Memorial Day 2011

Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery
Sculpted by Moses J. Ezekiel

Confederate Memorial, Arlington Cemetery

Dedicated 1914; Sculpture by Sir Moses Ezekiel, former Sergeant of Cadets, Virginia Military Institute, who is himself buried at the base of this monument.

Inscription:
NOT FOR FAME OR REWARD, NOT FOR PLACE OR FOR RANK, NOT LURED BY AMBITION OR GOADED BY NECESSITY, BUT IN SIMPLE OBEDIENCE TO DUTY AS THEY UNDERSTOOD IT, THESE MEN SUFFERED ALL, SACRIFICED ALL, DARED ALL, AND DIED 

See also jameswebb.com, Speech at the Confederate Memorial, 1990.

Moses J. Ezekiel was one of the VMI cadets who were called into action to plug a hole in the Confederate center at the Battle of New Market, and to repulse a Union Army advance.  Though young (17 to 21 years of age) and untested in battle, the VMI cadets prevailed, charging the Union cannon and sending the Yankees into retreat.  Ten of the cadets were killed outright or later died of wounds from the battle; fifty-seven were wounded.  Although Ezekiel later became a world-renowned sculptor, he chose to be identified on his tombstone simply as:

Sgt. Moses J. Ezekiel

Moses J. Ezekiel
Sergeant of Company C
Battalion of Cadets
of the
Virginia Military Institute

Ezekiel once wrote: "The VMI, where every stone and blade of grass is dear to me, and the name of the cadet of the VMI, the proudest and most honored title I can ever possess."

A detailed description of his life and works can be found here.

Virginia never had a finer son.  May he rest in peace.

California Monuments to Confederates: Guidance Requested from Vern Padgett

Gents, Steve Smith has asked me to coordinate an examination of division funding for heritage projects.  Our division has funds available which could fund these projects. In discussions over the past year or two, the consensus seems to be that we should donate to the SCV Museum Fund at Elmwood, and place the rest into California heritage, with grave marking a priority. Some of you have already invested many of your camp dollars into lasting monuments to Confederate Heritage. I’m thinking of the Confederate Monument at Santa Ana/Fairhaven Cemetery, provided by Camp 1770 Orange County , the work done by our Sacramento Camp 1627 in Colma and elsewhere, and the Fresno Camp 1804 effort towards the placing of lasting stone monuments. My camp, 1208 Los Angeles , has ordered a composite Iron Cross, which I should receive today, from Gaffney , South Carolina , where they are manufactured. These are made from the same material as bowling balls, and thus require no painting over the years, and retain their appearance indefinitely, or so says Robert Little, adjutant of the Gaffney SC Camp, whose camp has placed 35 of them. They cost $25 each, plus shipping. I will bring one to the Reunion at Miramar in March. I propose that division fund the purchase of any number of these for our 12 California Camps to place. At our last Division Reunion, in Lebec, Chuck Norred described stone monuments in place in Arizona , and suggested that they should be placed from one end of California to the other. I call on Farrell Cooley, Chuck Norred and Lou Olker in particular to provide guidance, as their camps have already placed stone monuments honoring our Confederate heroes. R/S, Vern Padgett