Origin of Memorial day. From Richmond, Va., Times-dispatch, November 26, 1909.
Because there has been some confusion between the
Memorial Day observed by the women of the
South since the war between the States and the day adopted for the decoration of the graves of Northern soldiers who fell in the same war, the following account, written for the
New York Herald by
Mrs. John A. Logan, is given here.
Mrs. Logan writes: ‘In the spring of 1868
General Logan and I were invited to visit the battle-grounds of the
South with a party of friends.
The South had been desolated by the war. The graves of her soldiers, however, seemed objects of the greatest care and attention.
One grave yard that struck me as being specially pathetic was in
Richmond.
Just before our visit there had been a memorable observance, and upon each grave there had been placed a small Confederate flag and wreaths of beautiful flowers.
When I returned to
Washington, I spoke of it to the general and said I wished there could be concerted action of this kind all over the
North for the decoration of our own soldiers' graves.
At that time
General Logan was commander-in-chief of the
Grand Army.
The next day he sent for
Adjutant-General Chipman, and they conferred as to the best means of beginning a general observance.
On May 5 of 1868, the historic order was issued.’
