On the occasion of Union General Joshua Chamberlain’s birthday, it seems fitting to honor him not just for his admirable courage and leadership throughout the Late War, most notably in his defense against incredible Southern opposition at Gettysburg, but for the way he perceived and treated his adversaries.

Of course today, many Americans would like to pretend that a war over slavery, beloved by Southerners and despised by Northerners yielded two armies that loathed each other, but as surely as the War was more complex than that, so too were the competing militaries’ relations. This was well exemplified by an account, written by General Chamberlain, of the surrender at Appomattox.

As Confederate General John Brown Gordon approached Chamberlain and his men on horseback, leading his troops, his head bowed, his appearance downcast, Chamberlain recounts:

The momentous meaning of this occasion impressed me deeply. I resolved to mark it by some token of recognition, which could be no other than a salute of arms…

In a description of his Confederate adversaries, the words of Chamberlain, who had lived through a brutal war and had as much right as any to hate the Confederates, would be deemed treasonous by many today.

Before us in proud humiliation stood the embodiment of manhood: men whom neither toils and sufferings, nor the fact of death, nor disaster, nor hopelessness could bend from their resolve; standing before us now, thin, worn, and famished, but erect.

Undoubtedly, General Chamberlain would be as outraged by today’s denigration of Confederates as Lee would be.

 Originally published:

Photos by Civil War Family

WATERLOO, IL (KTVI) 04/09/15 – This week marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War. A 16-year-old Waterloo Illinois boy is completing a Civil War project that ties the past with the present. 100 veterans from the war that divided this country are buried at 4 different cemeteries in Waterloo. Boy Scout Shane Douglas is making sure those veterans are not forgotten. Douglas said, “The hardest part is trying to make sure we know where all the graves are at.”

This is Douglas’ Eagle Scout project. He’s placing a brand new plaque on graves of veterans. He’s learned that a lot of history happened in his own backyard. The teen said, “There were some confederates stealing horses in this area and they caught them and they end up actually hanging them.”

99 of the graves hold the remains of Union veterans. Only one is a Confederate. That man moved here from Arkansas after the war. Waterloo’s Mayor Tom Smith has pitched in, helping raise funds to pay for the grave markers. Smith said, “This is a great history lesson couldn’t be any prouder for him.”

After 150 years of rain, snow and all kinds of weather. Some of the graves are damaged or unreadable. Under Shane’s leadership and with the help of many citizens he’s looked at local cemetery maps and genealogy information to find all the graves. Laura Douglas is Shane’s mother, “I’ve always been interested in genealogy and history and he’s taken after that it’s a big project for him.” Mike Douglas is the boy’s father, “Extremely proud of all the things he’s been able to accomplish in scouts not just this.” Shane said his goal is simple, “Increase awareness that we actually have civil war veterans that helped affect our nation’s history.”

By DAVID DISHNEAU 
Associated Press

HANCOCK, Md. —  The Medal of Honor, created by Congress during the Civil War as America's highest military decoration for valor, was never meant for Americans who fought for the South. They were the enemy, after all.

But there's a Confederate Medal of Honor, little known yet highly prized, that the Sons of Confederate Veterans bestows on those whose bravery in battle can be proven to the private group's satisfaction.

The silver-and-bronze medal is a 10-pointed star bearing the Great Seal of the Confederate States and the words, "Honor. Duty. Valor. Devotion."

It has been awarded 50 times since 1977, most recently to Maj. James Breathed, a native Virginian buried in Hancock. He was honored last year for his bravery as an artillery officer in the 1864 Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse in Virginia.

The number of recipients is tiny compared to the 3,487 on the U.S. Medal of Honor roll, including more than 1,500 who fought for the Union in the War Between the States. Members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans say their medal is given less freely than those the Union awarded during the war.

Members of Delaware Grays Camp 2068, Sons of Confederate Veterans of Seaford, include, from left, John Zoch, Richard Jamison, camp commander Jeff Plummer and Mark Brown. / staff photo by brice stump

 'All veterans should be honored, regardless of which side they were on'

Written by Brice Stump

GEORGETOWN — With the passing of almost 150 years since the end of the Civil War, there has been only one Confederate memorial in Delaware. A granite memorial, almost 14 feet tall, was placed on the grounds of the Nutter B. Marvel Museum in Georgetown in 2007.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans “Delaware Grays” Camp No. 2068 in Seaford, the United Daughters of the Confederacy “Caleb Ross” Chapter No. 2635 and the Georgetown Historical Society sponsored the construction of the monument. The cost of the memorial was underwritten by private organizations and donations, with no public or governmental sponsorship.

“Up until the Delaware Confederate Monument was placed here, there was not a single Confederate memorial in Delaware,” said camp adjutant John Zoch. “The only mention of a Confederate serving from Delaware is on a monument in Gettysburg.”

“We did this to honor the brave Delaware Confederates that left their homes and state to serve and fight for the South,” said Jeff Plummer, camp commander. “We have researched names of individuals from Delaware who served, and their names are inscribed on the monument.

“Though Delaware was a border state historically, New Castle County was pro-North and Kent and Sussex counties were pro-South. Obviously there were split loyalties within the state. Delaware was a slave state, and the majority of slaves were in Sussex County, a county tied to the economy of the rural South.”

North and South share cemeteries

The Seaford-based camp had initially requested the monument be placed on the grounds of the Gov. William H. Ross Mansion and Plantation in Seaford. The historical group there said the monument was not in keeping with the rural character of the site. Ross, whose name is among the 140 names presently cut into the stone, aided the Confederacy, and his son, Caleb, died while in Confederate service.

As for the granite, it was mandated that it come from a quarry in the South. Samuel “S.J.” Disharoon of Salisbury Monument said he personally made the 1,320-mile round trip to the quarry in Georgia to get the gray stone. According to Disharoon, the custom-cut stone memorial weighs about 28,000 pounds.

Conitinue reading at :http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20140330/NEWS35/303290039/A-monumental-honor-Giving-Confederate-soldiers-their-due

Members of the Dixon Camp (SCV) and Hecker Camp (SUVCW) met at Smithton, Illinis, on Monday, May 28, 2013 to celebrate the lives of the soldiers who served in all our wars.

For more photos click Here

Mound City National Cemetery
Saturday, May 25, 2013

The Dixon 'Wild Bunch', the Tilghman Camp and the 1st Illinois Battery D Light Artillery journied to Mound City, Illinois, on Saturday to celebrate the service and sacrifice of over 2000 Confederate soldiers buried there.

Click here for more pictures

By Danielle Thomas - bio | email

BILOXI, MS (WLOX) -

The last home of Jefferson Davis is being hailed for its significance in teaching the history of the South. The National Sons of Confederate Veterans coupled a celebration of the completion of Beauvoir's presidential library with the commemoration the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. 

Re-enactors at Beauvoir, the last home of Jefferson Davis, taught children about what life was like during the Civil War by showing them many of the artifacts used during that time.

Michael Givens is the Commander-In-Chief of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

"It's very important that people recognize the struggles of the Southerners and the Northerners during that war because it was one of the defining moments in American history,"
said Givens.

History buffs headed to Beauvoir to mark the dedication of the new Jefferson Davis Presidential library.

"The public needs to understand that his building represents a lot more than just Jefferson Davis," said Beauvoir Director Bertram Hayes-Davis. "This is a historic educational opportunity for us to share the Southern heritage and all the stories to go along with not only Jefferson Davis but the Southern part of this country."

A museum is planned for the inside the library. Officials with the National Sons of Confederate Veterans said they look forward to exhibits which will preserve the history and heritage they hold dear.
"It's going to be a beacon. A depository of literature about the people, about their struggle," said Givens. "We're just so happy that we're able to dedicate it today. Once this building is complete and the museum is in side and all the literature, the history books, it will be able to help to tell the rest of the story. To set records straight. To let everybody know more about the struggles of our people."

From WLOX.xom

Three Sons of West Virginia Civil War Soldier Still Survive Today 2012

As unlikely as that seems, the three are among 36 known sons and daughters of Civil War soldiers who are still alive. On the Confederate side of things,( as of 2011 ) the United Daughters of the Confederacy and Sons of Confederate Veterans knew of about 40 living sons and daughters of Confederate veterans. Three individuals recently passed away.

Three sons of a Civil War soldier, Charles Parker Pool, who served in Company D of the 6th West Virginia Infantry during the Civil War are still alive today and living in Missouri.

Ernest (1918), William (1925) and Garland Pool (1927) are the three survivors of their father who was a Ritchie County, West Virginia native. They are the sons of Charles and Clara Pool. Clara, Charlie’s third wife, was 27 when she married her husband in 1915. Charles was 71 at the time.

Pool enlisted in the 6th West Virginia Infantry, a regiment that served as guards along the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad through their entire duty.

Charles was wounded in the left leg during the war. His leg was amputated above the knee. He reportedly never spoke of his Civil War Service. He died in 1933 at age 89. The boys’ mother died in 1990.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=26172243

From the Civil War Parlor