Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-05-30
Monday, May 80, 1921.
EMORiAL DAY


OF decorating the graves Of the
fallen soldiers of the Civil War origi-
mated in the South, but it is not so
generally known that New Eng
land woman was the real founder of
Memorial day. Mrs. Mary Cotton
Redpath, wife of James Redpath, a
then we'll known newspaper worker
and author, is credited with being
the originator, being in the South at
the time of Sherman's March to the
Sea, her husband being a CORE
spondent of the New York Tribune
and also member of Sherman's
staff. Mrs. Redpath died on August
81, 1914, at her home in Maiden
Mass, at the advanced age of 81
years.
She was born in Cotton Valley,
Wolfeboro, n. H., lineal descend
ant of William Cotton, the first set
tier in the valley. Her first hus-
band, Ezra Taylor, died soon after
their marriage and just before the
Civil War, she married Mr.. Redpath.
Her home in Maiden was one Of
the stations" of the underground
safety. Sojourner Truth, called the
militant runaway" because Of her
efforts to free her people stopped
there as did John Brown Of Kansas,
a short time before his historic raid
at Harper's Ferry.
Mrs. Redpath as result of her in
terest and activities in the anti-slave
cause, formed close acquaintance
with Henry Ward Beecher, Sumner,
Douglass, Wendell Phillips and other
leaders in that cause.
She was in Charleston, S. c., at
the close of Sherman's March and
remained there until after the close
of the war, Mr.. Redpath becoming
superintendent of education for
Charleston and surrounding dis
trict.
Mary Cotton Redpath is said to
have started in that city the custom
Of observing Memorial day. The
graves of Union soldiers throughout
the city were in deplorable con-
dition. especially those at the race
track. just outside the city. This
place had been used during the war
as prison corral, and the Union
soldiers who died were buried in
the very shallow troughs they dug
for protection against the weather.
MIR. Rcdpath, with the assistance
Of her husband and several friends
organized a little band which started
soliciting funds for the erection Of a
soldiers monument. The citizens of
the city and the friends of the freed
mems cause contributed literally
and in May. 1867, a memorial service
was held in lions church, Charles
ton
Arrangements were then and there
made for the annual observance of
the day and the idea spread until in
a few years Memorial day was ma
ton wide.
General John A. Logan, COM
mander-in- chief Of the Grand Army
Of the Republic, saw the beautiful
possibilities OF the day and on May
8. 1868. as the head of that great
organization officially appointed May
80 as Decoration Day. a name 1t
bore until 1884. when the Grand
Army formally adopted the name
Memorial Day. Almost every state
and territory in the Union has since
observed that day. it being generally
legal holiday.
Other authorities on the origin of
the day credit General c. L. Mathies,
a German who fought in the Union
army. with having inaugurated the
custom of decorating the soldiers
graves in 1864 in Mississippi. The
same authority also says that the
first decoration of graves in the
North was in 1866 at Waterloo,
N. Y. where General Murray had
the veterans Of his Grand Army
Post decorate the graves of their
comrades. And in 1867. r. c.
Campbell of Cincinnati, quartermas-
ter general Of the G. A. r., marched
his'post to the graves Of soldiers and
decorated them.