Hoop Net Fishing! Catching Big Catfish. Cajun Culture kept alive!

Gabe and I go deep into our woods to explore and to fish!

Gabe amongst some wild flowers that grow

on my property in the woods!

Fishing in our woods, along the bayou, on my 200 acres 

of property!

Gabe with our baby Goose...."Gonzo"

Gabe with me at the Gym! He always comes with me...teaching him very early!

Gabe and I at the park in Jennings in March 2019!

Me and my little boy, Gabriel! 4 years-old already!!!

42 years-old and still hitting the Iron...HARD!

Horseshoe Triceps!

Big Back!

In honor of Memorial Day in May 2017, as well as Louisiana Confederate Memorial  Day on June 3, 2017:

My Family History & involvement in America’s Wars:

1. "Colonel" Thomas McFaddin: American Revolution (1775-1783 A.D.). "Colonel" Thomas McFaddin, a Revolutionary War soldier, and listed in the volume of "Marion Men." He is called "Colonel," and at one time, he was the adjutant for Francis Marion, "The Swamp Fox."  He is my great⁶ Grandfather.
2. Captain John McFaddin was in the War of 1812. He was my great⁵ grandfather.
3. Gustavus E. Vautrot. Confederate Army. 2^nd Alabama.  Artillery. Corporal.     Gage’s battery. He was my great³ uncle.
4. Thomas Z. Prather. Confederate Army. 15^th Georgia. Infantry.  Private.  Delhi Rangers
5. Thomas J. McFaddin. Confederate Army. 20^th Arkansas. Infantry. Private.        Hempstead Legion
6. Josiah & John Johnson. Confederate Army.  2^nd Louisiana  Cavalry.       Privates.     Bonds Mounted Partisan Rangers. They were brothers. My double great grandfather’s half-brothers.
7. Joseph Jules Vautrot, Jr. Union Army. Civil War. 84^th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He is my great³ grandfather’s nephew.
8. Louis Vautrot. US Army. WW I veteran. Company C of the 1^st Battalion of Engineers, which later became the 2^nd Battalion of Engineers. Joined Aug 05, 1917. He was my grandfather’s brother.
9. William Leslie Vautrot. US Marine Corps, 1917, WW I veteran. He was my grandfather’s brother.
10. Robert E. Matthews: WW II. US Army. Fought in the Pacific theater. He was my great-uncle.

American Revolution flag. My ancestor Colonel
Thomas McFaddin fought under this flag. Here, we
were fighting for our independence from the
British empire. We won!

War of 1812 flag. My ancestor Captain John
McFaddin fought under this flag. Here, we again
were fighting the British that invaded America and
had even successfully burned down our
capitol in Washington, DC.

84th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Flag. My ancestor
Jules Vautrot, Jr fought with this UNION unit in
the Civil War. He was from
Ohio, but fought Confederates in the
Shenandoah Valley of Virginia in the Summer
of 1862. He later returned to Ohio and
became a VERY famous and wealthy silversmith
who made luxury silver dinner wares.
(So, yes, I have ancestors that fought for BOTH sides
during the Civil War--North and South).

My ancestors (Josiah and John Johnson) fought in this
Cavalry unit from Louisiana.

Flag of the famous 15th Georgia Volunteer
infantry unit: my ancestor Thomas Z Prather
fought bravely in this unit for the entire
4 years of the Civil War under General
Robert E Lee. My ancestor was
wounded at the Battle of Chickamauga  in
Sept 1863. He later lived a very long life; dying
in the early 1900's.

Flag for the 2nd Alabama Light Artillery. My ancestor
Gustavus Vautrot fought in this unit. He was from
Mobile, Alabama.

Flag for the 20th and 22nd Arkansas Volunteer Infantry. My
ancestor Thomas McFaddin fought in this unit. He was captured
and wounded badly at the battle of Vicksburg, Miss. in 1863. He died
just a few years after the war.

Battle of Sharpsburg (aka "Antietam" if you are a yankee). General Lee!



This is an actual painting of a real historical event:
"Presenting of the first Battle Flags." Army of Northern Virginia. Circa 1862.
These 1st battle flags were sewn in red/pink silk by proud
ladies from Richmond, Virginia. The design is from the Cross of St Andrew, who is
the patron Saint of Scotland. The Confederate Battle flag is a CHRISTIAN cross.
The American flag is nothing but stripes and stars, with little symbolic significance.

 

Interesting painting of many of the varieties of Confederate era
flags: The Battle Flag ("Southern Cross"), The Stars and Bars (the National
flag of the Confederate States of America) in two
different designs if you look closely at the stars, as well as Hardee's Battle
Flag (the blue flag with the white circle).