SOUTHERN CROSS OF HONOR

"Cross One Cross Us All"

THE CONFEDERATE CONGRESS APPROVED AN ACT ON OCTOBER 13, 1862 TO HONOR THE OFFICERS, NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND PRIVATES FOR THE VALOR IN THE ARMIES OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES DURING THE WAR. HOWEVER, THERE WERE SHORTAGES OF METALS. AND MANY MEDALS WERE NOT MINTED OR AWARDED. THE NAMES OF THESE SOLDIERS WERE HOWEVER, RECORDED IN AN HONOR ROLL AND PRESERVED IN THE ADJUTANT INSPECTOR GENERAL'S RECORDS. THE SOUTHERN CROSS OF HONOR WAS ACTUALLY CONCEIVED BY MRS. ALEXANDER S. ERWIN IN JULY OF 1898 WHILE ATTENDING A REUNION OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS IN ATLANTA. SHE IS CREDITED WITH THE DESIGN OF THE MEDAL.

DURING WAR TIMES, SEVERELY WOUNDED OR DYING SOLDIERS WERE GIVEN THE MEDAL OF HONOR, MOST FROM THE EFFORTS OF DISABLED VETS AND LOCAL NURSES. WHEN MEDALS WERE SCARCE, THE CUTTING OUT OF THE SYMBOL "SOUTHERN CROSS" FROM PETTICOATS WERE THEN PINNED ON THE WOUNDED OR DYING SOLDIER, TO HONOR THEIR BRAVERY IN BATTLE.

SOUTHERN CROSS MC WAS FOUNDED IN 1968 BY VIETNAM VETS OUT OF AUGUSTA, GA. IT’S FOUNDER WAS "DIAMOND TOOTH". THE CROSS GREW TO COVER SEVERAL SOUTHERN STATES. THE SOUTHERN CROSS EVENTUALLY MERGED TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND MEMBERS RETIRED. THE SOUTHERN CROSS MC WAS RE-ESTABLISHED IN YEAR 2000 WITH PERMISSION FROM ITS EXISTING LIVING ORIGINAL MEMBERS