El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-27
NATIONAL DECORATION DAY
The Blue and the Gray Remembered
Alike.


Alike.
A correspondent of the Dallas Ne,
writes as follows: By q law made b.
eral years after the civil war between
the states, May 30 in each year is de
signated as national decoration day
and is legal holiday. ALI nationa
banks, courts, postoffices, ETC., are
closed and the people of the United
States observe the day in decorating
the graves of loved ones in all the com.
eteries.
There are very few people who know
fact is that 1t was started by q fair
daughter of the south, noble Mis-
slssippian. In rambling through q
cemetery she read on q headstone the
name of q young federal soldier who
had fallen in battle, and remarked to
her companions; "Poor boy, he sleeps
far away from home and relatives but
I will scatter flowers over his lonely
gr6ve." The incident WAS publish ed
in her home paper and shortly after
the item was copied with commsnda-
the north, and soon afterward q bill
was presented to congress designating
May 30 in each year as q national de-
coration day. The law was passed un-
animously, every member heartily in
dorsing the noble sentiment. During
several years in Texas the men who
wore the gray and blue observed the
day together, and the columns of the
News at the time gave elaborate re-
ports of the proceedings. especially
concerning Galveston and Houston.
The following beautiful sentiments are
examples and show the fraternal spirit
of the soldiers of both armies
when they met at Glenwood cemetery
in Houston less than ten years ago:
&c. A. r. Officer of the Day J. J..
Billow: In your names, my comrades,
l scatter these memorial flowers upon
this monument, which represents the
cause of our country. Our floral tri-
butte shall wither: let the tender, fra
ternal love for which it stands endure
until the touch of death shall chill the
warm pulse beat of our hearts,
"By Commander G.. @. Beavers of
Dick Bowling Camp: in the name of
my comrades offer these flowers as q
tribute to the memory of the heroes
who we're buried where they fell. and
purity of these memorial blossoms is q
symbol of the motives that led thous-
ands of our comrades to suffer and die.
These flowers will wither, and marble
may crumble into dust, but the hero
ism of them'whO gave their lives in de-
tense of their convictions will live in
song and story as locg as time shall
last
The United Confederate Veterans,
organization in Texas has adopted
April 26 of each year as q decoration
day, but OF late years has not extended
the invitation to the Grand Army of
the Republic men to join with them in
memorial services, while the men who
wore the blue have urged the men who
wore the gray to jointly. observe the
day as during several years ago. The
Houston camp lately refused to do 80 as
an organization, but will as individuals,
on Decoration day. At Galveston the
blue and gray annually decorate the
last resting places of Bishop Chambo
dut and Mother Superioress ST. Pierre,
who distinguished themselves in car
ing for the dead and wounded soldiers
at the Ursuline convent. The blue
and the gray lay side by side and each
received the same kind and loving aid
from the gentle sisters of the convent
on that sad New Years morning of
1868. during and at the close Of the
battle of Galveston.
When Bishop Cham bodut learned
that battle was to take place he hast
Aiy oOAe q uSSSSuR0T " GQ6 convent
asking that arrangements to care for
the wounded be made, and everything
was ready when the wounded arrived,
just before daylight!
Galveston has the distinction of be-
ing the only place in the world where
such an event takes place every year,
especially where the grave of a woman
Is decorated with flowers by old SOL
diers.
The noble daughter of Mississippi
to whom National Decoration day owes
its origin and Mother Superioress ST.
Pierre were both heroines.
BLESSINGS on the hand of woman,
Angels guard its strength and grace,
In the cottsge. palace. howell,
Oh, no matter where the place.
Would that never storms assail 1T,
Rafnbows ever gently curled,
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world"
In several special dispatches in the
News lately giving accounts of con-
federate Decoration day memorial
services it was stated that the graves
of all federal soldiers received the
same tender care and attention as
shown to confederate graves. This
was indeed praiseworthy, noble and
and such kindness will
certainly be reciprocated on National
Decoration day by the gallant men
who wore the blue in Texas and where
ever confederate grave can be locat-
ed in the northern states of the union.
The day is coming and the young men
and ladies now living will see it, when
National Decoration day will alone be
observed as memorial day by the
gallant men who wore the gray and
blue, and every movement to draw
sectional lines by disIoysl and design
ing politicians will be condemned by
every one of the young men who al
ways stand ready to form ranks and
march under the flag of common
if their services are again
called for in any future foreign war.