2025 Confederate Memorial Day Service In Florence, South Carolina

This year for Confederate Memorial Day (recognized annually on May 10th in South Carolina & North Carolina) my travels took me east to attend the memorial service in beautiful Florence, South Carolina.

Hosted by the Pee Dee Rifles Camp #1419 Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), the memorial service took place at the Mount Hope Cemetery in downtown Florence on Saturday, May 10th.

The service took place at a burial mound in the cemetery where 64 Confederate soldiers lay beneath a marble obelisk honoring their memories. Of the 64 buried there, 61 are unknown as their names have been lost to history. Many of them died in hospital, or on trains traveling through Florence during the later half of the War Between The States (1861-1865). 64 Dixie Cross banners are placed on the mound for each of the men and boys buried there.

The service lasted for just under an hour, with live music performed by a local group, the Carolina Crossroads Bluegrass Band. Also taking part in the service were living history reenactors of the 7th Brigade (SCV) Honor Guard and the Waccamaw Light Artillery who fired rifle and cannon salutes over the graves of the dead.

Members of the Pee Dee Rifles Camp read aloud the roll call of the Confederate dead buried at Mount Hope Cemetery with a ceremonial ringing of a bell after each name.

The keynote speaker for the event was Miss Teresa Roane of Richmond, Virginia, archivist for the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) and a very remarkable Southern lady that I've had the pleasure of meeting several times over the years -- as well as the proud owner of dozens of very amazing hats. Her message for the event was very profound that Confederate descendants were the living monuments for those soldiers and veterans we came to honor that day.

The following are the photos I took while attending the event.

Members of the Pee Dee Rifles Camp who hosted the event
along with SC Division Lt. Commander Ron York.

Miss Teresa Roane with the members of the Pee Dee Rifles Camp.

Despite the overcast skies (which thankfully did not do more than lightly drizzle for a few minutes and kept the temperature at about 60F -- mild for May in South Carolina!) those who attended had a good time. 

As always I was honored to be with these people, my fellow Confederate descendants, in honoring those who came before us and our shared Southern-Confederate heritage.