J.D.R. Hawkins

One bullet can make a man a hero… or a casualty.

Archive for the month “April, 2012”

25 Apr 2012

Stars and Bars Banned (This time on a prom dress)

Yet again, ignorance raises its ugly head. After Gibson High School senior Texanna Edwards arrived at her senior prom wearing a beautiful sequined red dress with the Southern Cross adorning it, she was asked to leave. It is alarming to see how politics have entered into this. Whatever happened to freedom of speech and expression? 

The dress was not revealing in any way, but some close-minded individuals decided that it was offensive enough to kick the poor girl out of her own prom.Many students wear clothing every day with the Rebel flag on it, but this is the first time punishment has been instigated. Texanna went on television to say that she didn’t intend to offend anyone. Perhaps she was just proud of her heritage and ancestry. God forbid!

It is just one more example of how this country is removing more freedoms and liberties every day. Principal James Hughes refused to speak to reporters. Eddie Pruett, the director of schools for Gibson Country, was conveniently unavailable for comment.

For more info, visit: http://www.wmctv.com/story/17712045/teen-banned-from-prom-over-confederate-dress

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24 Apr 2012

Cultural Exchange

Cultural Exchange

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24 Apr 2012

Cultural Exchange

Cultural Exchange

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24 Apr 2012

Photos From Cultural Exchange

Photos From Cultural Exchange

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24 Apr 2012

Photos From Cultural Exchange

Photos From Cultural Exchange

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24 Apr 2012

Photos From Cultural Exchange

Photos From Cultural Exchange

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24 Apr 2012

Cultural Exchange at Horn Lake Library

Last Friday night, the Horn Lake library featured members of the SCV and UDC to give a presentation about the War Between the States. The program is sponsored by the Desoto Arts Council, and is held once a month to share and enlighten different art forms with diverse cultures in our community. 

Members of the Samuel A. Hughey Camp #1452 Sons of Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy Varina Howell Davis Chapter #2559 were on hand to participate in the Virginia Reel, talk about the language of the fan, provide period music and costumes, and entertain the crowd of approximately 90 people with a discussion about how the Civil War impacted local families.

The program concluded with an artillery demonstration by SCV infantrymen and firing off a real cannon! Although the rain was relentless, everyone had a great time, even the kids, who constructed Civil War finger puppets and colored in Civil War drawings. After everyone stood outside and got drenched, they went back in to enjoy a potluck dinner.

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18 Apr 2012

Holly Springs Pilgrimage

Last weekend was the annual pilgrimage in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Members of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (Varina Howell Davis #2559) and the Sons of Confederate Veterans were on hand Saturday morning to participate in the tour of Hillcrest Cemetery, where numerous Confederate soldiers are buried in unmarked graves. 

Later, some of the UDC ladies went to historic Montrose, one of the grand old antebellum homes in town, and served as tour guides. 

Holly Springs was captured by Union General Ulysses S. Grant in 1862 following the Battle of Shiloh. Grant was so inspired by the town’s quaint beauty that he decided not to torch it, and so Holly Springs was spared. Every year, a parade of homes, 5-K run, brunch, and other fun events take place to honor the town. This year, an interesting new event was introduced, which was a tour of slave quarters.

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16 Apr 2012

The End of Suffering (Or was it?)

One week after the Civil War ended, on April 15, 1865, the first presidential assassination took place when Abraham Lincoln “gave up the ghost,” or as Secretary of War Seward said, “He now belongs to the ages.” While attending a play on Good Friday entitled “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Threatre in Washington D.C. with his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, the president was shot point blank in the back of the head by Southern sympathizer and famous actor John Wilkes Booth. 

Booth jumped from the presidential balcony, hollered, “Sic semper tyrannis,” which means “Thus always to tyrants” in Latin. He managed to escape with a broken leg, but was nabbed several days later, shot inside a burning barn. Meanwhile, Lincoln’s funeral train was making the rounds across the  country on its final destination to Illinois, his home state.

It was discovered after his death that he had a Confederate five dollar bill in his wallet. For his second inauguration, he requested that the song “Dixie” be played. It was his utmost belief to keep the Confederacy in the Union and maintain a unified country at all costs. Ultimately, he paid the price with his own life.

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11 Apr 2012

The General and the Great Locomotive Chase

Kennesaw, Georgia houses one of the most famous locomotives in American history, yet most people don’t have a clue what that is. One hundred and fifty years ago, on April 12, 1862, what came to be known as “The Great Locomotive Chase” took place between Kennesaw (which was then known as “Big Shanty”) and Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The General was momentarily left unguarded when Confederate soldiers and passengers stopped to eat breakfast at the Lacey Hotel. Union Civil War spies led by James J. Andrews boarded the locomotive and attempted to drive it up to Chattanooga, destroying as much of the railroad line and passing telegraph lines as possible en route.

Seeing the train depart, the locomotive’s conductor, William A. Fuller, and two other men chased after it. The threesome borrowed a platform car and continued their pursuit, but had to abandon it when they came across destroyed railroad ties that the raiders had torn up. They continued the chase on foot, managing to catch up, because the raiders kept stopping to wreak havoc. Finally, the threesome climbed aboard another locomotive, the Texas, chased after the raiders with their train in reverse, and stopped the spies before they reached Chattanooga.

The Union spies who were caught, including Andrews, were hanged. Later on, they received the very first Congressional Medals of Honor for their daring raid, most posthumously.

(Photo courtesy of the Southern Museum in Kennesaw, GA)

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