The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1922-05-26
WILL OBSERVE
MEMORIAL DAY


Legion will observe Memorial Day
with fitting ceremonies. according to
an announcement made yesterday BY
Post Commander John Brown. Men,
bers of the American Legion will meet
at their hall in Gardnerville and form
in parade at o'clock next Tuesday
afternoon and will march to the ceme-
terry where the exercises will be held.
The people of this community are
invited to join with the American
Legion members tn the observance OF
Memorial Day and be present at the
ceremonies next Tuesday afternoon.
The following written by Mrs. John
A. Logan as to the origin OF Memorial
Day will be interesting at this time:
The late Colonel Chas L. Wilson,
editor of the Chicago Journal Of that
day. invited a party consisting of hin
niece Miss Anna Wilson (later Mrs
Horatia May. Miss Farrar. his finan.
Gee (all now dead): General Logan.
and myself. to visit the battlefields
around Richmond in March. 1865. The
Importance Of some measures then
pending In Congress prevented Gen.
eral Logan. at the last moment, from
going. but he insisted upon my going
with these friends. We made q tour OF
every battlefield, fortification, tempor-
airy barricade and cemetery around
the erstwhile Confederate capitol,
driving about in old tumble-down vehi-
cles, drawn by lean, jaded horses. driy-
en- by thinly clad, poorly fed men, who
had survived the long siege Of Rich
mond. We saw the colored men, wa m
en- and children digging out the lead
and iron which had been shot into
the Notifications, almost the only sup
port of these wretched people. VISIT
Ing cemeteries and church yards. we
were deeply touched by the withered
wreaths and tiny flags that marked the
graves of the Confederate dead. In
the bleak March wind and light-falling
snow, the desolation seemed most op-
pressive.
General Logan Hears Story
Returning together to the old VIII
lard Hotel. where we then lived, sit
ting in our parlor after dinner, we re-
counted to General Logan the incl
dents Of the trip and how deeply
touched we were by the devastation
and ravishes of war. In the church
yard around an old historic church at
Petersburg, every foot of the ground
seemed occupied by the graves OF the
IConfederate dead Upon them lay
wreaths once beautiful flowers now
crumbling. which had been placed
there by loving hands. Little faded
Confederate flags marked each grave,
mute evidence of the devotion of the
Southern people to their loved and
lost General Logan was much i'm
pressed by our description, saying.
The Greeks and Romans In the day
OF their glory. were wont to honor
their hero dead by chaplets of laurel
and flowers, as well as In bronze and
stone," and that as commander-in-
chief of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie and member OF Congress from ILL.,
nois, which he then was, he would
issue an order establishing Memorial
Day, then called Decoration Day." He
declared at the same time that he be-
lieved that he could secure the adopt
ion OF joint resolution making 1t a
national holiday and a national cere-
money. He then took up pencil and
piece OF paper and wrote the matchless
order No. IL, and remarked he would
submit 1t to his staff of the Grand
Army OF the Republic. then composed
of DR.. w. 7. Collins. assistant adju-
tant general; Brevet Brig. Gen. p.
Chapman. adjutant general: Capt. T.
c. Campbell, quartermaster general.
and Capt. Edward Jardine, inspector
general. He read what he had written
to Colonel Wilson, who expressed his
appreciation of the order and predict
ed 1t would be received with great
enthusiasm all over the country.
Memorial or Decoration Day
In January, 1868, General Logans
comrades of the Grand Army Of the
Republic elected him commander i'm
chief of that order, and afterward hon.
ored him and themselves by twice re-
electing him to that distinguished posi-
ton. 1t was during his first incum-
bency that General Logan, as CON-
mander-in-chief Of this military So
ciety, issued the order-which he often
afterward alluded to as "the proudest
act of my life"-setting apart the 30th
OF May as day in memory OF the dead
soldiers who lost their lives to per-
petuate this Union,-a day on which to
decorate their sacred graves and keep
In mind their glorious deeds. This
memorable order,-which was issued
to all the comrades OF the Grand Army
of the Republic.
The American Legion.
The American Legion, If wisely or
ganized, since the close OF the World
war is in position to do immeasure-