Memorial Day

Arlington Cemetery - will be decorated with flags and flowers

On Monday, we celebrate Memorial Day across the United States.  This got me wondering – when did Memorial Day begin?  Was it after the Revolutionary War? The Civil War? World War I or II?  Just when did people start remembering the men and women who served our country and died trying to preserve our country and the freedom we fought so badly for?  What I learned did not surprise me.

Yorktown cannon

Memorial Day actually started after the Civil War.  Families started remembering their fallen husbands and sons who fought in the war.  The amazing thing is – both sides – the Union and the Confederacy were placing flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers. And yet, while both were doing it, they both did not celebrate Memorial Day together at first.  As a matter of fact, there are still states, that while they celebrate Memorial Day, they also have a separate day of remembrance for the fallen soldiers from their states on their own designated day.

soldiers' tents

General John Logan is credited with starting the first Memorial Day celebration.  He was the national commander of the GAR – the Grand Army of the Republic.  On May 5, he proclaimed in a general order (No. 11) that the first Memorial Day should be celebrated across the nation on May 30 in 1868.  At that time, flowers were placed on the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.  Many other states claim the rights to the first Memorial Day, but President Lyndon Johnson actually gave the city of Waterloo, New York the official status as the first city where Memorial Day was celebrated.  By 1890, all the Northern states were celebrating Memorial Day.  The South refused to acknowledge it, at first, because of the way the order was worded – claiming it honored only those who died fighting in the Civil War –(in a way snubbing the Southerners because they fought against the North).  Once the order was changed to honor all those who died fighting in ANY war, then the South began to acknowledge the holiday and celebrate it.  Like I said above, many states still have their own celebrations – January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi, May 10 in South Carolina, and June 3 in Louisiana and Tennessee.

Lafayette's cannon

What many people do not remember is – Memorial Day was supposed to be celebrated on May 30^th each year.  But like many other things in our country, we tend to forget the origins and get so tied up in what is happening right now.  An act of Congress changed the holiday to be the last Monday in May in order to give workers a three day weekend.  When this happened, many people lost sight of the significance of the holiday.  Many started seeing it as the start of the summer.  Others forgot to fly flags.  Some people were just happy to have the day off.  Of course, retailers loved Memorial Day because they started having huge summer sales on this day.

American flag at Redoubt #9 - Yorktown

As a way to bring back the significance of the holiday, in 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance was passed.  This stated that at 3 pm on Memorial Day, everyone should stop what they are doing and observe a moment of silence – to reflect on the sacrifices made by the men and women who died serving our country.  Senator Inouye has proposed we return the date to May 30 but nothing has been done about his resolution in over 13 years.

fife and drum corps

Tomorrow at 3 pm, I know what I will be doing.  Remember the sacrifices that were made.  Almost all of us have someone in our family – a father, brother, son, grandfather, sister, mother, daughter, or even grandmother who served in a war.  Perhaps it was an aunt or uncle.  It might have even been a relative long ago who placed their life on the line for the freedom of this country or others across the world.  Remember them.  I know I will.

Here is Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA, which has stirred me ever since I first heard it after September 11^th.  He actually wrote it in 1983 but it did not become popular until later.  George Bush used it during his campaign, and it was played during the Iraq war.  September 11th really brought it back before the public and I think on a day like Memorial Day, we need to read the words to see why we do love this country and why we fight for it year after year.

If tomorrow all the things were gone,

I’d worked for all my life.

And I had to start again,

With just my children and my wife.

I’d thank my lucky stars,

To be livin’ here today.

‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,

And they can’t take that away.

And I’m proud to be an American,

Where at least I know I’m free

And I won’t forget the men who died,

Who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,

Next to you and defend her still today.

‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,

God bless the USA.

From the lakes of Minnesota,

To the hills of Tennessee.

Across the plains of Texas,

From sea to shining sea.

From Detroit down to Houston,

And New York to LA.

Well there’s pride in every American heart,

And it’s time we stand and say.

That I’m proud to be an American,

Where at least I know I’m free.

And I won’t forget the men who died,

Who gave that right to me.

And I’d gladly stand up,

Next to you and defend her still today.

‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,

God bless the USA.

Arlington National Cemetery

When I was updating my “What Happened Today” post on my other blog “Revolutionary, My Dear George”, I saw a small entry about Arlington National Cemetery.  When I visited Washington, DC last summer with Mrs. Cochrane and Mrs. Gibson, we traveled to Arlington.  We were moved by the solemnity of the place and moved by the sacrifice of thousands of men and women who are buried here. With all of this in mind, I thought I would write about how Arlington National Cemetery came to be.  Long before it was cemetery, the land belonged to a family you might recognize – George Washington Parke Custis – the adopted son of George Washington. 

Custis home atop the hill overlooking Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery is located across the Potomac River from Washington, DC.  More than 300,000 veterans from every American war is buried here, even the American Revolution.

As I mentioned above, the area/land used to belong to George Washington Parke Custis.  Many do not know George Washington Parke Custis.  The land actually belonged to his father, John Parke Custis, who bought the land in 1778.  He was going to build an estate on the land after the Revolutionary War.  Unfortunately, he contracted swamp fever while stationed at Yorktown and the land was held in trust for his young son.  His son and daughter were adopted by George and Martha Washington, who raised them.  When George Washington Parke Custis turned 21, he inherited the land.  He originally wanted to name the land after his grandfather, but changed the name to Arlington in honor of the family’s ancestral estate in the tidewater area. Arlington House was built in 1802 by George Washington Parke Custis.  He lived here with his wife, Mary.  The house was built in stages and finished in 1818.  He adored his grandfather and spent considerable funds purchasing items that once belonged to him. His daughter Mary Anna married Robert E. Lee in 1831.  When her father died in 1857, she inherited the estate and all its holdings. The couple lived at Arlington House until 1861 when Lee took over command of the Confederate Army.  At this time, his wife, Mary Anna went to live elsewhere, knowing to remain there would be too dangerous.  When she left, she sent several portraits of her great grandfather, George Washington, to family members for safe keeping.  Other memorabilia was stored in the attic or basement. When federal troops took up residence, she sent them a letter, asking that the belongings be taken care of in memory of George Washington, but her pleas were ignored. The house was ransacked and many artifacts were destroyed.

The federal government repossessed the land over failure to pay taxes (although how Robert E. Lee could pay taxes during the war seems a bit dramatic to me). It was put up for auction and purchased by the tax commissioner to be used by the government. The Union Army took over the house and turned it into a military headquarters.  The surrounding grounds became a camp for Union troops. 

In 1864, the land was turned into a military cemetery by Edwin Stanton, the Secretary of War.  Apparently, it was designated as a cemetery by Quartermaster General Meigs who wanted to be sure Lee never returned to the site. The body count continued to mount and if you have ever been to DC or Virginia, you know the humidity can be quite dreadful.  The bodies had to be buried immediately or risk a terrible plague. Many believe Meigs despised the South and he served under Lee in 1838, resenting him. (of course, this is mere speculation).  According to records, the first burial was Private William Henry Christman of Pennsylvania.  According to another report, the first burial was a Confederate prisoner of war. Approximately 3800 freed slaves who died while living at the Freedman’s Village are buried here.  Confederate soldiers were first buried in civilian graves but were later reintered in marked graves with pointed headstones to signify they were in the Confederacy. Many believe the reason for such hasty burials also occurred because many were too poor to pay for the bodies to be shipped home to families across the United States.  For many years after the Civil War, the Confederate widows tried to go and decorate the graves of their loved ones but were turned away.  Many found ways to pay for these soldiers to be removed from the cemetery and taken back home so they could be buried with dignity.

Years later in 1882, Robert E. Lee’s son, George Washington Custis Lee, petitioned the government to reparations.  He was upset the family estate was confiscated.  He finally won $150,000 in compensation from the government.  The land was given back to the Lee family, but then Congress purchased it from Custis.

The Tomb of the Unknowns contains the remains of three unidentified service members – from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.  Three Greek figures representing Peace, Victory, and Valor grace the tomb.  The tomb is guarded by the 3^rd US Infantry, known as the Old Guard, because it is the oldest active duty infantry unit in the Army.

The Civil War Unknown Monument was the first monument to unknown soldiers.  It was dedicated in 1866 and holds the remains of 2,111 soldiers from Bull Run.  Many believe it holds the remains of both Union and Confederate soldiers.

Two former presidents – William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy are buried here. 

 

The Memorial Amphitheater is inscribed with the words “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori” which means “It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country”.  I do not think anyone could say it better.  With Memorial Day coming soon, it is important to remember all who died for our country, from those first days to today – any man or woman who offers their life for their country should be commended.  We thank them for their sacrifice, for their bravery, but most of all, we thank them for their belief that this great country is worth fighting for.  You will always be remembered.  You will always be honored.

Photography and the Civil War

Confederate Stars and Bars - 1863

 Photography brought the Civil War to life for Americans. The camera was around before the Civil War, but photographers like Matthew Brady became instant celebrities as they took pictures of battle scenes, generals, and the devastation that afflicted the American soldiers. When we think of photojournalists today, we remember pictures taken during the Viet Nam War, World War II, and more recently Afghanistan.  Through American history, the battles have been brought to us through photographs.  What most people do not realize is that while we think photography first brought war to us during the Civil War, photographs were being taken earlier than that.

The cameras were huge and difficult to carry around. This did not keep the photographers from hauling their equipment across battlefields as they set up their tripods and took pictures of the wounded and dead.  The photographers would follow the soldiers and take pictures of them as they relaxed or prepared for battle.  

Union Flag with 34 stars

camera used during Civil War

 The camera used here would be set on a tripod and the picture would be exposed on a piece of glass.  It was quite heavy and had to be developed in a special room.  A dark room, where the light would not ruin the chemicals needed to trap the picture on the glass before it could be transferred to the paper for a photograph.

Mosaic of portraits from Civil War era

 Many people would pay to sit for a photograph.  Imagine how much easier it was to sit for a picture than to sit for a painter.  Previously if you wanted a portrait done, you would need to sit for days upon days before the artist was finished.  With the use of a camera, the person need only sit the one time.  And even then, that was a short period of time.  The results were mesmerizing for the people.

delegation of Native Americans at White House

 This delegation of American Indians standing in front of the White House could not be captured without the use of a camera.  For many Native Americans, taking a photograph was thought to be magic.  To see so many Native Americans in one photograph is an amazing feat.

Lincoln and his son

 Just imagine how special this photograph was to Abraham Lincoln.

General Ulysses S. Grant

Lincoln at his second inauguration

 Here is a picture of Abraham Lincoln at his second inauguration.  Not long after this, he would be assassinated by John Wilkes Booth.  In the photograph, you can see him reading his speech.

Camp picture

 These pictures were taken by Matthew Brady who would follow the troops while they camped and he would even set up his camera after a battle to show people what happened.  What many people do not know is that Brady would often pose the dead figures to create the desired effect.

camp life

Union soldiers

With the invention of the camera and the photojournalist, the depiction of war would never be the same.

Just think, the picture below is of the Battle of Bull Run.  If the camera had not been used to capture the battles, this would be our memory of the events of a time in our lives that is so deeply embedded in our minds that we will not forget them.

painting of the Battle of Bull Run

Abraham Lincoln - Part 3

Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed on April 14, 1865 while attending “My American Cousin” at the Ford Theater.  John George Nicolay and John Hay, who were Lincoln’s personal secretary and assistants were present at Lincoln’s deathbed and wrote about that fateful night.  These excerpts are their words written down after the assassination.

wax figures from Lincoln Museum in Springfield, IL

“From the beginning of his Presidency, Mr. Lincoln had been constantly subject to the threats of his enemies and the warnings of his friends.  The threats came in every form; his mail was infested with brutal and vulgar menace, mostly anonymous, the proper expression of vile and cowardly minds.”

“A little band of malignant secessionists, consisting of John Wilkes Booth, an actor, of a famous family of players; Lewis Powel, alias Payne, a disbanded rebel soldier from Florida; George Atzerodt, formerly a coachmaker, but more recently a spy and blockade runner of the Potomac; David E. Herold, a young druggist’s clerk; Samuel Arnold and Michael O’Laughlin, Maryland secessionists and Confederate soldiers, and John H. Surratt, had their ordinary rendezvous at the house of Mrs. Mary E. Surratt, the widowed mother of the last named, formerly a woman of some property in Maryland, but reduced to reverses to keeping a small boarding-house in Washington.”

The Peterson House, where Lincoln died

President Lincoln had a recurring dream.  Three times this dream visited him. The last time was three days before he was assassinated.  He dreamed he heard sobbing all around him.  As he wandered, he saw people gathered around a corpse – soldiers and mourners. When he asked one of the soldiers who had died, they told him, “The President, killed by an assassin”. He tells some friends who were there that he then awoke and has been troubled by the dream ever since.

Ford's Theater as it looked in 1865

These men and woman conspired together to kill the president.  Once Booth learned Lincoln and Grant were to be at the theater, he sent word through Mary Surratt for everyone to meet later that night.  He met with his co-conspirators and assigned them their jobs – Payne would kill Seward, and Atzerodt would kill Johnson. Herold would wait for Payne and then meet them in Maryland. Unfortunately, Herold heard the screams and ran away, leaving Payne alone.  O’Laughlin followed the Grants and did attempt to kill them on the train, but could not get inside their private train car.  Atzerodt did not want to kill anyone, but Booth told him he was in too far to chicken out now.

The Presidential Box overlooking the stage

When he arrived at the theater, he used all his charms to find his way inside and then lock the door to Lincoln’s booth before shooting him in the back of the head.  Lincoln was not the only one on the list of assassinations that evening.  His entire cabinet was to be murdered.  Secretary William Seward and his son were stabbed several times by an unnamed man who pretended to be delivering a prescription.  Secretary Seward recovered from his wounds.  General Grant and his wife had left earlier, but were supposed to be at the theater that same evening. Vice President Johnson was placed under guard as soon as the attacks occurred, the government worried the assassins would be coming for him as well.

Herold and Booth went to Dr. Mudd’s office where the doctor made crutches for the Booth’s broken leg. Mudd took them to another home where they spent the night. They hid at the Garrett farm, claiming to be a wounded Confederate soldier.  On April 26, the farm was surrounded and Booth was captured. A soldier named Boston Corbett snuck up behind Booth and shot him in the neck.

The rest were rounded up, except for John Surratt, who escaped to Quebec then Liverpool, England.  He was finally captured in Egypt in 1866. He was put on trial, but the jury could not come to a conclusion to his guilt, so he went free and died in 1916.

Out of the many rounded up, eight were put on trial – Samuel Arnold, George Atzerodt, David Herold, Samuel Mudd, Michael O’Laughlin, Lewis Powell (Payne), Edmund Spangler (who held Booth’s horse for him), and Mary Surratt. A military tribunal was ordered by President Johnson. The trial lasted six weeks with 366 witnesses testifying. Samuel Mudd, Samuel Arnold, and Michael O’Laughlin were given life sentences.  Edmund Spangler was given six years in prison. Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, David Herold, and George Atzerodt were sentenced to hang. Many asked for clemency for Mary Surratt, but Johnson said he never received the request. They were hanged on July 7, 1865.

John Surratt - escaped to Europe, never convicted

Michael O'Laughlin - life in prison

Dr. Samuel Mudd - life imprisonment

Samuel Arnold - life imprisonment

Edmund Spangler - given 6 years in prison

George Atzerodt - hanged

John Wilkes Booth - killed by Boston Corbett

Mary Surratt - hanged

Lewis Powell, aka Payne - hanged

David Herold - hanged

Ford’s Theater was closed not long after the assassination.  People were outraged by what happened there.  The government purchased the theater, tore out the insides, and used it as an office building.  It was later used as a warehouse. In 1968, the theater was reopened as a museum and working playhouse.  The Presidential box is never occupied during theater showings.  The house across the street where Lincoln died – the Peterson House – was purchased in 1898 and held as a memorial for the slain president. 

John Ford 

Abraham Lincoln - Part 2

Bust of Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater

The Civil War was not the first type of war like this in the history of the world.  On the contrary, it was but one in a long history of civil wars fought. Look up any country, and you will find a civil war.  BUT, this was the first one for the United States of America. In many other countries, the war changed those countries, bringing in new leaders. In our history, one leader stood tall - Abraham Lincoln.  With the help of his generals, he brought a severed country back together again.

So, who were these generals who helped win this war?

Most of us remember the last one - Ulysses S. Grant, who would go on to become president. Here are some of the other generals who helped win countless battles or advised Lincoln on strategies that helped win battles and eventually win the war.

Winfield Scott

Winfield Scott and his "Anaconda Plan" - also served the US during the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Black Hawk War, and the Seminole War. He was given a brevet promotion in 1856, the 1st American since George Washington to ever get the award. His "Anaconda Plan" helped defeat the Confederacy by blockading major ports throughout the South during the war. He was 74 years old when the Civil War broke out.

Irwin McDowell

Irwin McDowell - was the commander during the defeat of Bull Run. He became brigadier general and was given command of the Army of Northeastern Virginia. His army was forced to remain in Washington, DC, to defend the city, even though at times, he was going to be called away to assist other battles. The fear of DC being attacked, kept him stationed there.

George McClellan

George McClellan - was briefly the general-in-chief of the Union Army.  He helped raise a well organized and trained army. His failure was mainly in overestimating the strength of the Confederate troops. He failed to seize Richmond when he could. But, by the same token, he performed well at Antietam and kept Lee from invading Maryland.

John Pope

John Pope - served in the Mexican-American War, but also helped survey land for the Transcontinental Railroad. He had some success on the Western front so Lincoln brought him East to lead the Army of Virginia. At the Second Bull Run, he was routed but the defeat was blamed on Brig. General Porter. After that, he was sent to Minnesota for the Dakota War of 1862.

Ambrose Burnside

Ambrose Burnside - is the owner of the "sideburns" which is a play on his name. He served in the Mexican-American War before fighting Native Americans on the western front. The inventor of the Burnside carbine, a rifle, his company was enlisted to help equip the army. While fighting in North Carolina, he succeeded in launching an amphibious campaign that closed over 80% of the sea coast to shipping. He did not perform well at Antietam or Fredericksburg. Both assaults were losses, and he resigned, being replaced by Hooker. Lincoln kept him on but put him on several western campaigns, where he performed with mixed results.

Joseph Hooker

Joseph Hooker - served in the Mexican-American War and the Seminole War. He proved aggressive during the Battle of Williamsburg and was made Major General. He was wounded at the Battle of Antietam. He was defeated at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Later he was given command of the Army of the Potomac. He had an important win at the Battle of Lookout Mountain. His nickname was "Fighting Joe".

George Meade

George Meade - served during the Mexican-American War and the Seminole War. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Gettysburg. Many felt he should have pursued Lee after the battle, thinking the war would have ended much sooner if he had. he was injured in the arm, back, and side. He replaced Hooker at the Battle of Antietam, but was also wounded in the thigh.

Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant - served in the Mexican-American War, then resigned to try to make a living in Galena, Illinois. When the Civil War broke out, he trained soldiers in Cairo, Illinois before fighting in the western campaign. He was aggressive and seized Kentucky and Tennessee. He fought and defeated the Confederates in Vicksburg gaining control of the Mississippi River. Lincoln gave him command of the Union Army and he confronted Lee several times.  After winning Petersburg, his army captured Richmond.  Lee surrendered to him in April of 1865. He would become the 18th president of the US.


The generals mentioned are just some of the men who were instrumental in helping the Union defeat the Confederacy during the Civil War. Some were more effective than others. Some helped move the campaigns along and others caused delays that lengthened the war unnecessarily.  Through it all, Lincoln had to rely on his own advisors.  Just like in our own lives, we receive both good and bad advice. Lincoln was heavily criticized for giving Grant the job because of his aggressive nature, and yet if he had not, the war could have gone on for many more years, or worse - the war could have severed the country permanently.