By: Jakob Brandenburg
MIDLAND — January 19 is General Robert E. Lee’s birthday, and Texas Confederate Heroes Day. In observance, a group of local confederate descendants gathered to remember the southern soldiers that fought in the Civil War.
The Sons of Confederate Veterans held a ceremony at Fairview Cemetery on and paid their respects to the 40 Confederate soldiers who are buried there.
“We are a heritage organization only,” Ray Johnson, Commander of the Tom Green Camp said. “We’re here to recognize our Confederate dead. Our ancestors. We want to teach other generations, and keep their good names alive.”
Sons of Confederate Veterans is a national organization, with chapters in Midland, San Angelo, and Iraan.
“Back then lots of people saw themselves as citizens of their state before citizens of the United States,” Joshua Hutchins said. “So when they saw an invading army coming, they felt it was their duty to take up arms against it.”
Hutchins is only 18 years old, but is in charge of Midland’s Dunn-Holt-Midkiff Camp. He ensures that the group remains non-political and anti-racist.
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