HEROES OF '76 ®

On August 30, 2003, while surveying the wilderness of Western North Carolina, Brother William Turner, the National Commander found several militiamen encamped in the region the Cherokee call Chattanooga, about five miles east of the Brainerd Mission, near the Lodge at Brainerd in what some call Eastern Tennessee.

He authorized the struggling band of frontier volunteers to organize as Joe Foss Camp, issuing them a Charter and formally installing officers to lead them. Brother Hank Clark was made Camp Commander with Brother Billy Felker serving as his Chief of Staff, Brother Jarvis Gober as Assistant chief of Staff and Brother Bert Piatt as Camp Adjutant.

The Camp Commander then appointed Brother Jeff Babb, Chaplain, Brother Dan Breckenridge, Officer of the Day, Brother M. D. Manning, Commander of the Guard, and Brother Max Mabry, Sentinel.

Brother Dan Taylor provided the Camp with a Bennington Flag around which they could rally when the British forces were spotted.

The acting Officer of the Day, National President Andy Drenkhahn reported that the Cherokee scouts had already rounded up three intruders who had been placed in the guardhouse awaiting further orders. The newly appointed Camp Commander ordered them to be brought forward where they were subjected to the customary rigorous interrogation.

They were found to be patriotic recruits for the Continental Militia and, with customary ceremony, Deputy Grand Master Right Worshipful Brother Richard E. Durham, Sr., Brother Robert S. Ferguson, and Brother Charles H. Gilbert were inducted into the Camp.