From: Georgia Flagger <cobbslegionscv@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, Apr 27, 2012
Subject: [FlagFight] Confederate Memorial Day, Heard County [4 Attachments]
To: Georgia Division <GASCV-Discussion@yahoogroups.com>, flagfight@yahoogroups.com
[Attachment(s) from Georgia Flagger included below]
April 26th, is, since 1874, and according not only to Georgia Statute, but also by official proclamation, known as Confederate Memorial Day in Georgia.
The proclamations come from Centralhatchee, Ephesus, Franklin and Heard County, and are perpetual.
To mark the occasion, Billy Bearden traveled to Yellow Dirt Cemetery inside Georgia Power’s Plant Wansley to visit the soldiers, and check on the Confederate Battle Flags placed on the veteran’s graves for the 2nd time back in October 2011.
After taking about 15 pictures and being satisfied all is ok with the graves and decorations thereon, he made his way down to Franklin town square.
In the middle of the square is a large Gazebo. In ‘front’ of this is multiple panels of engraved bricks with veterans names and a plaque designating the walls as the Heard County Veterans Park.
Arriving at 1pm, in Confederate uniform and carrying a 4×4 Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag, he began walking around the gazebo inside the circle. Keep in mind that the old Heard County Rangers Sons of Confederate Veterans camp folded back in 2007-2008, and the only Confederate presence is the small but respectable Confederate Marker on the ‘back side’ of the gazebo.
It seems that the citizenry, based on his limited time there, are starving for something Confederate. He met with and spoke to four women, and all took pictures. Two said they had heard from their Mother they had "someone in their family who fought for our side, in Georgia, uh, they wore gray!"
One woman stopped her car in the road and took a picture and yelled thanks. The other said she was a proud southern woman and related her experience at a recent reenactment.
Two young boys of about 10 years of age spent a few minutes with him, one saying he was from Ireland, and Bearden mentioned General Cleburne. The other said he was related to some General whose name was Covington, which is what the city west of Atlanta is named for. Bearden told him he didn’t think that General Covington was a Confederate, but that the TV show "In The Heat Of The Night" was filmed there.
Dozens of horn honks and appreciative waves were the theme of the day vehicle-wise. A lot os men came by and talked and left educated. One man walked up and shook his hand and thanked him for being there.
Billy Bearden is a Georgia and Virginia Flagger and a member of
Haralson Invincibles #673
Sons of Confederate Veterans
