 When
the War for Southern Independence erupted in 1861, the political
and military leaders of the United States were forced to remain
loyal to the Union or join the newly formed Confederate States of
America. Almost without exception, Southerners chose to side with
the Southern Confederacy. During four long years of warfare,
deprivation, and sacrifice, the Confederacys elected officials and
its Officer Corps provided unparalleled leadership for a country
hopelessly outnumbered militarily and lacking sufficient resources
to carry out successful warfare. Historians have since expressed
admiration and amazement at the tenacity of purpose and the
spiritual resolve of the Southern people and their leaders. Robert
E. Lee, Thomas J. Stonewall Jackson, and Raphael Semmes are but a
few of the men whose names have become synonymous with courage,
honor, and perseverance. The Confederacys civil officials included
men like Jefferson Davis, Stephen A. Mallory, James M. Mason,
Zebulon B. Vance, John Reagan, and Judah P. Benjamin, classic
examples of civilian leaders who kept the Southern nation afloat
against over-powering obstacles. The diversity of the
Confederacy's senior officials also was extraordinary. It was in
the South, rather than the North, where occurred appointment of
the first woman as a commissioned officer in any American army:
Virginian Sally Louisa Tomkins appointed Captain of Cavalry by
President Davis. Davis also appointed the first Roman Catholic to
a presidential cabinet, the Hon. Stephen Russell Mallory as
Secretary of the Navy, and the first Jew, the Hon. Judah Philip
Benjamin, first as Attorney General, then Secretary of War, and
finally Secretary of State and Chief of the Secret Service. The
last Confederate general officer to submit to Federal authority
was Cherokee chief General Stan Watie. These men and woman were
appointed to their respective portfolios not for appearances or
political correctness but rather because they were the best
qualified individuals for those positions.
When the War for
Southern Independence ended, Confederate civil leaders and
military officers continued to guide the South through the dark
days of political and eco-nomic reconstruction. In the face of
northern hostility and reprisals, the actions of ex-Confederate
officials are a study in patience and determination. No nation
ever has produced braver or more dedicated leaders than those of
the Confederate States of America. Today the Military Order of the
Stars & Bars continues its dedication to the preservation of
Southern history. A wide range of programs recognize outstanding
literary contributions in the fields of history and journalism.
Scholarships and monetary awards are offered to emphasize the need
for truth in Confederate history. The MOS&B also emphasizes family
and tradition and encourages our membership to preserve their
family's Confederate history for posterity. Each MOS&B membership
application becomes a permanent historical record and is kept on
file at International Headquarters, Daphne, Alabama so that
our descendants can continue our pride in our Confederate
heritage.
As was stated by
General Robert E. Lee:
"Everyone should do all in his power to collect and disseminate
the truth, in the hope that it may find a place in history and
descend to posterity. History is not the relation of campaigns and
battles and generals or other individuals, but that which shows
the principles for which the South contended and which justified
her struggle for those principles."
For membership
information and applications, send an email to
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