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The
citizen-soldiers who fought for the Confederacy personified the best
qualities of America. The preservation of liberty and freedom was the
motivating factor in the South's decision to fight the Second American
Revolution. The tenacity with which Confederate soldiers fought
underscored their belief in the rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
These attributes are the underpinning of our democratic society and
represent the foundation on which this nation was built.
Today, the Sons of Confederate Veterans is preserving the history and
legacy of these heroes, so future generations can understand the motives
that animated the Southern Cause.
The SCV is the direct heir of the
United Confederate Veterans, and the
oldest hereditary organization for male descendants of Confederate
soldiers. Organized at Richmond, Virginia in 1896, the SCV continues to
serve as a historical, patriotic, and non-political organization
dedicated to insuring that a true history of the 1861-1865 period is
preserved.
Membership in the Sons of Confederate Veterans is open to all male
descendants of any veteran who served honorably in the Confederate armed
forces. Membership can be obtained through either direct or collateral
family lines and kinship to a veteran must be documented genealogically.
The minimum age for full membership is 12, but there is no minimum for
Cadet membership.
Applicants should submit an
application form, along with a detailed genealogy describing your
relationship to the veteran, and
proof of his service.
To obtain proof of his service, contact the archives of the state from
which the soldier fought and obtain a copy of the veteran's military
service record. All Southern state's
archives have microfilm records of the
soldiers who fought from that state, and a copy of the information can
be obtained for a nominal fee. In addition, the former Confederate
states awarded pensions to veterans and their widows. All of these
records contain a wealth of information that can be used to document
military service.
The SCV has a network of genealogists to assist you in tracing you
ancestor's Confederate service.
The SCV has ongoing programs at the local, state, and national levels
which offer members a wide range of activities. Preservation work,
marking Confederate soldier's graves, historical re-enactments,
scholarly publications, and regular meetings to discuss the military and
political history of the War Between the States are only a few of the
activities sponsored by local units, called camps.
All state organizations, known as Divisions, hold annual conventions,
and many publish regular newsletters to the membership dealing with
statewide issues. Each Division has a corps of officers elected by the
membership who coordinate the work of camps and the national
organization.
Nationally, the SCV is governed by its members acting through delegates
to the annual convention. The General Executive Council, composed of
elected and appointed officers, conducts the organization's business
between conventions. The administrative work of the SCV is conducted at
the national headquarters, 'Elm Springs,' a restored antebellum home at
Columbia, Tennessee.
In addition to the privilege of belonging to an organization devoted
exclusively to commemorating and honoring Confederate soldiers, members
are eligible for other benefits. Every member receives The Confederate
Veteran, the bi-monthly national magazine which contains in-depth
articles on the war along news affecting Southern heritage. The programs
of the SCV range from assistance to undergraduate students through the
General Stand Watie Scholarship to medical research grants given through
the Brooks Fund. National historical symposiums, reprinting of rare
books, and the erection of monuments are just a few of the other
projects endorsed by the SCV.
The SCV works in conjunction with other historical groups to preserve
Confederate history. However, it is not affiliated with any other group.
The SCV rejects any group whose actions tarnish or distort the image of
the Confederate soldier or his reasons for fighting.
If you are interested in perpetuating the ideals that motivated your
Confederate ancestor, the SCV needs you. The memory and reputation of
the Confederate soldier, as well as the motives for his suffering and
sacrifice, are being consciously distorted by some in an attempt to
alter history. Unless the descendants of Southern soldiers resist those
efforts, a unique part of our nations' cultural heritage will cease to
exist.
If you would like more information about the Sons of Confederate
Veterans, call 1-800-MY-SOUTH, or 1-800-MY-DIXIE. Or write to:
General Headquarters
Sons of Confederate Veterans
P.O. Box 59
Columbia, Tennessee 38402-0059
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