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Confederate Service Held at the Historic Florida House Inn 

A hostelry where Confederate Soldiers, and later Federal troops were billeted 140 years ago. became host to the memory of Lt. Edward Johnston of the Confederate States Navy last Sunday afternoon.  The Sailor was memorialized as Florida’s newest Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp was named for him. Lt. Johnston’s remains were returned to Fernandina Beach from Prisoner of War burial grounds at Ft. Warren, Massachusetts and he was reburied with his wife at Bosque Bello Cemetery one year ago.

The leaden skies and brisk winds did not dampen the spirits of the celebrants who promenaded in Confederate military uniforms with ladies in period dress as patriotic music filled the Courtyard.  The balconies and landings were bedecked with flags of the Southern Army, Navy, State of Florida and the Betsy Ross.

The Call to Colors was made by Commander-elect Jim Lear of Yulee who called on State Division Commander John W. Adams of Deltona to swear in the Senior Officers.  They included 1^st Lt. Cdr. Fred Sanders of Yulee, 2^nd Lt. Cdr. Jim Bowers (formerly of Fernandina Beach) and Adjutant Michael Tubbs of Jacksonville, as well as Cdr. Lear.

With assistance from the officers of other nearby Sons of Confederate  Camps, The United Daughters of the Confederacy, The Order of the Confederate Rose and The Children of the Confederacy, Lear swore in Quartermaster Gary Stier of Hilliard, Inspector Kenny Sturges, Jr. of Fernandina Beach, Color Sgt. Scott Lear of Callahan and Historian Joseph Curtright of Yulee.

A “Mid-afternoon Brunch” was served to the capacity crowd.  The tables groaned with bowls of meat and vegetables along with eggs, grits and homemade biscuits.   After dinner, George Hagan, resplendent in his Confederate Naval officer’s uniform, related his experiences in the return of the remains of Lt. Johnston.  Afterwards, he presented the “Ceremonial Coffin” used in the transport of the body to the new Camp for entrustment in their archives.

Lt. Col. Jack Bond, USMC, Retired, a new member of the Camp and the Great-Great Grandson of the honoree, gave a brief talk on the life of the Southern hero.  He also presented Cdr. Lear with 26 copies of Civil War Author, Dana Chapman’s book about Lt. Johnston and his ship the CSS Atlanta.  The Camp will make these limited works available for resale or library presentation.

Return to Camp #745 web site

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