Winners of our 2010 fundraiser were:

1st Place (Revolver 1851 Cap & Ball)

David Flowers
3364 North Frederick Pike
Winchester, VA 22603

2nd Place (Bradley Schmehl print)

Joseph Hughes
Stafford, VA

3rd Place ($150 Dollar gift certificate to Stonewall Arms)

Neil A. Russell
14831 Honor Court
Woodbridge, VA. 22193

4th Place ($100 dollar gift certificate to Stonewall Arms)

Gary Seabright
1109 Shickle Lane
Gore, VA 22637

David Jenkins is presented a Certificate of Appreciation for Use of the Kernstown Battlefield for our picnic

Turner Ashby Camp members at our 2010 picnic

Camp Picnic, June 12th, 2010

The picnic will held on Saturday, June 12, 2010 at the Kernstown Battlefield Association Grounds located at 610 Battle Park Drive just west off of Valley Avenue (Rt. 11 South) between Creek Side Shopping Center and the Mazda/Subaru Dealer.

We will start to gather around 2 pm., to play games, tour the Pritchard House and or take the Battlefield Tours or to just sit and enjoy the company and conversation of everyone.

We will eat about 5 PM. Please bring a covered dish of vegetables and a dessert. The camp will supply chicken, hot dogs, drinks and eating utensils.

May 11th, 2010 Meeting

Catherine M. Wright was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up there and in Norfolk, Virginia. She received bachelors degrees in English and History from Truman State University (2003), and a masters degree in American History with a concentration in museum studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (2006). She is the editor of Lee’s Last Casualty: The Life and Letters of Sgt. Robert W. Parker, Second Virginia Cavalry (University of Tennessee Press, 2008) and is a contributing historian to the online Encyclopedia of Virginia. She was formerly the curator at the Stonewall Jackson House in Lexington, VA, and is currently the collections manager at The Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond.

The letters of Sgt. Robert W. Parker provide a window into the daily life of an enlisted cavalryman, as well as highlight the unique story of the soldier believed to be the last man killed in action in the Army of Northern Virginia. In many ways, Parker was representative of the average Confederate soldier: a modest farmer in the antebellum years, his patriotic fervor spurred him at the beginning of the war to enlist in the Confederate Army. His letters reveal how home front and battlefront were closely intertwined, and the importance of correspondence in sustaining that connection and the will to fight.

Catherine Wright receives a Certificate of Appreciation from Commander Candenquist

A wonderful presentation was given by Catherine Wright

Catherine Wright signs one of her books

March 9th, 2010 Meeting

Dear compatriots, here is an explanation of the presentation:

Title: PATRIOT: A Real American Story

The story of a real American family, the McConnell's, and their journey to America and the Waxhaw Settlement in South Carolina. This is the historical account of the family of Capt John McConnell, Sr. (Bratton's Regiment, Sumter's Brigade) that fought Banastre Tarleton and Lord Cornwallis in the First War of Independence. Later he moved his family to Georgia where his son fought in the War of 1812 at Horseshoe Bend with General Andrew Jackson, and his grandsons fought in the Seminole Wars, Mexican-American War ... and finally in the War-Between the States. There Major John McConnell, Jr. represented Cherokee County, Georgia in the secession convention, and lived to see 8 sons, 2 sons-in-law, and 13 grandsons fight with the Confederacy from the Mississippi River to Northern Virginia.

This will be a power-point presentation from my laptop and high-quality digital projector. I will do a fair amount of explaining of the Revolutionary War in South Carolina, which will highlight why South Carolina thought the way it did going into the War Between The States. Unlike the movie "Patriot" ... this brief is about real people, real events, and real battles against Lt. Col "Bastard" Tarleton.

Sincerely,
1stLtCdr David O'Neil

Annual Christmas Banquet

If you're interested in attending our annual Christmas banquet on Sunday, December 6th, at 2 p.m. at the Lee-Jackson Best Western Motor Inn (across from Shenandoah University, on US 50), and you haven't signed up yet, please let me know no later than December 2nd. The cost is $18/person, and you can either send a check to our current Adjutant, Neil Russell (made out to Turner Ashby Camp 1567), or pay at the door. Neil's address is 14831 Honor Court, Woodbridge, Virginia 22193. Right now we have about 30 members & guests planning to attend. Baked chicken and/or roast beef are the featured entrees. There will also be a cash bar available. Michael Foreman, president of Mt. Hebron Cemetery, will be our featured speaker. Our officers for 2010-2011 will also be installed at the banquet.

Speaking of which, the Camp members present at the meeting tonight elected the slate of officers tonight for the coming 2-year term.

• Commander: Arthur Candenquist
• 1/Lieut. Commander: David O'Neil
• 2/Lieut. Commander: John Fox
• Adjutant/Treasurer: Bud Claycomb, Jr.
• Chaplain: Clark Nail
• Quartermaster: Daryl Lee

If you have some items related to the War Between the States (such as extra books or calendars or whatever) that you would like to donate to the Camp for door prizes to be awarded at the banquet, please bring them with you. We would like to have at least 15-20 door prizes to give away. Check and see if you have doubles of a book or some other War-related item that you would like to chip in. That's much appreciated.

Guest speaker Eric Buckland receives a certificate of appreciation from Commander Candenquist.

New members John and Allen Boyd were inducted into the camp at our November meeting.

THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY -OR- THE CONFEDERATES GATHER STEAM Illustrated Slideshow

The Turner Ashby Camp Sons of Confederate Veterans cordially invite you to our monthly meeting on Tuesday, November 10th at Shenandoah University. The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. in the Hester Auditorium at the Henkel Hall building.

Our guest speaker will be Eric Buckland and he will be talking about his book titled "Mosby's Keydet Rangers" and it presents a tremendous amount of previously unpublished material that gives the reader new insight into the young men who both attended the Virginia Military Institute and rode with Colonel John Singleton Mosby's legendary 43rd Virginia Cavalry - Mosby's Rangers - during the Civil War. This comprehensive collection of short biographical sketches, personal letters, accounts of various raids and incidents, anecdotes, newspaper articles, passages from books, memorials, and obituaries brings the young Rangers to life once again and sheds new light on their operations during the war as well as their post-war careers.

The author, a retired Army Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel, has painstakingly compiled information in an unbiased manner - you will meet chivalric young warriors as well as scoundrels.

Eric Buckland received a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army after graduation from the University of Kansas in 1977. He had a 22-year career as an officer including assignments as an Infantry Officer and a Special Forces Officer serving tours in El Salvador, Honduras and Panama. He has had a life-long interest in the Civil War and in keeping with his military career has always been fascinated by the irregular and unconventional aspects of the war. Buckland is currently employed as a Policy Analyst at the Office of National Drug Control Policy. He and his wife, Maureen have been married for thirty years and are the parents of three sons: Bryan, Andrew and Jonathan

THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY -OR- THE CONFEDERATES GATHER STEAM Illustrated Slideshow

We will have an illustrated slide program entitled THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY -OR- THE CONFEDERATES GATHER STEAM at the October meeting; the program is on Gen. Thomas Jackson's "appropriation" of the B&O RR equipment at Martinsburg in the late Spring of 1861, and movement of the rolling stock over the Valley Turnpike to Strasburg and Staunton by way of Winchester.

If you know of any rail "buffs" who are not SCV members, please consider inviting them to join us and to see and hear about one of the most unusual incidents of the War.

Annual Camp Picnic

Compatriots ~~~ If you haven't already signed up, you have until this Saturday, June 6th to let me know if you & your guests (how many) will be attending the Camp picnic on June 13th at Kernstown Battlefield.

If you want to tour the battlefield, David Jenkins will be leading tours starting at 2 pm. Last tour is at 4. If you don't, we plan to start feeding at 5 p.m. at the activities pavilion. Please bring a side dish or dessert, and a lawn chair or two if you wish. The Camp provides meats, drinks, cups, plates, cutlery.

April Meeting

Our April meeting on the 14th will be on the anniversary of several historical events: the surrender by federal forces of Fort Sumter in 1861; the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865; and the Titanic's collision with the iceberg in 1912. Ron Beavers, a railroad historian, will be giving us a presentation on the U.S. Military Railroad during the War. Hope you can attend the meeting.

February Meeting: "Warriors of Honor"

At our February meeting we will be watching a wonderful movie by New Liberty Videos titled "Warriors of Honor". The film was written by Carri Taylor, produced and directed by Brian Barkley, and narrated by Richard Fatherley. This film is one of the best movies that tells about the faith and legacies of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. The real truth about slavery and many of the hidden documents that deal with the slavery issue is also discussed in this great film. Please make every effort to join us for this very informative meeting. Please feel free to bring all your family members and friends.

January Meeting - Special Guest: Cindy Warlick

The January meeting of the Turner Ashby Camp 1567, S.C.V., will feature Cindy Warlick, the proprietress of the Heirloom Emporium in Strasburg, and a board member of the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation (CCBF). The meeting will be on Tuesday, January 13th, at 7 p.m. at Henkel Hall (Hester Auditorium) at Shenandoah University.

There are two sides to every story, and Ms. Warlick will be on hand at the January meeting to offer the CCBF's side of the controversy involving the expansion of the quarry and mining operations on the Cedar Creek battlefield, and the actions of the CCBF in the approval process with the Frederick County Board of Supervisors in May, 2008.

Annual Christmas banquet

Please mark on your calendars Sunday, December 7th, at 2 p.m. in the banquet room upstairs at the Lee-Jackson Best Western in Winchester for our 2008 Christmas banquet. Cost is $18 a person, which has not changed in at least 3 years. There will be a full array of food and good music, as well as an outstanding speaker. Dan Paterson will be telling us about his rather famous great-grandfather, Lieutenant-General James Longstreet, commander of the First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, from a family perspective.

We will be awarding our four raffle prizes at the banquet, so if you still have tickets to sell, please do so before the 7th December. We will also have other door prizes to give out as well. If you need additional raffle tickets, please contact our Adjutant. Our Camp treasury depends on raffle ticket sales.

We need to have an accurate count of how many are attending the banquet no later than December 1st. Please send in your reservation (name and number attending) and a check for the appropriate amount to Adjutant Neil Russell, 14831 Honor Court, Woodbridge, Va. 22193. Checks should be made out to Turner Ashby Camp 1567, SCV.

We have no regular meeting of the Camp in December; our next meeting will be on Tuesday, January 13th.

2008 Camp Raffle

Price of the tickets is $5.00 each or 5 for $20.00. The drawing for the raffle will be in December at our Christmas Banquet.

1st prize is a reproduction of a model 1851 Colt Navy Black Powder Revolver. (see picture below)

2nd prize is a 20x 30 inch framed painting by Bradley Schmehl entitled "Devil's Den - Gettysburg."

3rd prize is a copy of "Four Years In The Lower Shenandoah Valley" by Laura Virginia Hale.

4th prize is a free haircut or hair style from the "Come As You Are" hair salon in Winchester.

Guest Speaker Bio (Nov. 11th Meeting)

Marc Leepson will be our guest speaker for the November meeting and his topic will be on his new book, Desperate Engagement, which tells the story of the little-known but crucial July 9, 1864, Civil War Battle of Monocacy, which took place four miles south of Frederick, Maryland, and Jubal Early's subsequent march on Washington, D.C. Monocacy is known as "the battle that saved Washington," and my talk will deal with that--and much more surrounding Early's adventures after he left the defenses of Richmond on June 13, and ending when he crossed back into Virginia at White's Ferry on July 13, 1864.

Marc Leepson

Marc Leepson is a journalist, historian and author who lives with his wife and their two children in Middleburg. A former staff writer at Congressional Quarterly in Washington, he has been arts editor and columnist for The VVA Veteran, the newspaper published by Vietnam Veterans of America, since 1986. He served with the U.S. Army in Vietnam in 1967-68.

He is the author of six books, including Saving Monticello: The Levy Family’s Epic Quest to Rescue the House that Jefferson Built; Flag: An American Biography; and Desperate Engagement, which tells the story of the Civil War Battle of Monocacy and Jubal Early’s subsequent march on Washington, D.C., and will be published in July 2007.

He has written for many newspapers and magazines, including the Washington Post, New York Times, New York Times Book Review, Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune, Detroit News, Dallas Morning News, St. Petersburg Times, USA Today, Civil War Times, Military History, Smithsonian, and Preservation. He has been a guest on many television and radio news programs, including All Things Considered, Talk of the Nation, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, CBC (Canada) and Irish Radio. And he has given talks at many colleges and universities, including the University of Maryland, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Miami, Appalachian State University, the College of Southern Maryland and Georgetown University. He is adjunct instructor of history at Lord Fairfax Community College in Warrenton, Virginia

Guest Speaker Bios (Sept. 9th Meeting)

CW Whitehair

Over the last fourteen years, CW Whitehair has portrayed both a civilian and military Civil War re-enactor. In addition to his studies at Shepherd University, he has studied various campaigns and personalities that made a contribution to the war effort. He is a volunteer historical interpreter for the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, and a member of the Harpers Ferry Historical Association.

CW is a contributor to the Civil War Courier and the Camp Chase Gazette in Morristown, Tennessee, often writing articles on re-enactments, historical features, and various personalities of the Civil War. In the 2006 November issue of the Civil War Historian magazine, he had the feature article, Belle Boyd: The Rebel Spy. He is also the author of the historical novel Sabers &Roses, released in June 2006.

The Struggle for Harpers Ferry, an Amazon Best Selling Short Story was released in May 2007. His second historical fiction, Northern Fire, was released in March 2008, and is co-authored with his wife Rhonda-Lee.

CW has appeared in the historical documentaries, Hunter’s Raid and Cedar Creek and several motion pictures entitled, Avenel and the Great Sacrifice of Jefferson Davis. CW has given many lectures, including the 2007 West Virginia Book Festival and the 400th Jamestown Anniversary. On request, he will give private tours of the Harpers Ferry National Park and other local Civil War Battlefields.

Currently, CW and Rhonda-Lee are working on their third Civil War novel entitled The Bloody Harvest.

Rhonda-Lee

Rhonda Lee began Civil War re-enacting 7 years ago. She has appeared in the historical documentaries, Hunter’s Raid and Cedar Creek, and the motion pictures, Avenel and the Great Sacrifice of Jefferson Davis. Rhonda has assisted in editing various diaries and letters to be used in historical readings at re-enactments. She was a dialect instructor for members of the play Hopscotch, presented by the Maryland Ensemble Theatre. She is the co-author of the Civil War novel entitled Northern Fire and is currently working on a second novel with CW entitled, The Bloody Harvest.

Harpers Ferry During the Civil War

In 1860, 3,000 citizens called Harpers Ferry, Virginia their home. The main industry and life-blood of the town centered on the manufacturing of weapons. Within six months after the outbreak of the Civil War, there were only 100 citizens that remained and called Harpers Ferry their home. Why such an exodus from such a thriving economy? What was life like for those residents who dared to remain in the town after the war began?

1. Harpers Ferry and its economy prior to the war
2. Life in Harpers Ferry when Virginia secedes
3. A resident gives the ultimate sacrifice
4. A young lady’s journal
5. Harpers Ferry during the 1862 Maryland Campaign
6. The oppression and difficulties of martial law
7. Harpers Ferry during the second half of the war
8. When war ends

"Stoneman and Stuart, 1863: The Limits of Cavalry Raiding."

In plain English that means we'll be looking at these two famous cavalry forays with a view toward drawing conclusions about the value of cavalry raiding as a tactic overall. Was it justified? Did it cause more damage to the enemy than to one's own side, etc.? Stoneman and Stuart are used not because they are two of the most famous raids, but because they occurred within weeks of each other at a time when Union cavalry was supposedly establishing parity with the previously dominant Confederate horsemen.

Scott Burns: Born and raised in MD. My father took me to Gettysburg in 1959 (about the time the centennial was kicking in) and that did it as far as getting me interested in CW history. Graduated from McDonogh School outside Baltimore whose first headmaster was William Allan, Stonewall Jackson's Chief of Ordnance - and a Winchester native. BA, Drew University, Madison, NJ ; MA in Civil War Studies, American Military University, Shepherdstown, WVa I'm a retired police officer from Morris Township PD, NJ. Taught for 19 years on staff of Morris County (NJ ) Police Academy. Certified by NJ Police Training Commission, and taught with NJ Division of Criminal Justice also. The presentation will be based on research originally done in pursuit of the Master's degree from AMU, updated with most recent historical thought in publication.

Our April meeting marks the 146th anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh. We will be watching a documentary film titled "Shiloh: The War IS Civil No More". Please make every effort to join us and watch this wonderful film.

The Key Role of Virginia’s Great Appalachian Valley (GAV) during the War Between the States

SYNOPSIS:
During the War Between the States, the Lincoln administration and War Department started its execution of the war following the strategy proposed by the Anaconda Plan created by Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott (aka Scott's Great Snake). This strategy minimized the need for Battlespace Awareness preparation, as we now call it, by focusing on external invasion approaches along the sea and inland waterways, much like the British strategy against the colonies during the Revolutionary War. As a result, little attention was paid to the military and economic value of the Great Appalachian Valley (GAV) and its potential contribution to protecting and supplying the effort of the southern states. This presentation reviews the key role of the GAV in the southern military strategy.

BIO:
David O'Neil

Native Texan, raised in Mississippi, graduated from US Naval Academy, commissioned into the United States Marine Corps. Veteran of the 1st Gulf War. Retired after a final five year tour as Chief Instructor, Command and Control Systems School, Marine Corps University, Quantico, VA. B.S in Naval Architecture from the Naval Academy and M.S in System Engineering from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.

Following retirement, Chief Systems Engineer for 10 years for Lockheed Martin for satellite operations and intelligence community work. Currently a Senior Research Scientist and Engineering Manager for Northrop Grumman in Chantilly, VA. Work has included White House Communications Agency, and other defense and intelligence communications systems and programs. Currently supporting the National Security Space Office for design of future defense and intelligence communications satellite programs and guest lecturer at George Mason University and Northrop Grumman for Systems Engineering masters degree programs.

Descended from ten grandfather CSA Veterans including 1 secession representative for Georgia:
Major John McConnell, secession representative for Cherokee Co. Georgia (and a YES vote)
Captain Issac McConnell, Cherokee Legion Infantry, Georgia State Guard
Captain John Davis, 37th Alabama Infantry
2nd Lieutenant Benjamin Nelson, 22nd Alabama Infantry
Corporal Rheuben Davidson, 56th Alabama Partisan Rangers
Private William Moore, 4th South Carolina Cavalry
Private Alexander Coleman, Texas Militia
Private William Myers, 1st South Carolina Infantry
Private Lee Jackson, 4th Regiment, Alabama Cavalry
Private Samuel Davidson, 24th Virginia Infantry (originally commanded by Colonel Jubal Early)

Christmas Banquet
The Turner Ashby Christmas Banquet will be held on December 2, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. in the Lee-Jackson Best Western in Winchester, Virginia. We will have a buffet with baked chicken and steamship round of beef; corn and mixed vegetables; augratin potatoes and Rebel cake for dessert. We have an excellent speaker who will give a presentation titled "The Letters of G. Boston Scott, 50th Virginia Infantry Regiment." There will also be good music and fellowship and we will install our new officers. All this for only $18 and this price has not changed in 3 years. Call me to sign up at 540-665-8567 and send your check made out to the camp to my address at 781 Johnston Ct., Winchester, VA., 22601. See you there!

Important news!
At the November 13th meeting, we will be electing new officers for the upcoming year, so it is very important that we have a good turn out of our membership!

10/09/2007: Author and Historian Fred L. Ray
Author and historian Fred L. Ray will join us on October 9 to discuss the sharpshooters in the Army of Northern Virginia. Fred wrote the well-received Shock Troops of the Confederacy: The Sharpshooter Battalions of the Army of Northern Virginia in 2006. Weapons and tactics aficionados will not want to miss this as Fred is an expert on both as they pertain to the South’s elite sharpshooter units. Fred’s project began when he discovered that his great grandfather commanded an Alabama sharpshooter company. The public is invited to join us at 7 p.m., on Tuesday evening, October 9, in Shenandoah University’s Henkel Hall auditorium.

9/11/2007: The Hunley: Southern Ingenuity, Technological Innovations & Engineering Advances
I hope everybody and their families had a great safe summer. We will be kicking off our fall with a fantastic program and I hope you will bring friends and family. Jack Marlar, the national SCV field representative, will visit us and present The Hunley: Southern Ingenuity, Technological Innovations & Engineering Advances. Jack will talk about the launch of submarine warfare and show how this Southern vessel was way ahead of its time. A lot has been portrayed about the Hunley and its crew via books, magazines and television. Jack will not focus on the commonly known information, but instead will talk about new facts that are not common knowledge about this vessel and her brave crew. The next meeting is Tuesday, September 11 (7 p.m.) at Shenandoah University's Henkel Hall. Our meetings are open to the public, and all are welcome. See you there!