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An Open Report / Guyanddotte Civil War Days / Veterans Day Parade at Knoxville



From: HK Edgerton
Date: Wed, Nov 16, 2011
Subject: An Open Report / Guyanddotte Civil War Days / Veterans Day Parade at Knoxville
To: Lisa Thomas

An Open Report & Reply:
 
Several months prior to the event termed; Guyandotte Civil War Days. I would learn via the Internet posting of a newspaper article, that funding for this event would be withheld if I would be invited back to participate. It was said that I, HK Edgerton, was a controversial figure, and further that enough bad history was being taught in the schools in West Virginia.
 
On Thursday evening, November 3, 2011, as I stood in the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Guyandotte, West Virginia, the one that the Union army tried not once, not twice, but on the third try, piled straw in the middle of the church floor as the Almighty God looked on as they tried unsuccessfully to burn his house down; thanks to Ms.Hatfield and the other ladies of the United Daughters of the Confederacy who sit on the Commission governing this great event, on this night, I the Son of former slaves whose ancestors was among those trained cadre of men and women who made the implements of war, provided the food stuffs for General Lee’s beleaguered army, stayed at home and helped protect the home place while the men were away, went off to war with a man he called not only Master, but family and friend, building trenches, roads, bridges, and even in many cases taking up arms to fight; I would deliver the Keynote, and the very next day, together with the Honorable Major Heros Von Brocke and General Robert E. Lee (Aston Lee) speak to over 980 area wide school children, their parents, and teachers.
 
Only a message of death from the home place would dampen my spirit in a place and event that I had come to love as much as the love that had been showered upon me from the citizens and participants (Stan Clardy and his wife, all the re-enactors, the vendors and sutlers). I hope they invite me back.
 
The Veterans Day Parade in Knoxville, Tennessee
 
On Thursday morning, November 11, 2011, Sons of Confederate Veterans Commander Ron Jones of the Longstreet Zollicoffer Camp, would gather his troops on Gay Street in protest of the decision of American Legion Post # 2’s banishment of the Confederate Battle Flag from the Veterans Day Parade. However, the day would belong to Mrs Lisa Thomas, the lone woman to join us. Mrs. Thomas would remind us all of what true courage was. She took one look to her left where throngs of people were gathered, and while donned in her period dress and carrying the Confederate battle flag, announced to the men that she was not just going to stand there on that corner, she was going right amongst the people. And without another word, jaw set, off she trolled. I couldn’t let her go alone, and so I joined her for a stroll of love given from all those gathered to watched the Veterans Day Parade void of the greatest and most honorable fighting man and his colors that America has ever known; the Confederate Veteran. And Mrs. Thomas, I did have fun!

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———- Forwarded message ———-
From:
Date: Fri, Nov 11, 2011
To: Hk

Hi HK,  We sure did have fun today. Look we made it into the Knoxville News Sentinal.

Lisa