Sons of Confederate Veterans erect flagpole in honor of their ancestors
by Vincent Akridge

The Confederate and the '56 Georgia flags fly 30 feet in

To honor their ancestors, the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Baker County have erected a flag pole 5.5 miles south of Newton off Georgia Highway 91. It is of stainless steel, lighted, 30 feet in height, with secure internal steel cable halyard. It presently flies the Confederate and '56 Georgia flags. Future plans are to fly a rotation of "single star" and national flags of the Confederacy.

The Baker County organization is named the General A. H. Colquitt "Fire Eaters" Camp. Alfred Holt Colquitt was a state legislator, Confederate major general, US congressman, US senator and governor of Georgia. His home still stands in Baker county. The "Fire Eaters" were Company H, 6th Georgia Infantry Regiment, a unit which served under Colquitt and which included members from Baker County. The unit adopted its name from radical extremists who advocated secession before 1860.

The "Fire Eaters" Camp meets the second Tuesday of each month, at 7 o'clock in the evening at the historic Baker County courthouse. Meetings open with an invocation, pledge to the American and Georgia flags and salute to the Confederate flag. Members then sing "Dixie" after which one of the Sons delivers "The Charge." Members from time to time recognize their ancestors by name, rank, and unit in which they served and provide any other information they can. A program of educational interest follows. The meetings close with prayer.

One of the projects the group has undertaken is to recognize the graves of Confederate soldiers in the county. So far it has found 69 graves in 17 cemeteries. The Camp honors these sites during April of each year by placing flags. The Baker County Historical Society in its newly issued Cemeteries of Baker County includes a separate listing of these sites. Additionally the sites may be found at www.gascvbrigade9.org. The Camp regards the list as a work in progress and welcomes additions or corrections.

The Camp organized in the summer of 2001 with 18 charter members. It has been led by Commanders Pete Giddens, Clay Sisson, Harry Malcom and Dodd McCollum. There are presently 34 members from Baker and surrounding counties. Anyone interested in membership should please come to a meeting, second Tuesdays, 7:00 p.m., at the historic courthouse in Newton.