STATUE OF GENERAL LOGAN IN GRANT PARK. MANY ILLINOISANS WALK BY OR DRIVE BY HIS STATUE WITHOUT KNOWING HE FOUNDED MEMORIAL DAY.
He was born on February 9, 1826, in Jackson County, Illinois from an immigrant parent from Northern Ireland. He was a lawyer, a volunteer for the Mexican War in 1846, Civil War union soldier and U.S. senator, first as Democrat and after the war served in Congress as a Republican. He was wounded twice as a Union soldier and had his horse shot out from under him. Logan fought in eight major campaigns, rising in rank from lieutenant to colonel to major general. He commanded the entire Union forces at the Battle of Atlanta and he was instrumental in saving Raleigh, North Carolina from being burned to the ground by angry Union troops as the war was coming to an end.
General Logan had a deep concern for veterans and helped organize the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), a Union veterans' organization made up of former soldiers, sailors and marines. As commander-in-chief of GAR, he declared and signed the General Order No. 11.
By General Order No. 11, dated May 5, 1868, The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land.
The day of remembrance was first called Decoration Day. It was observed on May 30, until 1971, when most states adopted the newly established federal holiday schedule, which placed the last Monday in May as Memorial Day.
Every Memorial Day continues to remind all Americans that freedom is both precious and costly.
VIDEO Where Have All The Flowers Gone
Recycled Greetings :) 2014
Don't Know Much History
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May 31, 2010 To all of those brave Americans who paid the ultimate price through the ages....
Two words: THANK YOU!
Published 5/30/10 altgroup multiply
Web Page: Memorial Day
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