Memorial Service For The Flat Rock Seven

Greetings and Salutations, Y'all!

Confederate Memorial Day arrives this weekend on Sunday, May 10th in both North and South Carolina -- falling on the same day as Mother's Day this year. 

In honor of the holiday honoring the memories of the Confederate dead, your favorite blogger traveled north across the Carolina border to the Southern town of Mount Holly, North Carolina to Flat Rock Cemetery for a very special memorial service. 

As many of y'all might recall from a previous blog post, the story of the Flat Rock Seven -- a small group of Confederate veterans who tragically died returning home from the war on April 26, 1865 when a raft they were using to cross the swollen Catawba River collapsed drowning all of the young men just miles away from their homes. 

Earlier this year, the Stonewall Jackson Camp #23 Sons of Confederate Veterans from Charlotte, NC installed three new grave markers for these men. Originally there were only four grave markers with the three other names listed on Confederate Crosses of Honor. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Stonewall Jackson Camp and other volunteers, all seven men now have proper grave markers. The service today was the official dedication of those markers.  

The service included: the retelling of the tragic story of the Flat Rock Seven, followed my the presentation of the new stones, musket and cannon volleys, and the playing to Taps in honor of their everlasting memories. 

The following are the photos I took of the event:

To their honored memories, as well as those of the other estimated 260,000 Southern men and boys who did not come home after four bloody years of civil strife, let us remember them on their memorial day. 

 

In Everlasting Memory. Deo Vindice.

12th Annual Confederate Hertiage Youth Day

Greetings friends and fellow travelers!

On Saturday, September 30th I was honored to take part in the 12th Annual Confederate Heritage Youth Day near Smyrna, South Carolina. 

This year's event was sponsored by and promoted by the 3rd Brigade, SC Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and members of the following SCV and Living History reenactment groups in upstate South Carolina and North Carolina, all of whom did an outstanding job with the presentations:

The Pvt. Thomas Caldwell Camp #31 (Clover, SC)

The Walker-Gaston Camp #86 (Chester, SC)
The Moses Wood Camp #125 (Gaffney, SC)

The Mechanized Cavalry Headquarters Camp #212 (Blacksburg, SC)

The Major Charles Q. Petty Camp #827 (Gastonia, NC)

The Stonewall Jackson Camp #23 (Charlotte, NC)

The Gaston Guards Camp #1822 (Stanley, NC)
The Colonel William Stowe Camp #2142 (Dallas, NC) 
The Lt. Corbitt Camp #525 (Forest City, NC) 
The Zebulon Baird Vance Camp #15 (Asheville, NC)

The SC Division Mechanized Cavalry 3rd Battalion Co. A SCV
Blastoff Battery Artillery Reenactors 

The following are the photos that I took of the event, which included several presentations about the period during the War Between The States, a small battle presentation for the kids, and a wonderful supper. The children took home a wonderful package that included a t-shirt and school supplies. 

The following are the photos I took of the event.

SC SCV 3rd Brigade Commander Kirk M. Carter
welcomes everyone to the 12th Annual York
Confederate Heritage Youth Day.

The Stars & Bars -- 1st Confederate
National Flag -- flying overhead.

Commanders Donnie Raborn (Walker-Gaston Camp #86) and Reverend
Creighton Lovelace (Lt. Corbitt Camp #525) prepare to raise the battle flag.

Confederate re-enactors and color guard standing at attention as
the Stars & Bars is lowered and the Dixie Cross battle flag is raised.

Confederate & Union banners flying in the Southern breeze.

Weapons of the War presentation by Mr. Donald
Raborn (Walker-Gaston Camp #86).

Flag Presentations by Mr. Brian Allmon
(Stonewall Jackson Camp #23).

Faith In The Confederacy presentation by Reverend
Creighton Lovelace (Lt. Corbitt Camp #525)

Southern Honor Presentation by Mr. H.K. Edgerton
(Zebulon Baird Vance Camp #15)

Stories of the War Presentation by Mr. Bill Starnes
(Major Petty Camp #872).

Camp Life & Uniform Presentation by Mr. John Hovis, Mr.
Scott Bumgarner, and Mr. Bill Stevens (Major Petty Camp #872 &
Pvt. Caldwell Camp #31).

Artillery Demonstration by Mr. Jim Bay
(Blastoff Battery).

Supper prepared by the Mechanized Cavalry HQ. Camp #212.

Mr. John Misskelley furling up the Private Thomas Caldwell
Camp #31 colors.

Reenactors preforming a very small battle demonstration for
the children.

The reenactors gathering for the retiring of the colors.

Once again I am proud of the work that was done by the SCV toward advancing education about the South during the War Between The States and the connection that period has to our shared and living Southern-Confederate historical heritage. 

I also hope that y'all enjoyed my photos of this event. Until next time, have a wonderful Dixie Day, y'all hear?