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ALABAMA UNITED DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFEDERACY

The Alabama United Daughters of the Confederacy is a voluntary, patriotic organization, composed of various chapters throughout the State. It represents one unit of The General Confederation, United Daughters of the Confederacy. Its objects are to guard Confederate history; to sew recorded the facts of "virtue, valor and sacrifice; the inspiring reflection that despite its bitter disappointments and sorrows, it proclaims to all the world that we came through the years of trial and struggle, with our battered shields pure, our character as a patriotic and courageous people untarnished,' and nothing to regret in our defense of the rights and honor of our Southland."

The History of the United Daughters of the Confederacy Parts One and Two

The scope of its work covers: history revision; collecting of war relics into museums; preservation and marking of historic spots;, aiding old soldiers and their families; chapter organization; children's chapters and work; monuments, in Alabama and elsewhere; crosses of Honor; educational scholarships, educational contests for U. D. C. and C. of C. medals for same; preservation of Alabama Confederate history.

A committee composed of cultured men and women have charge of examining the histories offered for use in the schools of Alabama; also the works on American literature. Their object is to secure absolutely unbiased authors who will neither praise nor censure, but will simply state facts.

The gathering of material for a Confederate museum was begun in December, 1896. The rich results have been turned over to the Alabama State Department of Archives and History. It comprises scrap-books, diaries, flags, canon, guns, canteens, uniforms, newspaper flies, books, portraits, and correspondence, both official and private.

Memorial highways; battle grounds within Alabama's limits and the battle fields of the South on which Alabama troops fought; the numerous buildings in Montgomery, connected with Confederate history, both locally and as the capital of the Confederacy; homes of Alabamians who were leaders in the Confederate cause or won fame on the field of honor; care of the graves of all Confederate soldiers.

The Alabama Division, both as separate chapters and from its Division treasury aids indigent veterans and their widows. Since the establishment of the Soldiers' Home at Mountain Creek a Commitee of Daughters of the Confederacy make frequent visits to the Home and have a friendly supervision over the hospital.

The object: to multiply the centers of local patriotic interest and in this manner to preserve local history; foster intelligent contemplation of events; assist in educating the masses.

The object: to teach descendants of the Confederate soldier the true history of the period, and to instill in them a proper appreciation of the exalted principles for which the Confederate soldier fought.

The object: to raise funds for the erection of monuments to Confederate soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in defense of their country. Mrs. L. G. Dawson was chairman of the committee when created, and the first money raised, $5,000, was contributed to the Sam Davis monument, at Franklin, Tenn. The first monument erected by the Alabama Division outside the State was the shaft to her fallen sons on the battlefield of Shiloh. The Division presented an oil painting of Emma Sansom to the Alabama State Department of Archives and History; contributed to the funds for a monument at Petersburg, Va., and the Confederate monument at Arlington, Va., and to each of the other great memorials erected by the General U. D. C., the last being, on the battlefield at Gettysburg.

Educational Activities.—1. Scholarships in high schools to universities, for both sexes, the beneficiaries being necessarily lineally descendants of Confederate soldiers. 2. Awards in examination contests and essays, for children and for adult membership.

Historical Work is to collect local and general historical data, such as specific incidents of the period, diaries, letters from camp, hospital, prison and battlefield, and to forward them to the State historian of the division, who in turn deposits them in the Alabama State Department of Archives and History.

The U. D. C. was organized in Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 10, 1894. The first chapter in Alabama was organized by Miss Sallie Jones at Camden, as the Alabama Charter Chapter, No. 36, March 26, 1896. The Alabama Division was organized at Montgomery, April 8-9, 1897, on which date its first meeting was held. Meets annually.

Objects- "Social, charitable, historical and memorial, to preserve historical spots." —Constitution.

First Officers, 1897-98.—Miss Sallie Jones, president; Mrs. Wm. A. Gayle, lst. vice pres.; Mrs. Joseph F. Johnston, 2nd vice pres.; Mrs. Rosely Lewis, cor. sec.; Mrs. Alfred Bethea, rec. sec; Mrs. A. W. Cawthorne, treas; Mrs. M. S. McKissick, registrar; and Mrs. Amelia G. Gorgas, historian.

Publications.—"Minutes," published annually (8 vo.).

Southern Cross of Honor, History and Rules.—The idea of the Southern Cross of Honor, to be given by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to the Veterans and descendants of the deceased Confederate soldiers and sailors, originated with Mrs. Mary Ann Cobb Erwin, Athens, Ga.

The design offered by Mrs. S. E. Gabbett, Atlanta, Ga., chairman of the committee appointed by Mrs. Katie Cabell Currie, President General of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, at Hot Springs, Ark., November, 1898, to procure designs, was accepted, at Richmond, Va., November, 1899. The members of the committee were: Mrs. S. E. Gabbett, Chairman, Atlanta, Ga.; Mrs. C. Helen Plane, Atlanta, Ga.; Mrs. Mary Ann Cobb Erwin, Athens, Ga. Upon the resignation of Mrs. Erwin, Miss Mildred Lewis Rutherford, Athens, Ga., was appointed in her place.

The rules formulated by the Committee were found insufficient to meet the many questions that arose regarding the bestowal of the Cross, so at the request of Mrs. Gabbett, who had been appointed Custodian of the Cross, at Richmond, 1899, Mrs. Edwin G. Weed, President General of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, enlarged the Committee, at Montgomery, Ala., November, 1900.

In consideration of the fact that the Custodian of Cross of Honor has for a number of years been a legal U. D. C. officer, the Committee on Cross of Honor was abolished by action of the Dallas Convention, 1916.

SOUTHERN CROSS OF HONOR RULES. RULE I. To Whom Given. Section 1. Confederate Veterans. Oldest living lineal descendants of Confederate Veterans. Widows of Confederate veterans.

How to Obtain the Honor Cross.

Section 2. Veteran members of Camp shall be furnished blanks by the Chapter President nearest to Camp, which shall be filled out, showing date of enlistment, where enlisted, the Company, Regiment and Command in which they served, date of parole, if discharged, state reason for it, whether for disability, detail, or at close of war.

His papers mnst be signed by Commander and Adjutant of Camp, giving name and number of same.

Veterans Not Members of Camps.

Section 3. Must get and fill applications with the same data required of Camp members and must have application attested to by two Veteran members of Camps, giving name and number of Camp.

Section 4. A Veteran only can secure a second Cross. To do this he must certify to Chapter President that the Cross has been lost, and must furnish a copy of the certificate upon which the lost Cross was granted. If second Cross is lost, a certificate may be given in testimony that a Cross has been awarded and lost.

Chapter Presidents should see to it that all Crosses given have the names of the Veterans engraved upon them.

Section 5. A Veteran may bequeath his Cross to any one of his lineal descendants; if he dies without bequeathing it, the oldest living lineal descendant.

If a Cross is awarded and Veteran dies before receiving it, the Chapter President shall give it to the oldest lineal descendant or to the widow under provision of these rules.

Section 6. Upon receipt of certificate from a reputable physician that Veteran is dying, the Cross may be given at once; not waiting for regular Memorial days.

Section 7. The Confederate Veteran only can under any circumstance have the honor of wearing the Cross.

RULE II.

Section 1. The oldest living lineal descendant may secure the father's Cross by giving the same proof of eligibility as that required of his Veteran ancestor, but cannot wear it.

Section 2. The widow may receive her husband's Cross, providing there is no living lineal descendant. If there is, she must present with her application the avowal of the oldest living lineal descendant that the right of such to the Cross is waived in her favor, and must give the same proof of eligibility which her Veteran husband would have to furnish. Also she must be a Confederate - woman and have endured all the hardships and privations of the war period, '61 to '65.

She cannot wear the Cross.

RULE III.

Section 1. Each State and Territorial Division must elect or appoint a State Recorder of Southern Honor Cross, who shall furnish Chapter Presidents with all needed blanks for bestowal of Crosses. Also it shall be the duty of State Recorders to see that all applications shall be sent by Chapter Presidents to her and see that they are filled out as to her and see that they are filled out as pro-that record lists are filled alphabetically, using the surname beginning with letter nearest to "A" followed by the Christian name, continuing through the letters as they come in the Alphabet. The State Recorder shall return these papers to Chapter Presidents until all are corrected to meet the requirements of these rules before forwarding to General Custodian, nor shall she forward any unless she is sure they will be in Custodian General's hands three weeks prior to day of bestowal. There must be three lists, two sent to Custodian General, who will return one with approved applications and Crosses to Chapter President.

Section 2. State Recorders shall themselves fill out the President's order, dating it and plainly writing the name of Chapter President, giving the town and State, and, if possible, either the street and house number or post office box of Chapter President. The name of the Chapter, also the number of Crosses and amount of money enclosed in post office money order.

Section 3. After waiting one month, Chapters shall send to the Division Recorder and Custodian names of veterans for whom Crosses have been received and not claimed, and these Crosses, if not engraved, may be used at the next bestowal, provided other certificates in due form have been sent to the Custodian.

Section 4. State Recorders shall make out all requests for supplies in form of orders, so that Custodian may be able to send all needed blanks at one time, checking orders and filing same in her books.

RULE IV. Duties of Custodian General. Section 1. She shall forward all blanks as soon as possible after order for same is received.

Section 2. The Custodian General shall carefully read all applications and see that all data required by the rules for bestowal are contained therein, that President's orders are also as required by rules and that all lists are written in alphabetical form. When the requirements are not observed, she shall return all papers to State Recorder and refuse to send Crosses until all rules are followed, and her decision shall be final.

Section 3. The Custodian General shall keep two books, one for recording the number of Crosses, amount of money, the name of Chapter President ordering Crosses, the State and Town the Chapter bestowing, and date of bestowal.

The second shall correspond with the Recipient's Record list, wherein shall be recorded in full all data which is placed upon these lists by Chapter Presidents.

Section 4. The Custodian General, State Recorder and Chapter President's books shall correspond in that each shall accurately and alphabetically record the names of Veterans' descendants and widows, together with all the data which appears upon recipient's alphabetical lists.

RULE V.

Section 1. The Crosses may be bestowed upon Veterans, descendants of Veterans, and widows of Veterans on the same days; being the Memorial days, selected by State or Territorial Divisions or Chapters in States, when no Division of United Daughters of the Confederacy exists.

Memorial Days.

Section 2. June 3rd, the birthday of President Jefferson Davis; January 19th, the birthday of Gen. Robert E. Lee, and one commemoration between June 3rd and January 19th, to be selected by each State or Territorial Division in Convention assembled.

The presentation shall be accompanied with such ceremonies as will give proper dignity to the occasion.

RULE VI.

Section 1. Where Counties have no local organization United Daughters of the Confederacy, a Veteran may receive the Cross

through the President of the nearest local Chapter or the President of Chapter in the County from which he entered the Confederate service, if desired.

Section 2. When Chapters are not able to bear the expense of purchasing Crosses for other Counties than their own, these may be furnished at the expense of the general association, upon the authority of the President General United Daughters of the Confederacy.

RULE VII. All orders for Crosses shall be filed in the Custodian's office three weeks before the day intended for bestowal.

RULE VIII. Any Chapter departing from these rules will not be entitled to Crosses for presentation.

Preceding the presentation of the Crosses, rules shall be read upon every occasion of the bestowal.

The President of each Chapter shall see that the Camps of Confederate Veterans and Sons of Confederate Veterans shall receive a copy of these rules for continual reference.

Southern Cross of Honor.—A Maltese cross of bronze, bearing on the obverse in the center, the Confederate battle flag with thirteen stars, surrounded by a laurel wreath. On the four arms of the cross are the words "United," "Daughters," "Confederacy," "To the U. C. V." On the reverse, in the center, surrounded by a laurel wreath the legend: "Deo Vindice, 1861-1865." On the four arms of the Cross, the words, "Southern," "Cross," "of," "Honor." The medal is suspended from a bronze bar bearing the name of the veteran upon whom it was bestowed.

Presidents■—

1897-98—Miss Sallie Jones.

1899— Mrs. W. A. Gayle.

1900— Mrs. John A. Kirkpatrick.

1901- 02—Mrs. A. L. Dowdell.

1903-04—Mrs. F. S. Wood.

1905-07—Mrs. J. N. Thompson.

1908-#9—Mrs. Charles G. Brown.

1910-11—Mrs. B. B. Ross.

1912-13—Mrs. Chappell Cory.

1914-15—Mrs. L. M. Bashinsky.

1916-17—Mrs. Bibb Graves.

1918-19—Mrs. J. A. Rountree.

1920-21—Mrs. J. H. Crenshaw.

References.—Yearbooks, circulars and correspondence in the Alabama State Department of Archives and History.