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CALCASIEU GREYS Volume 34, Issue 12 Sons of Confederate Veterans, Lake Charles, Louisiana December 2015

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Finding Your Way Home Commander Column December 2015

Important Meeting Notice, February Camp Cmdr. Dr. Andy Buckley

Due to Madri Gras Day, Fat Tuesday, falling on February 9th (our regular meeting), our commander has announced the February meeting will be moved to Tuesday, February 16 at Ryan’s Steak House and Buffet in Lake Charles. The meeting starts with a meal at 6 PM, so come early for supper and enjoy great fellowship. This change is for February only and we will return to our regularly scheduled meeting date in March.

2016 Tentative Calendar of SCV Dates January 16-17 (Saturday, Sunday), Gun Show Lake Charles Civic Center. January 23, Lee-Jackson Banquet at Pat’s of Henderson; Tommy French, Keynote speaker. Jonathan Duff Tribute to Thomas Jackson and Shane Kastler Tribute to Robert E. Lee. February 16, Ryan’s Lake Charles Shannon Moon Battle of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill. March 5, Saturday SCV State Flag Rally Capital Steps Baton Rouge 2:00 pm March 8, Joe’s Pizza Sulphur Captain Joe Hill (Retired Navy) “Developments in Naval Warfare During War Between the States.” April 8-9, SCV Battle of Pleasant Hill Event. April 12, Ryan’s Lake Charles Mike Jones “The Leadership and Character of Pierre Beauregard.” April 16-17, Niblett’s Bluff Spring Festival.

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Captain James W. Bryan

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

The December meeting of Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390, Sons of Confederate Veterans is our annual Christmas party beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, December 8, at 2019 21st St. in Lake Charles. Chaplain Tommy Curtis and his sister Phyllis will be our host and hostess. If you haven’t already signed up to bring food for the party, please consider bringing a covered dish, dessert or soft drinks. There is a list of what else we need in page 4, column 2. We’ll have great food, Confederate fellowship, live music by violist Susan Jones and singing Christmas carols which were all published before 1865. These are traditional songs that would have been familiar to our Confederate ancestors.

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NEW BOOK ON SOUTH LOUISIANA BATTLES

Captain James W. Bryan Camp 1390 member Michael Dan Jones has written a new book on the battles and skirmishes that occurred in South Louisiana in the Fall of 1863. The main battles were the Battle of Stirling’s Plantation near Morganza, Louisiana and the Battle of Bayou Bourbeau near Sunset, Louisiana. The campaign followed the fall of Vicksburg and Port Hudson, when General Ulysses S. Grant sent Yankee troops south to protect the Mississippi River traffic and General N.P. Banks sent the bluecoat invaders north from Brashear City (modern day Morgan City) to invade Texas through Southwest Louisiana. The Army of Western Louisiana under command of Confederate General Richard Taylor, although vastly out-numbered, used Fabian tactics to smartly defeat the Federals at Stirling’s Plantation and at Bayou Bourbeau. They also aggressively skirmished with and harassed the invaders until they gave up and returned to their New Orleans base. There is also a chapter on the Rio Grande Expedition in Texas, which was a direct result of the failure of the campaign in South Louisiana. The book, The Battles of Stirling’s Plantation and Bayou Bourbeau, 134 pages with photos, maps, index and bibliography, is available for $12.95 on Amazon.com and CreateSpace.com.

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April 23-24, (Saturday, Sunday) Gun Show Lake Charles Civic Center. May 10, Joe’s Pizza Sulphur Dr. Andy Buckley Reconstruction and the New South. June 3, (Friday) and June 4 (Saturday) Marking of Confederate graves in Calcasieu Parish in commemoration of Confederate Veterans Day in Louisiana. (June 3). June 4, Louisiana SCV Division Reunion (Convention) Amite, Louisiana Saturday. June 14, Ryan’s Lake Charles Kevin Adkins. July 12, Joe’s Pizza Sulphur Ed Sherwood. July 14-16, SCV National Reunion Dallas, Texas Renaissance Dallas Richardson Hotel. 900 East Lookout Drive, Richardson, TX 75082 Tel: 1-800-468-3571 Fax: +1 972 367 3333. August 9, Ryan’s Lake Charles Tommy Curtis. August 27-28, (Saturday, Sunday) Gun Show Lake Charles Civic Center. September 13, Joe’s Sulphur, Randy Jarreau. October 11, Ryan’s Lake Charles nomination of 2017 Officers. November 8, Joe’s Sulphur election of 2017 officers. November 12-18, (Saturday, Sunday) Gun Show Lake Charles Civic Center. December 13, Christmas Party location and time to be announced in Fall.

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LIFE MEMBERSHIPS: SPECIAL OFFER

Between now and Christmas, the SCV is offering half off memberships, but it will only be offered for one day and we will only advertise it on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and the Telegraph). The date is not published yet. You must be a member in good standing to participate. Please don’t call HQ, for the staff has nothing to do with this program. It will be advertised and executed exclusively online. #SCV

PRESS RELEASE: LA DIV. SCV SCV BANNED FROM NATCHITOCHES CHRISTMAS PARADE

Calling All Compatriots! Time to Fight Back! "Draw the sword and throw away the scabbard!" The LA SCV will dig in and fight against this Marxist move by the Natchitoches city government. But we need your help! Please share this information on Facebook, with your camps and your friends! We call upon all good Southerners to take to the trenches of the Social Media Battlefield. It is time for the true voices of the South to be heard. We would like to make clear that the members of the Historic District Business Association nor the business owners of Front Street, were contacted when the mayor made his decision. They are outraged over the city's position and support the SCV being in the Christmas Parade. The following are the "Big Three" who are 'goose stepping' to the drums of cultural cleansing in Natchitoches. Contact them. Let the voices of the people ring! (Continued on Page 4)

Members of the Louisiana Division, As you all must know, many things Confederate have taken some serious hits recently, be they monuments, the flag, license plates or even our logo. The bad news is that I don’t think it is over yet so we must do all in our power to be prepared, which is the purpose of this mailing. The Supreme Court decided that the Texas SCV had no right to a license plate and this decision, along with the hysteria about all things Confederate, could directly affect us here in Louisiana pertaining to our state issued plates. Governor Jindal has said that he was leaving that issue up to the next session of the State Legislature. At another time it came out that the issue of the license plates would be “visited” in the next legislative session. We must do what we can to try and head this off or at least try to combat it when the need arises. Currently there are over 900 members of the Louisiana Division, a number that is rising every day. Less than 200 of our members have an SCV license plate on their vehicle. This isn’t a very good average when it comes down to showing an interest in keeping our plates that were fought for so hard. It would look so much better when the legislature looks at the number of SCV plates actually issued if the number was 700 or even 800 instead of less than 200, don’t you think? This mail out is to implore each eligible member of the Louisiana Division to get an SCV state issued license plate before it is too late. There is a cost involved which is according to your vehicle but this issue is worth the price paid. Please do not delay as time is short and come March it may be too late to look back and say, “I wish I had gotten one of those.” You can download an application from our website, www.lascv.com. Fill it out, get a camp officer to sign it, get it notarized, and go to your local DMV. It is just that easy. You may also go to www.expresslane.org and enter your plate number, get a cost for the SCV plate and mail it in. Show your pride in your organization and be seen with an SCV state issued license plate on your vehicle. Help us have the kind of numbers that will attract the attention of lawmakers when they think about taking it away from us. Thank you for helping us all. Thank you for being a member of our Division. Keep up the fight. Thomas E. Taylor Commander, Louisiana Division Sons of Confederate Veterans

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Lee Waskom festival@natchitoches.com Christmas Festival Chairman Lee Posey - Mayor lposey@natchitochesla.gov 318-352-2772- Office 318-357-3829 - Fax Fred Terasa fnt888@hotmail.com Here's how you can also help, I urge every Southern Compatriot who reads this to make a stand by doing the following: 1. Go to the following links. One is the official Natchitoches City Government Facebook page, the other an unofficial page. On each page go to 'reviews', mark down a rating of '1' and write your opinion of this Cultural Marxist move by Mayor Lee Posey. Please refrain from profanity and be civil. IF... they remove the review section again, you can 'message' their Facebook page. Bombard their message inbox with the true voice of the South. https://www.facebook.com/CityOfNatchitoches https://www.facebook.com/pages/Natchitoches-City-Of-Lights/141986775906150 2. Call and/or Email the city of Natchitoches and Mayor Posey. Let them that we, as true Southerners, will not be silent and we will be heard. I have posted their information below: City Hall Mayor's Office - Mayor Lee Posey 700 Second Street Natchitoches, La. 71457 (318) 352-2772 Fax: (318) 357-3829 cityhall@natchitochesla.gov Hours of operation: Mondays-Fridays 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Staff Executive Assistant and Clerk of the Council Stacy McQueary (318) 352-2772 smcqueary@natchitochesla.gov Administrative Assistant Hannah Wenninger (318) 352-2772 hwenninger@natchitochesla.gov Deo Vindice! LA Div. SCV [End of press release]

CAMP CHRISTMAS PARTY

Here’s a the list made at the last meeting of those who committed to bringing items: Ham: Buckley Turkey: Ross Pork Roast: Dartez (Liz) Deviled eggs: Duff Rice dressing: Lyons Rice dressing: Fusilier (Scott) Corn bread dressing: Dartez (Robert) Candied yams: Dartez (Robert) Tea: Duff Dessert: Jones Dessert Toombs Clam dip and crackers: Jones (Susan) Here are additional items needed: Roast beef Cheese and crackers Sausage Boudin Salad Green bean casserole Other vegetables Potato salad Corn Casserole Soft drinks We’re going to have a great time. Please come.