To the 
Uncrowned Heroes
of the
Southern Confederacy

whose joy was to suffer and die for a cause they believed to be just. 

Their unchallenged devotion and matchless heroism shall continue to be the wonder and inspiration of the ages.

The Johnny Rebs came from diverse backgrounds but they had in common a zeal for their just cause.  Unlike the usually smartly dressed offices, the enlisted men often looked less like disciplined troops than an ragtag posse.  But they fought magnificently on the battlefield.

"My men don't show to advantage in camp," General Robert E. Lee reportedly said, "and to tell the truth, I am a little ashamed to show them to visitors.  But, sir, you should see them when they are fighting!  Then I would not mind if the whole world were looking on!"

Such fighting men swarmed from the backwoods, plantations and bayous alike to defend their beloved South.  Many answered the call to arms as members of small, local units that boasted flamboyant names like Tallapoosa Thrashers, Cherokee Lincoln Killers, Chickasaw Desperadoes and Southern Rejectors of Old Abe -- and wore homemade garb as individualistic as their names.

Under the tutelage of an impressive corp of officers, many of whom were West Point graduates, this motley collection of men was molded into a tough, cohesive fighting force that was to win significant victories against great odds.