ADMIRAL RAPHAEL SEMMES CAMP #11
SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS
MOBILE, ALABAMA
reenactors reports for 2012
March 2012
The event in Quitman was an absolute success. Claude Turberville and I, along with Matilda, attended the event. We used Matilda during the reenactment, at the night artillery fire, and at the memorial service. I had the honor of being the keynote speaker at the memorial service. My speech was based on the writings of Pvt. Carlton McCarthy about the characters you would find around a Confederate campfire. The ceremony was truly wonderful and my speech was well received by the attendees. Our hosts for the event, the City of Quitman, were very gracious and the venue was beautiful. The venue was at Archusa Water Park. On March 4th Stephen Ellison and I joined several of our re-enactor friends for a program at Blakeley Historic Park. This was in conjunction with the battlefield tour for the Blakeley Symposium. On March 10th Claude attended the annual reenactment at Gainesville, Alabama. On March 18th and 19th I escorted Matilda to Ft. Mims for the first annual Ft. Montgomery/Bashi Creek skirmish. This event was organized to commemorate the War of 1812 in this area. We did a night fire and she was quite impressive.
First Lt. Commander Terry Bailey
April 2012
The month started off with a trip to Shiloh for the commemoration of the Battle of Shiloh. Charlie Christmas went as a spectator and I went as a participant. It was an awesome sight to see Ruggle’s artillery line. The Easter holiday found my wife and me in Savannah, Georgia, for a spring break weekend. We took the time to visit Ft. Pulaski. The trip has spurred my interest in the Immortal Six Hundred. On the weekend of April 20th several of us participated in the 150th commemoration of the Battle of Ft. Jackson, Louisiana. Stephen Ellison, Claude and Michelle Turberville, our friend Ed Miller, and I had a fine time at the event. Saturday’s battle was in the rain. Saturday night the wind set into blowing hard and steady. By 5 am on Sunday morning Ed and I were sleeping under the tent rather than in it. Washington Artillery, 4th Company, was our host unit. They were very gracious hosts and were quite generous with the powder bounty for Matilda. Stephen and I fired Matilda about sixty times during the event. On April 28th Stephen Ellison, Mr. Jessie Taylor, and I participated in the annual memorial service at Beauvoir. This was quite special in that the service also included a welcome home ceremony for the flag of the 46th Mississippi Infantry. This is the fifth year in a row that we have participated in this event with Matilda. Our friends at Beauvoir are very grateful for Matilda’s presence. And finally on Sunday, April 29th, Claude and I participated in the Anderson Camp Confederate Memorial Service at New Prospect Cemetery in Clarke County, Alabama. There are nine Confederate soldiers at rest in the cemetery. The local historical society had advertised the ceremony in the local paper. As a result most of the attendees were descendants of the soldiers buried in New Prospect. Now that certainly made this a very special memorial service. After the service Claude found a WWII veteran and had him fire the cannon in honor of WWII veterans. That added a special touch to the event.
First Lt. Commander Terry Bailey
May 2012
Claude Turberville and I along with several friends participated in the Surrender Oak Festival at Citronelle on May 5th. It was a lot of fun and a very successful event. Claude was there with a couple of his antique automobiles. However, he was dressed in period attire and resembled a shyster lawyer or a used wagon salesman. Several of us had set up a WBTS show and tell at Camp Pushmataha. At the end of the day most of our reenacting friends had gone home and a small group of spectators showed up for a reenactment. David and Aaron Kralik, fellow reenactors and members of the Blakely Camp, as well as me gave the public a show.
First Lt. Commander Terry Bailey
June 2012
On June 2nd I escorted Matilda to Ellisville, Mississippi, for the 100th anniversary of the local Confederate Monument. This event was hosted by the Jones County Historical Society and the Rosin Heels SCV Camp of Laurel, Mississippi. The good ole Southern Christian Confederate fellowship was wonderful. The fried chicken and trimmings lunch afterward was also mighty fine. Our good friend from the Rosin Heels Camp, Then on Sunday, June 3rd, Stephen Ellison, Mr. Jessie Taylor, and I participated in an event at Beauvoir. This event was a living history in commemoration of President Davis’ birthday. We set Matilda up and when we had a group of folks gathered about we would fire off the ole girl. We also had over twenty different Confederate flags on display. This display brought many positive comments. Our friends at Beauvoir are very appreciative of our camp’s support of events at Beauvoir. There were also SCV members from the Sam Davis Camp in Biloxi and the Maury Camp of Grand Bay. We also had a buddy, Larry Higginbotham, fall in with us. Larry is a member of the Augusta Grays Camp in New Augusta, Mississippi. On the same day, June 3rd, Claude Turberville went to Monroe County for a Confederate grave marker dedication ceremony. He was joined there by other reenactors as well as some SCV members of the Blakely Camp.
First Lt. Commander Terry Bailey
September 2012
September has been a busy month. It started on the 9th with a living history presentation at Camp Pinetreat. Matilda and I joined several other friends for a program for Boy Scout leaders. It was well received and we hope to get back there to do the same kind of program for the Boy Scouts. Compatriot Dustin Marshall and I went to Farmington, Mississippi, for the 150th Commemoration reenactment of the Battle of Farmington/Corinth on the 14th. We are both members of The Baldwin Rangers [Co. C, 15th Confederate Cavalry]. Unfortunately our unit had to galvanize as Yankees and as a result we portrayed the 1st Louisiana Cavalry [US]. In spite of wearing the blue we had some good fellowship and we saw many of our fellow SCV members.
First Lt. Commander Terry Bailey
October 2012
Just before our meeting last month we participated in a memorial service in Theodore. Then on October 14th we participated in a ceremony near the Dixie community of Escambia County, Alabama. It was a beautiful day for a service out in the Heart of Dixie. The ancestors of the soldier at Dixie had a most unique wreath for the grave. It was made from pine boughs and cotton. This was the ultimate tribute to that part of the world. Both of these services were held for members of the 15th Confederate Cavalry. On the weekend of October 20th several of us were busy at regional reenactments. Claude Turberville attended the Reenactment of the Battle of Newton {Alabama}. On the same weekend Stephen Ellison, Jessie Taylor, Dustin Marshall, Matilda, and I attended the 26th Annual Fall Muster at Beauvoir. Our camp banner was prominently displayed at the entrance to the reenacting area and near there we had our flag display. Both caught the attention of many spectators during the weekend. Matilda was busy all weekend. Not only did she participate in the battles but she also participated in two services during the weekend. On Saturday morning we had a flag pole dedication ceremony in front of Beauvoir. Recently seven new flag poles were erected at Beauvoir and on the 21st the flags were raised for the first time. Matilda was a big part of this ceremony. Then on Sunday morning she participated in the Confederate Memorial service in the Beauvoir Cemetery. Our friends at Beauvoir are always glad to see Matilda. One special treat for everyone at Fall Muster was the presence of President and Mrs. Verina Davis. J. W. Binion and his wife drove down from Kentucky to portray the First Family of the CSA. It was a pleasure to spend the weekend with Bro. Binion and his wife.
First Lt. Commander Terry Bailey
November 2012
The month started with a trip to Tallassee, Alabama. The Tallassee Guards SCV Camp hosts an annual reenactment at Gibson’s View Plantation. The venue is beautiful and the camp does a good job at making folks feel welcomed. The reenactment is a fund raiser to help preserve the Tallassee Armory buildings. After the battle on Saturday one of their members took us on a tour of the armory. On November 17th Jessie Smelly and I went to Ft. Gaines for the Thanksgiving Harvest living history event. It was a well-attended event and our hosts, the Augusta Jane Evans Ladies Auxiliary, provided us with a delicious traditional Thanksgiving lunch. Then on November 18th I made a trip to Camp Moore in Tangipahoa, Louisiana, for their annual reenactment. Again this is a fund raiser type reenactment as Camp Moore is not supported by the state. It was also good to get to visit with a bunch of our Mississippi and Louisiana SCV brethren. On November 24th Claude Turberville, Matilda, and I made the trip to Laurel, Mississippi for the annual Christmas holiday opening of Landrums Country Village. This is a living history event that is hosted by our friends of the Jones County Rosin Heels SCV Camp. During the day we did three skirmishes for the spectators. Again I played a Yankee as well as Matilda. I am happy to report that during each skirmish Claude killed me and returned Matilda to her rightful owners.
First Lt. Commander Terry Bailey
The event in Quitman was an absolute success. Claude Turberville and I, along with Matilda, attended the event. We used Matilda during the reenactment, at the night artillery fire, and at the memorial service. I had the honor of being the keynote speaker at the memorial service. My speech was based on the writings of Pvt. Carlton McCarthy about the characters you would find around a Confederate campfire. The ceremony was truly wonderful and my speech was well received by the attendees. Our hosts for the event, the City of Quitman, were very gracious and the venue was beautiful. The venue was at Archusa Water Park. On March 4th Stephen Ellison and I joined several of our re-enactor friends for a program at Blakeley Historic Park. This was in conjunction with the battlefield tour for the Blakeley Symposium. On March 10th Claude attended the annual reenactment at Gainesville, Alabama. On March 18th and 19th I escorted Matilda to Ft. Mims for the first annual Ft. Montgomery/Bashi Creek skirmish. This event was organized to commemorate the War of 1812 in this area. We did a night fire and she was quite impressive.
First Lt. Commander Terry Bailey
April 2012
The month started off with a trip to Shiloh for the commemoration of the Battle of Shiloh. Charlie Christmas went as a spectator and I went as a participant. It was an awesome sight to see Ruggle’s artillery line. The Easter holiday found my wife and me in Savannah, Georgia, for a spring break weekend. We took the time to visit Ft. Pulaski. The trip has spurred my interest in the Immortal Six Hundred. On the weekend of April 20th several of us participated in the 150th commemoration of the Battle of Ft. Jackson, Louisiana. Stephen Ellison, Claude and Michelle Turberville, our friend Ed Miller, and I had a fine time at the event. Saturday’s battle was in the rain. Saturday night the wind set into blowing hard and steady. By 5 am on Sunday morning Ed and I were sleeping under the tent rather than in it. Washington Artillery, 4th Company, was our host unit. They were very gracious hosts and were quite generous with the powder bounty for Matilda. Stephen and I fired Matilda about sixty times during the event. On April 28th Stephen Ellison, Mr. Jessie Taylor, and I participated in the annual memorial service at Beauvoir. This was quite special in that the service also included a welcome home ceremony for the flag of the 46th Mississippi Infantry. This is the fifth year in a row that we have participated in this event with Matilda. Our friends at Beauvoir are very grateful for Matilda’s presence. And finally on Sunday, April 29th, Claude and I participated in the Anderson Camp Confederate Memorial Service at New Prospect Cemetery in Clarke County, Alabama. There are nine Confederate soldiers at rest in the cemetery. The local historical society had advertised the ceremony in the local paper. As a result most of the attendees were descendants of the soldiers buried in New Prospect. Now that certainly made this a very special memorial service. After the service Claude found a WWII veteran and had him fire the cannon in honor of WWII veterans. That added a special touch to the event.
First Lt. Commander Terry Bailey
May 2012
Claude Turberville and I along with several friends participated in the Surrender Oak Festival at Citronelle on May 5th. It was a lot of fun and a very successful event. Claude was there with a couple of his antique automobiles. However, he was dressed in period attire and resembled a shyster lawyer or a used wagon salesman. Several of us had set up a WBTS show and tell at Camp Pushmataha. At the end of the day most of our reenacting friends had gone home and a small group of spectators showed up for a reenactment. David and Aaron Kralik, fellow reenactors and members of the Blakely Camp, as well as me gave the public a show.
First Lt. Commander Terry Bailey
June 2012
On June 2nd I escorted Matilda to Ellisville, Mississippi, for the 100th anniversary of the local Confederate Monument. This event was hosted by the Jones County Historical Society and the Rosin Heels SCV Camp of Laurel, Mississippi. The good ole Southern Christian Confederate fellowship was wonderful. The fried chicken and trimmings lunch afterward was also mighty fine. Our good friend from the Rosin Heels Camp, Then on Sunday, June 3rd, Stephen Ellison, Mr. Jessie Taylor, and I participated in an event at Beauvoir. This event was a living history in commemoration of President Davis’ birthday. We set Matilda up and when we had a group of folks gathered about we would fire off the ole girl. We also had over twenty different Confederate flags on display. This display brought many positive comments. Our friends at Beauvoir are very appreciative of our camp’s support of events at Beauvoir. There were also SCV members from the Sam Davis Camp in Biloxi and the Maury Camp of Grand Bay. We also had a buddy, Larry Higginbotham, fall in with us. Larry is a member of the Augusta Grays Camp in New Augusta, Mississippi. On the same day, June 3rd, Claude Turberville went to Monroe County for a Confederate grave marker dedication ceremony. He was joined there by other reenactors as well as some SCV members of the Blakely Camp.
First Lt. Commander Terry Bailey
September 2012
September has been a busy month. It started on the 9th with a living history presentation at Camp Pinetreat. Matilda and I joined several other friends for a program for Boy Scout leaders. It was well received and we hope to get back there to do the same kind of program for the Boy Scouts. Compatriot Dustin Marshall and I went to Farmington, Mississippi, for the 150th Commemoration reenactment of the Battle of Farmington/Corinth on the 14th. We are both members of The Baldwin Rangers [Co. C, 15th Confederate Cavalry]. Unfortunately our unit had to galvanize as Yankees and as a result we portrayed the 1st Louisiana Cavalry [US]. In spite of wearing the blue we had some good fellowship and we saw many of our fellow SCV members.
First Lt. Commander Terry Bailey
October 2012
Just before our meeting last month we participated in a memorial service in Theodore. Then on October 14th we participated in a ceremony near the Dixie community of Escambia County, Alabama. It was a beautiful day for a service out in the Heart of Dixie. The ancestors of the soldier at Dixie had a most unique wreath for the grave. It was made from pine boughs and cotton. This was the ultimate tribute to that part of the world. Both of these services were held for members of the 15th Confederate Cavalry. On the weekend of October 20th several of us were busy at regional reenactments. Claude Turberville attended the Reenactment of the Battle of Newton {Alabama}. On the same weekend Stephen Ellison, Jessie Taylor, Dustin Marshall, Matilda, and I attended the 26th Annual Fall Muster at Beauvoir. Our camp banner was prominently displayed at the entrance to the reenacting area and near there we had our flag display. Both caught the attention of many spectators during the weekend. Matilda was busy all weekend. Not only did she participate in the battles but she also participated in two services during the weekend. On Saturday morning we had a flag pole dedication ceremony in front of Beauvoir. Recently seven new flag poles were erected at Beauvoir and on the 21st the flags were raised for the first time. Matilda was a big part of this ceremony. Then on Sunday morning she participated in the Confederate Memorial service in the Beauvoir Cemetery. Our friends at Beauvoir are always glad to see Matilda. One special treat for everyone at Fall Muster was the presence of President and Mrs. Verina Davis. J. W. Binion and his wife drove down from Kentucky to portray the First Family of the CSA. It was a pleasure to spend the weekend with Bro. Binion and his wife.
First Lt. Commander Terry Bailey
November 2012
The month started with a trip to Tallassee, Alabama. The Tallassee Guards SCV Camp hosts an annual reenactment at Gibson’s View Plantation. The venue is beautiful and the camp does a good job at making folks feel welcomed. The reenactment is a fund raiser to help preserve the Tallassee Armory buildings. After the battle on Saturday one of their members took us on a tour of the armory. On November 17th Jessie Smelly and I went to Ft. Gaines for the Thanksgiving Harvest living history event. It was a well-attended event and our hosts, the Augusta Jane Evans Ladies Auxiliary, provided us with a delicious traditional Thanksgiving lunch. Then on November 18th I made a trip to Camp Moore in Tangipahoa, Louisiana, for their annual reenactment. Again this is a fund raiser type reenactment as Camp Moore is not supported by the state. It was also good to get to visit with a bunch of our Mississippi and Louisiana SCV brethren. On November 24th Claude Turberville, Matilda, and I made the trip to Laurel, Mississippi for the annual Christmas holiday opening of Landrums Country Village. This is a living history event that is hosted by our friends of the Jones County Rosin Heels SCV Camp. During the day we did three skirmishes for the spectators. Again I played a Yankee as well as Matilda. I am happy to report that during each skirmish Claude killed me and returned Matilda to her rightful owners.
First Lt. Commander Terry Bailey