SCV events mark Confederate history month

WESTON — The first of several Sons of Confederate Veterans events held to mark April as Confederate History and Heritage Month in Georgia is planned here Saturday as the Stewart-Webster SCV Camp hosts a re-enactment of the first Confederate flag-raising in the state.

The Worth County Yancy Independents Camp will host a Confederate memorial service on Sunday, while the Moultrie-based John K. McNeill Camp will host a joint meeting on the square with the Moultrie McNeill chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy April 24.

Saturday’s re-enactment, which kicks off at 10 a.m., will feature a keynote address by John Carroll and the raising of the Stars and Bars by young ladies selected for the event, just as was done 155 years ago with the original flag-raising. On March 31, 1861, Molley Jossey was selected by popular vote to raise the Confederate flag, a first in the state.

The Webster County Board of Commissioners voted to deny the SCV camp’s request to have the program at the county courthouse, so each day at this week at 7 p.m. a small group has walked in silent protest around the courthouse.

Following the flag-raising ceremony, celebrants will drive around the courthouse square seven times before traveling to Shiloh Marion Baptist Church for a barbecue lunch.

On Sunday, Finley’s Brigade SCV Division Camp Commander Kelly Crocker of Havana, Fla., will offer the keynote address during the Sylvester Yancy Independent Camp’s 24th annual memorial service. Other events planned during the memorial include music by the Leesburg band A Joyful Noise, a reading of the poem “The Legends of Gray,” a laying of the wreath ceremony spearheaded by Daughters of the American Revolution representatives, a reading of the names of Worth County soldiers who died in the Civil War, musket and cannon salutes, and the playing of “Taps.”

The day’s events, which are scheduled at the Worth County Courthouse War Memorial, will kick off at 2:30 p.m.

The joint SCV/UDC meeting in Moultrie on April 24 will be held at 3 p.m. at the Confederate memorial on the downtown square. Rifles and artillery are encouraged to participate.

For information about the flag-raising re-enactment, contact Stewart-Webster Camp Commander Harry Ross at (706) 366-7063 or Albany SCV Camp Commander James King at (229) 854-1944. For information about the Sylvester Memorial service, contact Camp Commander Bo Slack at (229) 343-2345. Contact 8th Brigade Commander Charlie Parks at (229) 921-7502 for information about the Moultrie gathering.