100+ Years of rememberance

The Sons of Confederate Veterans was founded in Richmond, Virginia, at the annual Reunion of the United Confederate Veterans on June 30th, 1896. On July 1st, 1896, they chose the name "United Sons of Confederate Veterans" and started our organization on a path of protecting the good name of the Confederacy and everything associated with it. This is a path that we follow even now, and God willing, we will follow for many years to come.

PREAMBLE TO OUR SCV CONSTITUTION The Preamble to our SCV Constitution, from 1896, gives us a clear idea of what the SCV is about: "In the name of a reunited country, the Sons of Confederate Veterans declare the following purposes: An unquestioned allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America, largely written and expounded by Southern men, the very Magna Carta of our liberties; a strict construction of all sections conferring power upon the Federal Government and the implied and understood reservations to the States arising therefrom and a general attitude of opposition to further amendment thereof. We adhere to the principles of the Great Charter of England granted at Runnymede, 1215 A.D., and the Anglo-Saxon rights and personal liberties transmitted to us thereunder; to associate in one united, compact body all men of Confederate ancestry and to cultivate, perpetuate and sanctify the ties of fraternity and friendship entailed thereby; to aid and encourage the recording and teaching with impartiality of all Southern history and achievement from Jamestown to this present era, seeing to it especially that the events of the War Between the States are authentically and clearly written and that all documents, relics and mementos produced and handed down by the active participants therein are properly treasured and preserved for posterity; to comfort, succor and assist needy Sons of Confederate Veterans, their wives, widows and orphans; to urge, aid and assist in the erection of suitable and enduring monuments and memorials to all Southern valor, military and civil, wherever done and wherever found, particularly stressing that of our heroic Confederate ancestors who, by their sacrifice, perpetuated unto us and our descendants that glorious heritage of valor, chivalry and honor which we now hold and venerate; and to instill in our descendants a devotion to and reverence for the principles represented by the Confederate States of America, to the honor, glory and memory of our fathers who fought in that Cause". These goals and ideals are what we stood for at the birth of our organization and are what we stand for today. All members should know that the SCV is not a neo-secessionist group, and that we are not a political party. As a group we can not endorse any candidate or political organization or party. Anyone can do this as an individual, but not as agent, officer or spokesman for the SCV as a whole or as a part.

WE RECEIVE OUR CHARGE When our organization was first founded, there were many Confederate veterans still living and our main purpose was to aid and assist them. It became apparent that their ranks were thinning quite rapidly and that one day the SCV would be called upon to be the advocate for these brave old "Johnnies" who had taken up arms for their beloved Southland in the 1860's. Both the UCV and the SCV recognized the need for this from the beginning of the UCV, as Camps of Sons existed well before 1896. The call came from General Stephen Dill Lee at the 1906 UCV and SCV General Reunion that was held in New Orleans, Louisiana. General Lee stated our goals in the charge that he gave as Commander-in-Chief of the UCV. It is written below and it is still our purpose to this day. Charge to the Sons of Confederate Veterans: "To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we submit the vindication of the Cause for which we fought; to your strength will be given the defense of the Confederate soldier's good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those principles he loved and which made him glorious and which you also cherish. Remember, it is your duty to see that the true history of the South is presented to future generations." - Lt. General Stephen Dill Lee, Commander General,  United Confederate Veterans, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1906. This charge gave the SCV a continuing purpose and a cause to stand for. It is the basic reason that we have become a vibrant and growing organization.

YEARS OF GROWTH AND STABILITY After 1906, the SCV experienced enormous growth, even beyond the scope of the original Confederate States. Practically anywhere that Confederates or their descendants had immigrated, there was a Camp of the SCV. This was true in the North and in the West as Confederates moved from the South to find jobs in areas where industrial cities and towns were being formed. There were SCV Camps in places such as New York City and Seattle, Washington. There was no shame in being descended from Confederate Veterans, but instead, a great pride that your father or grandfather had honorably worn the gray uniform and fought for the South. In an era of no radio or television, joining an organization that you could believe in was the thing to do. In 1912 the name "United Sons of Confederate Veterans" was changed to Sons of Confederate Veterans. This was done because the United Confederate Veterans nearly always referred to our group as the SCV, and to prevent confusion with the UCV and other groups (such as the USWV, which was the United Spanish War Veterans). Some Divisions (states) such as the Mississippi Division still retain the title of United Sons of Confederate Veterans at the Division level. The years between 1912 and 1930 were golden years for the UCV and the SCV. Grand Confederate Reunions were held in the larger cities throughout the South, with not one being held above the Mason-Dixon Line (a tradition that is held to this day) and these cities vied for the honor of hosting one of these Reunions. Even World War I did not stop the growth of the SCV. Many officers in the U.S. Military, politicians at the local, State and National levels (including governors, congressmen and senators) and even U.S. cabinet officials were proud members of the SCV. The growth was affected, however, with the death of the Confederate Veterans, coupled with the idea that the good name of the Confederate soldier was assured. The United Daughters of the Confederacy along with the SCV had erected numerous monuments to the Confederacy. No one would think poorly of the Confederacy (particularly in the South) until many years later. Non-affiiation policies with any societies, secret or otherwise, by President Calvin Coolidge did not help any organization. The big blow came with the onset of the Great Depression. This event hit the already poor South like a sledgehammer. Membership in all organizations dropped because of the lack of work and money. The SCV was no exception.

LEAN YEARS FOR THE SCV The years between 1931 to 1954 were awful years for nearly all organizations. Many groups went bankrupt or simply disbanded or vanished during this period because of the poor economy, World War II, the Korean Conflict and general disinterest from an increasingly mobile populace. The SCV was not helped by the fact that the members of the UCV were all in advanced stages in their lives or deceased. These old Confederates had been our guiding light, and that light was growing ever dimmer. The old Vets had their last official Reunion in Norfolk, Virginia in 1951, where they voted to not meet at any more Reunions. The SCV would now have to carry the torch for the Confederacy. In 1954, an uncommon man was selected as the Adjutant for the SCV. He brought stability to the job, and thus, to the entire organization. His name was Maj. General William D. McCain. Much is owed to General McCain from the SCV. He was the driving force for our organization for many years, and without him, the SCV may not have survived.

REVIVAL OF THE SCV From 1954 until 1984 the SCV went through many changes. As the centennial of the War approached, there was a great interest throughout the world about the War and the Confederacy. The SCV grew at a respectable rate during this time, due to increased publicity from events staged to commemorate the War and it's participants. A great interest was paid to the Confederacy and the real reasons for the War. The SCV helped with these events by supplying historic and factual information about the Confederate States of America and it's heroes. From the early 1970's until 1984, the SCV was drawing younger members. The organization did not experience a lot of growth, but they were a stable and increasingly viable group that gained respect for their historical accuracy. The Vietnam War and the great advent of television had not helped any group gain members from 1969 to 1975. The SCV appeared to not suffer from these factors as much as other groups did during this point in time. This was due to the efforts of General McCain and the core group of SCV Compatriots that gave us the foundation on which our SCV is based on today. Several Divisions of the SCV that had been dormant for years reemerged as a result of increasing interest in the Confederate Soldier.

THE REBIRTH OF THE SCV During the years 1985-2000 the SCV was basicaly reborn. An aggressive recruiting stance was initiated and recruiting campaigns became a part of the organization. Attacks on Confederate symbols have helped us gain new members. No one wants to see their history erased fom the society that they live in, especially a history steeped in a quest for liberty and freedom. That is what our Confederate ancestors fought for over 135 years ago. This is the reason that over 25,000 men belong to the SCV. The SCV is a historical, genealogical, non-partisan (non-political) and non-racial compact of men that have the common bond of being descended by blood relationship to a soldier or sailor who honorably served the Confederate States through military service. The minimum age for membership is age 12. For more information call 1-800-MYDIXIE or email me at pelhamscv@webtv.net . Copyright © , June 26, 2000, all rights reserved, Permission to copy by written request only. Contact pelhamscv@webtv.net for information. (SCV Service Mark, Preamble and Charge are owned by the SCV. Any use of these mentioned items is prohibited except by an SCV member, or by a Camp, Brigade, Division or Army, unless permission is granted by the SCV.