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Proof of kinship to a
Confederate soldier can take many forms. The easiest
method is to 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
ante-bellum 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 other than the Military Order of the
Stars and Bars, composed of male descendants of the
Southern Officers Corps. 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:
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