The Lauderdale Springs Confederate Cemetery is owned by the Winnie Davis Chapter #24 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The members of this UDC Chapter have provided the display of the names, units, dates of death and in many instances the cause of death of 871 soldiers who are buried in this cemetery.

Lauderdale Springs Confederate Cemetery is at the site where two ancient routes, the Tennessee Trail and the Choctaw Trail crossed. The old Choctaw Indian Village named Panti was situated around a number of mineral springs at the foot of the hill behind the cemetery.

The first white settlers coming to this area were James Lauderdale,Ambrose Ramsey, and Richard Smith. These pioneers arrived at Panti in 1800. The Indians received their guess with hospitality and escorted them to the springs and explained that for uncounted moons, Indians had been coming to the springs to drink and bathe in the wonder waters as a cure for skin diseases, wounds and other ailments

The visitors, intrigued by the springs and delighted by the friendly attitude of the natives and impressed by the beautiful forest and rich soils they had observed throughout the region, decided that they wanted to make their new homes in this locality. Ambrose Ramsey settled at the locate of present day Emelle, Alabama. The Allen Smith family established their home at Alamuctcha, near Kewanee, Mississippi. James Lauderdale purchased the area around the springs, paying the Indians a handsome price by the standards of the day. He made his home and operated a mercantile business at the springs, and the town of Lauderdale Springs developed at this site.

In the 1850s the springs property was developed into a fashionable health resort and spa with several residences and guest cottages and a hotel that was two stores in height and three hundred feet long. The Mobile and Ohio Railroad discharged guests at the Springs Station which was located conveniently at the gate to the resort.

During the War for Southern Independence, the resort property was converted for use as a Confederate General Hospital, and sick and wounded soldiers were brought here by rail from Shiloh, Corinth, Iuka, Jackson, Fisher's Creek, Vicksburg, and Forrest's North Mississippi battles. The men who died in that hospital are buried in this cemetery.

One of the worst problems of the Reconstruction era was the momentous mission of providing for the thousands of fatherless children left in the wake of the war. As a means of dealing with this problem, the Springs property was purchased by the Mississippi Baptist Convention and converted into a Home for Confederate Orphans. The record of service rendered by this home is an admirable chapter in the history of the state. The people of Mississippi showed that they cared and proved that they could take care of the dependents of those heroes who died for their cause. By 1878 most of the orphans were able to care for themselves and left the home to take jobs or enter into other endeavors and the Home was closed.

When the Winnie David Chapter No. 24 United Daughters of the Confederacy was organized in 1896, the members were concerned immediately with the neglected condition of this Cemetery. On March 13, 1897 the chapter purchased the 1.8 acres cemetery and the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors purchased an additional 5.46 acres adjoining the cemetery to provide access from the highway to the cemetery.

The Chapter moved forward with plans for the improvement and preservation of the cemetery. However, during World War I, the interest of the Winnie Davis Chapter members were diverted to wartime activities and the chapter disbanded. Through the next several years the cemetery was cleaned by residents of Lauderdale, by boys from the Masonic Home, and various Boy Scout Troops. For a number of years, the cemetery was cleaned and cared for regularly by the Four H Club under the leadership of Mrs. Parker Gray of Lauderdale, and through the years the Board of Supervisors has helped in many ways to preserve and care for the Cemetery.

The Winnie Davis Chapter was reactivated in 1957 and in 1987 the members of the Chapter established a Perpetual Care Fund to assure that the beauty and dignity of the Cemetery shall be maintained forever. The by-laws controlled this trust fund stipulate that"...the assets of the fund may never be withdrawn, except that the interest may be withdrawn and used only for the benefit of the cemetery.