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Camp Cresset Finley’s Brigade

Camp #1614 Havana, Florida

Recipient – 2011 and 2012 Dr. George R. Tabor “Most Distinguished Camp” Award

"To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we will commit 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 which he loved and which you love also, and those ideals which made him glorious and which you also cherish."

Donnie Kennedy Scheduled to Speak at September meeting!

Make plans to attend Finley’s Camp

meeting on Tuesday September 9th at 6:45pm.

Donnie Kennedy is a “Life Member” of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the author of numerous books including the best seller "The South Was Right". Those who have been privileged to hear him know he is an "on fire" dynamic speaker. Donnie will present for us a special program about how and why American slavery is being used to fight a war against all thing Southern.

Four of his books, including "The South Was Right", and "Myths of American Slavery" will be available for

purchase and autograph at our meeting.

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THIS MONTHS MEETING IS DEDICATED TO:

PAST COMMANDER WILLIAM CLINTON BECKHAM JR.

Our faithful Compatriot, Bill Beckham has “crossed over the river to rest in the shade of the trees”. Bill passed away at home on August 16, 2014. He is

survived by his wife of 43 years, Margaret Beckham. They have three children: William Clinton Beckham III, Erin Milligan, and Lori Lee Beckham.

Bill Beckham was a Life Member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and

was Finley’s Brigade’s second and longest serving Commander. Bill served as the Florida Division 3rd Brigade Commander, and later as the Florida Division

Chief of Staff. Most recently, he had served as 2LT Commander of Finley’s Brigade. In 2004 Bill received the Governor John Milton Award, which is the

Florida Divisions second highest award.

Commander Beckham was the driving force behind the Flags-Across-Florida project. The purpose of this effort was to create permanent sites where Confederate Flags would be flown continually. Bill donated the

property for the first of these Flag sites, located north of Havana, FL on US Hwy 27. Bill also secured the property for the second site on I-75 north of Lake City, FL.

Bill Beckham was respected throughout the Confederation. He was known as a leader among men. His

presence and wise counsel will be missed. Left: Commander

Beckham’s draped casket at the graveside.

Above: The Color Guard at “Parade Rest”

Right: The Havana Flag Site

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Upcoming Events

Finley’s Brigade will be participating in three events in

September. The first of these is the Sesquicentennial

Heritage Rally to be held in Franklin, Tennessee on

September 13, 2014. The rally will be held on part of

the Battle of Franklin Battlefield. Click on link for more

details http://confederate150.com/2014.html

Then on the same weekend of September 26-28 we

will support the Florida Division SCV sponsored

event Rifles, Rails, and History in Tavares Florida http://www.riflesrailsandhistory.com/ and we will

assist the United Daughters of the Confederacy with their Confederate Monument re-dedication

service commemorating the Sesquicentennial of the Battle of Marianna, Florida.

http://www.battleofmarianna.com/

All members are welcome at these events!

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Cadet John Wesley Adams

Contributed by Compatriot George Begley, Great-Great-Grandson of Cadet Adams

During the early 1840’s, when what is now the State of Florida; my ancestor the Reverend Dr. John Wesley

Adams(b.1815)and his wife Caroline Powell Adams were among the first English speaking pioneers to settle

in what is now Wakulla County.

They settled on property located along the banks of the Sopchoppy River that had been deeded to D.C.

Adams by an old Spanish Land Grant. They built a home, church, and Post Office, where Caroline served as

Post Mistress for many years. This homestead became known as “Sopchoppy Place”.

Dr. Adams and Caroline were followers of John Wesley and, of course, Methodist. During the 1847 Annual

Conference of the Methodist Church of Florida, Dr. Adams was appointed Pastor of the Wakulla area. He

conducted services from New Port to Sopchoppy, ministering to all.

The Adams Family became very prosperous as planters and they were the largest slave owners in the

western part of Wakulla County. Dr. Adams constructed his own cotton gin, in which he processed his and

his neighbors’ crop. He also owned his own sailing vessel, the John Wesley, a sloop which he used to

transport the area’s cotton to Cuba, for final shipment to England. This vessel was captured and sunk by

the yanks off St. Marks, early in the War.

Dr. Adams and Caroline had four children born to them: Sarah Iona, Caroline, Drusilla, and my Great-Great-

Grandfather John Wesley Adams. They would marry members of other prominent families from this part of

the State. Sara Iona married William Benton, a Veteran of the “Wakulla Tigers” Company I 5th FL Infantry.

Drusilla married Green D Chaires of Leon County. John Wesley Adams married Elizabeth “Julia” Crawford.

Julia was the daughter of Dr. John Lovick Crawford (for which Crawfordville Florida is named) and Elizabeth

Walker Crawford.

John Wesley Adams II (1848-1913) was a Cadet at the West Florida Seminary in Tallahassee, at what is now

Florida State University. He was 16 years old when he served with the Cadet Company during the March

1865 Battle of Natural Bridge. After the War, Cadet Adams married Julia Crawford in 1876. They acquired

the Gavin Plantation located two miles east of Crawfordville on Lower Bridge Road. John Wesley and his

wife prospered there, by farming and timbering, and gained a vast acreage. John also served as Postmaster

at St. Marks, Florida from 1882-1887. John and Julia had five children: Drew Crawford Adams, Joseph

Adams, Henry Clay Adams, Charles Yancey Adams, and my Great-Grandfather John Lovick Adams. Cadet

Adams and his wife Julia lie at rest in the Crawfordville Cemetery.

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Above Left: Cadet Adams seated on left, about 51 years old. His son John Lovick Adams in the center appears to be

wearing his uniform from the Spanish-American War. Above Right: JW Adams marker in Crawfordville Cemetery.

Below: The Adams-Gavin Plantation home is still standing today.

All photos courtesy of Compatriot George Begley.

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Compatriot Finley McMillan receives his Real Grandson Award

Camp member Finley McMillan was presented with a Real Grandson

Award based on the service of his Grandfather Angus McMillan of

Company K 6th Florida Infantry CSA. At our August meeting we heard

about the life of Captain McMillan from Compatriot McMillan, his

daughter Michelle Kirby and her son Andy Gowan. Captain McMillan served

with our Camp namesake: General Jesse Johnson Finley. Captain

McMillan respected General Finley so much that he named a son after him. Finley McMillan passed his name on to his son and our Camp

member Finley McMillan. It is very special that when Compatriot McMillan joined the Sons of Confederate Veterans, he joined the SCV Camp that shares his own namesake. We are proud to have you, sir!

***Special Memorial Service October 25, 2014 at 3pm***

Finley’s Brigade will conduct a Memorial Service for Private Allen Scott (1835-1906) who

served in the First and Fifth Florida Infantry, CSA. Private Scott’s remains will be moved from an abandoned cemetery, and re-interred next

to his wife Martha Ann Hand Scott, in the Rhodes Cemetery in Woodville, Florida.

Private Scott saw service in the Battles of Santa

Rosa Island, Shiloh, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville,

Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Farmville. Private Scott

was surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. At some point in the War, Allen Scott was wounded in the right forearm and the left

hip. After the War he farmed and worked for the

Railroad.

Make plans to attend this Memorial!

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Commanders Comments Kelly Crocker

What a privilege it was to have known our Past Commander Bill Beckham. He has been a mentor to the Commanders who succeeded him. Bill exemplified James 5:12(KJV) where the Bibles says “let your yea be yea, and your nay be nay.” Translated this means: Say what you mean and mean what you say. All who knew Bill knew that Bill meant what he said. You never had to wonder about where you stood with Bill. The Camp was honored to be part of his Funeral Service where his casket was draped with the Battle Flag and we all sang “Dixie” at the end. Mrs. Beckham said that it was a fitting tribute. While we are sad that Bill is gone, we must continue to fulfill the “Charge”. I am reminded of the old gospel song that says “Let the Church roll on”. Bill Beckham would certainly want “the Camp to roll on”. As you can see in this newsletter, we have three opportunities in September, and more in October. The Scott Memorial will be on October the 25th at 3pm, but there is a lot of preparation involved for this one. We will need some of you to help with the preparation. Please contact me or Marshall Carroll if you can help during the week. Your membership dues are due now. If you have submitted them, thank you. If you have not paid your dues, then please do so as soon as possible. We will be selling Johnston’s Meat products again this year. We will be selling sausage and hams for Thanksgiving. Plan on helping us sell these products to your friends and family. I hope to see you all at the September meeting. You do not want to miss hearing Donnie Kennedy. If you have any of his books, bring them for an autograph. If you don’t have any of his books, then plan on buying one or two at the meeting. They make great gifts for your Southern Friends!

The Florida Confederate Memorial Wall

The “TFCMW” was unveiled to the public on August 9, 2014 at the Tampa Confederate Park and Flag site.

The wall will be a travelling tribute to the 4265 Soldiers and Sailors from Florida who gave their lives for the “Cause” during the War Between the States. Camp

members Kelly Crocker and Larry Thomas attended the unveiling. Kelly was accompanied by his wife Mary Etta,

whose ancestor Joseph Holly is on the “Wall”. Larry brought his mother whose ancestor Bryant Hicks is also on

the “Wall”.

The “Wall” will be on display at the Rifles, Rails, and History event in Tavares in September. Finley’s Brigade is

negotiating with the State Park Service to display the “Wall” at the Natural Bridge Battlefield Park during the

March 2015 Re-enactment.

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The wall consists of ten panels six feet tall and four feet wide that can be placed in a line or an arc.

Close-up of names on “Wall” Editor’s note:

Elbert Glisson is the Ancestor of Camp member Bobby Stinson

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Confederate Trivia Submitted by Compatriot Marshall Carroll

Confederate hospitals treated a large number of soldiers diagnosed with VULNUS SLOPETICUM, what

was it?

Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/235023710735/

Heritage Opportunities

Sept 9 – Camp Meeting with Special Guest Donnie Kennedy Sept 13 – Sesquicentennial Heritage Rally in Franklin, Tennessee Sept 26, 27 – Sesquicentennial of the Battle of Marianna, Florida – Monument dedication Saturday Sept 26-28 – “Rifles, Rails, and History” event in Tavares, Florida - Sponsored by the FL Div SCV Oct 25 – Memorial Service for Pvt Allen Scott at 3:00pm at Rhodes Cemetery in Woodville, Florida Nov 11 – Tallahassee Veterans Day Parade, we will have a marching unit and float Jan 24, 2015 – Lee Jackson Heritage Event at Mission San Luis – Guest Speaker – Lt Gen Thomas J Jackson For times, locations, and details for the following events please contact Commander Crocker at kvcroadking@yahoo.com or 850-339-3051.

Our meetings are always held on the second Tuesday of each and every month at the Golden Corral restaurant on North Monroe Street across from Lake Ella. The program will start promptly at 6:45 so be sure to arrive early (6:00) to enjoy a fine meal and socialize before the meeting starts.

The Camp Cresset Newsletter is the official publication of Camp 1614, Finley’s Brigade, Sons of Confederate Veterans. No content

may be reproduced in part, or in whole, without the expressed written authorization from the Editor-in-Chief. All parts herein remain

the sole property of SCV Camp 1614. ©2014