At that meeting, the women stated that they were unwilling to lose their identity as memorial associations, or to merge themselves into the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

[3] Early in the spring of 1900, at a regular monthly meeting of the Southern Memorial Association of Fayetteville, Arkansas, on motion of Miss Julia A. Garside (later Mrs. W. B. Welch), it was decided to endeavor to organize all Memorial Associations of the South into a general federation, the object being to commemorate the work already done and to insure its continuance.

Cordial responses were received and arrangements made for delegates from each association to meet at the United Confederate Veterans (UCV) Reunion at Louisville, Kentucky.

[3] A meeting was held at the Galt House, May 30, 1900, at which time, the organization was established, delegates from thirteen associations being present.

The care of the graves of the Confederate dead and the erection of monuments to their memory was the special trust of the Association.

[3] An important undertaking of the CSMA was the collection and compilation of the histories of all the memorial associations, to preserve them in book form.