When we arrived in Atlanta, my nagivagtor (Pete the Wizzard) and I circled several blocks before seeing an area covered in red and blue flags of assorted varieties: all versions of the Confederate government's flags, General Lee's flag, some regimental flags, and many '56 Georgia flags (which is the official flag of the Georgia division).

There were probably two hundred participants gathered at the meeting area. Some wore Confederate uniforms, others were in period clothing, but most were dressed in modern day attire. Lee's Cadet Corp was well represented with a fine looking bunch of young gentlemen. There was even a banjo player strumming Southern songs. One other fellow was there. He was dressed in black, had a black beard, and wore a stove pipe hat. Old Ape Lincoln had joined us in celebrating Robert E. Lee's birthday!

We marched out in ranks of three with plenty of police protection, um, I mean escorts, as there were police on foot in every intsection, on motorcycles, and in the air in a helecoptor which circled around above us until we reached the capitol. We reached the capitol without incident, although we did encounter a group of gentlemen who demonstrated their agitation by our presence through obscenities. I am guessing that they had gotten off of the third shift, had not gone to bed yet, and were getting tired (the cause of their agitation). Why else would all 16 of them be on the street of Atlanta at 11 a.m. in the middle of the week? 

Anyway, we arrived at the capitol building, circled it once, and again, had to store our flags with one of our guards before entering the building. We gathered in the normal spot in front of the stairs. Some filled all the chairs that had been set out for us while others stood behind them, and we filled the floor in front of the podium.

Dan Coleman made appropriate anouncements and introduced our speakers: AOT and Georgia Division Commander Jack Bridwell, Georgia State Representative and SCV member Tommy Benton, Georgia State Representative Alan Powell, and past Chaplain-in-Chief John Weaver. All gave outstanding speeches. Representative Powell did, however, go out of his way to tell us that getting the '56 flag back or getting a fair flag vote was NOT that important to him, that the SCV was a historical organisation and should not be political, and (upon a lonely "Powell for governor!") mentioned that he would not be running for governor as that second floor office caused an infectious disease that made the victum "lose their damn mind."

Our banjo player closed our assembly with "Dixie." Everyone present joined him the second time around and after retreiving our flags, made our way back to our vehicles via anouther route.

The celebration of the birth of Robert E. Lee went well. Our turnout was smaller than those of the past. This is an annual event so you have 365 days from today to make arrangements to be off next year for this event. I hope to see all of you on this list there next year plus the three others that you're going to bring with you.

Brad Stephenson
John K McNeill #674
Moultrie Georgia