Colonel John Singleton Mosby Chapter

This is the page cover for the first your scrapbook up the John S Mosby chapter in 1956.

Colonel John Singleton Mosby was a Confederate army cavalry battalion commander, who was a native Virginian, most well-known for his successful cavalry the “Mosby’s Raiders”[1]. It is unclear exactly why they selected that name. It was likely selected due to Mosby's connection to the region and his successful surprise attack on the Fairfax Courthouse. Nevertheless, the John S. Mosby chapter was created in 1956 under the patronage of the Fairfax chapter of the UDC. Mrs. George Bookout, who was the 3rd vice president of the UDC Fairfax chapter, became the director of the children's branch. Her son Ben Bookout was elected the first president of the children's chapter. The children's chapter included several leadership positions to prepare the members to take on new responsibilities including treasurer, and communications chairman. The UDC's oversight assured the success of their messaging; which included the “Children would learn responses to questions from the catechism.” This was a key ingredient in their indoctrination”[2]. Group meetings occurred one Sunday a month. The topics covered in the meetings included Civil War history, setting up fundraisers, coordinating events, even planning trips to important Civil War historical sites. The organization was dedicated to being more than a social club that meets once a month. It was dedicated to promoting an educational agenda designed to extend a shared heritage based on southern pride that would permeate all parts of life.

The first major event the group focused on completing was to create a display in a shop window in downtown Fairfax city for a week. The display contained “authentic Confederate relics”, in which some items included a cloth sash worn by John Mosby, A pair of pistol holders, and a Confederate battle flag. The success of the display is written in the report by John Chappell, who enthusiastically reports “the exhibit created much interest in the chapter and resulted in requests for applications support membership”[3].

This button end badge or commonly passed out to members at conventions as commemorative items. these were preserved in the group's scrapbook, along with a paper corsage from the 1966 general convention.  

Besides individual chapter events, the biggest activity of the year for the Children of the Confederacy was the annual convention. These conventions would be held at different locations throughout the United States and would bring together representatives from state and chapter branches. A program provides evidence of the importance of indoctrination as the members recited the organization's creed which is one of the most important catechisms. The program included events that took place, also elections for officers. In addition, there are salutes and anthems the participants say throughout the convention.

1] Virginia Room. Archives and Manuscripts. City of Fairfax Regional Library. Children of the Confederacy Scrapbooks.

[2] Cox, Karen L. Dixie's Daughters: The United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Preservation of Confederate Culture. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2019.

[3] Chappell, John. (Publicity Chairman, C. of C.). Important Activity. May, 1957