SESQUICENTENNIAL NATIONAL CONVENTION OF THE SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS

Grand Illumination in Vicksburg -- 3 July 2013

From: bthayesesq@yahoo.com


July 17-20, 2013 - Vicksburg, Mississippi

http://2013scvreunion.homestead.com/Index.html

Also, separate and apart from the Convention is the following event here in Vicksburg, which we really need some help with. We are trying to get as many volunteers as possible for the Grand Illumination scheduled here in Vicksburg the afternoon and evening of July 3rd ('til midnight). This is the BIG event for the Sesquicentennial of the Siege of Vicksburg commemoration. The Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park are sponsoring the event, which will consist of placing 20,000 luminaries (one for each casualty on a state-by-state basis) at all the state monuments in and outside of the Park. They are looking for 500 volunteers overall for the 29 different state monuments. I have prospectively volunteered the SCV and confirmed with the Friends group that we can "adopt" specific monuments. Thank goodness the casualties weren't as large on our side -- so we won't have as many luminaries to place (and won't need as many volunteers). The local LTG John C. Pemberton Camp has adopted the Mississippi monument -- anyone who wants to help us set out the luminaries there will be more than welcome. If we can get 10-20 folks out there, I think that should be sufficient. Some of the Camps in the Northeast Louisiana brigade have agreed to come over and have adopted the two Louisiana monuments. We are looking for more volunteers to commit to taking part. I've heard that some others have already adopted the Arkansas and Missouri monuments, but there are many more Confederate monuments that will need luminaries. Do you think we could get volunteers to come from some of these other states further afield? Of course, some local folks might want to adopt some of these other states if their ancestors fought for them. I'd love to see each and every Confederate state monument have Sons of Confederate Veterans and/or Confederate reenactors in uniform setting out the luminaries for our honored dead. Please help get the word out.

Many thanks,
Bradley Hayes