The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-31
THE FIRST
,EOBSfRYANCE
. OF THE DAY
In This Vicinity Was at Martins
Ferry, May so, 1858, in Conn
pliance With the Order,
ISSUED BY GENERAL LOGAN.
The Following Year the First ehssr-
vance Occurred in Wheeling
at Mount Wood.


served throughout the country, both
north and south was brought into birth
by general ordery No. Ii. from General
John A. Logan, COMMUNICATIVE Of
the Grand Army Of the Republic, Is
sued May 5. 1868. as follows:
Headquarters Grand Army Of the
Republic,
Adjutant Generals ONCE. A6 18th st.,
Washington. d. c..
May O. 1868.
General order No. ii.
The sOth day Of Nay; 1868, Is deslgna-
fed for the purpose Of strewing flowers
or otherwise decorating the graves OF
comrades who died IN defense Of their
country during the late rebellion, and
whoBe bodies lie In almost every city,
village, hamlet and churchyard in the
land In this observance no form OF
ceremony Is prescribed, but posts and
comrades will In their own way, ar
range such lttlng services and testi-
monialB Of respect as circumstances
wlIfpermlt,
we nre organised, comrades, as our
regulations tell US. for the purpose,
among other things, "of fraternal feel
INKS WHICH AllkFE ANUlA ZIG taAA-
diers, sailors and marines who united
together to suppress the late rebellion"
What can aid more 10 assure that re-
suit than by cherishing tenderfy the
memory OF our heroic dead who made
their breasts a barrieade between our
country and its foeo. Their soldier
lives were the reveille Of freedom to a
race in chains and their deaths the
tattoo OF rebellious tyranny In arms.
We should guard their graves with ga
cred vigilance. All that the consecrated
taste and wealth Of the nation can add
to their adornment aud security is but
fitting tribute to the memory Of her
slain defenders. Let no wanton foot
tread rudely on such hallowed ground.
Let pleasant paths invite the coming
ana going Of reyerent visitors and fond
mourners. Let no vandalism OF ava
rice or neglect. no raVRges Of time tes-
tIfy In the presence Of the coming gem
Grafton that we have forgotten as q
people the cost OF free and undivid-
ed republic. ~
II other eyes grow dull and other
hands slack, and other hearts grow
cold, in the common trust let ours keep
It wen as long as the light and warmth
OF life remain to US.
Let US, then. at the time appointed.
gather around their sacred remains and
garland the passionless mounds above
them with the choicest flowers of spring
time; let us raise above them the dear
old flag they saved from dishonor: let
us In this solemn presence renew our
pledges to aid and assist those whom
they left among US. sacred charge
upon a nations gratitude, the soldiers
and the sailors widow and orphan.
It Is the purpose of the commander
in-chlef to inaugurate this observance,
with the hope that 1t will be kept up
from year 10 year while survivor OF
the war remains to honor the memory
of his departed comrades. He earnest
ly desires the public press to call at
tention to this order and lend Its friend
ly aid in bringing 1t to the notice OF
comrades in all parts Of the country IN
time for simultaneous compliance
Herewith!
Department commanders Will use ey-
cry effort to make this order effective.
(Ofticlal,l n. P. CHAPMAN.
Adjutant General.
BY order Of JOHN A. LOGAN,
CamnaRdeF-iR-C Chief.
Decoration Day. of 1S6S-the first
was not observed in Wheeling, and to
Martins Ferry (then known as Mar
tinsYille). belongs the credit of the first
observance In this vicinity. In the In
teIllgencer of May 80, 1868, appeared the
following:
DECoRATIoN-The day has been set
apart to decorate the graves OF the
Union soldiers. and we doubt not but
that II win be observed fully wherever
throls a loyal heart. We learn that the
soldier boys in Martlnsville (Martin's
Ferry, have made arrangements to
carry out the design In fun. They
should have the cooperation OF all
good citizens, Have any steps been
taken to comply with the suggestion
made In the order issued some time
since by General Logan, Of the g. A.
r., in our city, We trust the survi-
vors will not fail to pay this tribute to
the memory OF the departed brave.
In the 1ntelligencer OF Monday, June
/, 1868. there appeared the following
brief account: N-
sTREWED WITH FLOWERS-We
learn that the soldiers and sailors OF
Martinsville Martins Ferry visited
the graves OF tfaln departed comrades
on Saturday, and compiled with the
order Of the G. a. r. BY strewlng them
with floral offerings. We believe there
was nothing done on this side OF the
river, which we deeply regret. We hope
some one who was present at the dem
onstration at MartInsville will send us
the particulars. We viii cheertully
give them place in our columns.
The following morning, full account
OF the exercises at Martins Ferry ap-
peared. as follows:
DECORATION OF SOLDIERS
GRAVES-we are indebted to n kind
friend for the following interesting re-
port OF the decoration ceremonies mt
Martinsvllle (Martin's Ferry. Ohio, on
Saturday last.
On saturday last. in pursuance TO
general order No. II, from g. A. r.
Headquarters, Post No. 10. Of Martins
VILE, together with the Good Templars
Of that place and Bridgeport, met In
the afternoon at Camp Joe Gordon,
where n procession was formed, and
marched thence TO the cemetery. where
IN arc Inferred number Of our dead.
quite A large concoursc Of citizens ac-
c0mpanied them. The procession was
headed by n band OF martial music,
which played dead march. bringing
up NJ once old memories from many n
battlefield.
on arriving at the cemetery the
hollow square, was formed, and the
Rev W. II. Morton. Of the Methodist
Episcopal church. opened the exercises
with an appropriate prayer, after
which Or. ]. NJ Todd. Of Bridgeport,
delivered an address, which, for beauty
and tenderness could not easily be eN-
celled. II was no political spe9ch no
one upbrRldedi no one chidcd for
what might have been" but tender
~ hr touched the hearts OF all as he
reviewed the trials and sufferings OF