Greetings from the Military Order of the Stars and Bars. The Military Order of the Stars and Bars is the only Confederate heritage organization founded by Confederate Veterans. In 1938 in Columbia, South Carolina, fifteen former Confederate officers, twenty-six sons, and twenty-one grandsons of Confederate officers gathered to organize the Order. Included in this group were the sons and grandsons of six general officers; subsequently the sons and grandsons of an additional thirteen general officers also joined the Order. Initially membership was restricted to lineal descendants of a qualifying Confederate. Later the Order invited those with collateral relationships to Confederate officers or government officials to join.

Our website also shows our members' various collateral relationships to Generals Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Nathan Bedford Forrest, JEB Stuart, and President Jefferson Davis. Just click on Ancestors then on Collaterals. You just might find that you are also related to these famous Americans.

Each year the Order gives back to our country. We award college scholarships and recognize outstanding teachers through our Teacher of the Year program. We recognize outstanding authors who write about our Southern heritage. We also donate money to other heritage organizations to help them with their own heritage projects.

We are mindful of the nearly one-million Americans who died in this conflict as well as those who survived it. Our mission is to perpetuate the idealism that animated the Confederate Cause and to honor the courage, devotion and endurance of those who dedicated their lives and services during four years of devastating war, and who, throughout the dreadful decade of reconstruction, labored heroically for the restoration of self-government as the most precious heritage of the American Revolution.

Many of our members have also served in the armed forces of the United States. We are loyal Americans proud of our Southern heritage and will continue our efforts to preserve it. We strive to work side by side with other heritage organizations to preserve our rich heritage and history.

Deo Vindice!

Johnnie Lee Holley, Jr.
Commander General
Military Order of the Stars and Bars