20 Apr 2013 Re-Dedication of Soldiers' Rest
C. S. A. Cemetery, Vicksburg, Mississippi
Confederate Avenue, within Cedar Hill Cemetery
 

Hosted by

United Daughters of the Confederacy
and
Sons of Confederate Veterans

 

Photos of the Day

Home

Part of Vicksburg's Cedar Hill Cemetery was set aside in 1866 to provide burial for Confederate soldiers who died of wounds or sickness. Throughout the siege of Vicksburg, Mr. J.Q. Arnold, a Vicksburg undertaker, buried the Southern soldiers in Cedar Hill, assigning grave numbers to them and carefully maintaining records of the grave locations. That information was lost after the siege but portions have been found, and the Vicksburg UDC #77 and the Lt. G. J. C. Pemberton Camp 1354 SCV used what information they could find to begin erecting headstones.

In 1893, the ladies of the Confederate Memorial Association dedicated a beautiful stone monument (right) to the memory of the Confederate Dead. Thousands of people were present, a large part of them veterans. General Stephen Dill Lee spoke, saying,

"We wish to hand down to our posterity a feeling of reverence for their heroic forefathers, who risked their lives and lost fortunes for their country."

Joel T. Bailey, J. C. Pemberton Camp's Poet

Joel T. Bailey

We gathered here today
So we could give pause
In honor of these Patriots
Who died for the cause

They fought a good fight
And gave their very best
Now they're remembered
Here at Soldiers Rest

We rededicate their memorial
On this hallowed sod
As they rest forever
In the arms of God

The Posting of Colors by Mississippi Division, SCV, Color Guard

'

Chaplain Bryan Dabney of  J. C. Pemberton Camp 1354, SCV, gave the invocation and the benediction.

Master of Ceremony was Wayne McMaster
Past Commander
Mississippi Division, SCV

Dr. Mary Landin, President of Vicksburg 77 UDC,
welcomed everyone

Mrs. Celeste Young, Mississippi Division UDC President

Allan Palmer, Commander, Mississippi Division, SCV

He reminded guests what was said by General Stephen Dill Lee when he spoke at the 1893 unveiling of the monument at Soldiers' Rest.

"It is a duty to preserve the record and honor of such sacrifice, such privations, such patriotism, such endurance of hardship.

"This is why we raise monuments to our honored dead. While we live, nothing is needed to keep alive the memories of our comrades who fell on the field of battle, but we wish to make our lost cause consecrated forever to the hearts of our descendants.

"We wish to hand down to our posterity a feeling of reverence for their heroic forefathers, who risked their lives and lost fortunes for their country.

"Defeat and poverty cannot check homage to their memory."

 then the guns were raised in salute....
 

In the end, all soldiers go home to rest.

Salute to the Confederate Flag

I salute the Confederate Flag with affection, reverence,
and undying remembrance.