I AM YOUR CONFEDERATE ANCESTOR

I Am Your Confederate Ancestor
By Trooper Jim DeArman, CSA
CO. B, 37th Texas Calvary(Terrell's)

I am your Confederate ancestor. Remember me?
When our country needed me, I answered the call.

Do not forget me!

I was willing and did give up everything,
Sacrificed all, for country and you.
I faced deprivation, starvation,
faced the winter in tattered uniforms,
marched for miles with no shoes.

In Northern POW camps, ill treatment was the norm,
intentionally withheld medical treatment, festering wounds,
allowed to freeze in the winter, and forced to endure sickness,
with hopes we would die.

I proudly fought under our flag,
for the constitutional republic we desired.
I rallied and faced an army that most of the time,
outnumbered us and was better equipped.

I gave my all and did my best, no sacrifice was to great.
No duty too small.

It was for you I did this, without expecting any reward.
I suffered horrible wounds, and watched the angle of death,
cut vast lines of men down.

I bled for you, soaking the earth. I died for you.

Our families heeded the call,
they suffered under the boot of the Union army,
sacrificing farms, homes, possessions, years of hardships we endured.

Will our self-sacrifice's and heroic deeds,
be forgotten and perish from your memory?

My blood consecrated the ground of our country.
I gave my life for our people and it's land.

I died a heroic death for our independence,
on the battlefields of Shiloh, Chickamauga, Gettysburg.

Behold our bodies laid out in long lines,
the indignity of buried like garbage in mass trenches.

Our faces changed, death reflected in our eyes,
we breathe not, forevermore.

Behold, our mothers, wives, family,
heads bowed down, silently grieving us who will never return.

Some buried forever in Yankee soil. Our friends choked with tears.

The burden of losing us, having to bury us, to entomb us.
We did not betray you!

Our muskets still by our side, ammo pouches empty,
We fought till the last man.

Just as our blood spilled out step by step,
We did all we could, every last man, never to rise.

Only when you forget us, do we truly die.
Only when you turn your back on us, are we truly gone.

Stand up for us!
Fight for us now!
For we carried your name, till death closed our eyes.

Do not let our sacrifice, die with us, our memory!

Raise the flag we fought for, wave it proudly from on high!

Are you ashamed of us, or too weak of heart to carry on?

The banner has been passed to you, do not let it fall or falter...
the battle is now yours.

Remember me... I did not shirk my duty.
Remember me, our bodies laid out in long lines.
But I can arise and live again.

But only through you!

Photo:   SCV Sesquicentennial Heritage Rally, February 25, 2012, Richmond, VA

Va Flaggers

Va Flaggers UPCOMING EVENTS:

Saturday, November 30th:
9:00 a.m. - Noon:  Flagging the Museum of the Confederacy, 1201 East Clay St.
Noon - 4:00 p.m.:  Flagging the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard

Thursday, December 5th:
Noon - 3:00 p.m.:  Flagging the Museum of the Confederacy, 1201 East Clay St.
3:00 p.m. - Dusk.:  Flagging the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard

Sunday, December 8th: 3:00 p.m. - Mechanicsville Christmas Parade, Downtown Mechanicsville, VA - The Va Flaggers are participating in the parade and invite everyone to join us.  We will have Flaggers walking, riding, and the Mechanized Cavalry is joining us again this year!  Meet at the Mechanicsville Recreation Center parking lot by 12:30 to ride to the staging area, or meet at the staging area at 1:00.  http://www.mechanicsvillerotary.org/Assets/2013parade/2013paradestaging/2013%20staging%20area%27s.pdf   (We are in Division 2)  Bring your flag, a bag of candy, and enjoy the afternoon in a VERY Confederate friendly environment.  :)

Friday, January 18th - Saturday, January 19th, 2014:  Lee-Jackson State Holiday/Flagging/Memorial Events, Lexington, Va

Saturday, February 1st, 2014:  Susan will travel to Statesboro, GA to speak at the Lee-Jackson Banquet, held by the Ogeechee Rifles, Camp #941, SCV.  RJ's Restaurant, 454 South Main St. (US 301 S.) @ 6 pm for the meal, preliminaries @ 7 pm and the program immediately following.  Seating limited to 125.  Ticket information forthcoming at a later date.

Saturday, February 22nd, 2014:  Susan will be speaking at the February meeting of the Rev. Beverly Tucker Lacy Camp #2141, SCV, Fredericksburg, VA.  4:00 p.m., Perkins Restaurant, 10 Simpson Rd.

Tuesday, March 4th, 2014:  Susan will be speaking at the March meeting of the R.E Lee Camp #1589, SCV.   Dolce Vita Italian Restaurant, 2401 Colony Crossing Place, Midlothian, VA 23112. Dinner at 6:00 p.m. and meeting at 7:00 p.m.

April 19, 2014, 2014:  Susan will be traveling to Quincy, FL to speak at the Confederate Memorial Day Service at the Soldier's Cemetery, sponsored by the Finley's Brigade, SCV.

Saturday, April 26th, 2014: Susan will be speaking at the Delaware Confederate Memorial Ceremony, Marvel Carriage Museum, 510 South Bedford Street, Georgetown, Delaware, Time: 11AM - 2PM

Contributions to the I-95 Battle Flag projects may be mailed to:

Va Flaggers
P.O. Box 547
Sandston VA 23150

Payable to Va Flaggers

or through PayPal:
http://www.vaflaggers.com/i95flagdonate.html