I can answer the questions on the Cross of Honor. It was given
to the
Old Veterans by the United Daughters of the Confederacy after its
formation in the early 1890's. My own GG GRandfather was bestowed
one
by the Ashville, N.C. chapter of the UDC in 1912, William Anderson
Cabe.
No they were not awarded to the widows. The Ga. Division of the
UDC is
in the process of and has finished several volumes of all the crosses
that were awarded. They were numbered and recorded kept.
If any widows
got one I am unaware of it.
The Cross is still awarded today by the UDC. They are bestowed to
Veterans of WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and we award the National DEfense
Medal to other conflicts such as the Persian Gulf and Granada conflict.
The recepient must be a descendant of a Confederate Soldier.
My father
recieved on for his Navy service in WWII in 1991. It was one
of the
greatest moments in my life when he was pinned with that medal.
He died
two years ago with Cancer and as he lay in state the medal was pinned
to
his lapel. He was so proud of it.
You can still get the Iron Crosses that go on the Veterans graves also.
A SCV Camp in Moultrie Ga. owns the patent to the Crosses now.
They
cost about $65.
While I have this chance I would urge all of you that have Confederate
Ancestors to please mark their graves with Confederate Monuments, the
upright kind with the point on the top. They are available free
of cost
from the Veterans Administration Office. Just go by and get a
copy of
the form and fill it out along with a proof of their service.
THe
monument will come in about 4 months, weighs about 235 lbs. and most
of
them are mined of white marble from Tate, Ga. They are so beautiful.
I
placed two in recent years and have two on order. I can tell
you that I
have never felt such a sense or rush of pride as I stepped back and
looked at that monument to a GG GRandfather that didn't even have a
field rock to mark his grave. It is a marvelous feeling.
Be sure to go
to the extra effort. They went the extra mile for all of us.
If you have Ga. Confederates that you wish to know if they received
the
Cross of Honor then seek out the GEORGIA Rosters so named in local
libraries. I do not know if the project has reached the finished
state,
but the fist couple of volumes are done. The GA UDC has also
completed
a set of 6 volumes of all the members of the UDC and the ancestors
that
the member joined under. They are the :"Confederate Ancestor
Rosters.:"
Very helpful. Gives the veteran and his wife and the members
who have
joined under this man and also their relationship to the veteran.
If you seek other states for the bestowal of the Southern Cross of
Honor, then write to the UDC Business Office in Richmond, Va. and ask
for their records. They have them there, there might be a small
fee for
the look up but hey its worth it. Be sure to give them all pertinent
information, as to the Veterans name, state and county he lived
in so
they will know more where to look, and if known the unit he served
in.
I hope this has been of help to you. I am a member of the Toccoa
Chapter of the UDC and I have 50 proven certificates of membership,
so
you know that I hold my southern heritage very important.
Karen T. Ledford/Confederate
Researcher
Toccoa, Ga.
