Alabama Division Life Membership
Life membership in the Alabama Division costs only $200. With your
life membership you will receive a life membership card, certificate,
and Life Membership Pin. Along with these decorations, you will
never have to worry about whether you have paid your Division Dues, or
how much they are this year. Personally, we think this my be the
best benefit of all.
Naturally, Alabama Division Life Membership only
relieves you of having to pay Alabama Division Dues, you will still have
to pay camp and national dues.
We are pleased to present the new Life Membership Pin, recently approved
by your committee. As you can see on the pin, it includes a gold
bar at the bottom, to designate you as a Life Member. It also
showcases two important Alabama Confederate symbols: The Alabama
Department Flag and the title "Yellowhammer".
The Flag of the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and eastern
Louisiana is a basic rectangular St. Andrew's Cross Battle Flag, missing
the center star. This was THE most common rectangular St. Andrew's
Cross Battle Flag to be carried by Alabama Confederate Regiments.
It is the pattern used by Gen. Forrest and by the 21st Ala. Regiment (of
Hunley fame). As such, it is a highly appropriate graphic to place
on an Alabama Division membership pin.
The title "Yellowhammer" should be familiar to us all. The story
goes that an Alabama infantry regiment, fresh to the field, was dressed
in new homemade uniforms decorated with bright yellow trim. Some
veterans of a retreating unit saw these "fresh fish" and derided them
for their inexperience and non-regulation uniforms by calling out
"yellowhammer, yellowhammer, flicker, flicker". The implication
was that the new Alabama troops would run away as soon as they came
under fire.
Just the opposite proved to be the case. Though their casualty
rate was staggering, they advanced through heavy fire and held the
position. After the battle, they remembered the taunts that were
flung at them and embraced them with pride, by calling themselves
"Yellowhammers" and wearing yellowhammer feathers in their caps.
Soon, all Alabama troops were taking on this nickname and wearing the
feathers. It is because of this nickname that Alabama selected the
Yellowhammer as the State Bird.
Your life membership payment will benefit the Alabama Division long
after you are gone, as a help to your posterity. Please consider
taking this step in your membership, and reaping the rewards of Life
Membership in the Alabama Division.
Alabama Division Life Membership Committee
