Southern Cross of Honor

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Southern Cross of Honor

Awarded by Confederate States of America
Type	Medal
Awarded for
Statistics
Established	1862

The Southern Cross of Honor was a military decoration meant to honor the officers, noncommissioned officers, and privates for their valor in the armed forces of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. It was formally approved by the Congress of the Confederate States on October 13, 1862.

The design for the face of the medal consists of a cross with a Confederate battle flag surrounded with a laurel wreath, with the inscription "The Southern Cross of Honor." On the back of the medal is the motto of the Confederate States of America, "Deo Vindice" (God Our Vindicator), the dates 1861 1865, and the inscription, "From the UDC to the UCV." (UDC stands for the United Daughters of the Confederacy; UCV stands for the United Confederate Veterans.)

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.

While attending a reunion of Confederate veterans in Atlanta in 1898, members of the United Daughters of the Confederacy decided to produce the original medal.