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Historic Shepherdstown Museum is the recipient of a Jefferson County Camp 123 United Confederate Veterans Banner 

HSC President Ed Moore (back) accepts the donation
of the Banner from donors Rob Hoxton, Don Amoroso
and Jim Holland

Mr. Arnold D. Amoroso, Dr. James C. Holland and Mr. A. R. Hoxton, III generously gifted the museum with the official banner of the Jefferson County Camp 123 of the United Confederate Veterans.  

When Confederate veterans returned home in the spring of 1865, many found their farms and homes in physical ruin and their communities in economic collapse; moreover, they were politically disenfranchised.  Veteran associations were slow to develop, in part because of military occupation and the practical realities of Reconstruction.  The Southern economy remained stagnant and money scarce, leaving little opportunity for leisure activities.  Yet slowly, local, initially informal, veterans groups began to appear, eventually developing throughout the old Confederacy at the state level.  It was not until June, 1889, in New Orleans, that the United Confederate Veterans was established, adopting the last national flag of the Confederacy – there were three in succession – as their organizational emblem.  While Camp 123 included the Confederate veterans of the entire county, Shepherdstown’s members included Henry Kyd Douglas, who served on the staff of Stonewall Jackson.  Roger Preston Chew, Chief of Horse Artillery, Army of Northern Virginia was another illustrious member of Camp 123. The banner is part of the Civil War exhibit at the Historic Shepherdstown Museum and can be viewed when the Museum opens for its 23rd season Saturday April 1, 2006.  Hours of operation for the Museum are Saturday’s 11-5 and Sunday’s 1-4.