Daughters of the Confederacy honor Texas Gold Star Medal veteran

The Major George B Erath 2679 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy had the Honor of placing a Wreath on the newly marked grave of not only a Confederate Veteran but a recipient of the “Texas Gold Star Medal”.

Through the efforts of Eddie Cox, this grave was located and a stone placed located in Stone Cemetery in Proctor. It was a beautiful ceremony. Each of the U.D.C. ladies placed a white magnoliaflowerinthewreath as the slow tune of Dixie was played in honor of this Veteran. U.D.C. members, (left to right) Raeshell Hampsten, Rita Trosper, Sheran Weible, Sharla Cox and Lynda Green. Cliff Weible performed the Canteen Ceremony as Taps was played and the SCV showed honor to this veteran with a gun salute.

What is the Texas Gold Star? The Texas Gold Star medal is so rare that only nine were ever made. They were to be handed out to nine outstanding members of the famous Hood’s Texas Brigade in early February 1865 by Col. Frederick Bass at the request of Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Although nine Texas Gold Star medals were crafted, no one knows what happened to the remaining eight. The story about how the Texas Gold Star medals were created is legendary in itself. Gen. Lee received a small package from an unknown “young lady of Texas” in January 1865 which contained the nine gold stars that were made after melting down one of her gold keepsakes, she requested General Lee to award these stars to the bravest men from Hood’s Texas Brigade.

“The enemy never sees the backs of my Texans!” Quote: Robert E. Lee