Activist, clad in Confederate uniform,with flag, draws ‘fans’ in Travelers Rest

However, for some strange reason, I got an itch to post the Southern Cross alongside Highway 25, just outside of Tuxedo, N.C.

I hadn’t been there five minutes when a car with Pennsylvania license plates would pass, make a U-turn, park — and (soon) an elderly man and woman made their way to where I stood. 

“Sir,” he exclaimed, with his hand extended to shake mine. “When I saw you standing there, donned in the Confederate uniform with the Confederate battle flag posted, I felt compelled to come back and say, ‘Thanks!

“‘I know that you see my Pennsylvania tags, but I am a retired Vietnam War veteran whose life was saved many times by men posting that battle flag. And that included many a black soldier as well.’”

About that time, another car (approached) with a young man and two teenage white boys (who) got out of the car, crossing the highway and running towards me, with their arms wide open.

“‘Please excuse us for the interruptions Mr. Edgerton, my youngest boy John — and I might add, (he is) the most prudent with his spending habits — insisted when we saw you standing here, we should stop and offer to buy you breakfast.’

“‘Yes, believe us, Mr. H.K., he (John) is a tightwad!” added James, the eldest son.John would hand me a ten-dollar bill and said, “Thanks, Mr. H.K! 

About that time, a pretty red truck had parked, and an elderly black man would exit, speak to everyone and thank me for representing the black Confederate soldier during Black History Month (in February). 

In unison, everyone would say, “Yes!” And they, too, would give me a ten-dollar donation.

And when the gentleman from Pennsylvania gave me a salute, as he and his wife readied to leave, they would all do the same. 

God bless you!                                

 

 EDITOR’S NOTE: Edgerton added — in recognition of Black History Month —  the following listing of three distinguished black Confederate soldiers at the end of his letter to the editor:

• Levi Carnine — Louisiana: While donned in a Confederate soldier’s uniform, he would steal his way through Union lines carrying letters and monies back home to the families of his Southern brethren. 

• Horace King — Alabama: A master bridge-builder, he constructed bridges to carry horses, cannons, munitions and soldiers. And he designed the spiral staircase in the Capitol building in Montgomery, Alabama. 

• The Rev. Mac Lee — body servant of General Robert E.Lee: He built the first credit union in America with the intent of helping his freed people. He also started churches in both the South and North. He told the African people to: (1) Get yourself educated (2) Buy yourself some land (3)Keep your faith in our Lord and Master Jesus Christ (4) And, above all else, put your trust in only the Southern white man! 

EDITOR’S NOTE: Edgerton also sent the following letter that is published below:

14th Amendment? It was ‘bogue’

On Sunday afternoon, Feb. 11, 16 of my babies would come to my door offering up prayers as usual, but wasting no time in inquiring of me as to what I thought of the 14th Amendment? 

I would tell them that, in my opinion, it was as “bogue” as the Yankees who wrote it. And that it was the continued denial that the Southern people had not followed the constitutional path to the right of secession.

Thereby instead of serving up a path of court trials, they (the Yankees) continued the path of denying President (Jefferson) Davis and other Southern leaders their right to the writ of habeas corpus, and stepped forward with the unconstitutional declaration of the bill of attainder declaring our Southern ancestors insurrectionist when, in all actuality, it was.

Lincoln and his Yankee cronies who were the true insurrectionist who by his own admission proclaimed that he knew he was violating the Constitution, but that he would deal with that later..

General (Robert E.) Lee soon found out that there was little honor in those he had surrendered the Southern Army to, as their stealing, murdering, raping and plundering of our state treasury continued during the military rule of so-called “Reconstruction.” 

And not to forget how they used the so-called “freed African” to justify their evil modus operandi that almost totally put asunder the place of honor earned beside the Southern people and the Africans. God bless you!                

H.K. EDGERTON
Asheville