tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71308643682038527122024-03-05T21:32:23.904-08:00Private Summers' JournalJ.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.comBlogger198125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-66601930933562682292013-10-25T10:22:00.001-07:002013-10-25T10:22:35.232-07:00TRAILER small seq<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/dchEN_IUZE0" width="459"></iframe><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">My new book trailer! Featuring A Beautiful Glittering Lie and A Beckoning Hellfire - both part of the Renegade Series.</span>J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-28332844498457113302011-01-31T20:47:00.000-08:002011-01-31T20:54:00.404-08:00Moving To New Blog SiteHello everyone. This is to inform you that I will be moving to a new blog location. My new blog is at <a href="http://www.abeckoninghellfire.com">www.abeckoninghellfire.com</a>. Please check it out! I apologize for any inconvenience, and look forward to corresponding to you with my new blog. Thank you so much for your continued support!J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-40987011539257453652011-01-27T17:29:00.000-08:002011-01-27T18:01:44.353-08:00Lee-Jackson Celebration<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIJc6ikbHcYZlpUdbB4Tsvsz_XKfUfnL7x1J2BhEKT5xs9LSMOz0N47OGF9wS4tkHj03Ip_Sa0rza1srIMTixBA5-tYDU8MItL7RczvEySLnQRLNpVw3QIbzIJRwxah7qLf15qroquLVW/s1600/Lee-Jackson+Dinner+2011+002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIJc6ikbHcYZlpUdbB4Tsvsz_XKfUfnL7x1J2BhEKT5xs9LSMOz0N47OGF9wS4tkHj03Ip_Sa0rza1srIMTixBA5-tYDU8MItL7RczvEySLnQRLNpVw3QIbzIJRwxah7qLf15qroquLVW/s320/Lee-Jackson+Dinner+2011+002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567050566392353394" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUQ5c98WYgm4g0w1MAgs19zTO87YUXAX1W479Iwi-irzb2Fr4dQuSYHUpcu2bW4n_VohGiVm9AIk8m1wbQBn_IhnBvxA4xDt8JTmL0e1K-G9BvvzmGkGgQrcvatz2DQsh2OvVF2TSQlUg/s1600/Lee-Jackson+Dinner+2011+004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUQ5c98WYgm4g0w1MAgs19zTO87YUXAX1W479Iwi-irzb2Fr4dQuSYHUpcu2bW4n_VohGiVm9AIk8m1wbQBn_IhnBvxA4xDt8JTmL0e1K-G9BvvzmGkGgQrcvatz2DQsh2OvVF2TSQlUg/s320/Lee-Jackson+Dinner+2011+004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567050023632593090" /></a><br />Last Saturday night, the Sons of Confederate Veterans Samuel A. Hughey Camp 1452 celebrated Generals Lee and Jackson's birthdays with a special dinner honoring the occasion. A good-sized crowd turned out to honor the two Confederate generals, including members of the Varina Howell Davis Chapter 2559 United Daughters of the Confederacy.<br /><br />The participants enjoyed a splendid dinner prepared by Linda McCan who, in this writer's opinion, should start her own catering business! Following dinner, Compatriot Jeppie Barbour, who is Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour's brother, gave a talk about the two celebrated generals. <br /><br />The gathering participated in a candlelight vigil honoring the two generals as well as each member's ancestor, who was called out by name. Afterward, a drawing was held, whereby some individuals won grab bags containing Civil War movies, toiletries, etc. The annual dinner was a great experience for all.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-91246130928381079492011-01-24T21:24:00.000-08:002011-01-24T21:36:10.089-08:00Walmart Trial to Start on TuesdayThe trial deciding whether Walmart will gain hallowed land near the Wilderness Battlefield in Orange County, Virginia will start today.Pulitzer Prize winning author and historian James McPherson will be called to testify as a volunteer expert witness. The trial will take place in Orange County Circuit Court and is expected to last a week.<br /><br />The Battle of the Wilderness, which took place on May 5 and 6 in 1864, is considered to be one of the most decisive battles of the Civil War. 185,000 soldiers participated, and 30,000 became casualties. McPherson's testimony will elaborate on the importance of this land, and the historical significance it plays. The proposed Walmart site will destroy land on and around the battlefield.<br /><br />McPherson won the Pulitzer Prize for his book, "Battle Cry of Freedom." He plans to play on the judge's sympathies by relating the graphic details of wounded and dying men who were taken to a field hospital that was located less than a mile from the proposed Walmart site.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-32232777536527220492011-01-20T16:52:00.000-08:002011-01-20T17:13:04.311-08:00UDC/SCV Represented at Local Library<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkUTstzIJk9tNxV3QnL3yVpx21qj5jdcUEmBsIaShbaoh83fjNadTn6NFOiI1yLBoTVwB-IIUcHgjmOjRRbT8A52txOqTNnz-Ybn-AY7TwlhgVVkf6eB9IVKqJJ6zwykyK54weyepilf_/s1600/UDC+Horn+Lake+Library+1-2011+003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkUTstzIJk9tNxV3QnL3yVpx21qj5jdcUEmBsIaShbaoh83fjNadTn6NFOiI1yLBoTVwB-IIUcHgjmOjRRbT8A52txOqTNnz-Ybn-AY7TwlhgVVkf6eB9IVKqJJ6zwykyK54weyepilf_/s320/UDC+Horn+Lake+Library+1-2011+003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564440988767802578" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoB06YNFAwWuM3EOKpK8Vj-9JLXgIjvV3VP0DA0w3PwG3Ir2AdNpKygFYjgtFzVg8awX6Pq7OaMx_xNh6PAYyl2GZqlaRf7vOPumhpZkg6DbJ4v_lb3SFHyPzr6l9fHwZzpIdwu6FN3m0h/s1600/UDC+Horn+Lake+Library+1-2011+006.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoB06YNFAwWuM3EOKpK8Vj-9JLXgIjvV3VP0DA0w3PwG3Ir2AdNpKygFYjgtFzVg8awX6Pq7OaMx_xNh6PAYyl2GZqlaRf7vOPumhpZkg6DbJ4v_lb3SFHyPzr6l9fHwZzpIdwu6FN3m0h/s320/UDC+Horn+Lake+Library+1-2011+006.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564440248158167634" /></a><br />This morning I had the privilege of attending the Horn Lake Library with two of my dear friends, Mr. and Mrs. Lynne Herron, where we gave a presentation about the War Between the States to approximately 200 children. It was a lot of fun, and the kids were great! They were all very well-behaved, attentive, and curious about what people 150 years ago lived like.<br /><br />Our presentation included performing several Civil War songs. Miss Dorothy talked about our period clothing and the language of the fan. Mr. Lynn discussed what a typical soldier in the army had to endure, and he brought along Civil War paraphernalia for the kids to experience, including a cannon ball, bullets, cooking utensils, and weaponry.<br /><br />We gave each one of the kids a piece of hardtack. Most said they liked it! The event was the first in a series that we plan to give as living history lessons to local school children, as well as Seniors in Action and other groups.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-77905203931306530752011-01-18T22:16:00.000-08:002011-01-18T23:11:00.810-08:00Happy Birthday General Lee!Today marks the anniversary of one of the Confederacy's most beloved generals, Robert E. Lee, who was born in 1807. His childhood birthplace, Stratford Hall Plantation in Virginia, still exists and has been restored to its original condition. It is rumored that when young Robert moved away at age four, he ran to the angel carving above the fireplace and kissed it goodbye.<br /><br />Lee graduated from West Point at the top of his class in 1829 and embarked on a career as a civil engineer. He married Mary Custis at Arlington on June 30, 1831. The couple had seven children over the course of the next thirty years. Upon the onset of the Civil War, Lee was a colonel with the U.S. Army. He resigned his position to join the Confederacy, and was named general within months. The next four years would take a terrible toll on his country, his health, and his family. Despite his age, General Lee led his soldiers to victory many times, and his men loved him like a father, affectionately calling him "Marse Robert."<br /><br />Following Appomattox, Lee avoided arrest and was appointed president of Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) in Lexington, Virginia. He served until his death five years later, on September 28, 1870. His citizenship was restored by President Gerald Ford on January 30, 1975.<br /><br />General Lee, a deeply religious man, was admired for his dignity and devotion to duty, not to mention his military genius. Many southern states honor his birthday with observed holidays. He is immortalized in a carving on Stone Mountain, Georgia, as well as numerous statues and paintings.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-76800287875689148862011-01-13T20:47:00.000-08:002011-01-13T20:59:37.397-08:00Library of Congress Receives GiftLate last year, a private collector named Tom Liljenquist from McLean, Virginia, donated a treasure trove of Civil War era tintypes to the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. The donation was the largest one that the library has received in fifty years.<br /><br />Approximately 700 images are included in the collection, most of which are those of Union soldiers who have yet to be identified. Also included are photographs of women, children, and African-American soldiers, which are considered to be quite rare. <br /><br />Mr. Liljenquist donated his collection in order that it could be made available to the public for free. To honor his wishes, the Library of Congress plans a major exhibition featuring the photographs in April. <br /><br />Many of the images can be viewed at <a href="http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/caption/captionliljenquist.html">loc.gov/rr/print/caption/captionliljenquist.html</a>.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-39942541056411819282011-01-10T12:49:00.000-08:002011-01-10T13:09:16.365-08:00Secession! Secession! Secession!As most Civil War buffs know, yesterday was the 150th anniversary of Mississippi's secession from the Union. Today marks the sesquicentennial of Florida's departure, and tomorrow will be the 150th anniversary of Alabama's split from the U.S. government.<br /><br />The United Daughters of the Confederacy, of which I am a member, will be having a commemorative ceremony in Jackson on the 28th at the War Memorial Building. I am certain that other states will be doing the same thing. Our division is also preparing a special pin in honor of the occasion.<br /><br />The fervor that consumed the Southern states during that time must have been contagious. Effigies of Lincoln were burned in the streets, speeches were given to inspire the hearts of young warriors, and celebrations resounded. If only they knew what was in store ... so many naive Americans believed that, if the country did go to war, it would be over in 90 days. Four years later, over 164,000 lives were lost, and the course of American history would be changed forever.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-3669296386157586572011-01-07T18:43:00.000-08:002011-01-07T19:57:36.047-08:00Got the wintertime blues? Visit a museum!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjGgdDlkgrp1YSWhoLdFFXs_4lrGlRZu88Evh2A3iArXMCf-ousen7ygV35TcyX90sSgBBL9VcE8DCFgLaVXQrPt-TMC29cURoeWcmjiILYbjsyBRjNH0GuvMBPbhLnylfhQFhiY9DNs1/s1600/JHB+Album+Cover+%2526+Pink+Palace+026.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjGgdDlkgrp1YSWhoLdFFXs_4lrGlRZu88Evh2A3iArXMCf-ousen7ygV35TcyX90sSgBBL9VcE8DCFgLaVXQrPt-TMC29cURoeWcmjiILYbjsyBRjNH0GuvMBPbhLnylfhQFhiY9DNs1/s320/JHB+Album+Cover+%2526+Pink+Palace+026.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559658557285413314" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYdT-8CLzeVn8XImxefUoPm1bInl81W738D4wdkcw4SudjkEkWLCThmHJPqPPGaciyzAKHgtgccSky6ZjFUTBRJfHmOlHJjXRTfVPdgg9P11q0Sl-IQnIJuCrQtsdKk2_faAhmMe-ewaE/s1600/JHB+Album+Cover+%2526+Pink+Palace+033.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYdT-8CLzeVn8XImxefUoPm1bInl81W738D4wdkcw4SudjkEkWLCThmHJPqPPGaciyzAKHgtgccSky6ZjFUTBRJfHmOlHJjXRTfVPdgg9P11q0Sl-IQnIJuCrQtsdKk2_faAhmMe-ewaE/s320/JHB+Album+Cover+%2526+Pink+Palace+033.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559657772276851890" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nESCUky75oE3zzxN0IRh4gAEpcYU3gjuXIuLYvgJvzvldZ4mTk1dGDPHZDFEunEL7htxDRuDJ8G10ExsA0OKmkegezA2wC0ZSV3mHpqtjVS3904oZkPAlX-6bJmkTmaHV5MLzzxPSobW/s1600/JHB+Album+Cover+%2526+Pink+Palace+017.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nESCUky75oE3zzxN0IRh4gAEpcYU3gjuXIuLYvgJvzvldZ4mTk1dGDPHZDFEunEL7htxDRuDJ8G10ExsA0OKmkegezA2wC0ZSV3mHpqtjVS3904oZkPAlX-6bJmkTmaHV5MLzzxPSobW/s320/JHB+Album+Cover+%2526+Pink+Palace+017.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559656874674515362" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kQJHKjWRB1B63EmTPP4sdTYR8P5xxq6qTp6rcP9m6tsXEvfTvNOrikEJoMDSilLj_7tTY3xh_VTmEUSdMST_SzW1VUU5yyWG1sh8IiZJgu2Kuj6WHbT22k-pRQCITD99E4ebsKxwxObL/s1600/JHB+Album+Cover+%2526+Pink+Palace+018.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kQJHKjWRB1B63EmTPP4sdTYR8P5xxq6qTp6rcP9m6tsXEvfTvNOrikEJoMDSilLj_7tTY3xh_VTmEUSdMST_SzW1VUU5yyWG1sh8IiZJgu2Kuj6WHbT22k-pRQCITD99E4ebsKxwxObL/s320/JHB+Album+Cover+%2526+Pink+Palace+018.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559655096664356514" /></a><br />I don't know about y'all, but for me, January can be a big let down after the holidays. After weeks of holiday cheer, not to mention all the calories, friends, and family coming to visit, once Christmas and New Years are over, so is the excitement. All of a sudden, things get really quiet as they revert back to "normal."<br /><br />My remedy is to get out of the house! And what better place to go than the museum? Go somewhere you haven't gone before, see the surrounding sights, and experience past lives ... it can be fascinating. <br /><br />My son and I recently visited the Pink Palace Museum is Memphis. What an awesome place! The mansion was built by Clarence Saunders, the founder of Piggly Wiggly grocery stores, but he went bust after a legal dispute in the 1920's. The city of Memphis purchased the extravagant castle and turned it into a museum. Along with a natural history section, the Pink Palace also has a planetarium, a Memphis history section, an entire wing dedicated to a local citizen who hand-carved a moving mini circus out of wood and pulleys, and an IMAX theatre. If you're ever in Memphis, check it out!J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-9662183928918058102011-01-04T19:46:00.000-08:002011-01-04T19:48:26.373-08:00Belle Boyd – Cleopatra of the SecessionBelle Boyd was only seventeen years old when she began her illustrious career as a Confederate spy. She quickly learned the art of espionage after her hometown of Martinsburg, Virginia became overrun with Yankees.<br /><br />Born on May 4, 1844, Isabella Maria Boyd was the eldest child of a wealthy family. Her father ran a general store and managed a tobacco plantation. Belle grew up with several brothers and sisters, dominating them all with her tomboyish ways. She attended Mount Washington Female College in Baltimore at age twelve, and after completing her education four years later, enjoyed the life of a fun-loving debutante. Described as having shining blue eyes, thick light brown hair, and a fine figure, she was considered attractive but not beautiful, and made up for it by being overly feminine, flirtatious, and outgoing. A brilliant talker, she dressed colorfully and wore feathers in her hats.<br /> <br />At the onset of the Civil War, Belle’s father enlisted with the Virginia Cavalry, Stonewall Jackson Brigade. It wasn’t long before Belle was confronted with the enemy. On July 2, 1861, Union troops skirmished at nearby Falling Waters, and occupied Martinsburg on July 4. After looting the town, a band of drunken Union soldiers stormed into Belle’s home, tore down the Confederate flag that the Boyd Family proudly flew over their home, and attempted to hoist up the Stars and Stripes. Belle’s mother protested, and was attacked by one of the Yankees. In retaliation, Belle shot him, justifying her actions by stating, “… we ladies are obliged to go armed in order to protect ourselves as best we might from insult and outrage.” Subsequently arrested, she was soon acquitted without reprisal for her action. “The commanding officer,” she wrote, “inquired into all the circumstances with strict impartiality, and finally said I had ‘done perfectly right.’” Belle’s home was constantly guarded by sentries afterward to keep an eye on her activities.<br /><br />She soon became a courier for Generals Beauregard and Jackson, carrying information, confiscating weapons, and delivering medical supplies. By early 1862, she had developed a reputation for herself, dubbed in the press as “La Belle Rebelle,” the “Siren of the Shenandoah,” the “Rebel Joan of Arc,” and the “Amazon of Secessia.” Using her feminine qualities to allure unsuspecting Yankees, she befriended the invading soldiers to obtain information for the Confederacy. One evening in mid-May, she eavesdropped through a peephole on a Council of War while visiting relatives in Front Royal, whose hotel was being used as a Union headquarters. With the information she obtained, she rode fifteen miles to deliver the news to General Stonewall Jackson. On May 23, she ran out onto the battlefield to give General Jackson last minute information. She later wrote that “the Federal pickets … immediately fired upon me … my escape was most providential … rifle-balls flew thick and fast about me … so near my feet as to throw dust in my eyes … numerous bullets whistled by my ears, several actually pierced different parts of my clothing.” Jackson captured the town and later acknowledged her bravery in a personal note. She was subsequently awarded the Confederate Southern Cross of Honor, and given honorary captain and aide-de-camp positions.<br /><br />Belle was arrested on July 29, 1862 and incarcerated at Old Capitol Prison in Washington D.C., but was released a month later as part of a prisoner exchange. She was arrested again in July 1863. Not a model inmate, She waved Confederate flags from her window, loudly sang “Dixie,” and sent information to a contact person <br />outside who shot a rubber ball into her cell. She then sewed messages inside and threw it back. She was released in December, but was arrested again in 1864, and this time was released for health reasons (typhoid fever). On May 8, she was sent to England as a diplomatic courier, but was captured while aboard a blockade runner, The Greyhound. She escaped to Canada with the assistance of Union naval officer Lieutenant Sam Hardinge, who she charmed into convincing him to marry her and switch sides. The two traveled to England, where Belle went to work for the Confederate Secret Service. Hardinge was court-martialed and disgraced for his actions. The two were married on August 24.<br /><br />Belle stayed in England for the next two years, wrote her memoirs, entitled “Belle Boyd in Camp and Prison,” and achieved success onstage. When her husband died in 1866, she returned to America, where she continued her stage career and lecture tour, billing her show as “The Perils of a Spy,” and touting herself as “Cleopatra of the Secession.”<br /><br />In 1869, she married John Swainston Hammond, an Englishman who had fought for the Union army, but sixteen years and four children later, divorced him. She married Nathaniel High, Jr. two months later in January 1885. He was an actor seventeen years her junior. Belle continued the touring circuit. On Sunday, June 10, 1900, while at a speaking engagement with the GAR in Kilbourn (now Wisconsin Dells), Belle died of a heart attack. She was 56 years old and in poverty. Union veterans paid for her funeral. She is buried in Spring Grove Cemetery.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-59727878986520561532011-01-01T08:56:00.000-08:002011-01-01T09:17:11.418-08:00Happy New Year!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rjOpRlblNwUHDdsdZzMHoKc09D-C-zv2RgEY_6Cc3jU6LfOJTYnIxugsykwSQh2DrfxgoTExd36E2E8nZ4cJCtpJNoP7gIeRQIPwNLw7DtupZyzlUgWbAW9JHroCeRyza-fsOs7olB9V/s1600/DSC02332.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rjOpRlblNwUHDdsdZzMHoKc09D-C-zv2RgEY_6Cc3jU6LfOJTYnIxugsykwSQh2DrfxgoTExd36E2E8nZ4cJCtpJNoP7gIeRQIPwNLw7DtupZyzlUgWbAW9JHroCeRyza-fsOs7olB9V/s320/DSC02332.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557265672376997698" /></a><br />Last night, soldiers of SCV Camp 1452 braved the elements in Southaven, Mississippi to guard the gates of Southern Lights. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Southern Lights is a Southaven Christmas tradition. As you drive through the park, music accompanies an awesome light show.<br /><br />This year, the Sons were chosen to collect admission from cars traveling through Southern Lights on New Year's Eve. Although the turnout was less than in other years, the weather was tolerable in that it wasn't too cold (like it was last year), but a thunderstorm caused heavy rainfall at times. The lights were accentuated by occasional flashes of lightning.<br /><br />Here's to a wonderful, happy, prosperous New Year for us all!J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-41553426345868731882010-12-27T19:47:00.000-08:002010-12-27T20:14:37.277-08:00New Discoveries for the New YearThis week, two interesting news stories broke in regard to the War Between the States. It was announced that descendants of John Wilkes Booth are exhuming his brother's body in order to obtain DNA. It will then be compared to the person thought to be buried as John Wilkes Booth. Speculation has circulated since his death (he was shot in a barn two weeks after assassinating President Abraham Lincoln) that an impostor was actually shot, and that the real JWB escaped and lived until 1903, when he committed suicide in Enid, Oklahoma under the assumed name of John St. Helen. Theories exist that he was a member of the Knights of the Golden Circle, an elite group of Confederates who concealed Booth's identity and assisted in his escape.<br /><a href="http://www.aolnews.com/2010/12/23/did-abraham-lincoln-assassin-john-wilkes-booth-escape-dna-may-s/">http://www.aolnews.com/2010/12/23/did-abraham-lincoln-assassin-john-wilkes-booth-escape-dna-may-s/</a><br /> <br /><br />Another discovery concerns a message in a bottle. The find was given to the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia in 1896. It was a gift from Capt. William A. Smith, of King George County, who served during the Vicksburg siege. The message, dated July 4, 1863, was encrypted, and the curator of the museum finally became curious enough to find out what was inside the tiny 2" bottle. Essentially, the author, who is believed to have been Maj. Gen. John G. Walker, of the Texas Division, and who had under his command William Smith, the donor of the bottle, stated that he was unable to provide support to General Pemberton, the Confederate General who was under siege in Vicksburg, Mississippi. It was on that same day that the Confederate army surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant's Union forces.<br /><a href="http://www.aolnews.com/2010/12/25/civil-war-message-in-a-bottle-opened-decoded/?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl1|sec1_lnk3|192058">http://www.aolnews.com/2010/12/25/civil-war-message-in-a-bottle-opened-decoded/?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl1|sec1_lnk3|192058</a>J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-22093080453094119102010-12-23T21:49:00.000-08:002010-12-23T22:05:10.479-08:00Merry Christmas One and All!Here's to wishing everyone a very merry Christmas. I realize that I am being unconventional by not stating "Happy Holidays," but I have a different take on all the political correctness. It is my opinion that you shouldn't say happy holidays merely to avoid offending those who aren't Christians. I tell everyone merry Christmas to celebrate my own Christianity. That is my belief and I should not be forced to be ashamed of it.<br /><br />That being said, remember the familiar adage that Jesus is the reason for the season. If you have the opportunity, attend a church service on Christmas Eve. I guarantee that it will inspire you. For all those who have suffered loss this year, God bless you. And a very special "Merry Christmas" to our armed forces personnel, who are far from home, missing their families. <br /><br />MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-11384691221338174482010-12-20T14:23:00.000-08:002010-12-20T14:37:06.192-08:00And So It BeginsToday marks the 150th anniversary of South Carolina's secession from the Union, and the escalating events that led to America's greatest tragedy, the Civil War. In 1860, the governor of South Carolina recommended that, if Lincoln was elected, the only honorable thing to do would be to secede. So on December 17, which would have been 150 years ago last Friday, delegates to the South Carolina Convention met in Columbia. Because of a smallpox outbreak, the convention was adjourned until the 20th, and an Ordinance of Secession was passed within hours. The vote was 169 in favor to zero opposed.<br /><br />The wife of one of South Carolina's senators, Mary Chesnut, was traveling home by train when she heard the news "...that Lincoln was elected and our fate sealed." She also wrote that "South Carolina had been ... rampant for years. She was the torment of herself and everybody else ... South Carolina had exasperated and heated themselves (sic) into a fever that only a bloodletting could ever cure." Judge Pettigru, who was possibly the only Unionist in the state, remarked that "South Carolina is too small for a republic but too big for an insane asylum."<br /><br />It wouldn't be long before several other southern states joined South Carolina in the cause. From here on out, I will be documenting these events as they occurred over the course of a four-year span. Hope you enjoy!J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-58306327993735783892010-12-17T20:38:00.001-08:002010-12-17T20:47:40.401-08:00UDC ChristmasLast Monday night, my United Daughters of the Confederacy chapter (Varina Howell Davis #2559 in Horn Lake, Mississippi) celebrated Christmas with our annual party. We had a good turnout, and enjoyed lots of great food, friendship, and games! We also participated in a secret Santa gift exchange. <br /><br />The ladies of the UDC have much to celebrate. This year we participated in the Southaven Christmas parade, and recently learned that our float placed FIRST PLACE! We deserve it after traveling the parade route (4 miles) in frigid Mississippi December weather, over hill and dale, and overcoming a locked vehicle. Fortunately, no one fell down this year!<br /><br />My chapter also participated in Southern Lights, which is a Southaven tradition. The UDC works one night at the gate each year, and this is one of our primary money makers. It is my understanding that we collected enough to make our goal this year. The Christmas season is indeed a special one when we have so many friends to celebrate it with.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-28468231992445704602010-12-12T20:36:00.000-08:002010-12-12T21:01:12.635-08:00Battle of FredericksburgMonday marks the 148th anniversary of the Battle of Fredericksburg in Virginia. It was during this battle that Burnside's Union forces faced defeat at the hands of General Lee's Confederates, who were entrenched on Marye's Heights. The Yankees were literally mowed down, and during the course of the bitter cold night, suffered tremendously, their cries and moans echoing in the still December air to the distraught ears of the Rebels.<br /><br />One remarkable soldier laid his life on the line to assist the poor soldiers he was fighting against. This is a profound gesture, because the Union soldiers had pillaged the town upon their arrival, driving the remaining citizens into the woods to fend for themselves. Private Richard Rowland Kirkland, only nineteen years old, ventured out onto the battlefield to offer fallen Yankees sips of water from his canteen. Because of his bravery, he is forever known as "The Angel of Marye's Heights." He was killed a year later at the Battle of Chickamauga.<br /><br />The battlefield has been honorably preserved, as has a house that survived the midst of battle and still has bullet hole pock mark scars to prove it. My novel, A Beckoning Hellfire, discusses the battle, and the remarkable thing that occurred afterward. Once the fighting had ceased, Northern Lights became visible in the winter sky. This was extremely unusual, as they are normally not seen that far south. The Confederates took it as a sign from God that he approved of their victory.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-44081688076501608032010-12-09T16:32:00.000-08:002010-12-09T16:50:11.145-08:00Blandford ChurchWhile on a recent trip through Virginia, I was able to visit the historic Blandford Church, located in Petersburg. The church is nearly as old as Virginia itself, having been built in 1735. It sat vacant for nearly a century, from 1800 to 1900, but during the War Between the States, it was used as a field hospital. The structure is a simple one-story, with a balcony that was later taken out. <br /><br />After the war, Louis Tiffany was commissioned to create stained glass windows in honor of the southern states, each one portrayed by a saint. These include St. John for Virginia, St. Peter for Missouri, St Mark for South Carolina, St. Bartholomew for North Carolina, St. Paul for Louisiana, St James for Mississippi, St. Philip for Tennessee, St. Thomas for Georgia, St. Matthew for Florida, St. Luke for Texas, and St. Andrew for Alabama. Two smaller windows at the back of the church represent Arkansas and Maryland. Every saint has subtle details included within the window. There is also a poem etched in pencil on one of the walls, which is thought to have been composed by either Edgar Allen Poe or Tyrone Powers.<br /><br />There are only five states that have Tiffany glass windows, and they are in Virginia, New York (which has two), Iowa, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Outside the church is a cemetery where 30,000 Confederate soldiers are buried. The cemetery's entrance is marked by a huge granite arch. There are no weekly services conducted, but the church does hold wedding and summer services, as well as a Sons of Confederates Christmas program. This year's program is entitled, "The Winter of 1864," and letters from soldiers will be read. If you have the opportunity, visit this beautiful, amazing old church.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-36366594830298540722010-11-30T21:54:00.000-08:002010-11-30T22:02:08.934-08:00Tis the Season!Now that it is December, the holidays are officially upon us. I always hesitate to say that until November has passed: contradictory to retailers who can’t wait to push the holidays on us by displaying Christmas trees and decorations in their stores even before Halloween. It seems like an atrocity, even though I understand where they’re coming from, but they are missing the whole point by being money motivated. Money is not the reason for the season!<br /><br />I feel very fortunate this year in that I will be able to spend the holidays with most of my family and close friends. It is a big deal for me since my family is scattered across the country. This year, I will be able to see my youngest son’s annual Christmas concert for the first time, see my oldest son’s new home, and be able to experience California in December.<br /><br />However, my parents will be spending Christmas in a nursing home. Since my dad’s fall last summer, his health hasn’t improved significantly, and my mom will spend Christmas and New Year’s in the nursing home with him, just like she did on Thanksgiving … alone. No relatives will make their way over there because of various reasons (too busy, too emotional, bad weather, too far away – yeah I’m guilty of that one). So please keep them in your prayers, as well as those who are suffering loss this time of year, be it the loss of a job, a home, a loved one, or a relationship.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-37420241234527450412010-11-28T20:40:00.000-08:002010-11-28T21:07:02.309-08:00Another Fascinating DiscoveryRecently, a site relating to the War Between the States was discovered in Georgia. This time, it was a Confederate prison used for Union POW's. The prison was occupied for a short time before closing in 1864, when prisoners were relocated to South Carolina to avoid Sherman's "March to the Sea."<br /><br />Specifically, the camp, which was referred to as "Camp Lawton" because it was near Lawton, Georgia, replaced Andersonville in the fall of 1864. The camp was just as foul, and was only used for six weeks. During that time, approximately 725 to 1,330 men perished. The number is unknown because the deceased were tossed into a mass grave, which the Union soldiers discovered in December 1864. Only a board beside a freshly-dug plot, stating "650 buried here," marked their remains. Enraged, Union troops burned the prison to the ground, as well as a hotel and depot in nearby Millen. No photo exists of the camp, but a Union mapmaker named Private Robert Knox Sneden painted watercolor pictures and kept a journal detailing life in Lawton while he was imprisoned there.<br /><br />The site was lost for nearly 150 years, but was discovered by Georgia Southern University students who were exploring a state park and federal fish hatchery in Lawton. They found prisoners' personal artifacts such as silverware and coins, as well as the exact location of the prison's stockade. Archeologists have proclaimed that the find is "one of the most significant Civil war discoveries in decades."J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-62802660558222165392010-11-24T19:52:00.000-08:002010-11-24T20:19:31.910-08:00Happy Thanksgiving!I would like to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving. The last Thursday of November was proclaimed a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln on October 3, 1863, thus commemorating "a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens." It took nearly a century before some cities in the South, such as Vicksburg, Mississippi, finally acknowledged the holiday.<br /><br />Only a week earlier, on November 19, 1863, President Lincoln traveled to Gettysburg to dedicate a national cemetery that was being established to bury Union soldiers who had met their demise there. Everyone is (or should be) familiar with his Gettysburg Address. After delivering his famous speech, which he considered to be "a few appropriate remarks," he was heard to have stated, "I failed, I failed, and that is about all that can be said about it." This was because of the poor reception he received following his speech, but little did he know that his words would become one of the most famous addresses in American history.<br /><br />With that, let us all give thanks for what we are blessed with. Sometimes it is difficult to perceive the blessings we receive, just as Mr. Lincoln failed to perceive the potency of his words at the time. Many have friends and/or family who are dealing with the loss of loved ones or other critical situations in their lives. During this holiday season, please pray for them, as well as our military personnel.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-19407342370926694262010-11-23T20:05:00.000-08:002010-11-23T21:03:39.236-08:00UDC National Convention (pt. 5)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRhbj9vE5qIwMeOc6tKSb-6j70fE0_cxQxz3h4tQav09j_y0jpQTIbLCRkrjCBEIq8WlM4WfDsHi2swz92PGbSqQU1-2NKym8LtPJnGpk6wXisDd1VNl-JMy6lCtXtJmiHQm-rOAEh3Q3/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+389.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRhbj9vE5qIwMeOc6tKSb-6j70fE0_cxQxz3h4tQav09j_y0jpQTIbLCRkrjCBEIq8WlM4WfDsHi2swz92PGbSqQU1-2NKym8LtPJnGpk6wXisDd1VNl-JMy6lCtXtJmiHQm-rOAEh3Q3/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+389.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542976969582442610" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_vqBcOOsq98vI81ZCe8xrghdBpJh8BYZkqlmC5atJwtvIXcV1ECuJ1LemUvTmO5ztfVwCRS1lSZrxylrtM2jF2dKsuHBbdCmeT7ZXmIePntQ4UfwgP3zdFy6SVlPL0i1J1TS7MFGhufT/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+424.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_vqBcOOsq98vI81ZCe8xrghdBpJh8BYZkqlmC5atJwtvIXcV1ECuJ1LemUvTmO5ztfVwCRS1lSZrxylrtM2jF2dKsuHBbdCmeT7ZXmIePntQ4UfwgP3zdFy6SVlPL0i1J1TS7MFGhufT/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+424.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542975153002522754" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOPjdpeT5MBCXEFduTjSDzIiIYFuS6mNR5IZpfx6_NzL8X2qM-6fmOC5YC2NhUsoBqgFhhu8pXj_NCK8rtjLGDqkI67hRAZJF8udBgFpo8kdFM_g3xjDf7J7rvWIErjG1qJzwRNxxcI11/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+428.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOPjdpeT5MBCXEFduTjSDzIiIYFuS6mNR5IZpfx6_NzL8X2qM-6fmOC5YC2NhUsoBqgFhhu8pXj_NCK8rtjLGDqkI67hRAZJF8udBgFpo8kdFM_g3xjDf7J7rvWIErjG1qJzwRNxxcI11/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+428.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542973719648709314" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcF1ARoLpAMnuVGQICmaI9ob6kpj1BmWK7ilWWFPN_zlXMsKLQ17LQCxz3h8_kf__B24DfYa7mTv6q2NfoArlijUZJqiHfqdQhEOSf0XhjCe7b_4Qx2wDb-eVNg5smENs4ifXoXHW_GmTM/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+435.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcF1ARoLpAMnuVGQICmaI9ob6kpj1BmWK7ilWWFPN_zlXMsKLQ17LQCxz3h8_kf__B24DfYa7mTv6q2NfoArlijUZJqiHfqdQhEOSf0XhjCe7b_4Qx2wDb-eVNg5smENs4ifXoXHW_GmTM/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+435.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542972011838023906" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYM-GzP9cnfbHn_Obn6RLNeC5kk7uk-SZmygo-9K1z1MyFGzfVsSQhlvSTRUuKr3NYvsOLwEqmOJex2dtw9iUokC8omDG56348KmankthD7stpK-WBlgP4Vvag7fOHf3VYLT9JsfTm0Qf5/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+457.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYM-GzP9cnfbHn_Obn6RLNeC5kk7uk-SZmygo-9K1z1MyFGzfVsSQhlvSTRUuKr3NYvsOLwEqmOJex2dtw9iUokC8omDG56348KmankthD7stpK-WBlgP4Vvag7fOHf3VYLT9JsfTm0Qf5/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+457.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542970196604967298" /></a><br />Sunday night, November 7, following dinner at the United Daughters of the Confederacy National Convention in Richmond, I managed to contract a stomach virus, and paid for it all night. I learned later that the bug was going around, but at the time, I wasn't sure if it was food poisoning. After suffering for 72 hours, I realized that it wasn't food poisoning after all. <br /><br />Monday was the final day of the convention, but I spent the entire time in bed while other members voted in new officers. Our Mississippi president was elected national vice president. Fortunately, one of the ladies had an extra bed to provide me before we departed the Omni Hotel on Monday evening and headed back to Charlottesville, spotting several white-tailed deer along the way.<br /><br />In the morning, we went out for breakfast, departed Lake Monticello, and headed to Appomattox Courthouse. Wilmer McLean's house has been restored, as have several other outbuildings at the tavern, located at a crossroads intersection. The road where Confederate soldiers lined up to surrender their arms still exists. The buildings were in severe decay when restoration began. Mr. McLean lived at the home for five years after the war until his debt forced him to move back to Northern Virginia, where his wife owned a home. From that time until the 1970's, the house and surrounding buildings stood vacant. Restoration is still in process.<br /><br />We reached Knoxville, where we spent the night, and continued on to Mississippi the following day. Hence, our big trip came to an end. Even though I fell sick, it was still the trip of a lifetime, and I'm glad I went! Thanks to everyone who helped make it happen.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-43382351662982798552010-11-22T17:40:00.000-08:002010-11-22T18:42:52.215-08:00UDC National Convention (pt. 4)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7b0nUurJzqSjMfa73OeAk74ZO_FOKMGDxUikrfkcKzcsEAEW7Th69ppj8huovK-7uqsTPAwG9ZuGRcBZZqdkspx54h0Rov21d-bcpwFV1eHAtxMJbxjsjWnEQ0T_om8Sf33SJ-JAHMVmR/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+221.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7b0nUurJzqSjMfa73OeAk74ZO_FOKMGDxUikrfkcKzcsEAEW7Th69ppj8huovK-7uqsTPAwG9ZuGRcBZZqdkspx54h0Rov21d-bcpwFV1eHAtxMJbxjsjWnEQ0T_om8Sf33SJ-JAHMVmR/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+221.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542569437286956258" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPm_8sATU7cmaeY2DpTU2jJzwK3WJMvMPtDNbB9-1rx6y-zTq5g64RE1LakO3EdUcyaSXMXegH52BoKIH7ZkauJp145PjifQ9hejvJSd9mpA5Tf9qbsCAeZmMR3KNLNLxH280QAIvOPLhL/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+230.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPm_8sATU7cmaeY2DpTU2jJzwK3WJMvMPtDNbB9-1rx6y-zTq5g64RE1LakO3EdUcyaSXMXegH52BoKIH7ZkauJp145PjifQ9hejvJSd9mpA5Tf9qbsCAeZmMR3KNLNLxH280QAIvOPLhL/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+230.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542567032650727410" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemqTtEt4bW6VGX3XKBAAgKb_OkM37gI35WF-esCep-CLMWaphctIMsoS_bPSMaum7G3uNmSXrrqj2hD23UJQziR869xGJGUtgzYHshA_yQnWftDh2ZPlZF9FEZsrR9g-lh_zmMwm6jTWD/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+303.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemqTtEt4bW6VGX3XKBAAgKb_OkM37gI35WF-esCep-CLMWaphctIMsoS_bPSMaum7G3uNmSXrrqj2hD23UJQziR869xGJGUtgzYHshA_yQnWftDh2ZPlZF9FEZsrR9g-lh_zmMwm6jTWD/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+303.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542565566390729010" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZ_FcI9K2MTt55n_jM27w-391OaoAUu8-kTKSpwvHbknLTqNOg34KK54K5ewOge83TNpSnCtqZg0FgLYXb8ZGUtiwtplO0EbEc8aViJpyQ4A6KuOpIAMd5_MNWe9d63olRWb9ugJHjr0i/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+254.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZ_FcI9K2MTt55n_jM27w-391OaoAUu8-kTKSpwvHbknLTqNOg34KK54K5ewOge83TNpSnCtqZg0FgLYXb8ZGUtiwtplO0EbEc8aViJpyQ4A6KuOpIAMd5_MNWe9d63olRWb9ugJHjr0i/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+254.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542564174892976562" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQkOnsSnSEsr3gOYRUZzFtmmOifyOxdUfWH_y2US_HILUmIiPxPovbXDY07lPpI-Z5Hls2Oei5aCJMMtGmfn8T3qsqm52rr47QZs0N8uOktwcWgxp8BvnpNfE-f8NUGBnBS502I2OGZri/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+328.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQkOnsSnSEsr3gOYRUZzFtmmOifyOxdUfWH_y2US_HILUmIiPxPovbXDY07lPpI-Z5Hls2Oei5aCJMMtGmfn8T3qsqm52rr47QZs0N8uOktwcWgxp8BvnpNfE-f8NUGBnBS502I2OGZri/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+328.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542562514240475122" /></a><br />Sunday morning, November 7 was bright and sunny. My group decided to head over to Hollywood Cemetery, where we made a tour for ourselves, taking in the sights. The Confederate monument shaped like a pyramid was awesome, as was seeing the graves of Jeb Stuart, Jefferson Davis and Varina Howell Davis, my chapters' namesake. Somehow we missed Pickett's grave site, but we saw enough old Victorian headstones to make up for it,and the fall colors were brilliant.<br /><br />We returned to the hotel in time to change and board the bus for a memorial service, which was held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Richmond. This church has seen a lot of history in its day ... Jefferson Davis was in a Sunday morning service when a courier delivered the news that Robert E. Lee was pulling his troops from Richmond. Once the service was over, President Davis ordered that the city be evacuated and departed himself later that day. We then continued our tour onto the headquarters of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.<br /><br />On Sunday evening, we congregated in the large convention hall again for a silent auction, dinner, and entertainment by Doug Lothes, who gave us his interpretation of "Gone With the Wind in 20 Minutes." His performance was absolutely hilarious! He portrayed each of the characters himself while adding his own flair. It was a very fun evening, until ...J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-17260163383847108712010-11-20T19:51:00.000-08:002010-11-20T20:32:16.356-08:00UDC National Convention (pt. 3)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmA6VUT0-_1g4qfAnUc0N5mPqDeRuCAym2Ok0ScjiFNKVVeBYVwgMZcoFeRt_sLPjTllBSey3D8GZrqQRe-V-5uJYt__5pzlp5Tl09HFkMC-Z9771e4jarKKuwS4ul56T1Y1eVLrJ-yK1/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+184.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmA6VUT0-_1g4qfAnUc0N5mPqDeRuCAym2Ok0ScjiFNKVVeBYVwgMZcoFeRt_sLPjTllBSey3D8GZrqQRe-V-5uJYt__5pzlp5Tl09HFkMC-Z9771e4jarKKuwS4ul56T1Y1eVLrJ-yK1/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+184.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541853347649470978" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToylMjyrNHxwhgx6635d2LnpVh5csswIMt7U4rlLbKg9iWyT_zpQf2EYepF7kfEhxeQGokcWENmy0fehucUjNCeg7UvypwlYuaP4P871HUCjqpkq_SQ21ibazlOdKf0D6sjTHXLGWGXYS/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+190.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgToylMjyrNHxwhgx6635d2LnpVh5csswIMt7U4rlLbKg9iWyT_zpQf2EYepF7kfEhxeQGokcWENmy0fehucUjNCeg7UvypwlYuaP4P871HUCjqpkq_SQ21ibazlOdKf0D6sjTHXLGWGXYS/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+190.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541852680002150818" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDw-RjHIhlzFky5MLpJqYs3cw3p-XaPcSQBcc68EtbQ9BZDvBc2GKJACP4CE9zObZUHeFCfxSt8zKvcwEZHOLXICx1C7u2CzhZ1QJM_eYLNG71RYJGgeCWQGwxp4tuJKsbLfFTljGfXME/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+199.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDw-RjHIhlzFky5MLpJqYs3cw3p-XaPcSQBcc68EtbQ9BZDvBc2GKJACP4CE9zObZUHeFCfxSt8zKvcwEZHOLXICx1C7u2CzhZ1QJM_eYLNG71RYJGgeCWQGwxp4tuJKsbLfFTljGfXME/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+199.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541852060151722626" /></a><br />Friday morning, November 5 in Richmond consisted of one meeting after another. I set up shop in the corner of a vendor's table and commenced to selling my novel while enjoying the crowd, as well as the other vendors. The hats were awesome! At lunchtime, the UDC ladies dined on salads and listened to entertainment provided by a local author who portrayed his character. <br /><br />Following an afternoon of more meetings, we congregated after supper in the large convention hall. Each state who had representatives present at the convention had their flag carried in, whereby the ladies from that state sang their state song. It was very inspirational. After the display, Mrs. Ruth Ann Coski spoke about Varina Howell Davis. I had the opportunity to meet Ms. Coski, and gave her a copy of my novel, A Beckoning Hellfire, to pass on to her husband, John, who assisted me in my writing in research.<br /><br />On Saturday, the ladies partook in more meetings. My small group of Mississippi Ma'ams found a very cool restaurant down the street, which looked to be as old as Richmond itself, and served the best hamburgers! On Saturday evening, we dressed up and gathered in the large convention hall for the President's Dinner, where live musicians (Civil War era, of course) entertained us.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-77338342621021105422010-11-18T19:26:00.000-08:002010-11-18T20:20:19.992-08:00UDC National Convention (pt. 2)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCD502H3pcFpItuhkhpLSQp7BLU68yRWJ0vVARCPz4TxCDU4deP7UZcyQTdwyfD0il7YFhEl5-iGi2dV-ds1D8m25tzDjsFqU227xKiwLJfpYdvR6UhOo2nGkOSJyksxPnfeaPGOMejip/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+107.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCD502H3pcFpItuhkhpLSQp7BLU68yRWJ0vVARCPz4TxCDU4deP7UZcyQTdwyfD0il7YFhEl5-iGi2dV-ds1D8m25tzDjsFqU227xKiwLJfpYdvR6UhOo2nGkOSJyksxPnfeaPGOMejip/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+107.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541110866486141042" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcVptV19hI0MN_vKIuw-uplaPuVMkRiagnokJLMtlMtMJ7R3FF6zoghBeRpau5H2fZm2Jn9kFkILoOTt9UDbcZeKVYpD4C6UCkyygbH_DsYJr4jYBbQ1RFKvel4akM1LZHrAIVNnARbmI/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+114.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcVptV19hI0MN_vKIuw-uplaPuVMkRiagnokJLMtlMtMJ7R3FF6zoghBeRpau5H2fZm2Jn9kFkILoOTt9UDbcZeKVYpD4C6UCkyygbH_DsYJr4jYBbQ1RFKvel4akM1LZHrAIVNnARbmI/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+114.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541109497278182914" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBJrdiYejlEpKHNZ1azJUDRXwVF9ClwfuWFQU7x8IhaawSXHNB9xrDCNHrgBBSqOy9H7WxdRc9W1KdnKR2ugUDH5AOvvBifDlBsjbe6-STXjyzQy22hWTTxY8_nL4vQsEnE1dr3ppzM-J/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+176.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQBJrdiYejlEpKHNZ1azJUDRXwVF9ClwfuWFQU7x8IhaawSXHNB9xrDCNHrgBBSqOy9H7WxdRc9W1KdnKR2ugUDH5AOvvBifDlBsjbe6-STXjyzQy22hWTTxY8_nL4vQsEnE1dr3ppzM-J/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+176.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541108068035374258" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTTTrLam0Am6gOTjftHcajG__vKlWkwd5c0NcQcFTglrjnd6cw1IDXObilxJquAsZ_1N06Sqr0WwycaRMhyI4DTbgsnHvOhqdNvMgguhmzshk0wnbT3cqJIc2OkXyRD5Lud8ryFpxQF2E/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+127.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTTTrLam0Am6gOTjftHcajG__vKlWkwd5c0NcQcFTglrjnd6cw1IDXObilxJquAsZ_1N06Sqr0WwycaRMhyI4DTbgsnHvOhqdNvMgguhmzshk0wnbT3cqJIc2OkXyRD5Lud8ryFpxQF2E/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+127.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541107406392759458" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHmDJ6B-gxrfs0JasDh1-qpPbYzgvwCBgW4GvwepiMuqQqaVn88Tf3p1V5XWaRpoXh6Ffz_5t97VAHfWHo8Vns8Y491Ch7s9Se4BNQwMGHwfQ4lzm24QQirYNZjKR4_kEUMR_fy8l3_BwK/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+174.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHmDJ6B-gxrfs0JasDh1-qpPbYzgvwCBgW4GvwepiMuqQqaVn88Tf3p1V5XWaRpoXh6Ffz_5t97VAHfWHo8Vns8Y491Ch7s9Se4BNQwMGHwfQ4lzm24QQirYNZjKR4_kEUMR_fy8l3_BwK/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+174.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541104804405516306" /></a><br />My escapades with the UDC ladies continued. On Thursday, November 4, after spending the night in Charlottesville, we traveled on toward Richmond through heavy rainfall, traffic, and ominous darkness. Amazingly, we arrived at the Omni Hotel, checked in to our wonderful room, and made it back downstairs in time to board the tour bus, which took us to the state Capitol Building. A tour guide gave us the insights as to Jefferson Davis' time spent there, as well as many other patriots who resided within its Romanesque-like walls. <br /><br />Following a quick lunch, we rode the bus to Petersburg, and toured the amazing Blandford Church. Following the Civil War, the infamous Louis Tiffany was commissioned to create stained glass windows for the church, each one representing a state of the Confederacy. Needless to say, the sight was inspiring. We boarded the bus, rode through the ancient cemetery surrounding the church, and embarked back to Richmond, where we toured the Museum of the Confederacy.<br /><br />I have been to the museum once before, but this time was even more insightful. It's like most things in life: you see it once and you remember certain things, but when you see it again, you absorb so much more. I noticed paintings I hadn't remembered seeing before, and the portrait of General Robert E. Lee was almost spooky, because his eyes seemed to follow me wherever I was in the room! My "partner in crime" persuaded one of the vendors to share their table, and so I was established to sell my novels at a small end corner of one of the tables. Thus began the convention ...J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7130864368203852712.post-33717263696072423382010-11-16T19:58:00.000-08:002010-11-16T21:19:00.250-08:00UDC National Convention<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcw6VWDYKlBd943Ou_biZW0zyNwvAGET4iS0jygwtVEhz6zJgBHghhyphenhyphenpCddSmEHg79QHIOUVEiArtev4JIBd4TXGsjIx1JK2gibUjxii-ONYLcyPuF2x2r6fS6YAAgH0yvWBrUE17MsZa/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcw6VWDYKlBd943Ou_biZW0zyNwvAGET4iS0jygwtVEhz6zJgBHghhyphenhyphenpCddSmEHg79QHIOUVEiArtev4JIBd4TXGsjIx1JK2gibUjxii-ONYLcyPuF2x2r6fS6YAAgH0yvWBrUE17MsZa/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540378282010827570" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRYWzIACWSgsOq1uAoPaJmPPZ1gfT4OKPe1JBRk_OZCDZOkKJgeo09T723faXvnrGkmKjvuvK1nDow6kE99dWPSDg_hescAp45IqPsqUqQjHFu7AfvDfzQFXeV-bD_mF0p6-qI0DmdaTk/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+011.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRYWzIACWSgsOq1uAoPaJmPPZ1gfT4OKPe1JBRk_OZCDZOkKJgeo09T723faXvnrGkmKjvuvK1nDow6kE99dWPSDg_hescAp45IqPsqUqQjHFu7AfvDfzQFXeV-bD_mF0p6-qI0DmdaTk/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540376624955870146" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSw359h12tMGivqmxSEh-LJiz56tYr69gyHd5a1Uy37djowNdh7IwXJL3Ae4kXgvf0NJPlmRfJXE6jBatxMbuJ39ohat7Ty-Fq25gVolDpr_DYPXI0hciIYIfvNWJkr3A_BFNqQ6ca4MF/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+020.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSw359h12tMGivqmxSEh-LJiz56tYr69gyHd5a1Uy37djowNdh7IwXJL3Ae4kXgvf0NJPlmRfJXE6jBatxMbuJ39ohat7Ty-Fq25gVolDpr_DYPXI0hciIYIfvNWJkr3A_BFNqQ6ca4MF/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+020.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540375043293877298" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_yoVuo-4crLA3lNLjBafjoQ_Iflng2WF0rOKrRHMat-NGPvQhi9B8gwIPaxR6AhgI0146zEFQctFtdAE-dKhbjowZmio5AUNXqmUu9mUYqRjf8bHf83FnwmKJExUudSbXR52Zdd9y9h7/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+040.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_yoVuo-4crLA3lNLjBafjoQ_Iflng2WF0rOKrRHMat-NGPvQhi9B8gwIPaxR6AhgI0146zEFQctFtdAE-dKhbjowZmio5AUNXqmUu9mUYqRjf8bHf83FnwmKJExUudSbXR52Zdd9y9h7/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+040.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540373415756007378" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjWGLdbGgiyHlbPakFfhcFFPugKqHenE6sgv_eS3lP4FAmSKEJX0QkIXoA3aNJPfx54XEABAIcCzdMak6mr7xawBk_AmbDTAUefZN7I9HJ72XP5t0NzCShGuhAHfnhpzALigS7fyXjoyj/s1600/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+045.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjWGLdbGgiyHlbPakFfhcFFPugKqHenE6sgv_eS3lP4FAmSKEJX0QkIXoA3aNJPfx54XEABAIcCzdMak6mr7xawBk_AmbDTAUefZN7I9HJ72XP5t0NzCShGuhAHfnhpzALigS7fyXjoyj/s320/Virginia+Trip+-+UDC+General+11-2010+045.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540370815556334514" /></a><br />Last weekend (Nov. 4-9) was the national United Daughters of the Confederacy General convention. This year, the event took place in Richmond, which only seems appropriate, since that city was the capital for the Confederacy during the War Between the States. Over the course of the next several installations, I will discuss the convention, as well as Richmond itself, and all of the amazing history that exists there.<br /><br />I departed from Mississippi on Tuesday with three other ladies, two of which belong to the Varina Howell Davis chapter of the UDC with me (I am an associate member, but I prefer to refer to myself as an "honorary member"). After a day of driving through Tennessee, we reached the border of Virginia, and immediately, my spirits were lifted. I have only been to Virginia twice before, but every time I go there, I get an overwhelming feeling that I have been there in a previous life. The beauty of the state always awes and inspires me. <br /><br />After spending the night in Wytheville, we proceeded the next day toward Charlottesville. En route, we traveled the Blue Ridge Parkway, which was amazing, adorned in colorful fall foliage. Some of these photos can attest to the awe-inspiring beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.J.D.R.Hawkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10512376388737776363noreply@blogger.com0