Created in 1899 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Southern Cross of Honor, the medal was first conceived of in 1898 by the daughter of Confederate political figure Howell Cobb. The upper suspension bar has a patent marking and the name of the contractor who produced them, George Crankshaw of Atlanta. The face displays a Confederate battle flag in a wreath with the words “United / Daughters / [of the] Confederacy/ To the U.C.V.” on the arms of the cross. The reverse bears the motto of the Confederacy “Deo Vindice” (“with God our Vindicator”) and the dates “1861 / 1865.” The medal could only be bestowed by the UDC to a living Confederate veteran (with an exception made for the last medal bestowed, to Raphael Semmes.)

This is an excellent untouched example with minor scratches from wear and verdigris that could be cleaned. Professionally engraved on the face of the suspension bar is, “B.W. DUKE.” Basil Wilson Duke is best known as brother-in-law and second-in-command to John Hunt Morgan. He wrote an account of Morgan’s famous 1863 raid, assumed command of Morgan’s command after Morgan was killed, and at the end of the war was among Jefferson Davis’s bodyguards when captured. Morgan was born in Kentucky and was part of secessionist forces in Missouri before the war. Gaining a commission as Second Lieutenant, he was wounded at Shiloh and on Morgan’s 1862 raid. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel, and was captured in July 1863 during Morgan’s Ohio raid while he fought a delaying action. Exchanged in August 1864, he took over Morgan’s old command in September, was promoted to Brigadier General and transferred to Virginia. He was with Jefferson Davis on his flight from Richmond and surrendered finally on May 10, 1865.

After the war Duke practiced law in Louisville, where one of his main clients was the railroad company whose track he had delighted in raiding and destroying during the war. He was a prolific writer of books and articles and one of the last surviving Confederate generals, dying in 1916. He was also noted defender of the Confederacy, and it was thus appropriate that the UDC awarded him the medal we are pleased to offer here.  [sr]

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