United States of America” on Saturday June 7, 2008 at 3:00 p.m.

Listen to lawyers for the Commonwealth of Virginia and other southern states and the United States government argue a case in front of the 1861 United States Supreme Court on the issue of the constitutionality of various states' right to secede. The decision will be based on 1860s case law and constitutional interpretation. Was it constitutional or not?  This question is still being argued today. How will a court, based on the law at the time, rule? Who has the stronger constitutional case? This case will be argued by real lawyers and decided by real legal authorities based on 1860 law. Come watch and see if you agree with the court's decision!

Admission will be charged and seating is limited. You may purchase tickets in advance at the Old Court House Civil War Museum Gift Shop.

Many of our fellow bloggers have already posted on the anniversary of Jefferson Davis’ 200th birthday, which took place on June 3rd. Most have focused on his service to the United States government prior to secession, as well as the Confederate States government following it. Therefore, I would like to acknowledge his life after the South’s surrender:

Following his capture by Union forces, Confederate President Jefferson Davis was imprisoned in a casemate at Fortress Monroe (Virginia) on May 19, 1865. He was placed in irons for three days. Davis was eventually brought to trial and indicted for treason a year later. The following year, after imprisonment of two years, he was released on bail which was rumored to have been posted by prominent citizens of both northern and southern states, including Horace Greeley, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and Gerrit Smith, who, as a member of the Secret Six, had earlier supported John Brown's raid at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. As a ‘freed’ man, Davis visited Canada, Cuba and Europe. In December of 1868, the court rejected a motion to nullify the indictment, but the prosecution dropped the case in February 1869. In 1869 Davis became president of the Carolina Life Insurance Company in Memphis, Tennessee. Upon Robert E. Lee's death in 1870, he presided over the memorial meeting in Richmond, Virginia. Elected to the U.S. Senate again, Davis was refused the office in 1875, having been barred from Federal office by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. He also turned down the opportunity to become the first president of The Agriculture and Mechanical College of Texas, which is now Texas A&M University. In 1876, Davis promoted a society for the stimulation of U.S. trade with South America. He visited England the next year, returning in 1878 to Beauvoir. Over the next three years there, Davis wrote The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government. Having completed that book, he visited Europe again, and traveled to Alabama and Georgia the following year. Davis completed A Short History of the Confederate States of America in October 1889. Two months later, he died of an unestablished cause at the age of eighty-one. His funeral was one of the largest ever staged in the South. Davis is buried at Hollywood Cemetery in the former Confederate States' capital of Richmond. (Jefferson Davis’ online biography w/ excerpts from Wikipedia)

My friends from both the SCV and the JBHS sent me this interesting email, which was written by a black city councilwoman who led the Singing of "Dixie" at a Confederate Memorial Service in Jacksonville, Florida. See Video Here. This is what a politician should be and the current presidential candidates could take a lesson from this.

"Making A Difference" by Council Member Glorious J. Johnson

When I decided to run for office, I did so because it was my firm conviction, that the average citizen and taxpayer was not getting adequate or fair representation from their local government. I also knew that I could not rely on the long-standing power structure in Jacksonville to help me win a seat on the City Council. Their support and money was generally reserved for the candidates they knew would likely do their bidding. If I were to win, I would have to appeal to the everyday people of Jacksonville, the small business owners, teachers, construction workers, secretaries, working moms and dads of all economic levels, of every race and every religion. My campaign would be one of boots on the ground. That is what I needed to do and that is what I did.

My desire was to represent all the people including those who felt they were without a voice in local city government. The ones who felt their needs and desires were being overrun by big business and large corporate enterprises. There were many people who felt that no one was listening to them. So I spoke with and embraced everyone. I did more than kiss babies. I went to the communities themselves. I embraced the diversity of the citizenry of Jacksonville and the citizens embraced me. I visited the young and elderly, went to their homes, their clubs, ate dinner with them, attended their churches and as a black woman I took it upon myself to make sure that I reached out to all racial groups up to and including the self proclaimed "Red Necks" of Jacksonville.

They were perhaps the group most surprised by my willingness to know them, reach across perceived racial boundaries and take to heart their concerns. As a result they embraced my candidacy, worked for my campaign and in a light hearted move of friendship; they made me an "Honorary Redneck". I am just as proud to represent them as every other hard working citizen in the city. I will never forget how hard the little guys, the average citizen, worked for me.

Now as a City Councilwoman At Large, I remember the ones I am fighting for and will always respect their time and efforts to get me elected, no matter who they are. From welfare moms to small business owners, to every man, woman and child in Jacksonville. We must all work together in understanding to create the best possible Jacksonville for us all. My world is one of inclusion, not exclusion.

As Dr. Martin Luther King stated, "There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but because conscience tells one it is right." We are not different races of people; we are one race - ‘The Human Race, 'LET'S MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN OUR CITY, OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTRY - WE ARE AMERICANS

Note regarding the song "Dixie:" As a former music teacher. I would study the history of various songs and share the information with my students. "Dixie" was one of them. The song originated in the minstrel shows in the 1850s, telling the story of a freed black slave pining for the plantation of his birth. The song was adopted during the Civil War. Lew and Ben Snowden, who were black banjo players, collaborated with Daniel Emmet, writer of the song. The Snowden Family was a well-known traveling family around the southern and northern region. The grave marker for Ben and Lew Snowden, set in 1976 by the Black American Legion Post, reads, "They taught "Dixie" to Dan Emmett. They were born in Mount Vernon, Ohio.

God bless you,

Council Member Glorious J. Johnson
Group 5, At-Large, City Hall
117 West Duval Street, Suite #425
Jacksonville, Florida 32202

This afternoon I stumbled upon a wonderful website called the Confederate Colonel, which is dedicated to the proper display and care of the Confederate flag. Of course flag etiquette goes for all ‘official’ banners, but this webpage (w/ a free downloadable PDF) is specifically focused on the Confederacy’s noble colors. I was very pleased to see a section strictly prohibiting the use of the flag’s likeness on souvenirs, advertisements, and athletic uniforms. I’ve written on this subject in the past and I could not agree more. A flag, especially a military one representing the blood and sacrifice of soldiers, should never be hijacked for use as a marketing icon, or branding symbol.

I myself own two beautiful Confederate flags, one battle flag (Southern Cross) and one national flag (Stars and Bars). That said I would never-ever own a Confederate flag shot-glass, sleeping bag, or beach raft. Tacky items like that miss the point completely and those who produce them exhibit a blatant disregard for the history behind the image. I applaud the Confederate Colonel for their excellent resource and for having the fortitude to take those who are both pro- and anti- flag to task for their lack of respect. According to their website:

“These symbols have been abused and desecrated not only by those who hate The South, but increasingly by well-meaning Southerners. This 'Code of Confederate Flag Etiquette' is designed as a guide for those who respect The South. If Southerners will not respect the Confederate flag, then how can we expect others to respect it? It is our hope that this 'Code of Confederate Flag Etiquette' will be adopted by Southern organizations and individuals as a guide to respecting and honoring the symbols of our beloved South and those who sacrificed and died to defend her.”

(Flag image by Confederate Colonel)

One of the most enjoyable aspects of my work as a contributing writer for the Free Lance-Star is the fact that I get to review Civil War books. That said, it is difficult for me at times to ask for reviews of my own publications. I am currently petitioning book reviews for my devotional The Southern Cross. For anyone who would be interested in reviewing this Christian book, please feel free to email me and I will put you in touch with my publisher at the Patriot Press. (Please be aware that this book is 100% religious in its content and intent.)

BTW: I just received an update from my friend Benjamin Smith at Civil War Historian magazine. Ben informed me that the publication is currently in the process of being bought. He added that the new owners are both energetic and incredibly knowledgeable. Unfortunately (for me) they also selected the content for the July/August issue, and my author interview was not included. However, it is still in the inventory, so to speak, and may be used down the road. I will inquire periodically, and keep you posted. CWH has been a wonderful publication to work with and I hope to continue that relationship with the new owners.

Tip o' the hat to our fellow blogger Paul Taylor over at With Sword and Pen for reminding me of the remarkable story of Stand Watie.

Brigadier General Stand Watie, C.S.A.: General Watie planned the successful raid into northern Indian Territory. He had to wait for nine months before his plan was approved by the Confederate high command. When offered overall command of the expedition, he graciously turned command over to Brigadier General Richard M. Gano since Gano's commission predated Watie's by one month. Watie remained in command of the Cherokee, Creek and Seminole cavalry totaling 800 men who fought alongside their Texas brothers-in-arms. Watie was the only Native American on either side to rise to a brigadier general's rank during the war. On June 25, 1865, two months after Robert E. Lee's surrender, he officially surrendered his command of the First Indian Brigade, C.S.A to federal authorities at Doaksville near Fort Towson in the Choctaw Nation. He was the last Confederate general in the field to surrender. - BRILLIANT VICTORY: The Second Civil War Battle of Cabin Creek, Indian Territory

Read an in-depth biography of Gen. Stand Watie on NativeAmericans.com.

Here's the schedule for Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park's seventh year of "History at Sunset" programs. All programs are free, begin at 7 p.m. and last about 90 minutes. For more information call 540/654-5546. Don’t miss out on these very original and informative programs.

• A Woeful Place Reclaimed: From Farm to Battlefield to Park--The Bloody Angle at Spotsylvania: Friday, June 6, led by historian John Hennessy. Meet at the McCoull Farm Lane, tour stop 5, Spotsylvania Court House Battlefield.
• In the Vortex: A Walk on the Slaughter Pen Farm: Friday, June 13, led by historian Frank O'Reilly. Entrance to the farm is off Routes 2 and 17, two miles south of Fredericksburg.
• Bloody Homecoming: David Kyle and the Ordeal of the Bullocks: Friday, June 20, led by historian Greg Mertz. Park on Bullock Road, near tour stop 2 on the Chancellorsville Battlefield.
• History Revealed: Civil War Secrets on the University of Mary Washington Campus: Friday, June 27, led by historian Eric Mink. Park in the lot at the corner of William Street and Sunken Road.
• First Blood at Chancellorsville: A Walk on the May 1 Battlefield: Friday, July 11, led by historian Eric Mink. Gather at the Civil War Preservation Trust lands on State Route 3 west, about mile west of Chancellorsville Elementary School.
• Through the Streets, Into the Maelstrom: In the Footsteps of a Union Regiment: Friday, July 27, led by historian Frank O'Reilly. Meet at the city dock at the south end of Sophia Street in Fredericksburg.
• Homefolk and Heroes: A Walk Through Fredericksburg's City and Confederate Cemetery: Friday, July 25, led by historian Mac Wyckoff. Meet at the entrance gate to the Fredericksburg City and Confederate cemeteries at the intersection of Washington Street and Amelia Street.
• Bloody Dawn: Fairview in the Maelstrom: Friday, Aug. 1, led by historian John Hennessy. Meet at Fairview, tour stop 10, Chancellorsville Battlefield.
• Lens on History: The Photography of the Sunken Road: Friday, Aug. 8, led by historian Stacy Humphreys. Meet at the Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center.
• Beyond the Big House: Slaves and Slavery at Chatham: Friday, Aug. 15, led by historian John Hennessy. Meet on the Chatham patio on the garden side of the house.

I just got an email from Daniel Brown (aka Brig. Gen. E. P. Alexander) with a photo of the t-shirts that they had printed up for this weekend's event using my GOE design. The CC T-Shirt Printing Co. did a wonderful job and I hope that these sell well for the group.

Just in case you forgot: The Civil War Gathering of Eagles (June 6-8) is an educational event brought to life by living historians from across the country. The Civil War personas, discuss the events of the war brought to life through their first person portrayals. Issues discussed during this two and a half day event range from the tactics used to the causes of the War and the occasional heated discussion concerning the legality of secession based on the Constitution and other sources used by our Founding Fathers to establish the "united States of America."

I will be signing discounted copies of  "The Southern Cross," "Onward Christian Soldier" and "Christian Cavalier." on Sat. and Sun. I'll also have bound copies of my Civil War coloring book for kids. My father and I are arriving early Friday morning with plans to tour and photograph the Stonewall Confederate Cemetery, Kernstown Battlefield, George Washington Office Museum, Fort Collier, (and a Sunday trip to Stonewall Museum at Hupp’s Hill). I'll be sure to post a recap w/ pics here.

If you're in the neighborhood, please stop on by.