Forrest Nathan Bedford Forrest Reinterment

Yesterday, October 31st, was the 144th anniversary of the burial of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest in the grounds of Elmwood Cemetery at Memphis. His wife would follow him in death and be laid to rest beside him in 1891. I'm certain that their souls have been at rest in the presence of their Savior, far above and beyond this mortal plain of existence, since the moment each of them took their last respective breaths. Their mortal remains, however, have since been dug up and reburied a total of three times...
  • The first time in 1904 with an intention of love when their son allowed their remains to be removed from the cemetery to a park created to the General's honor...
  • The second time out of a edited spirit of malice & hate, when - after a decade of attempts - the city of Memphis (through a shady, backdoor transfer of property to a non-profit) forced the family to have them removed if they desired their ancestors to rest in a place of peace; for several months after the disinterment in Memphis earlier this year, they were reburied in a secluded cemetery to protect their remains until a fitting tribute could be put together...
  • Now a third time, and hopefully one last time, out of respect, remembrance & reverence at the Headquarters of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Sometime around 6:30 p.m., on September 16, 2021, I and a compatriot from my SCV Camp departed my driveway in the 'burbs of Detroit, MI, to head for Columbia, TN. About ten hours later - in the wee hours of the morning on Friday, September 17th, after driving and stopping to eat at the Brentwood Waffle House - we pulled into a truck stop in Columbia to park and get a couple of Zzzzzs; an alarm for 7:15 a.m. roused us from our restless slumber. We ran inside the truck stop to change into appropriate clothes before heading to SCV HQ at Historic Elm Springs.

We arrived and parked just in time to see that the hearses carrying the Forrest's remains were there, and we filed into the crowd just in time to see the SCV Mechanized Cavalry pallbearers remove the caskets from the hearses and carry them into the Elm Springs mansion. A few minutes were given to prepare the scene inside, during which time a welcome to all was given by the SCV Commander-in-Chief Larry McCluney and a prayer was said by the SCV Chaplain & Chief before the funeral visitation was opened.

Upon passing the sentries in Confederate uniform in entering the parlor, your attention could not help but be drawn to the two beautiful, flag-draped caskets on the left - first the General's, shrouded by the 2nd National Flag, and then Mrs. Forrest's, with the banner commonly referred to as the "Christian flag." An honor guard stood solemnly at each casket. After standing there for a few moments to pay respects, eyes were drawn to the opposite side of the parlor where a post war casket battleflag from the old soldiers home in Florida was up on display across from the General's casket. Down from that, directly across from Mrs. Forrest's casket was a most unexpected sight... the old metallic casket of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest! (Based on my research, I believe that this may have been the original casket that he was first laid to rest in at Elmwood Cemetery; newspaper accounts of the reburial in 1904 insinuate that his original coffin was just transferred into a new vault before reinterment.) Lastly, a big screen was set up beside the General's original casket playing a picture slideshow consisting of actual photographs & artistic renditions of the General & Mrs. Forrest, plus photographs documenting the recovery of their remains from Memphis. Between 8-am & Noon, my traveling companion & I must have gone back through that parlor at least 4 or 5 times. It was moving and surreal every time.

On Saturday morning, September 18th, my traveling companion & I arrived early to Elm Springs. The rain clouds were pouring out over the area (and had been all night), as if the angels were expressing their sorrow that this event had to be. With the service scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m., we both wondered if folks would turn out on such a soggy day... but they did. An estimated 2,500 people arrived to honor this legend in American military history & his wife. About an hour before the service the rains tapered off and ceased, and then the clouds rolled away for the sun to shine upon the service. I truly believe it was God showing His blessing upon what we were doing.

For an hour prior to the service, musicians stood on the speaker's platform to pay tribute to the Forrests in song. Just before the clock struck 10:00, the musicians played a mournful instrumental version of Dixie, and then the tolling of a bell & martial calls from the reenactors signaled that the service was about to begin. First came the pallbearers carrying the casket of Mrs. Forrest; then the current SCV Commander-in-Chief & Lt. Commander-in-Chief, the Executive Director of Elm Springs, and 5-Past SCV Commanders-in-Chief bore the casket of Gen. Forrest to the gravesite.

Once the caskets were in place, and everyone was in their places, the service began with a welcome message from the Executive Director of Elm Springs, followed by an invocation from the SCV Chaplain-in-Chief.

Next, the SCV Commander-in-Chief delivered opening remarks, and then came the Greetings from representatives of the invited heritage societies - 1. the President of the Tennessee Division, Order of the Confederate Rose; 2. the Adjutant General of the Military Order of the Stars & Bars.
(I will note here that two other heritage societies - The Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War and the United Daughters of the Confederacy - were invited to send representatives but declined to do so.)

The next speaker was the most recent Past SCV Commander-in-Chief, who briefly spoke about how this entire situation came together - the bad & the good, before delivering a reading of Gen. Forrest's Farewell Address to his troops. The next speaker was Henry Edward Phillips III - the attorney who represented the Forrest family & the SCV in the legal process of moving the Forrest's remains to Elm Springs - to deliver the lengthy eulogy.

To deliver the funeral sermon, the SCV Chaplain-in-Chief returned to the podium. He spoke from the text found in the Book of Joshua 4:1-8, which tells about God commanding the Hebrews to erect a memorial of 12 stones as a reminder of Him letting them cross the Jordan River on dry land. (I must add in here that the elderly Reverend preached an energetic and fiery sermon that I believe honored God, honored the memory of the General & his wife, and strengthened the Southern-Confederate pride in the heart of every person there.)

Following the sermon, the Executive Director of Elm Springs announced that the actual reinterment would be postponed due to the threat of incoming storms, and that the remains would be taken back into the Elm Springs mansion for folks to pass by one last time. Before the caskets were carried away, however, a Cannon Salute was fired off with about a dozen artillery pieces booming forth several volleys each, thunderously roaring & echoing over those middle-Tennessee hills.

Then, as the pallbearers began to carry the remains of General & Mrs. Forrest back into the home - the most beautiful thing happened. Spontaneously, someone began to sing... "Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton..." and instantly a choir of 2,500 Southrons stood at attention and joined in to sing Dixie as the caskets were carried back into the home, concluding with a rebel yell that surely would have brought a smile to "Ol' Bedford's face."

Along with our brothers from the SCV Camp in west-Michigan who were in attendance, my traveling companion & I passed through the parlor to pay our respects one last time before departing the property. The rains did return shortly after we left, but it was light enough that the folks at HQ were able to complete the reburial process later after the property was closed off.

It has now been about six weeks since being there, yet I still find it nearly impossible to fully express all that I thought & felt. Attending this event was always important to me. Even if I'd just been an avid student of war's history I would have felt compelled to be there... as the Commander of a Michigan Camp in the Sons of Confederate Veterans, I also felt an extreme sense of duty to be there to represent our State & Camp... but having joined the SCV as a descendant of a Confederate veteran - Pvt. John Bumgardner (Co. A, 6th North Carolina Infantry) - whose regiment fought under Forrest's command at the Battle of Chickamauga, it meant more than I can possibly tell to represent my Confederate ancestor's family at the event.

Through the entire thing, my traveling companion & I made some incredible connections with Compatriots from all over the country. Folks were surprised to learn that Michigan has two active SCV camps, and were stunned after being told of the work that we are doing to honor Confederate heritage so deep behind enemy lines!

We also had the privilege to visit two battlefields - Franklin & Salem Cemetery (Jackson, TN), and to pay our respects at the graves of over 3,000 Confederate veterans - including 17 commissioned Confederate Generals and 1 past Commander-General of the United Confederate Veterans, plus a past Commander-in-Chief of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the Founder of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. On top of that, we were also blessed to receive & accept an invite to tour the Nathan Bedford Forrest Boyhood Home from the Home's director on the Monday after the reburial.

For me it was the trip of a life-time, and it has exponentially multiplied my desire to learn more about those who fought for Southern Independence and do more to honor their memory. We did our utmost to represent this Camp well. I wish all of you could have been with us. There is talk of the service being made available on DVD in the not-to-distant future, and I hope that happens so you can all get a taste of what it was like to be there.
 
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Yesterday, October 31st, was the 144th anniversary of the burial of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest in the grounds of Elmwood Cemetery at Memphis. His wife would follow him in death and be laid to rest beside him in 1891. I'm certain that their souls have been at rest in the presence of their Savior, far above and beyond this mortal plain of existence, since the moment each of them took their last respective breaths. Their mortal remains, however, have since been dug up and reburied a total of three times...
  • The first time in 1904 with an intention of love when their son allowed their remains to be removed from the cemetery to a park created to the General's honor...
  • The second time out of a edited spirit of malice & hate, when - after a decade of attempts - the city of Memphis (through a shady, backdoor transfer of property to a non-profit) forced the family to have them removed if they desired their ancestors to rest in a place of peace; for several months after the disinterment in Memphis earlier this year, they were reburied in a secluded cemetery to protect their remains until a fitting tribute could be put together...
  • Now a third time, and hopefully one last time, out of respect, remembrance & reverence at the Headquarters of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Sometime around 6:30 p.m., on September 16, 2021, I and a compatriot from my SCV Camp departed my driveway in the 'burbs of Detroit, MI, to head for Columbia, TN. About ten hours later - in the wee hours of the morning on Friday, September 17th, after driving and stopping to eat at the Brentwood Waffle House - we pulled into a truck stop in Columbia to park and get a couple of Zzzzzs; an alarm for 7:15 a.m. roused us from our restless slumber. We ran inside the truck stop to change into appropriate clothes before heading to SCV HQ at Historic Elm Springs.

We arrived and parked just in time to see that the hearses carrying the Forrest's remains were there, and we filed into the crowd just in time to see the SCV Mechanized Cavalry pallbearers remove the caskets from the hearses and carry them into the Elm Springs mansion. A few minutes were given to prepare the scene inside, during which time a welcome to all was given by the SCV Commander-in-Chief Larry McCluney and a prayer was said by the SCV Chaplain & Chief before the funeral visitation was opened.

Upon passing the sentries in Confederate uniform in entering the parlor, your attention could not help but be drawn to the two beautiful, flag-draped caskets on the left - first the General's, shrouded by the 2nd National Flag, and then Mrs. Forrest's, with the banner commonly referred to as the "Christian flag." An honor guard stood solemnly at each casket. After standing there for a few moments to pay respects, eyes were drawn to the opposite side of the parlor where a post war casket battleflag from the old soldiers home in Florida was up on display across from the General's casket. Down from that, directly across from Mrs. Forrest's casket was a most unexpected sight... the old metallic casket of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest! (Based on my research, I believe that this may have been the original casket that he was first laid to rest in at Elmwood Cemetery; newspaper accounts of the reburial in 1904 insinuate that his original coffin was just transferred into a new vault before reinterment.) Lastly, a big screen was set up beside the General's original casket playing a picture slideshow consisting of actual photographs & artistic renditions of the General & Mrs. Forrest, plus photographs documenting the recovery of their remains from Memphis. Between 8-am & Noon, my traveling companion & I must have gone back through that parlor at least 4 or 5 times. It was moving and surreal every time.

On Saturday morning, September 18th, my traveling companion & I arrived early to Elm Springs. The rain clouds were pouring out over the area (and had been all night), as if the angels were expressing their sorrow that this event had to be. With the service scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m., we both wondered if folks would turn out on such a soggy day... but they did. An estimated 2,500 people arrived to honor this legend in American military history & his wife. About an hour before the service the rains tapered off and ceased, and then the clouds rolled away for the sun to shine upon the service. I truly believe it was God showing His blessing upon what we were doing.

For an hour prior to the service, musicians stood on the speaker's platform to pay tribute to the Forrests in song. Just before the clock struck 10:00, the musicians played a mournful instrumental version of Dixie, and then the tolling of a bell & martial calls from the reenactors signaled that the service was about to begin. First came the pallbearers carrying the casket of Mrs. Forrest; then the current SCV Commander-in-Chief & Lt. Commander-in-Chief, the Executive Director of Elm Springs, and 5-Past SCV Commanders-in-Chief bore the casket of Gen. Forrest to the gravesite.

Once the caskets were in place, and everyone was in their places, the service began with a welcome message from the Executive Director of Elm Springs, followed by an invocation from the SCV Chaplain-in-Chief.

Next, the SCV Commander-in-Chief delivered opening remarks, and then came the Greetings from representatives of the invited heritage societies - 1. the President of the Tennessee Division, Order of the Confederate Rose; 2. the Adjutant General of the Military Order of the Stars & Bars.
(I will note here that two other heritage societies - The Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War and the United Daughters of the Confederacy - were invited to send representatives but declined to do so.)

The next speaker was the most recent Past SCV Commander-in-Chief, who briefly spoke about how this entire situation came together - the bad & the good, before delivering a reading of Gen. Forrest's Farewell Address to his troops. The next speaker was Henry Edward Phillips III - the attorney who represented the Forrest family & the SCV in the legal process of moving the Forrest's remains to Elm Springs - to deliver the lengthy eulogy.

To deliver the funeral sermon, the SCV Chaplain-in-Chief returned to the podium. He spoke from the text found in the Book of Joshua 4:1-8, which tells about God commanding the Hebrews to erect a memorial of 12 stones as a reminder of Him letting them cross the Jordan River on dry land. (I must add in here that the elderly Reverend preached an energetic and fiery sermon that I believe honored God, honored the memory of the General & his wife, and strengthened the Southern-Confederate pride in the heart of every person there.)

Following the sermon, the Executive Director of Elm Springs announced that the actual reinterment would be postponed due to the threat of incoming storms, and that the remains would be taken back into the Elm Springs mansion for folks to pass by one last time. Before the caskets were carried away, however, a Cannon Salute was fired off with about a dozen artillery pieces booming forth several volleys each, thunderously roaring & echoing over those middle-Tennessee hills.

Then, as the pallbearers began to carry the remains of General & Mrs. Forrest back into the home - the most beautiful thing happened. Spontaneously, someone began to sing... "Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton..." and instantly a choir of 2,500 Southrons stood at attention and joined in to sing Dixie as the caskets were carried back into the home, concluding with a rebel yell that surely would have brought a smile to "Ol' Bedford's face."

Along with our brothers from the SCV Camp in west-Michigan who were in attendance, my traveling companion & I passed through the parlor to pay our respects one last time before departing the property. The rains did return shortly after we left, but it was light enough that the folks at HQ were able to complete the reburial process later after the property was closed off.

It has now been about six weeks since being there, yet I still find it nearly impossible to fully express all that I thought & felt. Attending this event was always important to me. Even if I'd just been an avid student of war's history I would have felt compelled to be there... as the Commander of a Michigan Camp in the Sons of Confederate Veterans, I also felt an extreme sense of duty to be there to represent our State & Camp... but having joined the SCV as a descendant of a Confederate veteran - Pvt. John Bumgardner (Co. A, 6th North Carolina Infantry) - whose regiment fought under Forrest's command at the Battle of Chickamauga, it meant more than I can possibly tell to represent my Confederate ancestor's family at the event.

Through the entire thing, my traveling companion & I made some incredible connections with Compatriots from all over the country. Folks were surprised to learn that Michigan has two active SCV camps, and were stunned after being told of the work that we are doing to honor Confederate heritage so deep behind enemy lines!

We also had the privilege to visit two battlefields - Franklin & Salem Cemetery (Jackson, TN), and to pay our respects at the graves of over 3,000 Confederate veterans - including 17 commissioned Confederate Generals and 1 past Commander-General of the United Confederate Veterans, plus a past Commander-in-Chief of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the Founder of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. On top of that, we were also blessed to receive & accept an invite to tour the Nathan Bedford Forrest Boyhood Home from the Home's director on the Monday after the reburial.

For me it was the trip of a life-time, and it has exponentially multiplied my desire to learn more about those who fought for Southern Independence and do more to honor their memory. We did our utmost to represent this Camp well. I wish all of you could have been with us. There is talk of the service being made available on DVD in the not-to-distant future, and I hope that happens so you can all get a taste of what it was like to be there.
Thank you for this description of the Forrest's third reinterment.

(I will note here that two other heritage societies - The Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War and the United Daughters of the Confederacy - were invited to send representatives but declined to do so.)
That's actually very surprising about the SUV.
There has always been mutual respect between the SCV, MOS&B and the SUV. Historically, each group has always sent representatives to each other's similar events.

But I'm actually speechless that the UDC did not have a presence at Elm Springs.
 
That's actually very surprising about the SUV.
Is it..? Didn't they recently distance themselves from the SCV, & their symbols..? Maybe I'm mistaken. Although, I recall an official memorandum or something sent out in the last year (I think), stating such.
 
Is it..? Didn't they recently distance themselves from the SCV, & their symbols..? Maybe I'm mistaken. Although, I recall an official memorandum or something sent out in the last year (I think), stating such.
You may be right.
I honestly don't know.

I'm only aware of how these groups have interacted over the years.
But things aren't the same as they once were.

I should stop now, before I get into current politics.

They had a presence, just not officially. I know several members who were in attendance.
I agree with you on the head scratching of it.... :unsure:

I'm glad at least several of those Ladies were there in a unofficial capacity !

I do remember when the Order of the Confederate Rose was founded as an auxiliary to the SCV.
The Girls/Ladies I met ... in the original OCR groups, I liked very much.

From what I remember, the UDC didn't take them seriously.
And that's from my UDC friends.

I've never paid much attention to either group, but it seems the OCR may be gaining more members than the UDC these days ?
I should shut up again.

Two groups of Women that are mad at me ... are much more dangerous than modern politics.

:unsure:
 
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But I'm actually speechless that the UDC did not have a presence at Elm Springs.

They had a presence, just not officially. I know several members who were in attendance.

I agree with you on the head scratching of it.... :unsure:

The way the UDC has been threatened in recent years, I don't blame them for keeping a low profile.

I heard that there was some folks upset because of a scheduling conflict; IIRC, the Alabama Division of the UDC had their Division Reunion set for the same weekend.

Still, IMO, there is no excuse for them not at least designating someone as an official representative from the UDC.
 
For those unaware, the remains of NBF, & his wife, were removed from Memphis earlier this year. This past weekend, a funeral was held for them at what should be, their final resting place forever. They were moved to the Sons of Confederate Veterans' Headquarters, in Columbia, Tennessee.

The SCV HQ is a huge property, with a historic home (Elm Springs), & museum. Gen Forrest & his wife's graves are prominently displayed between the two. At some point in the future, his monument will be reinstalled as well.

For myself, this was a must attend, once in a lifetime event. So, I headed out on my motorcycle, with a few of my closest friends, & made the journey to Tennessee. From my driveway to HQ is approx 600 miles. What a trip...! Here's a few pics, & such of the event. I hope y'all enjoy em.



** Please respect the fact that, this is not a debate the character or, actions, of NBF thread. **

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This next pic is of SCV HQ in Columbia:

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This next picture is super cool. The stone, & challenge coin, in my hand, were buried with Forrest.

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At the conclusion of the service, there were three volleys fired. Here's one of them:


This is the last volley followed by the bagpipes:



It's really hard to describe just how awesome this experience was. The service was heartfelt, & respectful. Attendance was by invite only, & was limited. I'm convinced that they could've handled, & would've received tens of thousands of guests if they had decided to make it open to the public. There were approx 2,500 of us there. It was great to see some old friends, & just as cool to make some new ones.

Down the road, I hope that more monuments make their way to this destination. They certainly have the space for em. I believe the museum will be worth visiting again in the future. They have a lot of space to display artifacts, & such. It's still in the early stages at the moment. I know I will definitely go back at some point.

The journey there & back was epic. Anybody who rides would've appreciated that aspect as well. The rain sucked but, it's part of riding. If you never get rained on, it's because you don't ride enough :cool:
Thank you for the great pictures ! I'm glad there was a good turnout.
 
I heard that there was some folks upset because of a scheduling conflict; IIRC, the Alabama Division of the UDC had their Division Reunion set for the same weekend.
I've since heard from both UDC & SCV members that there may have actually been a legitimate misunderstanding over the official date.

These members are very honorable, and would have no reason to make excuses.
After hearing their explanations ... I have changed my original opinion.
( Before my retirement, I remember the same misunderstandings within my old agency ... especially on a national scale ).

But it's really a "moot point" now.

The fact that quite a few United Daughters of the Confederacy were attending in an unofficial capacity is impressive !

:thumbsup:
 
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Their caskets arrived on Friday. When they entered Elm Springs, the pathway in, was lined with Mechanized Cavalry members.

View attachment 419047

The fellas carrying the caskets on this day were all officers in the Mech Cav. They were led by ladies of, The Society of the Black Rose, which is an offshoot of, The Order of Confederate Rose. The OCR is a support group to the SCV.

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The mec cav were pretty mad about not being mentioned in (the program I think). Also supposedly some of the SCV leadership showed up in a limo.
 
The mec cav were pretty mad about not being mentioned in (the program I think). Also supposedly some of the SCV leadership showed up in a limo.
First of all, my thanks for all of the people who made posts of this event. I appreciate your efforts very much and am happy to see the General and his wife were given the respect they deserve.

My question.
I'm interested in the "Mech Cav" back patch-their "colors." Are they a motorcycle club within the SCV or a m/c club that has a lot of SCV members in their club? I noticed they wear a 3-piece back patch on their leather vest, but I didn't notice a M/C patch next to their 3-piece patch. Are they a recognized club within the coalition of m/c clubs in the states they are organized in?

When I was younger, I was a patch holder in the "Veterans of Vietnam Motorcycle Club" (M/C), and in the motorcycle community, being a patch holder is kind of a big deal. Lord help anyone caught wearing a 3-piece patch who is not entitled to wear one.

With a 3-piece patch, you normally have the name of the club in a top rocker over the clubs' emblem, and a bottom rocker below the emblem that showed your club's location. Off to the side there was a small patch with a "M/C" on it to show that you were a member of a motorcycle club. As I said, I didn't notice that little M/C patch on the back of the Mech Cav. I lived in Colorado at the time I was in the club and helped in the efforts to get our backpatch recognized by the governing body of such things, the Coalition of M/C Clubs. As I was the Sgt. of Arms of my club, I had to be very aware of all of the "etiquette" that's involved with being a patch holder.
 
First of all, my thanks for all of the people who made posts of this event. I appreciate your efforts very much and am happy to see the General and his wife were given the respect they deserve.

My question.
I'm interested in the "Mech Cav" back patch-their "colors." Are they a motorcycle club within the SCV or a m/c club that has a lot of SCV members in their club? I noticed they wear a 3-piece back patch on their leather vest, but I didn't notice a M/C patch next to their 3-piece patch. Are they a recognized club within the coalition of m/c clubs in the states they are organized in?

When I was younger, I was a patch holder in the "Veterans of Vietnam Motorcycle Club" (M/C), and in the motorcycle community, being a patch holder is kind of a big deal. Lord help anyone caught wearing a 3-piece patch who is not entitled to wear one.

With a 3-piece patch, you normally have the name of the club in a top rocker over the clubs' emblem, and a bottom rocker below the emblem that showed your club's location. Off to the side there was a small patch with a "M/C" on it to show that you were a member of a motorcycle club. As I said, I didn't notice that little M/C patch on the back of the Mech Cav. I lived in Colorado at the time I was in the club and helped in the efforts to get our backpatch recognized by the governing body of such things, the Coalition of M/C Clubs. As I was the Sgt. of Arms of my club, I had to be very aware of all of the "etiquette" that's involved with being a patch holder.

The Mechanized Cavalry of the Sons of Confederate Veterans is not a motorcycle club; it is a special interest group within the heritage organization that operates under the authority of the SCV. It is comprised primarily of SCV members who are motorcycle enthusiasts (though all members of the SCV are welcome & encouraged to join even if they do not ride or own a motorcycle). Membership in the SCV is a requirement for membership in the SCVMC.

According to the SCVMC's standing orders (which are available to read on their official website by anyone who chooses to do so),
the official emblem of The Sons of Confederate Veterans Mechanized Cavalry (which is the official logo of the Sons of Confederate Veterans organization with the word "Mechanized" on top and the word "Cavalry" on the bottom in a single one piece circle patch) or just the official SCV logo are approved for use as a service mark (patch) to be worn only by SCVMC members in good standing. The Service Mark or Patch is given to recruits on an on-loan basis.

Acceptable rockers for these service marks are 1. Top - Assigned Battalion ("1" Battalion" etc.) 2. Bottom - Assigned Company ("Company A" etc.). Although other rockers can be worn with the Service Mark, it is advised that a rocker should in no way denote territory, (Example, a state name or city, an area of the country, etc.).

You can read all of the above & more at the following link to the official SCVMC website.

- SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS - MECHANIZED CAVALRY Official Website -
 
The Mechanized Cavalry of the Sons of Confederate Veterans is not a motorcycle club; it is a special interest group within the heritage organization that operates under the authority of the SCV. It is comprised primarily of SCV members who are motorcycle enthusiasts (though all members of the SCV are welcome & encouraged to join even if they do not ride or own a motorcycle). Membership in the SCV is a requirement for membership in the SCVMC.

According to the SCVMC's standing orders (which are available to read on their official website by anyone who chooses to do so),
the official emblem of The Sons of Confederate Veterans Mechanized Cavalry (which is the official logo of the Sons of Confederate Veterans organization with the word "Mechanized" on top and the word "Cavalry" on the bottom in a single one piece circle patch) or just the official SCV logo are approved for use as a service mark (patch) to be worn only by SCVMC members in good standing. The Service Mark or Patch is given to recruits on an on-loan basis.

Acceptable rockers for these service marks are 1. Top - Assigned Battalion ("1" Battalion" etc.) 2. Bottom - Assigned Company ("Company A" etc.). Although other rockers can be worn with the Service Mark, it is advised that a rocker should in no way denote territory, (Example, a state name or city, an area of the country, etc.).

You can read all of the above & more at the following link to the official SCVMC website.

- SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS - MECHANIZED CAVALRY Official Website -
Thank you.
 
First of all, my thanks for all of the people who made posts of this event. I appreciate your efforts very much and am happy to see the General and his wife were given the respect they deserve.

My question.
I'm interested in the "Mech Cav" back patch-their "colors." Are they a motorcycle club within the SCV or a m/c club that has a lot of SCV members in their club? I noticed they wear a 3-piece back patch on their leather vest, but I didn't notice a M/C patch next to their 3-piece patch. Are they a recognized club within the coalition of m/c clubs in the states they are organized in?

When I was younger, I was a patch holder in the "Veterans of Vietnam Motorcycle Club" (M/C), and in the motorcycle community, being a patch holder is kind of a big deal. Lord help anyone caught wearing a 3-piece patch who is not entitled to wear one.

With a 3-piece patch, you normally have the name of the club in a top rocker over the clubs' emblem, and a bottom rocker below the emblem that showed your club's location. Off to the side there was a small patch with a "M/C" on it to show that you were a member of a motorcycle club. As I said, I didn't notice that little M/C patch on the back of the Mech Cav. I lived in Colorado at the time I was in the club and helped in the efforts to get our backpatch recognized by the governing body of such things, the Coalition of M/C Clubs. As I was the Sgt. of Arms of my club, I had to be very aware of all of the "etiquette" that's involved with being a patch holder.
Yes, the Mech Cav is like a motorcycle club within the SCV for those of us who like to ride. Also thank you for your service sir.
 
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