Today, the Sons of Confederate Veterans is preserving the history and legacy of these heroes, so future generations can understand the motives that animated the Southern Cause.

The SCV is the direct heir of the United Confederate Veterans, and the oldest hereditary organization for male descendants of Confederate soldiers. Organized at Richmond, Virginia, in 1896, the SCV continues to serve as a historical, patriotic, and non-political organization dedicated to insuring that a true history of the 1861-1865 period is preserved.

Membership in the Sons of Confederate Veterans is open to all male descendants of any veteran who served honorably in the Confederate armed forces. Membership can be obtained through either direct or collateral family lines and kinship to a veteran must be documented genealogically. The minimum age for membership is 12.

Proof of kinship to a Confederate soldier can take many forms. The easiest method is to contact the archives of the state from which the soldier fought and obtain a copy of the veteran's military service record. All Southern states' archives have microfilm records of the soldiers who fought from that state, and a copy of the information can be obtained for a nominal fee. In addition, the former Confederate states awarded pensions to their veterans and their widows. All of these records contain a wealth of information that can be used to document military service.

The SCV has a network of genealogists to assist you in tracing your ancestor's Confederate service.

The SCV has ongoing programs at the local,state and national levels which offer members a wide range of activities. Preservation work, marking Confederate soldiers' graves, historical re-enactments, scholarly publications, and regular meetings to discuss the military and political history of the War Between the States are only a few of the activities sponsored by local units, called camps.

All state organizations, known as Divisions, hold annual conventions, and many publish regular newsletters to the membership dealing with statewide issues. Each Division has a corps of officers elected by the membership who coordinate the work of camps and the national organization.

Nationally, the SCV is governed by its members acting through elected delegates to the annual convention. The General Executive Council, composed of elected and appointed officers, conducts the organization's business between conventions. The administrative work of the SCV is conducted at the National Headquarters, 'Elm Springs,' a restored ante-bellum home at Columbia, Tennessee.

In addition to the privilege of belonging to an organization devoted exclusively to commemorating and honoring Confederate soldiers, members are eligible for other benefits. Every member receives the Confederate Veteran, the bi-monthly national magazine which contains in-depth historical articles on the war along with news affecting Southern Heritage. The programs of the SCV range from assistance to undergraduate students through the General Stand Watie Scholarship to medical research grants given through the Brooks Fund. National historical symposiums, reprinting of rare historical books, and the erection of monuments are just a few of the other projects endorsed by the SCV.

The SCV works in conjunction with other historical groups to preserve Confederate history. However, it is not affiliated with any organization other than the Military Order of the Stars and Bars, composed of male descendants of the Southern officer corps. The SCV rejects any group whose actions tarnish or distort the image of the Confederate soldier or his reasons for fighting.

If you are interested in perpetuating the ideals that motivated your Confederate ancestor, the SCV needs you. The memory and reputation of the Confederate soldier as well as the motives for his suffering and sacrifice are being consciously distorted by some in attempts to alter history. Unless the descendants of Southern soldiers resist those efforts, a unique part of our nation's cultural heritage will cease to exist.

Please Note**-- The SCV application for membership is in PDF format. In order to view and print PDF files you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader . It may be downloaded for free by following the link provided.

After you have completed the application please mail to your local camp's recruiting contact. This application can be found in the SCV's pamphlet, Heritage of Honor available from your local camp's recruiting contact.

To join the John P. McGuire Camp please send a completed application including membership dues* to:
B. L. Williams
P. O. Box 63
Regina, KY 41559

* Initial Dues are $35.00 which includes a $5.00 recording fee; local and state dues are additional. Go to SCV Camp Locator to find a local Camp. Submit your application directly to the local Camp you wish to join or to: SCV, P.O. Box 59, Columbia TN 38402-0059 if there is no Camp in your area. Attach a copy of the ancestor's war service record or an approved pension for him or his widow. Also include a simple genealogy family tree linking the applicant to the Confederate Soldier. If accepted, I do hereby promise strict compliance to the Constitution and rules of the organization.