The Major James T. Huff Camp 2243 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans was chartered on March 15, 2014 with ten members in Newport, TN. Eight of these ten members were U. Service veterans. Within five months the membership increased to fifteen, and continues to grow. This growth follows a 5-year strategic plan which targets a membership of 35 within five years. The camp is a member of Vaughn’s Brig
ade of East Tennessee, one of the fastest growing brigades within the Tennessee Division. The namesake for Camp 2243, James T. Huff, was a local hero during the War Between the States, raising a company of infantry early in the war and serving honorably through many hard-fought campaigns until the Army of Tennessee surrendered on May 26, 1865. Newport, nestled in the Pigeon River valley leading into the Smoky Mountains, is the eastern-most town in Tennessee along the I-40 corridor. It is the county seat of Cocke County, which like most of East Tennessee, favored the Union at the outbreak of the war. However, even with the abundance of Union sympathy, approximately 800 men from the county answered the call and fought for the Confederacy. The camp is challenged to find, record, and maintain the graves of these brave Confederate soldiers throughout the mountainous county’s 900 cemeteries. Huff camp is committed to educating the general population on the true history of the War Between the States. In accordance with the 5-year plan, the camp disseminates informative literature at festivals, fairs and other public events, and provides speakers at public functions, civic groups, and school classrooms. The camp also provides instructional material to home school networks and public schools. In accordance with the standards set by the general organization of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the Maj. James T. Huff is committed to being politically neutral and racially unbiased. We welcome any member of high moral character who is a lineal or collateral descendant of a Confederate soldier.
