South Carolina Confederate Memorial Day Services 2019

Greetings y'all!

On Saturday, May 4th, my travels took me back to Columbia, my home state's capitol to take part in the annual South Carolina Confederate Memorial Day services. 

As you may recall from my previous blog posts on this event, Confederate Memorial Day is a state holiday that takes place on May 10th each year, and honors the memories of 16,670 South Carolinians who fought and died defending Southern independence during the War Between The States. 

Each year the State divisions of the five major Confederate heritage groups: The Sons of Confederate Veterans, The United Daughters of the Confederacy, The Children of the Confederacy, the Military Order of the Stars & Bars, and the Order of the Confederate Rose hold two memorial services on the first Saturday of May in Columbia. 

These events includes: the reading of the names from the Roll Call of the Dead on the Statehouse steps the day before, decorating the graves of the Confederate dead, the UDC Memorial Service at historic Elmwood Cemetery in downtown Columbia, a march to the State Capitol, and the SCV Memorial Service in front of the South Carolina Confederate Soldiers Monument.  

This trip was my 19th year in a row for each year I have been a member of the South Carolina Division Sons of Confederate Veterans. I arrived dressed in uniform and memorial ribbon honoring my great-great-grandfather and Confederate ancestor. 

The services were good this year, though attendance was down from the previous year due in large part to the tragic loss of a young member of the Palmetto Battalion reenactors and SCV member in a tragic motorcycle accident and preparations for his funeral the following day. 

The following are the photos taken by yours truly during these events. Enjoy.

Confederate graves in Section C of Elmwood Cemetery.

The graves of Union soldiers in front of the Confederate
Soldiers section of Elmwood Cemetery.

Confederate Soldiers Home Monument.

The grave of Brigadier General Milledge Luke Bonham CSA.

The grave of Brigadier General Maxcy Gregg CSA.

Call to Order & Welcome by Mrs. Judy McAlhany,
President SC Division United Daughters of the Confederacy.

Presentation of the Colors by the Palmetto Battalion reenactors.

Mr. Leland Summers, Colonel Palmetto Battalion.

Mrs. Lisa Graham,
President SC Society Order of the Confederate Rose.

Keynote Speaker.
Mrs. Tammy Herron, Historian, SC Division UDC.

Presentation of the Wreath.
SC United Daughters of the Confederacy President Mrs. Judy
McAlhany, SC Sons of Confederate Veterans President Mr.
Jamie Graham, SC Children of the Confederacy President Mr.
Hampton Chumley, SC Society of the Confederate Rose
President Mrs. Lisa Graham.

Members of the Palmetto Battalion getting ready to fire three
volleys over the graves of the honored Confederate dead.

Members of the 16th SC Color Guard.

South Carolina Confederate Soldiers Monument  at the
State Capitol grounds, decorated with flags and wreath in
honor of the Southern Dead.

The parade marchers from Elmwood Cemetery arriving on
Main Street in downtown Columbia, SC.

Presentation of the Colors by the 16th SC Color Guard.

Mr. Jamie Graham,
President SC Division Sons of Confederate Veterans.

The reading of the names from the Roll Call of the Dead and
the ringing of the old bell.
The names of the 26,670 South Carolina Confederate dead
are read aloud throughout the previous day on the
Statehouse steps by volunteers. The last 20 names are read
aloud during the SC SCV Memorial Service.

Retiring of the Colors by the 16th SC Color Guard.

Yours truly standing at the Confederate
Soldiers' Monument on the Statehouse grounds
at the conclusion of the annual Confederate
Memorial Day services of 2019.

Once again I hope y'all enjoyed my photos of this year's South Carolina Confederate Memorial Day services (the last one of me in uniform was taken with my camera by a nice Southern lady who volunteered). Profound respect for the men, women and children who help to honor these American veterans and Southern dead. 

Also don't forget that coming up on the last Monday of May is US Memorial Day where US Veterans are honored. 

Have a Wonderful Dixie Day, and y'all come back now, ya hear!