Since this day marks such special occasions, I feel that it is an appropriate time to rededicate the blog, and give a little history of Semmes Camp #1321 & the SCV in the state of Michigan. If you're not familiar with the SCV, or you are wondering why such an organization would be represented as far north as The Great Lakes State, then you have come to the right place!
Almost 25 years after the conclusion of The War Between the States (often incorrectly referred to as "The Civil War"), the veterans of the Confederate military forces formed a fraternal veterans organization, much like today's Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) organization, called the United Confederate Veterans (UCV). Divisions & chapters of this organization popped up all over the country wherever Confederate veterans may have lived.
From 1889-1951, the UCV was simply a fraternal organization of veterans who served on a particular side in a particular war. It's primary functions were to provide for widows & orphans of former Confederate soldiers, preserve relics & mementos from the war, care for disabled Confederate veterans, preserve the records of Confederate soldiers' service, and organize fraternal reunions & gatherings.
In 1896, seven years after the UCV was formed, 24 delegates met in Richmond, VA for the purpose of organizing a "national organization, adopting a constitution similar in every respect to that governing the United Confederate Veterans, and permanently organized under the name United Sons of Confederate Veterans." The purpose of this new fraternal organization for descendants of Confederate veterans was stated in it's Constitution as "[t]o encourage the preservation of history, perpetuate the hallowed memories of brave men, to assist in the observance of Memorial Day, and to perpetuate the record of the services of every Southern Soldier.″ They further stated that their aim was ″not to create or foster, in any manner, any feeling against the North, but to hand down to posterity the story of the glory of the men who wore the gray.″
By 1906, many Confederate veterans & UCV members were aged, infirmed or dying. Leadership in the UCV knew that their membership would not long have the strength to continue carrying out their goals. It was for this reason that then UCV Commander-General, Lt.Gen. Stephen D. Lee, passed the torch and gave the following charge to the members of the SCV on April 25, 1906 in New Orleans, LA...
"To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we will commit the vindication of the cause for which we fought. To your strength will be given the defense of the Confederate soldier's good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those principles which he loved and which you love also, and those ideals which made him glorious and which you also cherish."Thus, the Sons of Confederate Veterans is the direct successor of the UCV and the oldest hereditary organization for male descendants of Confederate Soldiers. It continually strives to keep that charge given by Lt.Gen. Lee through the work of it's tens-of-thousands of members worldwide! The organization has camps in two-thirds of this country's states, plus internationally in England, Scotland, and Germany! In the 150 years since the war's end, descendants of Confederate veterans have spread throughout the world, and many of us are proud of our Confederate heritage.
It should be no surprise then, that the SCV would have a presence here in Michigan. Many Confederate veterans & their descendants would have migrated to this state, and region, in the mid-to-late-1800s to find work in the timber industry. Then, of course, came the advent of the automobile in the early-1900s, and Southerners migrated to the Detroit area in droves to get good paying, secure jobs throughout the glory days of "the big three."
One man of Confederate heritage, Jerry Edward Moore, a then recently-retired corporate executive, joined the SCV on May 24, 1974, and immediately began working tirelessly to start a camp based near his home in Dearborn, MI, throughout 1974-75. Already a respected member of numerous other heritage societies and a certified genealogist, his efforts were bolstered by a great deal of assistance from his friends James Edwards (SCV Commander-in-Chief, 1974-1976), Brig.Gen. William D. McCain (long-time SCV Adjutant-in-Chief), and his beloved wife, Jeannette "Jan" Hotchkiss Moore. In October of 1974, SCV CiC. Edwards announced the creation of a new 'Great Lakes Division' of the SCV, and that Jerry had been appointed this new Division's Commander, "with such power as to organize and establish in the name of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, camps within the states of Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio." Despite suffering from various health problems, this man in his late 60s worked like one in the prime of his life in organizing & founding the Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp #1321, which officially received it's charter on August 14, 1975.
Two of the camp's eighteen charter members were 'Real Sons' of Confederate Veterans, and both of them had connections to Adm. Raphael Semmes.
- The first was Samuel Prewitt Semmes, grandson of the admiral, and son of Confederate Capt. Samuel S. Semmes. It was Compatriot S.P. Semmes who gave permission to Cmdr. Moore to name the camp after his grandfather. Compatriot Semmes was elected to be the camp's "Commander Emeritus" at their first meeting. Compatriot Samuel Prewitt Semmes passed away on September 5, 1981 at the age of 85.
- The second "Real Son" of the camp was Walter T. McCoy, son of Confederate Marine Pvt. Michael W. McCoy (who served aboard the C.S.S. Sumter, which Adm. Semmes commanded). Compatriot Walter T. McCoy passed away on November 11, 1979 at the age of 86.
Following Cmdr. Moore's passing, Culver E. "Mac" McCoy, son of the aforementioned "Real Son" Walter McCoy, was elected on July 18, 1976, to serve out the remaining portion of the late Commander's term. The grandson of a Confederate Marine who served aboard the C.S.S. Sumter under Adm. Semmes, the son of a U.S. Navy veteran, and a Navy veteran of World War II himself, Cmdr. McCoy worked hard to pick up the pieces and sustain membership levels with much assistance from his wife, Frances, and also from Cmdr. Moore's widow. Cmdr. McCoy presided over a slight "restructuring" of the camp, and in one of his last official acts as Commander, McCoy represented our camp in August of 1977 as a delegate to the 82nd General Convention & Reunion of the SCV in Dallas, TX.
Even after his term ended in September of 1977, Culver continued to serve the camp in other officer-positions into the early 1980s. It is thanks to Past-Commander McCoy that hundreds of pages of camp & member records from it's first seven years & prior survived through the 1980s, and are still being used to accurately document the history of our camp today. Past-Commander McCoy departed this life on September 11, 2008, the date of his 87th birthday.
Following Cmdr. McCoy's term, two other men served as the camp's commander, but unfortunately Camp #1321 became inactive in 1982. In early 1989, Stanley Thomas White, a Past-Commander of the B.F. Foley Camp #1448, reactivated Camp #1321, and remained it's steadfast leader for more than 25 years! During his tenure the camp was involved in many great works, including:
- The donation of $1000.00 to Elm Springs, for the purpose of establishing it as the headquarters of the SCV.
- The mounting a Confederate Color Guard at the Memorial Day service in the Confederate Stockade Cemetery on Johnson's Island in Ohio for many years.
- The donation of over fifty books to various organizations and libraries, including the Museum Of The Confederacy in Richmond, VA.
- Instrumental in having the statue, that stands in the Confederate Officers Cemetery on Johnson's Island Ohio, repaired by the V.A.
- Instrumental in initiating the renovation of the President Jefferson Davis gravesite at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, VA.
- The placement of headstones on the graves of 17 Confederate Veterans in the Confederate Section of Springhill Cemetery in Charleston, WV.
- Maintained a SCV recruitment and Confederate History tent at numerous reenactment events, including Jackson MI. & Greenfield Village, Dearborn MI.
- Camp members participated in numerous ceremonies and events honoring Confederate soldiers and sailors. These included: the dedication of the Confederate monument at the Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, IN; the rededication of the Confederate monument at Oakwood Cemetery in Chicago, IL; memorial services at Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery in Columbus, OH.
In 2016, Cmdr. White declined renomination for election after building the camp and leading it in many great works for the SCV. In June of 2016, long time 1st Lt. Cmdr. Darron M. Williams was elected to be the 6th Commander of Camp #1321, and his term of office began on August 1st of that year.
The members of the 'Semmes' & 'Cleburne' SCV Camps work together in the state of Michigan in keeping the charge that Lt.Gen. Stephen D. Lee gave more than a century ago. If you are a Michigan resident, and you are the male descendant of a Confederate Veteran (or think you might be), we'd love to have you join us as we spread the truth of Confederate history & insure that our ancestors are honored for their military service in the Confederate States of America!
DEO VINDICE!
- Jonathan McCleese
2nd Lieutenant Commander / Treasurer
Admiral Raphael Semmes Camp #1321
Army of Tennessee, Sons of Confederate Veterans
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