Published: April 28, 2008 11:39 am      

Honoring history and heritage

April is Confederate History and Heritage Month

More than 2,000 men from Cherokee County proudly served in the Southern armies during the War of Northern Aggression from 1861 to 1865. They fought to defend their homes and families from an invading army who desperately needed and sought the South’s abundant resources of cotton, tobacco and abundant agricultural supplies.

Today, more than 143 years after the war ended in mid-1865, there is a very dedicated group in Cherokee County who continue to pay tribute to their Southern ancestors’ struggle for Southern independence during the War between the States.

They are proudly known as the Cross of Saint Andrew camp No. 2009 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans in the Texas division of the East Texas brigade.

“Every member of the camp is a direct blood descendant of a Confederate veteran which is the main requirement to join,” Camp Commander and eight-year SCV veteran Kenneth McClure said. “As direct descendants of these brave men of honor it is our duty to never let them be forgotten. Our main mission is to place new military grave markers for these Southern heroes, as many of their original old headstones have become damaged or destroyed over many decades of neglect and exposure to the elements.

“We have placed over 100 of these markers in Cherokee and surrounding counties for Confederate veterans to ensure that they are not lost to time and history.”

McClure has deep Southern roots in Cherokee County, having four great-great granddads buried here that were all officers in the Southern army, along with 13 great-great uncles that served as well that have all been here since the early 1850s.

The Saint Andrew camp works hard to ensure that what they do inspires others to be proud of their heritage.

The camp participates in many various festivals in the county throughout the year to educate the public on local history.

“Our county is rich in Civil War era history,” McClure said. “We have Confederate iron works sites in Alto and Ironton, an old Confederate gun factory in Rusk, a Confederate training camp in Rusk, a prisoner of war camp in the Old Salem area between Rusk and Alto, where we held over 3,000 captured Union troops and our CSA soldier statue on the square in Rusk, erected in October 1907 in honor of more than 2,000 men from Cherokee County that served.”

In October 2007, the camp held a 100-year rededication ceremony for the statue, complete with a roll call of over 500 people that donated funds to purchasing the statue more than a century ago.

Another priority of the camp is to research and locate old forgotten family plots and to clean and restore them and set markers for those lost veterans as well.

One of the camp’s most rewarding accomplishments was finally locating an old forgotten plot on private property in the Lake Stryker area that was the final resting place for two of camp Historian Colonel Shelley Cleaver’s ancestors, James and William Wiggins — two brothers who were both officers in Company F, 7th Texas Cavalry.

“This was a very special occasion to me,” Cleaver said. “These two ancestors of mine have been lost here for all these years with no recognition of their service to the Southern army and now they will never be forgotten.”

The camp cleaned and cleared the old plot that had been overgrown with thick brush and briars and set two new military markers for them and held a very moving ceremony for them complete with a rifle volley fired in their honor and the Southern Belles presenting flowers to pay tribute to their service.

The old Wiggins plot is now all that remains of their 5,000-acre homestead. Cleaver also has deep Southern roots in Cherokee County. His great-granddad, Captain Henry Clay Cleaver, had one of the nicest homes in the county — which happens to be the very same house Shelley Cleaver was born and raised in.

Over the last two years the camp has set military markers for nine of his ancestors.

“It is an honor to be a part of the SCV and this camp” he said.

The camp’s 1st Lt. Commander Jim Perry is the great-grandson of a very famous veteran — Brigadier General William F. Perry, who served in the 44th Alabama infantry and led the charge at Devil’s den at the battle of Gettysburg in July 1863.

“The SCV and this camp in particular are very dedicated to preserving our sacred Southern heritage,” Perry said.

One of the camp’s newest members John Barnhart is the great-great-grandson of Colonel Alex T. Rainey, who served directly under General John Bell Hood in his famous Texas brigade.

The camp also has a very sincere, dedicated and loyal ladies support group, the Saint Andrew Southern Belles who are led by President Kathy Watkins.

“It is a true honor to be a part of such a dedicated group who are so sincere in their intentions of honoring our ancestors,” Kathy Watkins said.

Color Sgt. Ronnie Blackstock, whose wife Shelia serves as the vice president of the Belles added, “The ladies in our Belles are truly outstanding. Our Belles are always there to support us in force at our marker dedication ceremonies and we are blessed to have them.”

The camp’s most recent ceremony was held Sunday, April 20, at McDonald Cemetery in New Summerfield for Sgt. Josiah Dotson of the 18th Texas Infantry. Dotson is the ancestor of Karen and Alexandria Perry, who are also members of the Belles.

The ceremony included Sgt. Dotson’s life history a rifle volley in his honor and a tribute by the Belles.

Another one of the camp’s ongoing projects that was began more than seven years ago is the documenting and photographing of Confederate veterans grave markers in our county which has now also led to all of the surrounding counties as well.

“This has resulted in a book of honor that now contains over 5,000 C.S.A. veterans,” McClure said.

Camp Adjutant Philip Watkins, who is in charge of the membership records reports there are currently 38 camp members and 16 ladies in the Belles.

“Our group is really growing and continuing to prosper very well,” Philip Watkins said.

Over the last several years the camp has received many awards at the national, state and brigade levels such as the best Web site award in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and the Gold level Most Outstanding Camp award.

Visit the camp’s Web site at www.altoscv2009.homestead.com.

There are over 80 SCV camps in Texas alone and over 40,000 members nation wide and growing.

The SCV is the direct heir to the UCV (United Confederate Veterans) that was originally formed by the actual veterans.

The SCV was organized in Richmond Virginia in 1896 and continues to serve as a historical, educational, patriotic non-political organization dedicated to ensuring that the true history of the war between the states is preserved.

The Saint Andrew camp is known nationwide for being one of the most active groups in the entire organization and has events scheduled throughout the year.