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| Descendants of Confederate soldiers and veterans placing small Dixie Cross battle flags on a simple wreath as part of the Confederate Memorial Day services at Oakland Cemetery in downtown Gaffney, South Carolina on Saturday, May 9, 2026. |
On Saturday, May 9th of this year, my travels once again took me upstate to Cherokee County, South Carolina for another service honoring this year's Confederate Memorial Day State Holiday (May 10th in South Carolina). This time I attended the service at Oakland Cemetery in the town of Gaffney -- and actively took a part in the service itself!
This service was sponsored by the Captain Moses Wood Camp #135 Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) and the Moses Wood Chapter #469 United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), both of which are based in the town of Gaffney, South Carolina.
As per usual when attending one of these annual services every late April and May, I wore my replica gray wool Confederate soldiers uniform coat, britches, and brown slouch hat for the service, along with my black mourning cockade with the button representing my great-great-grandfather's service in defense of Southern independence.
Since I was in uniform, I was asked by the commander of the Moses Wood camp, Mr. Jordan W. Dill, to help take part by serving as color bearer for the event since only a few re-enactors showed up. I was deeply honored and accepted the role of carrying the camp's colors.
The service itself included the reading of the names of the Confederate dead in the cemetery and the ancestors of many of the people in attendance. When a name was read, a bell was rung and small Dixie Cross banners were placed on a wreath by those with Confederate ancestors. There was also a special playing of Dixie on a harmonica. Overall a beautiful service and one that I was glad to be able to attend.
The following are the photos I took of the service at Oakland Cemetery.
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| The members of the Captain Moses Wood Camp #125 SCV of Gaffney, SC gathered at the grave of their camp's namesake following the service. |
