Confederate descendants hold remembrance ceremony

In 2016, members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy gathered to remember their fallen ancestors in a solemn remembrance ceremony. The day included a series of respectful traditions and ended with the “last drink,” a ritual in which water is poured onto the graves of the soldiers being honored.

The Last Drink

The last drink is a simple gesture with deep meaning. Many soldiers died thirsty on the battlefield or in field hospitals, far from home. Pouring water on their graves is a symbolic way of offering them comfort at last. Variations of this ritual are found in cultures and faiths all over the world, from ancient Greece and Rome to traditions in Africa, Asia and among Native Americans, making it one of the oldest ways people have honored their dead.

Who Are the SCV and UDC?

The United Daughters of the Confederacy was founded in Nashville in 1894 by women who wanted to honor the memory of Confederate soldiers, care for aging veterans and their widows, and preserve Southern history. The Sons of Confederate Veterans was founded two years later, in Richmond in 1896, for male descendants of men who served. Both organizations are still active today, with chapters across the country.

Over the years, these groups have raised monuments, marked thousands of graves, published histories and kept up cemeteries where Confederate soldiers are buried. Many of the memorial ceremonies held each spring on Confederate Memorial Day are organized by local SCV camps and UDC chapters.

A Ceremony of Remembrance

A typical memorial service includes a prayer, the presentation of flags by a color guard, the reading of the names of the soldiers being honored and, often, a rifle salute. Descendants may place flags or flowers on the graves. These ceremonies are not about politics. They are about family, faith and making sure the men who served are never forgotten.

Read more about how the South honors its soldiers in How the South Remembers the War, and find flags for your next memorial service in our Confederate flag collection.

Source: The Record: Confederate descendants hold remembrance ceremony

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