Presidents William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson both met with UDC members and enabled them to memorialize the Confederacy in Arlington National Cemetery.
Still, in spite of the remaining mysteries, many inscriptions memorializing the dead and recording local histories have been deciphered — along with some containing magical incantations.
Many see it as a heartfelt way to memorialize and find an emotional connection, while others critique it as a gimmick, deeming it disrespectful to the deceased.