Col. Sherod Hunter Camp 1525, SCV, 1998-1999

CAMP HISTORY

August 1, 1998 to July 31, 1999

JEFFERSON DAVIS MONUMENT RESTORATION PROJECT, NOVEMBER 1998

JEFFERSON DAVIS MONUMENT, U.S. HIGHWAY 60, EAST OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA

In November 1998, the Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525, with assistance from members of the Captain Granville Henderson Oury Camp 1708 (Scottsdale, Arizona) and the Confederate Secret Service Camp 1710, Sons of Confederate Veterans (Sierra Vista, Arizona) carried out its long-planned Jefferson Davis Monument Improvement Project, a major clean-up and grounds improvement at the Jefferson Davis Monument, which is located east of Apache Junction, Arizona on U.S. Highway 60. The monument, which had fallen into deplorable condition as a result of years of neglect, was cleaned up, the surrounding wild vegetation was cleared, the area around the monument was enclosed by a curb of railroad ties, and the enclosed area was laboriously filled with gravel. Last but not least, a barrel cactus, Joshua Tree, and hobo plants were planted near the monument. Through the efforts of Camp Lt. Commander Dan Huskisson, the support and assistance of the Arizona Department of Transportation for the project was obtained. The A.D.O.T. donated the railroad ties (even drilling them with holes for the steel pins which were used to secure them to the ground), gravel, and the plants, delivering the construction materials to the site and installing the plants for us, free of charge. And, it should be said, the A.D.O.T. actually donated these materials not once, but twice (they had dropped the said materials off at the site a few days before we were scheduled to begin work, and somebody absconded with the materials...A.D.O.T. generously replaced them and delivered them to us again the morning we were scheduled to begin work). The Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525 is very grateful to A.D.O.T. for their kind support for our project!

JEFF DAVIS MONUMENT IN DISARRAY

This picture shows the atrocious condition into which the Jefferson Davis Monument had fallen. The picture was taken at one of the cleanup efforts made by the United Daughters of the Confederacy a few months before Camp 1525 completed it's Monument Improvement Project. Unfortunately, despite good intentions, the U.D.C. was never able to muster the labor necessary to do a proper job of maintaining the monument, and sadly, it had returned to almost the same sad state by November 1998, when Camp 1525 completed the improvement.

DURING THE CLEANUP

This photo was taken near the end of the cleanup project, and shows Camp members and friends at a brief respite in the hard work to restore the monument grounds. It shows to good advantage the dramatic change in the appearance of the monument area after Camp 1525 and its friends got finished with it.

THE WORKERS

Shown are the members of Camp 1525 and others who performed the Monument cleanup project. Kneeling in front of the monument are Compatriot Tom Tatum and Lt. Commander Dan Huskisson of the Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525; Standing behind the monument, left to right...Larry Billar, Adjutant, Camp 1525; Compatriot Peter Polley, Confederate Secret Service Camp 1710 (Sierra Vista, Arizona); Commander Wayne Tatum, Captain Granville Henderson Oury Camp 1708 (Scottsdale, Arizona); Robert Baxter, Chaplain, Camp 1525; Compatriot Paul Rheudasil, Camp 1708; Commander Robert Perkins, Camp 1525; Glenn Meek, member of Camp 1710 and Arizona Division Commander; and Compatriot Herbert Deal, Camp 1525.

JEFFERSON DAVIS MEMORIAL SERVICE, DECEMBER 1998

JEFFERSON DAVIS MONUMENT, U.S. HIGHWAY 60, EAST OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA

The next month, the Camp held it's annual Jefferson Davis Memorial Service, at which an award was given recognizing and thanking A.D.O.T. for their generous assistance with our project.

SETTING UP FOR THE CEREMONY

Camp Lt. Commander Dan Huskisson carries the flag stand to the monument. The monument, all cleaned up and the surrounding enclosure are well displayed in this photo.

UNFURLING THE COLOURS

Compatriot Tom Tatum (left), Camp Commander Robert Perkins (center) and Lt. Commander Dan Huskisson (right) unfurl the Camp's colours and set them up in preparation for the ceremony.

BEFORE THE CEREMONY

The Camp flags have been set up, and it is almost time to begin. This picture also displays the fine improvement work done as a result of Camp 1525's Jefferson Davis Monument Improvement Project the previous month. At left, Camp Commander Robert Perkins holds onto his hat as a gust of wind tries to carry it off his head (again). The weather that day was atrocious, with rain, sleet, very cold temperatures, and high winds.

AN ABBREVIATED SPEECH

Camp Commander Robert Perkins (at left) gave the address in honour of President Jefferson Davis, which due to rapidly deteriorating weather conditions, had to be significantly shortened from its original planned form. At right, Camp Lt. Commander Dan Huskisson grins at the somewhat humourous result...

THANKS, A.D.O.T.!!!

Camp Commander Robert Perkins (far left) and Lt. Commander Dan Huskisson (far right) with the representative of the Arizona Department of Transportation Wrecker Road Maintenance Yard, who came to accept the Certificate of Appreciation which Camp 1525 presented in gratitude for A.D.O.T.'s assistance with our Jefferson Davis Monument Improvement Project. As can be seen, the A.D.O.T. man was the only one at the ceremony with enough sense to wear proper rain gear!

VICTORIAN HOLIDAY CELEBRATION, DECEMBER 1998

HERITAGE SQUARE PARK, PHOENIX, ARIZONA

In December 1998 the Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525, for the third year in a row, had a display table at the annual Victorian Holiday Celebration held at historic Heritage Square Park. The display highlighted the many contributions made by Confederate Veterans to the history and development of Arizona during the Victorian Era. Literature about Arizona's Confederate history, Black Confederates, Hispanics in Blue and Gray, and information about the Sons of Confederate Veterans was distributed at the table, which was visited by a large number of people over the course of the day.

THE CAMP DISPLAY

Shown with the Camp display are (left to right), Camp Commander Robert Perkins, Compatriot Tom Tatum, and Camp Lt. Commander Ed Porter.

LEE AND JACKSON DAY, JANUARY 1999

BEEF EATER'S RESTAURANT, PHOENIX, ARIZONA

Camp 1525's annual tribute to the Confederacy's two greatest military leaders, General Robert E. Lee and Lt. General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson, was held at the Beef Eater's Restaurant in Phoenix. As usual, it was a well attended and very fun event, which included a luncheon, good company, and the ever-popular Lee and Jackson Trivia Contest.

ATTENDING THE 1999 LEE AND JACKSON DAY CELEBRATION

Some of those attending the 1999 celebration are pictured here. Kneeling, left to right...Glenn Meek, member of the Confederate Secret Service Camp 1710 (Sierra Vista, Arizona) and Arizona Division Commander, SCV; Pendleton Gaines, member of the Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525 (Phoenix, Arizona) and Judge Advocate, Arizona Division, SCV; Compatriot Tom Tatum, Camp 1525; Dan Huskisson, Lt. Commander, Camp 1525; Standing, left to right...Robert Perkins, Commander, Camp 1525; Miss Julia McSwain, Thunderbird Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy; Robert Hannan, Camp Picacho Peak, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War; Ron Fox, Lt. Commander, Captain Granville Henderson Oury Camp 1708 (Scottsdale, Arizona); Peter Polley, member of Camp 1710 and Arizona Division Heritage Officer; Larry Billar, Adjutant, Camp 1525; Janet Grams, Thunderbird Chapter,, United Daughters of the Confederacy; Compatriot Steve Johnson, Camp 1525; Mrs. Glenn Meek; Compatriot Robert Bohannan, Camp 1708; Mrs William Porter and Mr. William Porter, local reenactors.

ARIZONA STATEHOOD DAYS, FEBRUARY 1999

WESLEY BOLEN PARK, PHOENIX, ARIZONA

The Colonel Sherod Hunter Camp 1525 was invited to participate in the State of Arizona's official Arizona Statehood Days celebration, held at the State Capitol in downtown Phoenix. We set up a booth providing details of Arizona's Confederate history and contributions to the development of Arizona by Confederate veterans, and highlighting the fact that Arizona was admitted to the Union on February 14, 1912...50 years to the day after the Confederate States of America created its own Arizona Territory on 14 February 1862.

THE CAMP BOOTH

Shown at the Camp booth at the 1999 Arizona Statehood Celebration held at the State Capitol in downtown Phoenix are Camp Historian Ed Porter (left) and Camp Commander Robert Perkins (right). The tables look somewhat bare...the day was very, very windy, and large gusts pretty much blew our display away (not to mention destroying the Camp's tarp/dining fly).

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