With shouts above the battle's roar They join the legions gone before; They bravely fought, they bravely fell, They wore the Gray and wore it well. (Confederate Monument Inscription, Cedar Hill Cemetery, Suffolk, VA)
Tom Smith Camp # 1702 Post Office Box 1861 Suffolk, VA 23439-1861 First Brigade - Virginia Division - Dept. of the Army of Northern Virginia Meetings are held on the 4th Monday of every month at the BETHLEHEM CHRISTIAN CHURCH, 1549 Holland Rd., Suffolk 23434 (next to the Wilco station), with possible exceptions in November and December due to holidays. We are now at 97 members.

 It is stated in books and papers that Southern children read and study that all the blood shedding and destruction of property of that conflict was because the South rebelled without cause against the best government the world ever saw; that although Southern soldiers were heroes in the field, skillfully massed and led, they and their leaders were rebels and traitors who fought to overthrow the Union, and to preserve human slavery, and that their defeat was necessary for a free government and the welfare of the human family. As a Confederate soldier and as a citizen of Virginia, I deny the charge, and denounce it as a calumny.

We were not rebels; we did not fight to perpetuate slavery, but for our rights and privileges under a government established over us by our fathers and in defense of our homes.

Colonel Richard Henry Lee

This page updated Aug 17, 2010

Next Meeting:  

Monday, June 23th at the BETHLEHEM CHRISTIAN CHURCH, 1549 Holland Rd., Suffolk 23434 (next to the Wilco station).  Social begans at 6:00 PM followed by supper at 6:30 - 7:00 PM.

Menu: Fried Chicken, potato salad, select vegetables, rolls, deserts, coffee, tea, water.

There is plenty of room and free parking.       

Recent Events

APRIL PETERSBURG TRIP

On April 3, 2010, Ninteen members of the camp took a day trip to Petersburg, Five Forks and Sailor's Creek. Here the group is shown at the position of Pegram's guns at the Forks.

The restored Hillsman House at Sailor's Creek

This house was standing at the time of the battle and Union Artillery used the position to fire on the Confederates across the creek. The Sailor's Creek Battlefield is now a State Park with a new Visitor Center. Walking trails have been cleared enabling visitors to follow the battle and walk the route taken by the retreating Confederate Soldiers.

The park ranger describes the fighting at the creek. This is the area where the Confederates crossed the creek and later fired on the Federal soldiers in pursuit.

After the ranger had given his talk it got real cold and the air smelled like Sulfer. All of a sudden we saw this Yankee skirmish line coming down the slope and we skedaddled.

JUNE CHIPPOAKS GAS AND STEAM SHOW

Wayne Taylor makes breakfast on Sunday morning with the Tom Smith tent in the background. On Sat. we managed to cook and stew without even building a fire as the temperature reached 100 degrees that afternoon.

 Passing the flag to another generation at Holleywood Cemetary.

This gentleman's name is Jim Love of Colonial Heights, Va. He belongs to the SCV Mechanized Cavalry who seem to appear and disappear at SCV events like they were being lead by Colonel J.S. Mosby. On any given weekend there have been sightings at various places in the Commonwealth where SCV functions are being held.

July 25, 2005: The back window of Compatriot Dave Tatum's car!

The picture below was graciously provided by Kermit Hobbs.It appears in his book, Suffolk: A Pictorial History, and is posted here with his permission.The picture shows the Tom Smith Camp of the United Confederate Veterans (Camp No. 44). No exact date is known except that it is around the turn of the century. The same picture in full size & resolution can be viewed at: tomsmithucv (about 1.5 MB--a huge file!). You can even read the banner in the background and the Camp insignia on their hats!

James Harrison Butler (identified by the book's author, Kermit Hobbs, since it was published) is the first man on the left in the 2nd row.

With the induction of Bobby Carr (far right), this family now has 3 generations in the Tom Smith Camp! Phil and Ben Carr are Bobby's sons, and "B. J." (Ben, Jr.) is Bobby's Grandson. All 4 are Life members in the SCV!

Sons of Confederate Veterans International Headquarters Historic "Elm Springs" Located in Columbia, Tennessee April 7, 2003

	Virginia state flag adopted 30 April 1861 by Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr., 05 February 2000. (Used by permission.)

SALUTE TO THE FLAG OF VIRGINIA: Flag of Virginia, I salute thee. To thee I pledge my loyalty,
my service and my life.

SALUTE TO THE CONFEDERATE FLAG: I salute the Confederate flag with affection, reverence
and undying devotion to the cause for which it stands. Amen.

Charge to the Sons of Confederate Veterans: "To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we submit 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 he loved and which made him glorious and which you also cherish. Remember, it is your duty to see that the true history of the South is presented to future generations." Lt. General Stephen Dill Lee, Commander General United Confederate Veterans New Orleans, Louisiana 1906

"Everyone should do all in his power to collect and disseminate the truth, in the hope that it may find a place in history and descend to posterity. History is not the relation of campaigns and battles and generals or other individuals, but that which shows the principles for which the South contended and which justified her struggle for those principles. "

Robert E. Lee

Check out this new page created "just for fun"
ENJOY!

	HERITAGE NOT HATE
Confederate Monument, Cedar Hill Cemetery, Suffolk, VA

Today, the Sons of Confederate Veterans is preserving the history and legacy of these heroes,
so future generations can understand the motives that animated the Southern Cause. The SCV
is the direct heir of the United Confederate Veterans, and the oldest hereditary organization
for male descendants of Confederate soldiers. Organized at Richmond, Virginia in 1896, the SCV
	continues to serve as a historical, patriotic,
	and non-political organization dedicated
	to insuring that a true history
	of the 1861 - 1865 period is preserved.
	Membership in the Sons of Confederate
Veterans is open to all male descendants of any veteran who served honorably in the Confederate
armed forces.Membership can be obtained through either direct or collateral family lines and
kinship to a veteran must be documented genealogically. The minimum age for membership is 12.