Sons of Confederate Veterans’ National Reunion set for July

Confederate Square at the corner of Ouachita Avenue and Central Avenue was built by the Daughters of the Confederacy to remember soldiers of the Confederate Army from Hot Springs. - Photo by Lance Brownfield of The Sentinel-Record
Confederate Square at the corner of Ouachita Avenue and Central Avenue was built by the Daughters of the Confederacy to remember soldiers of the Confederate Army from Hot Springs. - Photo by Lance Brownfield of The Sentinel-Record

Hot Springs for the first time in 14 years will be the host city for the National Reunion of the Sons of Confederate Veterans this summer.

Hot Springs last hosted the event in 2009 to much acclaim among the SCV community, according to the James M. Keller Camp, located in Hot Springs, which is set to host the 128th annual National Reunion this July at the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa.

The camp is led by Camp Commander Loy Mauch, former Arkansas state representative from Helena-West Helena, who now lives in Bismarck.

According to the camp's website, the four-day reunion starts July 19 with registration, credentials and a history lecture in the evening by Linda Howell. The next day starts with a 6:30 a.m. chaplain's prayer breakfast with the opening ceremonies commencing at 8 a.m.

Later that day is an SCV business session, heritage defense luncheon, memorial service and a play entitled "The Trial of Abraham Lincoln" put on by the camp's historian and 2nd Lt. Commander Robert Freeman.

"I want this play to get national attention," Freeman told The Sentinel-Record. "The play has never been performed, ever."

Events set for July 21 will begin with the HK Edgerton Breakfast at 7 a.m., followed by an SCV awards luncheon, SCV cadets presentation, a John Wilkes Booth lecture/buffet and an SCV oratory contest to wrap up the day at 8 p.m.

The final day of the reunion, July 22, will kick off with the Mechanized Cavalry Breakfast, with "Army meetings" later that morning.

At 6 p.m., the Commander in Chief's Reception is scheduled, followed by the Grand Banquet at 7 p.m. and the Grand Confederate Ball/Debutantes from 9-11 p.m.

For more information, visit https://www.2023scvreunion.org/index.html.

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