Our Son of the South

From: Chaltas, David [mailto:David.Chaltas@Letcher.kyschools.us]
Sent: Sunday, June 24, 2007

My Dear Friend and Brother,

I have just returned from a speaking engagement in Indiana and I was saddened to read of the discord among my brothers. And though I do not know the circumstances or situation, but from your description, I could not have sat there and not address the issue either, as my ancestors are now unable to speak in defense of their achievements. I too do not take what I do lightheartedly, as I know the expense of traveling around the country honoring our southern heritage. Your achievements across this fair land brings honor to all Southerners and has opened the door to those current day black men wishing to embrace their proud heritage as a Southern Black Confederate but unaware of their service and devotion to the South. I have been beside you on numerous occasions and not once have you mentioned money. Instead you peddle you wares, as I my books, and trust in the good Lord to supply our every need. I have watched you in Columbia, S. C. change the demeanor of the crowd from suspicious of my words to receptive, simply by uttering a few words about the proud tradition of the Black Southern Soldier. I have seen you take a fine lady in the crowd taunting this ole general and had her eating out of your hand at Morristown and she even came over and hugged my neck! Such is the power that our good Lord has given you. We need you in this desperate battle to save our Southern Heritage and we must never succumb to the nay sayers. It is our duty, our honor and by all that is holy, our calling, by a gracious God, to preserve the glorious name of all that served the South during that terrible war when Americans were fighting Americans.

You may not be aware of it but you have been an honorary member of our camp for quite some time and we were waiting in hopes of having you attend a meeting to present you with your lifetime certificate. But now seems like a good time to do so. Go to the www.bencaudill.com website and click the link 'membership'. Scroll to the section under Honorary Members and you will find yourself with such distinguished men as General Jackson and Forrest. And it will not be receded. NO ONE can take that away from you and rest assured that I will be by your side in the event that such a hideous act might be attempted.

Stand strong brother and know that this ole general and those men/women that follow the book (Bible) and banner applaud your efforts. Thank you for the passion towards our cause of truth and God's glory that you share with all those you encounter. Let us continue the cause, continue walking the old paths and continue praying for our country to once again embrace those principles that made her glorious! Let us embrace one another and face the common enemies that threaten to destroy our heritage: they are called ignorance, hate, apathy and arrogance. Let us arm ourselves with those biblical principles that our ancestors' cherished and know we must embrace: they are known as truth, love, forgiveness and education. I pray for blessings and peace within you and know that God will do for you what you can not do for yourself.

I Remain Your Obedient Servant,

The Old General
Kentucky Division Chaplain
Ben Caudill Camp Commander #1629

Sir, I offer you and Terry Lee a personal invitation to join us on July 6-8, 2007 for the forthcoming 145 anniversary of the Battle of Gladeville and Cranesnet to be held in Wise, Virginia. It promises to be a spectacular event. I would love to once again have you by my side, carrying the sacred symbol of the South. Feel free to contact me or Ms. Rhonda Robertson at spamsick2004@yahoo.com regarding the event. I have attached the website for your review:
The site address is http://www.battlesatwise.com/.
-----Original Message-----
From: hk@csaweb.org [mailto:hk@csaweb.org]
Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2007 1:48 PM
To: Chaltas, David
Subject: FW: Hurt / An Open Letter

From: H.K. Edgerton [mailto:hk@csaweb.org]
Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2007 1:40 PM
To: 'scv.cic@gmail.com'
Subject: Hurt / An Open Letter

Dear Commander Sullivan,

As you know I have faced a wave of anti HK sentiment for several months now. I had hoped that most of this madness was behind me, and had even sat down with Roger McCredie to discuss finishing my March into the nations capitol , as well as making a re-union March back to Texas. My reasoning being the still constant attack upon our Southland. I had endured the lies about me being a money grubber from Elijah Coleman and the other bigots from within the North Carolina Division of the Sons. However, this morning I faced the greatest insult of all from a man that I have also had a great deal of respect from.; Chick Dillingham , the Commander of the first Camp that I received an Honorary status; the Zebulon Vance Camp # 15 here in the City of Asheville.

Several months ago I attended a Camp meeting and there was a man there who had been at the N.C. State Fair. He evidently met Kirk D. Lyons and their conversation turned to his ancestors. He just happened to be from Ohio or Pennsylvania. He asked to speak to the Camp. He began his dialogue by stating that I am here in the Camp of the enemy , I have not found thankfully that ancestor, and I do want to apologize for how bad we treated you Rebels. Well maybe it was not my place to chide him , but while it appears that according to Mr.. Dillingham , he was just joking. I told him that him and his Yankee family were continuing to do bad things to my Southern babies just as bad as what they had done before and I began to cite some of those things: plaques at the Court House in Texas, the flag over the state House in Columbia, my babies in Blount County, and Maryville, Tennessee, and so many more. I even signed a copy of the Un-Civil war by Mike Scruggs and gave it to him. I wasn't trying to embarrass him, I just didn't think it was a joking matter, nor did I think it was a place to joke about these things. Well, I stopped getting news letters from the Camp. Today Commander Dillingham walked into the office of the SLRC, and I asked why I had stopped getting the newsletter, and he told me that I has insulted their guest, and that I was nothing but a money grubber and was not a member of the Camp and was not invited to ever come back as long as he was the Commander, and furthermore that he didn't even see me as a man.

From the bottom of my heart, I thought that someone should say something to this man from the North , and I meant no disrespect to him, but I don't find what happened to my Southern family then or what is happening now a joking matter. I am very tired of being wrongfully a money grubber when I spend so much of my time, my cars, and effort on a day to day basis fighting this attack upon my homeland and her people, and I watch as so many others profit on my speeches,and my likeness. I have no salary or compensation for what I do everyday. So much is asked of me and my time , the only way I can do what I do is depend on my southern family to help me help all those who call upon my services everyday. Mr.. Dillingham chooses to quote Mr.. Coleman from Georgia who has no qualm in wrongfully attacking anyone who disagrees with him, and I make this quote from members of his own family, especially in his accusations that Mr.. Charles Lunsford, Rusty Henderson, and Alan Trapp were traitors because they climbed into bed with the governor of Georgia in replacing the Georgia State Flag , and did not like it when I told him that I personally had a great deal of respect for these men , and could not accept his statement as truth.

I make no apology for asking for help to fight this cold war that the South is in; I seek not only vindication for the White man of the South , but also for all those loyal Southerners like myself who for far too long have had their ownership in the Southern Cross, and the honor they earned taken away. The time has come that my good name be no longer slandered. I have already tried to assure the members of the press who got wind of the farce in Franklin, Tennessee that this organization and the men who make up its roll are in no way racist , and have shown nothing but love and extreme kindness toward me and men of my color. I can assure you that I wanted to put behind me all the unpleasantness I have faced from some, but today it has come once again to my door. I make no apology to the Yankee who visited this Camp, or to Coleman , but I am beginning to wonder if. I seek your counsel in these matters because today all I can feel is hurt , and wonder if it is or has been worth the pain I now feel. If the people of this organization see me as a money grubber, and think that I am only here for the money, then somebody needs to send me the money that I have not seen , and tell me just what I am supposed to charge for all the insults, beatings, and loss of supposed friends because of what I do, and furthermore explain to me the authority of this Commander to take away from me one of the most cherished possessions that I have; an Honorary membership in the Sons of Confederate Veterans without having my day in court.

Your Brother,
HK