CAMP HISTORY
August 1, 2006 to July 31, 2007
JEFFERSON DAVIS BRIGADE MEETING, SEPTEMBER 2006
BILL JOHNSON'S BIG APPLE RESTAURANT, PHOENIX, ARIZONA
On Saturday, September 30, 2006, the Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525 held a meeting at Bill Johnson’s Big Apple Restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona. Attending the meeting were Camp 1525 and Jefferson Davis Brigade Commander Robert Perkins, Camp Adjutant Jerry Harbin, Camp Chaplain Steve Johnson, and Camp Matron Tammy Perkins. Also in attendance as a guest was John Mangum, Commander of the Arizona Division, S.C.V. Pictured above, left to right, are Camp 1525 and Jefferson Davis Brigade Commander Robert Perkins, Camp 1525 Adjutant Jerry Harbin, and Arizona Division Commander John Mangum.
This meeting was supposed to be held in conjunction with the first ever meeting of the Jefferson Davis Brigade of the Arizona Division. However, no representatives of the other Camps of the Brigade (the Captain Granville Oury Camp 1708 of Scottsdale and the Captain Robert Rodes Nelson Camp 1647) were in attendance.
CAMP FAMILY PICNIC, OCTOBER 2006
SWEETWATER PARK, PEORIA, ARIZONA
On Saturday, October 28, 2006, the Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525 hosted it’s annual Camp Family Picnic. The event, which was held at Sweetwater Park in Peoria, Arizona, was very well attended, with sixteen people in attendance at various times of the day. Pictured above are 13 of the attendees. From left to right, front row...Mathea and KineBritt Johnson. Rear row, left to right...John Aaron, Herb Deal, Deborah Deal (Herb’s wife), Kaj Johnson, Martin Backelin (a Swedish exchange student who came as a guest of the Johnsons), Jonas Johnson (in the arms of his father), Steve Johnson, Siri Johnson (peeking over her father’s shoulder), Lindsey Deal, Tammy Perkins and Robert Perkins.
Commander Perkins prepared traditional Southern hickory-smoked pulled pork barbecue and home-made barbecue sauce for the event. Camp Chaplain Steve Johnson brought out bottles of Maurice’s Carolina Gold Barbecue Sauce, purchased from the famous Maurice’s BBQ of Columbia, South Carolina, for everyone to sample. Others brought potato salad and macaroni salad and cole slaw, and Camp Matron Tammy Perkins made and brought out a chocolate cake for our dessert. It was a wonderful meal, and everyone enjoyed it very much!
One highlight of the event was a visit from John Aaron, a member of S.C.V. Camp 2021 in Ohio who is here in town temporarily. Compatriot Aaron makes reproduction War between the States snare drums, and also reenacts as a drummer, and he was kind enough to give us a demonstration of the period drummer’s art. Needless to say, this got a LOT of attention from other people in the park. One very cute little girl came up and asked, "What are you guys celebrating?"
The weather was beautiful, and all in all it was a day filled with good food, good conversation, and good company. This was easily the most successful picnic we have held, with the possible exception of the very first one we held way back in 1990 at Picacho Peak State Park, and we would like to thank everyone who came out to participate.
CAMP 1525 MEMBERS ATTENDING THE PICNIC
Left to right...Commander Robert Perkins, Chaplain Steve Johnson, and Compatriot Herb Deal.
Also attending, but not pictured, were Adjutant Jerry Harbin and newly admitted Compatriot Joe Hamilton.
LEE AND JACKSON DAY CELEBRATION, JANUARY 2007
BILL JOHNSON'S BIG APPLE RESTAURANT, PHOENIX, ARIZONA
On Saturday, January 20, 2007, the Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525, in conjunction with the Arizona Division,
Sons of Confederate Veterans, hosted it’s annual birthday celebration in honour of two of the South’s greatest heroes,
General Robert E. Lee and. Lt. General Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson. This year’s event was held, as in the
past, at Bill Johnson’s Big Apple Restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona, and was attended by no less than 47 people, representing
not only Camp 1525, but also the Captain Granville Henderson Oury Camp 1708 (Scottsdale, Arizona), the Confederate
Secret Service Camp 1710 (Sierra Vista, Arizona), and the Texas John Slaughter Camp 2074 (Tombstone, Arizona). Three
Chapters of the United Daughters of the Confederacy...the Thunderbird Chapter 2102, the Picacho Pass Chapter 2530, and
the General Joseph Wheeler Chapter 966) were also represented, as well as Camp Picacho Peak, Sons of Union Veterans
of the Civil War. Last but not least, members of three local reenactment groups...We Make History, the 5th Texas Infantry, and the 1st Texas Infantry, Arizona Civil War Council...also were present at the event.
The 2007 event marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of General Robert E. Lee, and we had some special activities
and events scheduled. First, the event was graced by the presence of none other than Generals Lee (portrayed by local
reenactor Dick Sherwood) and Jackson (portrayed by Compatriot David Barton of Camp 2074), which by itself made the
event very special indeed! The two generals are pictured above.
Second, the event saw the first performance of the embryonic Confederate Choir...or, given the present state of things,
we should perhaps call it a “Confederate Duet,” consisting of Camp 1525 Adjutant Jerry Harbin and our Camp Matron,
Tammy Perkins...which our Adjutant Harbin has been working on forming for the past several months. Performances
of “The Bonnie Blue Flag,” “The Southern Battle Cry of Freedom,” and “Lorena,” were given by the duet. This was
followed by a rousing rendition of “Dixie”...in which everyone present participated...which nearly brought the roof
down! It was great fun and quite successful as a first debut for the new group.
Adjutant Harbin also gave a short presentation on the Battle of Mobile Bay (shown above), in which he has recently
discovered one of his ancestors participated, as a Confederate States Marine aboard the ram, C.S.S. TENNESSEE.
This was quite interesting, and well appreciated by those in attendance.
Finally, we also held the ever-popular annual Lee and Jackson Day Confederate Trivia contest. We had a new slate of questions this year, many of which were very difficult, and we ended up with a three-way tie for first place. After a “sudden death” competition, the winners were as follows...First Place (a set of Lee and Jackson bookends)—Tom Tatum, Camp 1525; Second Place (a Lee and Jackson Pocket Watch)—Ron Fox, Camp 1708; and Third Place (a First Day Cover of the 1937 Lee and Jackson Postage Stamp)—Larry Billar, Camp 1710.
All in all it was a hugely successful event, and Camp 1525 would like to thank all who came out to participate and make the event a success.
SOME
OF THE ATTENDEES AT THE 2007 LEE/JACKSON CELEBRATION
Front
row, seated, left to right...Adjutant Jerry Harbin (Col. Sherod Hunter Camp
1525, Phoenix, AZ); General Robert E. Lee (portrayed by Dick Sherwood); Lt.
General Thomas J. Jackson (portrayed by Compatriot David Barton of the Texas
John Slaughter Camp 2074—Tombstone, AZ); Mrs. Anna Jackson (portrayed by
Lillian Barton), holding Julia Jackson (portrayed by Savannah Barton).
Rear row, standing, left to right...Mike Agnew (Capt. Granville H. Oury Camp
1708--Scottsdale, AZ); Lt. Commander Dan Huskisson (Camp 1525); Past Commander
Tom Tatum (Camp 1525); Past Commander Ron Fox (Camp 1708); Melissa Bryan;
Commander Robert Perkins (Camp 1525, standing behind Mrs. Bryan); Commander
Lindsay Brown (Camp 1708); Compatriot Dan Bryan (Capt. Hunter's Arizona Rangers
Camp 1202--Tucson, AZ); Curtis Tipton (Adjutant of the Arizona Division and of
the Confederate Secret Service Camp 1710--Sierra Vista, Arizona); Lt. Commander
William McBrayer (Camp 1708); Mrs. Mary Custis Lee (portrayed by Mrs. Dick
Sherwood); John Mangum (Commander, Arizona Division and member, Camp 2074);
Compatriot Jerry Minnis (Camp 1708); Janet Grams (General Joe Wheeler Chapter
966, UDC); and Chaplain Steven Johnson (Camp 1525).
GRAVESTONE INSTALLATION, FEBRUARY 2007
PIONEERS' CEMETERY, PHOENIX, ARIZONA
On Sunday, February 18, 2007, the Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525 installed a new grave marker at the grave of
Sergeant Green F. Evans, 34th Texas Cavalry. Taking part in the installation were Camp Commander Robert Perkins,
Camp Lt. Commander Dan Huskisson, Camp Adjutant Jerry Harbin, and Compatriot Tom Tatum. Also present was Camp
Matron
Tammy Perkins, as well as Marge West and Diane Sumrall of the Pioneers’
Cemetery Association.
cemetery to do the installation proved to be interesting, as most of the streets surrounding the cemetery were blocked off
for a bicycle race being held that day. But despite this, the intrepid party did manage to get to the cemetery at the
appointed
time of 10:00 a.m.
Lt. Commander Huskisson and Compatriot Tatum, and the Camp is deeply indebted to these two Compatriots for the hard
work they did that day. The stone itself, once installed, was absolutely beautiful, and a fitting tribute to a brave
Confederate
veteran.
long and illustrious history of our Camp. To all who came out to help, thank you. You all deserve a huge rebel yell of
gratitude!
THE STONE
This slab of white granite weighed about 250 lbs. Installing it was no easy task.
DAN AND TOM AT WORK
Most of the work of the installation was done by Lt. Commander Dan Huskisson (left) and Compatriot Tom Tatum (right).
The Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525 extends it’s
sincere gratitude to both of them for a job well done!
Huzzah!
CAMP
MEMBERS TAKING PART IN THE WORK
Pictured are Camp members who took part in the installation of the new grave stone for Sergeant Green F. Evans, 34th Texas Cavalry,
at Pioneers’ Cemetery in downtown Phoenix, Arizona on February 18, 2007. Pictured from left to right are Commander Robert Perkins,
Lt. Commander
Dan Huskisson, Compatriot Tom Tatum, and Camp Adjutant Jerry Harbin.
CIVIL WAR IN THE SOUTHWEST WEEKEND, MARCH 2007
PICACHO PEAK STATE PARK, PICACHO, ARIZONA
Over the weekend of March 10-11, 2007, the annual Civil War in the Southwest weekend of living history encampments and battle reenactments was held at Picacho Peak State Park, about 40 miles north of Tucson, Arizona. Three Arizona S.C.V. Camps had recruitment and information booths at the event...the Captain Hunter’s Arizona Rangers Camp 1202 of Tucson, the Captain Granville Henderson Oury Camp 1708 of Scottsdale, and of course, the Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525. Members of two other Camps...the Confederate Secret Service Camp 1710 of Sierra Vista and the Texas John Slaughter Camp 2074 of Tombstone...were also present taking part in the reenactments, but neither Camp had a display booth at the event.
Camp 1525’s booth was manned throughout the weekend by Commander Robert Perkins, Compatriot Tom Tatum, and Camp Matron Tammy Perkins. Also attending the event, but not assisting with the Camp booth, was Camp Chaplain Steven Johnson, who attended on Saturday. The attendance at this year’s event was possibly the largest ever, and Camp 1525 did a brisk business selling various Confederate-flag themed items (pins, baseball caps, mouse pads, pocket knives, patches, bandanas) to the souvenir-hungry crowd. Indeed, we sold our entire stock of several of our sales items over the weekend! In total, the Camp made sales totaling $361.00 over the weekend, making this the most profitable single event in which we have ever participated.
Camp 1525 also sold raffle tickets for a reproduction Model 1860 U.S. Light Cavalry Sabre. The raffle for the sword was held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 11, 2007. Commander Lindsay Brown of Camp 1708 was the lucky winner.
Last
but not least, Compatriot Tatum was able to have some fun when he was invited by
the reenactors of the 1st Texas Infantry, Arizona Civil War Council, to
participate in one of the battle reenactments on Sunday.
Unfortunately, this was one of the battles that the Confederates lost,
and poor Tom had to “die for his country.”
But he had a great time anyway!
We also made some good contacts which should see us add some new members in the near future as well All in all, it was an outstanding event for the Camp, and we would like to thank those who helped out in making the event a success!
MANNING THE CAMP 1525 BOOTH
Left to right...Tom Tatum, Tammy Perkins, Robert Perkins
CAMP 1525 WARGAMING CLUB MEETS, APRIL 2007
On
Sunday, April 15, 2007, the Camp 1525 Wargaming Club held it’s first meeting
in over two years. Attending the
meeting were Camp Commander Robert Perkins and Compatriot Tom Tatum.
A table-top recreation of the First Battle of Kernstown, March 1862, was
played. Commander Perkins played the
role of Major General James Shields, commanding the Union forces, and Compatriot
Tatum played the role of Major General Thomas Jonathan Jackson, commanding the
Confederate forces. In a repeat of
history, the odds against the Confederates were just too great, and Jackson’s
Army of the Valley was defeated in a hard-fought contest.
However, it was great fun for both participants, and we are looking
forward to holding more games in the near future.
GENERAL JACKSON ADVANCES
Compatriot Tom Tatum, playing the role of General Stonewall Jackson during the April 2007 game hosted by
the Camp 1525 Wargaming Club, moves his forces forward into the mouths of waiting Yankee guns. Commander
Robert Perkins, who played the role of Union General James Shields during the game, looks on.
ARIZONA DIVISION CONVENTION, JUNE 2007
MINING CAMP RESTAURANT, APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA
On June 2, 2007, the Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525 took part in the annual State Convention of the Arizona Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, held at the Mining Camp Restaurant and Trading Post in Apache Junction, Arizona. Representing Camp 1525 at the event were Camp Commander Robert Perkins and Compatriot Tom Tatum. Several members of Camp 1525...namely Dan Huskisson, Tom Tatum, Jerry Harbin, and Steve Johnson...were awarded the S.C.V. Commendation Medal, recognizing their service to Camp 1525
and to the S.C.V. over many years.
WINNERS OF THE S.C.V. COMMENDATION MEDAL
Dan Huskisson (left), Tom Tatum (center) and Jerry Harbin (right) wearing their S.C.V. Commendation Medals,
which were presented to them at the 2007 Arizona Division Convention. Steve Johnson, who also was
presented with one of these medals, is not shown. The picture was taken at the June 2007 meeting of the
Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525.
FORREST BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION, JULY 2007
FORREST PARK, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
On July 15, 2007, Compatriot Eddy Davison of the Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525 was the featured speaker at the 186th Anniversary
Birthday Celebration in honour of Lt. General Nathan Bedford Forrest, held at Forrest Park in Memphis, Tennessee. As many of our members
will
recall, Eddy's ancestors rode with Forrest, and Eddy recently published a
well-received biography of General Forrest, called NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST:
IN SEARCH OF THE ENIGMA. In addition to giving the keynote address,
Eddy also conducted a book-signing at the event. Over 200 people attended this
event, which featured, in addition to Compatriot Davison, a bagpipe band, a 21
gun musket salute, and a wreath laying ceremony.
Compatriot Davison’s speech was well received, and all in all, it was a
very successful event.
EDDY POSES WITH HIS HERO
Compatriot Eddy Davison, author of NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST: IN SEARCH OF THE ENIGMA, poses in front of his
hero’s statue at the 186th Anniversary Birthday Celebration for General Forrest, held at Forrest Park in Memphis, Tennessee
on July 15, 2007.
Some clipart on this page was courtesy of
and
The music file of DIXIE is copyrighted by Voyetra Technologies (1990). Great, a'int it? For more great midi files like this one,
check out THE CONTEMPLATOR'S FOLK MUSIC SITE.
Copyright 2007 by the Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Phoenix, Arizona.
All rights reserved. Last updated on 22 August 2007.
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