Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1914-09-04
ORIGIN OF DECORATION DAY.

MAIDEN, MASS, Aug. 22...Mrs. Mary Cotton
Redpath, 81, credited with having Originated memorial
day observances, died here Friday.
When in Charleston, S. c., in 1866, Mrs. Redpath
noted that the graves of Union soldiers were uncared
for. With the cooperation Of the military authorities
and, numerous northern residents, she planned a pa.
rade which marched to the cemetery and paid tribute
to the dead. Out Of those exercises the general obscrv.
ance of memorial day developed Mobile Register.
Every few years there is an account of the orr
gin of the beautiful custom of bedecking the graves
Of our soldier dead with flowers.
And, alas, for the rarity of historical accuracy,
scarce any two accounts agree as to the statement
Of facts in the case.
The first of these soldiers raves-decoration ex-
ercises occurred at the I. O. 0. F. Cemetery, COL
umbus, Mississippi, April 18th, 1866.
The prime movers in the Inauguration Of the
exercises on that occasion-exercises born of the
splendid instinct of womanhood at it's bestAA-were
Mrs. J. T. Fontaine, Mrs, Green 7. Hill and Miss
Matt Morton, each long since gone to her reward
in the blessed realm where they that mourn are
comforted and sorrows are unknown. i
The exercises were conducted under a prear-
ranged plan. AS the writer recalls it, Rev. Gee. T.
Stainback was the orator of the day and General
Jacob H. Sharp was the marshal. ~
Horace Greeley was then alive, editing the New
York Tribune, and his paper published a despatch
making mention of the incident in these words:
1.-THE women of Columbus, Mississippi, animated
by nobler sentiments than are many Of their sisters,
have shown themselves impartial in their offerings to
the memory Of the dead. They strowed flowers alike
on the graves of the Confederate and Of the Federal
soldiers"
In the spring of 1867, this despatch fell under
the eyes of Frances Miles Finch, a New York law
yer, whose home was at Ithaca in that state. He
became prominent in his profession and, at one
time, was an associate justice of the court of ,ap-
peals of New York.
In explanation Of the impression the incident
made upon him, Judge Finch said: y,
"When I read those lines in The Tribune, it struck
me that the south was holding out a friendly hand, and
that it was our duty, not only as conquerors, but as
men and their fellow citizens Of the nation, to Grasp il.
II the val was over and peace had supervened, it
seemed to me that peace should be re.established in
our hearts as well as upon our records Fl,
Thus it was that the christian charity of those
' good women of Columbus inspired a New York
scholarly man and patriot to write the poem, ''The
Blue and the Gray" which was published in The
Atlantic Monthly, September, 1867, and which
won as great, if not greater, popularity in the I'm
s tied States than any other poem of equal length
/, written and publish in the last fifty years.
Its concluding StanZas-there are seven in ALL
specially commentaries the action of the Column
}, bus women In the sweet and rhythmic words which
e follows:
J Sadly, but not with upbraidins,
n The generous deed was done;
In the storms of the years that are fading
No Drawer battle was won;-
u Under the sod, and the dew,
Waiting the Judgment day. =
n Under the blossoms, the Blue;
Under the garands, the Gray.
No more shall the war.cry sever,
Or the winding rivers be red:-
They Danish our anger forever l
When they laurel the graves Of our dead
Under the sod, and the dew,
N Waiting the Judgment day. VA
is Love and tears for the Blue;
Tears and love for the Gray:
Sept. 1867 F. M. FINCH.
~ The writer Of this notice has in his possession
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