MOS&B History
 

History and Purpose of
The Military Order Of The Stars & Bars

Southern Leadership During The War For Southern Independence

"All that was, or is now, desired is that error and injustice be excluded from the text-books of the schools and from the literature brought into our homes; that the truth be told, without exaggeration and without omission; truth for its own sake and for the sake of honest history, and that the generations to come after us not be left to bear the burden of shame and dishonor unrighteously laid upon the name of their noble sires." - Rev. James Power Smith,
Last Survivor of the Staff of Lt. General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson

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. For four long years of warfare, deprivation, and sacrifice, the elected officials and the Confederate 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. On the political end of the spectrum, men like Jefferson Davis, Stephen A. Mallory, James M. Mason, Zebulon B. Vance, John Reagan, and Judah P. Benjamin are classic examples of civilian leaders who kept the Southern nation afloat against over- powering obstacles. Confederate officials and officers led from the front, not from the rear! Not surprisingly, Confederate generals had a 50% higher casualty rate in battle than did privates.

When the War for Southern Independence ended, Confederate civil leaders and military officers continued to guide the South through the dark. In days of political and economic reconstruction. In the face of northern hostility and reprisal, the actions of the ex-Confederate officials are a study in patience and determination. No civilized nation has ever produced braver, more dedicated, or chivalrous leaders than those of the Confederate States of America.
On June 10, 1889, at New Orleans, Louisiana, the surviving soldiers of the Confederate States of America organized an association called the United Confederate Veterans to protect and defend the honor and dignity of the memory of the Confederate soldier.

A Brief History Of The Military Order Of The Stars & Bars

"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. " - Robert E. Lee

On July 1, 1896, at Richmond, Virginia, this duty was extended to the male offspring of these brave soldiers with the formation of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

As the ranks of the aged veterans began to thin, a group of the surviving Confederate officers met in Columbia, South Carolina, concerned that the unique contributions made by the Confederate leadership were not properly chronicled in our nation's history books. On August 30, 1938, the first meeting of the "Order of the Stars & Bars" was convened with seventeen former Confederate officers and forty-seven male descendants of Confederate officers in attendance. It was unique in that the organization was made up of veterans and their descendants with the understanding that as the original Confederate officers died their offspring would continue to carry on the purposes of the Order. The first Commander-in-Chief was Captain Homer Atkinson, of Petersburg, Virginia, who served his country as the commanding officer of Company B of the 39th Mississippi Battalion. In addition to leading the Order, Compatriot Atkinson served two terms as Commander-in-Chief of the United Confederate Veterans. In later years, eligibility qualifications were broadened to allow collateral male descendants of Confederate commissioned officers and of any elected or appointed member of the Executive Branch of the Confederate Government. The name of the Order was changed to "The Military Order of the Stars & Bars" at the general convention held at Memphis, Tennessee, in 1976, and the "Stars and Bars", the first National Flag of the Confederate States of America was accepted as the symbol of the Order.

Today the Military Order of the Stars & Bars continues its dedication to the preservation of Southern history. A wide range of programs has been added to 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 Order 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 national headquarters so that our descendants can continue our pride in our Confederate heritage.

As Jefferson Davis once said, "It is a duty we owe to posterity to see that our children shall know the virtues, and rise worthy of their sires."

The Purpose Of The Military Order Of The Stars & Bars

"Why a separate organization for commemoration of the Confederate Officer Corps and the officials of the civilian Confederate Government?"

With few exceptions, the officers of the armed forces of the Confederate States of America are without memorials, biographies, or any other commemorations. The attention given to the memory and history of the Confederate elected and appointed officials is even less. These heroic men suffered unbelievable hardships for their honored cause, without once wavering, without once shying from their terrific responsibilities. The story of the "Immortal Six Hundred" chronicles the conditions in which the Confederate officers were held while prisoners of war. Even after the war had ended, the officers were singled out by their former adversaries for revenge. Through every test, these brave men stood tall.

Though not usually exposed to service in the field, the elected and appointed members of the Confederate Government exhibited the necessary moral courage to lead the heroic Southern people through a vicious four-year struggle for personal freedom. Their homes were singled out for destruction by the invading Yankee armies, many were charged with treason by the U.S. Government, and after the war they faced imprisonment. Despite threats, abuses, and deprivations, these civil leaders held the Confederacy together when lesser men would have capitulated.

The members of the MOS&B bear an extra responsibility to their Confederate heritage. We should strive to preserve the special place in our Southern history for the Confederate officers and civil leaders. In doing so, we accomplish the goals of both organizations.

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