Military Protocol for Confederate Grave Marker Dedications

The Sons of Confederate Veterans provides some suggestions for grave marker dedications, but most of the details are left to the participants.

While one might expect the dedication of a Confederate grave marker to be a solemn ceremony accompanied by a prescribed ceremony or ritual; in fact, the specifics are left up to the individual camps and descendants.

Ceremonial Functions

There are currently no published resources outlining the required or recommended ceremonial functions or rituals for a Confederate gravestone dedication, but the national website offers a rough template of suggested activities. The individual camps provide the initiative for all dedications, so the opportunity for local and regional expression is wide open. Regularity in dedications is uncommon unless the camp has planned and participated in many of the ceremonies.

Honoring the Veteran

Each SCV camp membership is typically filled with local men or those who can claim a connection to a veteran interred locally. Thus, the vast majority of dedications are for local personalities. It is also fairly common for the descendants to specify what activities they would like to see as part of a dedication, and most camps are inclined to honor those requests. At the least, a short commentary outlining the veteran's service and life is read at the grave-side and typically presented to the descendants.

Other Concerns

Most camps are sensitive to the interests and desires of the descendants, if any are invited and present, so any statements or professions made at the time of the dedication tend to be very respectful and usually lack a political quality.

References

• SCV Gravestone Dedication Service: A Suggested Template
• Benjamin Caudill Camp #1629, Memorials and Dedications

Resources

• Ben Caudill Camp #1629