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Arlington House

September 2011 Sons of Confederate Veterans

Sons of Confederate Veterans

Army of

Northern Virginia Maryland Division Camp #1398

See Inside

Annual River

Crossing Huge

Success

2

Guest Speakers:

D.S. Freeman,

Gregg Clemmer

3

Adjutant

Activities

4

Happy Birthday

Montgomery

County!

4

Mechanized

Cavalry Honors

Students

5

Norris Camp

Road Cleanup

6

Calendar off

Upcoming Events

6

Colonel William Norris

Tim Penrod of the Na-

tional Park Service

gave a compelling pre-

sentation on the history

of Robert E. Lee and

the Arlington House.

Robert E. Lee once

wrote to a cousin that

at Arlington House “my

affections and attach-

ments are more strong-

ly placed than at any

other place in the

world.” Today this

house overlooking the

Potomac River and

Washington, D.C., is

preserved as a memori-

al to General Lee, a

man who gained respect

of Americans in both

the North and South.

Arlington House is

uniquely associated with

the families of Washing-

ton, Custis and Lee for it

was built by George

Washington Park Cus-

tis. After his father died,

young Custis was raised

by his grandmother and

her second husband,

George Washington, at

Mount Vernon. Custis, a

farsighted agricultural

pioneer, painter, play-

wright and orator,

was interested in per-

petuating the memory

and principles of

George Washington.

His house, begun in

1802, but not complet-

ed until 1817, became

a “treasury” of Wash-

ington heirlooms.

Arlington House,

named after the Custis

family's homestead of

Virginia's Eastern

Shore, was built on a

445-hectare (1,100-

acre) estate that Cus-

tis' father, John Parke

Custis, purchased in

1778. The house was

designed by George

Hadfield, a young

English architect who

was for a time in

charge of the con-

struction of the Capi-

tol. The north and

south wings were

completed between

1802 and 1804. The

large center section

and the portico, pre-

senting an imposing

front 43 meters (140

feet) long, were fin-

ished 13 years later.

Robert E. Lee de-

scribed the house,

Arlington House

Continued on page 7

Our annual River Cross-

ing was under way around

11:30 a.m., Saturday, Aug.

20, with élan. Our troops

set up and persevered de-

spite last minute catering

glitches. We still featured a

complete BBQ lunch.

Commander Steve Gill set

the pace for the day. Norris

Camp member Greg Clem-

mer brought in his Smith-

sonian tour group and

treated them to a presenta-

tion on the history of Con-

rads/Whites Ford.

A special thanks to Fred-

die and Katy for their con-

tinued support of our camp,

as they filled in as needed

in several key roles for the

event. Thanks to Dave K

Sr. and Jr. for providing the

shelter to keep us in the

shade.

Steve Fernandez jumped

right in and helped serve

the food, assisting our hun-

gry river crossers. Dave

Redden did some extra

credit shopping and assist-

ed in a variety of tasks

throughout the day. Dan

Belvin assisted with our

flag collection as he does

every year.

A big thank you to Frank

Brown and his son, Chris,

for videotaping the event,

bringing a friend and po-

tential member—John

Howerton—and for his nev-

er failing support.

We were honored to have

the Maryland Line & Ca-

miliar Camp set up their

mobile camp stores and for

making a variety of items

available for sale.

To view the video go to

youtube.com and type in

Historical Maryland: Poto-

mac River Crossing.

Annual River Crossing Huge Success

Sons of Confederate Veterans Page 2

Participants in the annual River

Crossing begin their march across

the river.

Participants mobilize for their

march toward the river.

Dave Redden

Guest Speakers


D. S. Freeman

Born in 1886, the son of a Confederate veteran, Douglas Southall Free-

man remains one of the greatest historians of the Civil War. His monu-

mental biographies, including “Lee's Lieutenants” and the Pulitzer

Prize-winning “R. E. Lee,” continue to be popular and valuable refer-

ence books for anyone studying that period. Freeman's prodigious intel-

lectual energies were not limited to Civil War history. He received a se-

cond, posthumous Pulitzer Prize for his six-volume study of George

Washington.

By employing a strict personal schedule—often rising at 2:30 a.m.—

Freeman managed to produce such momentous historical works while

also editing a daily newspaper and making twice-daily radio news

broadcasts.

Though a proud and loyal Virginian, Freeman and his influence

spread far beyond his native city of Richmond. During Freeman's tenure

as editor of the Richmond New Leader from 1915 to 1949, world leaders,

like Winston Churchill and Dwight Eisenhower, sought his advice.

Throughout World War I, President Woodrow Wilson read Freeman's

daily reports about the conflict in Europe.

The evening we will be graced with a recording of a talk Dr. Freeman

gave in spring 1953. America would lose him a month later.

Freeman

Gregg Clemmer

Gregg Clemmer is a native of the Shenandoah Valley and a graduate of

Virginia Tech. He holds a Master’s in Military History from Norwich

University.

He is past Historian-in-Chief of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, and

served for 15 years as Chairman of the Confederate Medal of Honor

Committee. Gregg is a former president of the Montgomery County

(Md.) Civil War Roundtable, and is an active member in several other

hereditary and patriotic organizations including the Aztec Club of 1847

and the Society of the Cincinnati. He numbers 14 Confederates in his

ancestry including members of Armistead’s and the Stonewall

brigades.

Gregg is the author of four books including the acclaimed “Valor in

Gray: The Recipients of the Confederate Medal of Honor.” His biography,

“Old Alleghany: The Life and Wars of General Ed Johnson,” won the

2005 Douglas Southall Freeman History Award as the book of highest

merit published in Southern history for that year.

Clemmer

Adjutant Activities


DUES:

Dues notices went out by mail for our Internet members and the no-

tices for our mail subscribers is going out with this newsletter. A great

big THANK YOU for those that have already responded with their

checks. I look forward to hearing from the rest of you soon.

THIRD RIVER CROSSING PLANNING MEETING:

The meeting was attended by the following compatriots: Ray Parker,

Dave Redden, Frank Brown, Steve Fernandez, Bob Brewer, Gregg

Clemmer and Harold Ford. Commander Steve Gill was unable to at-

tend as he was traveling.

The final touches were put on the program. We met at 9:30 and ordered

60 rations. The BBQ people supplied napkins, forks, plates, etc. The

music people had to cancel. Gregg Clemmer led the history presentation.

The meeting was called to order by Commander Steve Gill after the

Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag and the salute to the Confed-

erate Flag and the reading of the SCV Charge.

There were six members and guests attending including compatriots

H. Bruce Funk, Don Beck, 1st Lt. Commander Bob Brewer, Camp Com-

mander Steve Gill and Adjutant/Treasurer Harold Ford. Our special

guest was Kate Brewer.

Aug. 2 Camp Meeting

Join us on Sunday, Sept. 18, for our annual Happy Birthday Mont-

gomery County event. The county is 235 years old this year, and the

Historical Society is celebrating with children's activities, musical per-

formances, lectures, museum tours, crafts, living history presentations

and, of course, Birthday cake!

This is our annual display at the Montgomery County Historical Soci-

ety event. Our camp has spent years earning a good reputation in our

community and it is every member’s duty to continue this fellowship.

It is an opportunity to interact with our community in a positive man-

ner. For details contact Steve Gill at ????.

The event is from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., admission is free and there’s free

parking.

The Happy Birthday Montgomery County event will be held at 111

W. Montgomery Ave., Rockville, MD 20850.

Happy Birthday Montgomery County!


Mechanized Cavalry ANV Honors

High School Senior Scholars

On Aug. 20, 2011, the Mechanized Cavalry 2134 awarded the second

annual Gerard “Cooter” Strosnider Scholarship Award to a deserving

high school senior. The North Carolina monument at Gettysburg, Pa.,

was the site of the ceremony.

This year’s winner is Stephen Altorfer from Calvert High School. He

will be attending Brigham Young University this fall.

ANV Commander Frank Earnest and other officers of the ANV award-

ed the 2011 Scholarship to Norris Camp compatriot and Maryland Divi-

sion member Matt Heimbach.

The scholarship includes monetary renumeration, a certificate and an

ANV medal. Compatriot Heimbach submitted a composition on a topic of

Southern import.

Congratulations to these outstanding scholars.

Marker Request

Gentlemen:

I received a call from a Texas SCV member. He would like to have the

grave of his Confederate ancestor properly marked, preferably with a

Virginia marker. It is unclear what if any marker currently exists. The

compatriot's name is David A. Riley—[email protected].

The basic facts are these: Ancestor—Marinus Willet Sheckell (I couldn't

find him in Goldbourgh). Unit—7th Virginia Cavalry and 2nd Maryland

Cavalry (Gilmor). Cemetery—Oak Hill, in or near Georgetown. Compat-

riot Riley called the cemetery and was told they needed a descendant’s

permission. He is a descendent.

Please contact him if you can be of assistance. Thank you for your help.

Regards,

Elliott

We need to discuss this at the next meeting.

Oak Hill Cemetery 3001

R Street, Washington, DC 20007-2923

(202) 337-2835

oakhillcemeterydc.org

Harold Ford

(left) and Steve

Fernandez par-

ticipated in the

Road Cleanup

on Aug. 13. They

collected eight

bags of trash

and cleaned the

access road to

the parking lot

that was used

for the River

Crossing.

Norris Camp Road Cleanup


Sept. 5 Labor Day Parade, Gaithersburg, Md., Division Color Guard

A public parade. Directions: Take 95 to 495 to 270 North.

Take Exit 11 (124 North) pass 355 to a right at the 4th light

on Midcounty Highway. Make a right at the first light on

Goshen Rd. Make a left on Girard Ave. Follow Girard to the

end and make a left on Diamond Ave. Make your first left

for our formation at number 63 yellow. Park at the bottom

of the hill.

Sept. 10 Howard County Monument Ceremony, 10:30 a.m./11 a.m.

An annual ceremony to honor Howard County’s Confederate

soldiers. It is sponsored by Major General Isaac Ridgeway

Trimble Camp #1836. Formation is at 10:30 a.m. for the 11

a.m. ceremony. A firing party is needed for this event.

Calendar of Upcoming Events

situated on a hill high above

the Potomac as one “anyone

might see with half an eye.”

In 1804 Custis had mar-

ried Mary Lee Fitzhugh.

Their only child to survive

infancy was Mary Anna

Randolph Custis, born in

1808. Young Robert E. Lee,

whose mother was a cousin

of Mrs. Custis, frequently

visited Arlington. Two

years after graduating from

West Point, Lieutenant Lee

married Mary Custis at Ar-

lington on June 30, 1831.

For 30 years Arlington

House was home to the

Lees. They spent much of

their married life traveling

between U.S. Army duty

stations and Arlington,

where six of their seven chil-

dren were born. They shared

this home with Mary's par-

ents, the Custises.

When George Washington

Park Custis died in 1857, he

left the Arlington estate to

Mrs. Lee for her lifetime

and afterwards to the Lees'

eldest son, George Washing-

ton Custis Lee. The estate

needed much repair and re-

organization, and Lee, as

executor, took a leave of ab-

sence from the Army until

1860 to begin the necessary

agricultural and financial

improvements.

Lee was distressed when

news reached him that Vir-

ginia had adopted an Ordi-

nance of Secession on April

17, 1861. He had supported

preservation of the Union

that his father and uncles

had helped create and op-

posed slavery, but he re-

mained loyal to his native

state. He was at home at Ar-

lington on April 20, 1861,

when he made his decision to

resign his commission in the

U.S. Army. Two days later

Lee left Arlington for Rich-

mond to accept command of

Virginia's military forces

with the General Assembly's

approval; he never returned

to Arlington. About a month

later, with Union occupation

imminent, Mrs. Lee also left

Arlington, managing to send

some of the family valuables

off to safety.

After Arlington became

headquarters for the officers

who were superintending the

nearby defenses of Washing-

ton, many of the remaining

family possessions were

moved to the Patent Office

for safekeeping. Some items,

however, including a few of

the Mount Vernon heirlooms,

had already been looted and

scattered.

A wartime law required

that property owners in are-

as occupied by Federal troops

appear in person to pay their

taxes. Unable to comply with

this rule, Mrs. Lee saw her

estate confiscated in 1864.

An 81-hectare (200-acre) sec-

tion was set aside as a mili-

tary cemetery, the beginning

of today's Arlington National

Cemetery.

In 1892 G.W.C. Lee's suit

against the Federal Govern-

ment for the return of his

property was successful. By

then, hundreds of graves

covered the hills of Arling-

ton and he accepted the

Government's offer of

$150,000 for the property.

For some years the super-

intendent of the cemetery

and the staff used the man-

sion as offices and living

quarters. Beginning in 1925,

the War Department began

restoring the house, and in

1933 it was transferred to

the National Park Service.

In 1955 the mansion was

designated as a memorial to

Robert E. Lee. Over the

years some of the original

furnishings have been ob-

tained. The hope is to restore

the house to its pre-Civil

War appearance and to rec-

reate the home that Lee and

his family loved so much.

Arlington

Sons of Confederate Veterans Page 7

Continued from page 1

Robert E. Lee and his

wife, Mary Anna, made

Arlington House their

home for 30 years until

the American Civil War.

Sons of

Confederate Veterans

Army of

Northern Virginia

Maryland Division

Camp #1398

The newsletter of the Colonel William Norris Camp #1398 is pub-

lished 12 times a year by the camp as a service to its membership

and to the public.

Officers

Steve Gill, Commander

17651 Horizon Place Phone: 703-629-9316

Derwood, MD 20855 E-mail: [email protected]

Robert Brewer, 1st Lt. Commander

205 E. Deer Park Drive Phone: 301-977-0087

Gaithersburg, MD 20877 E-mail: [email protected]

Major David King Jr., 2nd Lt. Commander

5611 Oak Place Phone: 301-530-7634

Bethesda, MD 20817 E-mail: [email protected]

Dan Buckingham, 3rd Lt. Commander

11521 Front Field Lane Phone: 301-983-9002

Potomac, MD 20854 E-mail: [email protected]

Harold Ford, Adjutant/Treasurer

13603 Jacobs Road Phone: 301-831-5510

Mt. Airy, MD 21771 E-mail: [email protected]

Thomas Keefer, Chaplain

12558 Cross Bridge Way Phone: 301-980-9826

Germantown, MD 20874 E-mail: [email protected]

Mitch Mroczka, Recruiting Officer

7333 Brenish Drive Phone: 301-997-2944

Gaithersburg, MD 20879 E-mail: [email protected]

Jim Stargel, Heritage Office/Quartermaster E-mail: jim,[email protected]

Heritage

Violations Notify the Camp

Heritage Officer com-

patriot Jim Stargel

([email protected])

of any heritage

violations.

Harold E. Ford

Adjutant/Treasurer

Colonel William Norris

Camp #1398

SCV CHARGE

“To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we submit the vindica-

tion for which we fought; to your strength will be given the de-

fense 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 D. Lee

Call Toll Free:

1-800-MY-DIXIE

(696-4943)

Col. William Norris Camp #1398

13603 Jacobs Road

Mount Airy, MD 21771

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