Hallowed Ground

[L Verge]

The Civil War Trust publishes a great magazine for its members. The Fall 2016 issue has a good article on the history of Decoration Day. It seems that, well into the 20th century, there was a sometimes unfriendly debate going on with nearly two dozen communities/states claiming that they held the first such event.

In 1966, Congress actually issued House Concurrent Resolution 587, declaring the small village of Waterloo, New York, as the birthplace and a local druggist and bookseller, Henry Carter Welles, as the "father" of the event. He witnessed the return of Union soldiers at a social gathering and wondered why the dead were not receiving greater recognition. The next winter, he mentioned this to Gen. John B. Murray, who had just been elected Seneca County's clerk of the court. Murray would soon become the leader of the local chapter of the newly formed GAR.

The wheels turned, and the officially recognized first Decoration (now Memorial) Day was held on May 5, 1866, a Saturday (when businesses could close without hurting sales - want to try that today??) and late enough in spring for there to be abundant flowers.

Union veterans paraded through the town to martial music and past flags at half-staff and homes and balconies decorated with evergreen boughs and black mourning cloth. The parade visited the three town cemeteries where Union dead had been interred. Murray spoke appropriate words as each soldier's grave was solemnly decorated.

From there, the word spread nationally. Gen. John Logan, national commander of the GAR, issued General Order #11 proclaiming that May 30 would hereafter be designated as the day to decorate graves. No one seems sure why he changed the date, except that he did not want it to fall on the same date as any one particular battle during the war. May 5 had seen the Battle of the Wilderness.

The date change may also have been to move it into more pleasant weather across the whole country to guarantee bountiful blossoms. 5,000 people gathered at Arlington National Cemetery for this first national observation. The main speaker was former general, current U.S. Congressman, and future U.S. President James A. Garfield. Then the crowd dispersed to decorate some 20,000 Union and Confederate graves.

Despite Union efforts, Southern states refused to recognize the new holiday, and it wasn't until 1918, that it was expanded to include all the dead from all the wars. It was not until 1971, that Memorial Day became an official national day of remembrance. Some Southern states continue the tradition of holding their own Confederate Memorial Day on varying dates in April, May, and June - except Texas, which combines it with the January celebration of Lee's and Davis's birthdays.

I have excerpted this from the article, which was written for the Trust magazine by Marshall S. Berdan.

P.S. The same issue of Hallowed Ground announced that the Summer issue had been awarded a Grand Award by the Apex Awards for Publication Excellence for the wonderful piece on the Lincoln assassination, written by Surratt Society member and Booth Tour narrator, Bob Allen. The photographs that accompany that article are equally great and done by Fredericksburg photographer, Buddy Secor. Buddy's photo of Surratt House in early morning was the cover of our 2016 Calendar of Events, and his eery night photo (reminiscent of Booth's midnight arrival at the Tavern) is the cover for our 2017 Calendar. Anyone want a free copy of the 2017 issue?

[RJNorton]

(12-14-2016 07:37 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Anyone want a free copy of the 2017 issue?

Yes!

[BettyO]

I'd LOVE to have one, Laurie!

Thanks!!

[Eva Elisabeth]

I'd love one, too!!!

[Gene C]

Me too! and Thank You

[Linda Anderson]

I'd like one, too. Thank you very much, Laurie.

[Susan Higginbotham]

I'd like one too, please!

[Anita]

I'd love a copy. Thanks Laurie!

[Dawn E Foster]

Please? Thanks!

[HerbS]

Please send me a copy Laurie!-Thanks!

[STS Lincolnite]

Sign me up for a copy if any are left. Thanks Laurie!!