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I often wonder what it is about the Charge, given to the SCV by Gen. S.D. Lee in 1906, that is so confusing to so many. I have heard many arguments about "the Charge" and have heard it translated into many different meanings. I got to thinking that maybe if I could take it and give it a literal translation then maybe more folks could understand it so I broke out my copy of 'ol Mr. Webster's Dictionary and came up with the following:
First I will give the official version of "the Charge":
"To you, Sons of Confederate Veterans, we will commit the vindication of the cause for which we fought. To your strength will be given the defense of the Confederate soldier's good name, the guardianship of his history, the emulation of his virtues, the perpetuation of those priciples which he loved and which you love also, and those ideals which made him glorious and which you also cherish."
Given by Lt. Gen. Stephen Dill Lee, Commander General, United Confederate Veterans, at New Orleans, LA, on April 25, 1906.
A word by word literal definition would be:
"To you"- any one being addressed, "Sons of Confederate Veterans"- male descendants of those former soldiers of the allied Southern states, "we"- those former soldiers, "will commit"- to consign; to entrust, "the vindication"- a substantiation; a justification; an avengence, "of the cause"- a reason; a motive; a goal or principle, "for which we fought."- waged or carried on a battle; having struggled for an objective, To your strength"- power or force, as of an army; moral or intellectual power, "will be given"-granted; acknowledged or assumed, "the defense of"- protection from danger or harm; to support or maintain with justification, "the Confederate soldier's good name"- a positive general reputation; renowned or illustrious by name, "the guardianship"- assigned to guard or protect; legally or morally responsible for the care or management of, "of his history"- a narrative of events; a chronological record of past events, "the emulation of"- striving to equal or excel, especially by imitation, "his virtues"- his moral excellence and righteousness; his goodness, "the perpetuation of"- making last forever; prolonging the existence of, "those principles"- a basic truth or law; a moral or ethical standard, "which he loved and which you love also"- a deep affection or strong emotional feeling for; a strong fondness; to desire enthusiasticly, "and those ideals"- standards of perfection or excellence; honorable or worthy principles, "which made him glorious"- deserving glory; famous; splendid; magnificent or delightful, "and which you also cherish"- to treat with affection; to hold dear.
So a simple and literal translation would be:
Addressing this to the male descendants of those former soldiers of the allied Southern states, the former soldiers entrust in you the justification of the reasons we struggled for our objective. To your moral power will be granted the protection of the Confederate soldier's renowned and illustrious name, legal and moral responsibilty for the care of his narrative of events, the imitation of his moral excellence and righteousness, the prolonging of the existence of his moral or ethical standards, which he had a strong emotional feeling for and which you also enthusiasticly desire, and those standards of excellence which made him deserving of glory and maginificence and which you also hold dear.
Now doesn't the original "Charge" sound so much better and read so much easier? No matter how you read and interpret it, it basicly says that our Confederate ancestors have left it to us to defend them and their honor and it is our duty to carry it out. The "Charge" should be framed and hung on the wall of every Southern home as a reminder that we have a duty to get off of our backsides and get busy defending the South and those brave heroes who fought so valiently in defense of our homeland. No matter how you put it nobody is going to fight for us but us! DEO VINDICE!
Confederately,
Sam Lyons #2022
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