Georgia Governor
Signs Confederate History Month Proclamation
CONFEDERATE HISTORY MONTH
WHEREAS: April is the month in which the Confederate States of
America began a four-year conflict in the Civil War. Confederate
Memorial Day on April 26 is a time when Georgians honor the more
than 90,000 brave men and women who served the Confederate States of
America. Georgia joined the Confederacy in January 1861 when a
convention ratified the ordinance of secession, and Georgia has long
cherished her Confederate history and the great leaders who made
sacrifices on her behalf; and
WHEREAS: Among those who served the
Confederacy were Native Americans who saw action in the Confederate
armed forces as well as in governmental service. Two such
individuals who made a significant contribution to the state’s
history were Stand Watie and Elias Cornelius Boudinot, both born in
Calhoun County; and
WHEREAS: In 1861, Stand Watie was commissioned as a Colonel in the
First Cherokee Mounted Rifles and by May 1864 rose to the rank of
Brigadier General. He and his unit participated in 27 major
engagements and numerous smaller skirmishes, more than any other
unit encountered west of the Mississippi River. Watie participated
in what is considered to be the most significant Confederate victory
in Indian Territory, which took place at Cabin Creek during
mid-September 1864. He led a raid that captured a Federal wagon
train and netted approximately one million dollars worth of wagons,
mules, commissary supplies, and other needed items. In February
1865, Watie was given command of the Indian Division of Indian
Territory. He officially surrendered on June 23, 1865 with the
distinction of being the last Confederate General to surrender and
the only one to be a Cherokee Indian; and
WHEREAS: Elias Cornelius Boudinot served as secretary of the
Arkansas secession convention in May 1861 and later joined the
regiment raised by his uncle, Stand Watie on December 4, 1861.
Boudinot rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before being elected
as Cherokee delegate to the Confederate States Congress. This made
him the first Native American to hold such a position, and it is
where he earned his reputation as an Indian spokesman. After the
war, he continued to fight for the rights of all Indians and called
for Indian Territory to be made an official territory of the United
States. He helped write proposed legislation naming the new
territory "Oklahoma"; and
WHEREAS: It is important that Georgians reflect upon our state’s
past and honor and respect the devotion of her Confederate leaders,
soldiers and citizens; now
THEREFORE: I, SONNY PERDUE, Governor of the state of Georgia, do
hereby proclaim April 2010 as CONFEDERATE HISTORY MONTH and April
26, 2010, as CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY in Georgia and encourage our
citizens to observe this occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
In witness thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal
of the Executive Department to be affixed this 1st day of December
in the year of our Lord two thousand nine.
Posted by Chuck Rand at 12:18 PM |
