Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-15
Memorial Day

Az eacb succeeding Memorial day APP
breaches memory carries me Dach u
the DAYS of 1851, and review from theh
until now, especially the scenes OF the
four years that laid the cause for Me-
mortal day. In the early days Of 81 men
were gathering in every district. forming
volunteer companies, music generally &C
companying. Listen! you hear Dixie
that song then so lately born, 1t seems
with a southern spirit. that has not
ceased until now to electIify the hearts OF
southern men. Then the departureAof the
soldier for the field Of strife, the KISS
of the mother, wife or sister, leaving It's
impress upon his heart, that caused MIN
10 swear within himself that he would
die in their defense, a feeling that lived
within him to the very last. l remember
as though it were yesterday that on the
night of July the 27th preceding the bat
tie ON the 18th of July on the left of At
lanta General Wright ordered US TO rest
on our arms and AIDED, Think of your
mothers. your wives and your sisters.
How appropriate the song:
Just before the battle. mother,
am thinking most Of thee"
On the day OF our. surrender, near High
Point. n. c.. where my division drew up
in line and stacked their arms. after
stepping off a few PAGES turned to take
a last look at the battle-scarred flag OF
the Bath Alabama regiment, which / had
followed over the battlefelds OF Muir
freesboro. Franklin, Chickamauga and
many others.
My feelings overcame me as / realized
that I could not strike another blow un-
der its folds in defense of mother and
sisters, unbidden tears stole down my
cheeks. Soon that disbanded army, In
ragged uniforms with saddened hearts,
began their homeward march, Of which
Henry Grady drew a picture. but only
used II far enough to serve his purpose.
Nav l attempt to finish it? That soldier
in war-worn uniform on reaching his
home was caught in the embrace OF a
mother, wife or sister with kiss OF ap-
prevail which in the very hour Of the
death of the Confederacy called up within
him the spirit of the new south, and he
began the civic battle of life, more ter
rible through the days of reconstruc-
ton than the bloody fields of Gettysburg
or of Chickamauga While history SEEM
ed intent on painting the face OF the
Confederate soldier as rebel and traitor.
the southern woman determined to show
him In his true position, has raised all
over the south the marble shaft TO his
memory, which the world has looked up
on and studied until it has accepted her
verdict that they are ''patriots of the
purest type" Figuratively speaking, she
grasped the brush, dripping with inky
blackness and divesting 1t of it's black
ness, dipped it in lava of silver and paint
ed about the brow of the Confederate
soldier a wreath OF unfading glory. More
than this. In sympathy with her northern
sisters who may have husbands, sons or
brothers in unknown graves amongst
us. she decorates those graves with her
flowers on Memorial day.
BY this she has taught us to divest
ourselves of all i'll feeling toward our
former foes. Peerless woman of the
wolrd! ~. -
Could I write a song of the purest SEN
timent and set tito music in the sweet
est chords ear has ever heard. I would
dedicate it TO the praise of the Southern
Woman.
WILLIAM H. HAGERMAN.