COMMANDER'S COMMENTS

March is always an interesting time of the year  -  hot  one
day,  cold  the  next, and here lately a bit stormy as well.
Obviously spring is just around  the  corner  (my  allergies
have  already kicked in), and with spring comes a feeling of
renewed hope for our cause.  A few important events occurred
in  March  - in 1862 we saw the epic battle at Hampton Roads
between the CSS Virginia and the USS Monitor-which helped to
change  forever  the  navies of the world and warfare on the
open seas.  Incidentally, the sinking of the two US warships
by  the  CSS  Virginia  was  the  worst  defeat  the US Navy
suffered until December 7, 1941, with the Japanese attack on
Pearl  Harbor.   In  1865  we  saw the attempted breakout of
Confederate forces around Petersburg with the attack on Fort
Steadman.   The  initial assault was a complete success with
John Bell  Gordon  leading  the  attack,  but  soon  Federal
re-enforcements  turned  the  tide  of  battle  against  the
Confederates and the gains that had  been  achieved  in  the
early  morning hours were completely lost.  A few days later
General Grant launched an all-out assault on the Confederate
lines  and  broke the siege at Petersburg, which resulted in
the fall of Richmond, and the eventual surrender of  General
Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House.  

Certainly  the  political  arena has been stormy as of late,
and I would dare say will remain in a state of  turmoil  all
the  way through the fall elections.  Speaking of elections,
the Virginia Division, SCV is also holding elections at this
year's  convention being held here in Richmond April 4-6, at
the Sheraton Richmond West Hotel.   I  have  registered  the
Longstreet  Camp  for  the  business meeting on Saturday and
hope to have a member of the Executive Committee present  so
that  our votes can be cast for the candidates that our Camp
supports.   The  nominating  committee  for   the   Virginia
Division  has submitted its recommended slate of officers to
lead the Virginia Division for the next  two  years.   While
this  slate  is  made up of gentlemen who have been involved
with leading the Virginia  Division  for  the  last  several
years,  I  would remind them that they serve all the members
of the Virginia Division,  SCV  -  not  just  those  on  the
Division Executive Committee.                               

 These  gentlemen may have their own agenda on the direction
that this Division should take,  but  they  should  keep  in
mind  that  they serve at the pleasure of its membership (as
do I and the members of the Longstreet Executive  Committee)
and  if the membership is not in agreement with a particular
course of action being proposed, then said leadership should
listen  to  its  members  and  abide  by their wishes.  I am
always aware of  this  ideal  -  I  work  to  keep  everyone
informed  about  what is happening with our organization and
its leadership.                                             

As part of this month's meeting, we will be devoting part of
our  time  to  discussing  the  Annual  History and Heritage
Parade.  I encourage all members of the Longstreet  Camp  to
make every effort to attend this month's meeting.           

Recently  I  called  a  special  session  of  the Longstreet
Executive Committee to discuss the Parade and it was  agreed
by  everyone present that we should bring this matter before
our members at our March Camp  meeting  -  so,  please  make
every  effort  to  attend  this month's meeting.  It is very
important that everyone has the chance to ask questions, and
to   voice  his  concerns  and/or  support.   This  is  your
opportunity to have your voice heard!                       

As I have mentioned in previous  newsletters,  I  have  been
asked  by  a member of the UDC to see if the Longstreet camp
would be interested  in  assisting  with  the  planning  and
coordination  of  the  upcoming  Children of the Confederacy
Convention that will be held in July.   I  hope  to  have  a
member  of  the  Convention  Committee present at one of our
upcoming Camp meetings to discuss  what  assistance  we  can
provide  them  and  to  also  provide more details about the
Convention itself.                                          

It has been suggested to me that we start doing tours of our
area  for  members of the Longstreet Camp and their families
and friends.  I have asked the Museum of the Confederacy  if
it would be interested in being our first tour and they have
agreed.  We will be discussing this  at  this  month's  Camp
meeting  -  plan  to  attend as we want everyone's input and
support to this venture.  If you have any ideas, please make
them known.                                                 

Remember -
"Longstreet is the Camp boys - Longstreet is  the Camp!"

I look forward to seeing everyone at our next camp meeting! 

Deo Vindice!                                                
					Mike

ADJUTANT'S REPORT

At our February meeting  we  were  pleased  to  induct  Cary
Shelton.   Cary's  wife  Candy was with us for the occasion.
Candy,  a  retired  Henrico  County  teacher,  is  Education
Director  at  the Virginia War Memorial, whose Director, Jon
Hatfield, has been a speaker at one of our meetings.        

It was great having Gene Lyon back with us at  our  meeting.
Gene has had two surgeries in the last eight months.        

We  extend  our  sympathy  to John and Will Shumadine on the
passing of their grandmother.                               

In an email sent several weeks ago to the Virginia  Division
distribution  list  the  Division  Commander  alluded to the
difficulty of matching rosters of camps with the records  of
Division and National.  I understand that his letter will be
published in the next edition of the Old Dominion Voice.  He
stated further that the discrepancies in these rosters could
cause a problem with the number of votes to which a camp  is
entitled at the Division convention, which this year will be
April 4-6 in Richmond.  In  order  for  Longstreet  Camp  to
receive  the correct number of votes, our roster was emailed
to the Division adjutant February 14, reminding him that  we
are  entitled  to eight votes by virtue of having 83 members
who designate Longstreet their home camp.  Our six associate
members  are  counted  in  their  home  camps in determining
voting strength in conventions.                             

The Camp roster which we maintain is updated  every  time  a
change  occurs.  Rosters received from National and Division
are reviewed promptly,  and  discrepancies  are  immediately
brought  to  the  attention  of the appropriate party with a
request that corrections be made.  The  latest  roster  from
National dated February 10,2008 had only one discrepancy. We
requested that this be corrected.                           

Checks received for new members or  for  reinstatements  are
deposited  the  day  they  are received, or if too late, the
next day.  New member applications, after  certification  by
two  Camp  members, are mailed to National with a Camp check
for National's dues and fees.  A  copy  of  the  transmittal
letter  to  National, containing name and address of the new
or reinstated member, is mailed  to  the  Division  adjutant
with  a  Camp check for Division's portion of dues and fees.
These actions are always taken  promptly.   In  addition,  a
monthly  activity  report  containing names and addresses of
new and reinstated  members  and  names  of  members  to  be
removed from our roster is emailed to the Division adjutant.
Both National and Division are notified by mail  immediately
when a member dies.                                         

When  sending  a new member application to National, we tell
them when we plan to induct the member and request  that  we
receive  the  membership  certificate  the  week  before the
induction.                                                  

A few weeks ago I visited Fort Monroe for the first time  in
several years.  It is impossible to visit such sites without
learning something that you didn't know before.             

There is a plaque in the Chapel of  the  Centurion  denoting
that  President  Woodrow  Wilson  sat  in the front pew when
visiting the Fort.  He would travel from Washington  in  the
presidential  yacht  Mayflower  and  walk to the Chapel from
where the yacht docked.  This  is  the  same  pew  in  which
General and Mrs.  Eisenhower sat during the wedding of their
son John.                                                   

After an Indian  uprising  in  1832  Chief  Black  Hawk  was
imprisoned at Fort Monroe.  How ironic that Jefferson Davis,
who as a young Army officer  escorted  prisoner  Black  Hawk
down  the  Mississippi  River  to  Jefferson Barracks, would
himself be a prisoner at Fort Monroe 1865-1867.             

Edgar Allan Poe as a soldier was stationed briefly  at  Fort
Monroe.                                                     

I spoke with the Casemate Museum curator and told him of the
petition we'd sent to Commonwealth of Virginia Secretary  of
Natural  Resources  L.  Preston Bryant, Jr., who is chairman
of  the  Fort  Monroe  Federal  Area  Development  Authority
(FMFADA),  pleading  that the Fort be saved as the important
historic site that it is.  The curator said  he  appreciated
that  greatly.   Residents  of Hampton comprise about 40% of
the board of commissioners of FMFADA.                       

Fort Monroe belongs to the citizens of the United States  of
America,  not  just to the residents of the area in which it
is located.  Please write to your  elected  representatives,
including  Governor  Kaine,  to urge that Fort Monroe not be
turned  over  to  a  bunch  of  locals  who  are   primarily
interested in gross real estate tax receipts.               

The  Museum  of  the  Confederacy  sponsored  an outstanding
Jefferson  Davis  Symposium  at  the  Library  of   Virginia
February 23.  Five Longstreet Camp members attended.        

April   is  Confederate  Heritage  and  History  Month.   No
resolution from any political entity is needed to  celebrate
our  heritage.   Fly  your  flag  and  wear  your  lapel pin
proudly.  Avail yourself of any opportunity to enlighten the
ignorant and the uninformed.                                

					Walter

GENERAL JAMES LONGSTREET CAMP #1247

NEXT MEETING - TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2008

ROMA'S RESTAURANT
8330 STAPLES MILL RD.
LOCATED IN "THE SHOPS AT STAPLES MILL"
TURN LEFT AT FIRST STOPLIGHT NORTH OF
THE WISTAR SHOPPING CENTER

DINNER - SOCIAL 6:00 PM
MEETING STARTS AT 7:00 PM

MARCH PROGRAM

Our speaker for March  will  be  Hugh  Campbell.   He  is  a
lifelong  resident  of Hanover County and an avid historian.
His presentation will cover the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 

FEBRUARY PROGRAM

2005-2008 CAMP OFFICERS
LONGSTREET CAMP #1247
Commander: Michael Kidd	                     270-9651
1st. Lt. Cmdr.: Taylor Cowardin              359-9277
2nd Lt. Cmdr.: Thomas G. Vance	             282-6278
Adjutant/Treasurer: Walter Tucker            360-7247
Judge Advocate: Harry Boyd                   741-2060
Quartermaster: R. Preston Nuttall            276-8977
Chaplain: Henry V. Langford                  474-1978

PUBLICATIONS
Webmaster: Gary F. Cowardin                  262-0534
Website: longstreetscv.org                           
War Horse:  David P. George                  200-1311

LONGSTREET'S FIRST CORPS

The following is a listing of contributors to the upkeep  of
"The  Old  War  Horse" from July, 2007.  through the current
month.  As you know, our cumulative listing starts  in  July
of each year and we do not meet in August.                  

Lloyd Brooks*
Brian Cowardin
Clint Cowardin*
Gary Cowardin
Taylor Cowardin
Ray Crews
Jerold Evans
Kitty Faglie
Richard Faglie
Michael Hendrick
Michael Kidd
Peter Knowles,II
Lewis Mills
Conway Moncure
Robert Moore
Joe Moschetti
John Moschetti
Peyton Roden
Bill Setzer
Rufus Sarvay
Will Shumadine
Austin Thomas
John Vial
Jerry Wells
David Ware
Harold Whitmore
Bobby Williams
Hugh Williams 
Keith Zimmerman

In memory of Robert Mahone-Raymond Crews
In memory of Hef Ferguson and Chuck Walton-Walter Tucker

Legend:                                    
* - Multiple contributions                 
§ - Visitor Donation                       
+ - in memory of Past Cmdr. Tom Lauterbach 

ANOTHER NEW MEMBER!!

Philip Cary Shelton is sworn in by
Past Cdr. Harry Boyd as
Adj. Walter Tucker looks on


A happy Shelton is surrounded by
1st Lt. Cdr. Taylor Cowardin, Commander Mike Kidd
Mike Kidd and Adj. Walter Tucker

CALENDAR OF VIRGINIA EVENTS

THROUGH MARCH "Lee and Grant" exhibit at Virginia Historical
Society,   Richmond.    Includes  paintings,  documents  and
artifacts providing reassessment  of  the  generals'  lives,
careers,  impact  and  development of historical thought and
popular attitudes about them.  Catalog,  online  exhibition.
Monday-Saturday  10-5,  Sundays  free, 1-5.  For info: (804)
358-4901; www.vahistorical.org

THROUGH APRIL 7 Special exhibit on the Confederate  Navy  at
the  Museum  of the Confederacy, Richmond.  Objects, photos,
documents, including the last Confederate Flag to be lowered
by  the  commerce raider, C.S.S Shenandoah.  For info: (804)
649-1861; www.moc.org

MARCH  29  Bridgewater  College  Civil  War  Institute:"This
Mighty  Scourge:  "The  Civil War in the Borderland" In Room
100,  McKinney  Center  for  Science  and  Mathematics,   in
Bridgewater.   Speakers include Paul C.  Anderson, Christian
Keller, Jonathan A.  Noyalas,  Alann  Schmidt.   Free.   For
information, (540) 828-5761

MARCH 29 "Anniversary of the Breakthrough" 143rd anniversary
commemoration of April 2, 1865  Petersburg  breakthrough  at
Pamplin  Historical  Park.  Predawn tour of the Breakthrough
Battlefield followed by a hot breakfast at  the  Hardtack  &
Coffee  Caf‚.  Van tours during the day with park historians
featuring  the  Battle  of  Lewis  Farm.    Living   history
demonstrations,    talks.    Reservations   required.    For
information,       reservations,       (804)       861-2408:
www.pamplinpark.org

APRIL 5 Chesterfield County Confederate History and Heritage
Program in the Chesterfield County Complex, Chesterfield  12
noon-3  p.m.  Brian Steel Wills on "The War Hits Home," book
signings, Camp and parlor music.  Living history with Co. C,
9th  Va.  Cavalry, Chesterfield Yellow Jackets, Chesterfield
Historical   Society,   Museum   exhibits.    Sponsored   by
Chesterfield    Historical   Society   of   Virginia.    For
information,   (804)    777-9663,    ChesterfieldHS@aol.com,
www.chesterfieldhistory.com

APRIL 12,13 36th Annual American Civil War Show, Dulles Expo
Center (North  Building),  Chantilly.   Saturday,  9  a.m.-5
p.m.,  Sunday,  10  a.m.-  4  p.m.   Sponsored  by  Northern
Virginia Relic Hunters Association.  For information,  (703)
823-1958, ed1863@aol.com

"Florida has its own North and South, but its northern area
is strictly SOUTHERN, and its southern area definitely
NORTHERN."