The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-11

~ 1881 the General Assembly
..do, the administration of Cover
NV Jarvis set aside the day, May
IN, w. and proclaimed it as a state
to1idav to honor the States Con
saderate veterans. The day has
Noon observed every year since
Dvcent from 1912 to 1915 during
DT Tn until 1881 Memorial Day had
csneral Joseph E. johnson sur
eandered to the Union Army's
..rniobty Sherman" However, the
90 Legislature decided the Day
II General stonewall Jackson's
se,tb would be more appropriate
and thus set aside May 10.
II the early memorial day cele-
srations. large picnics were held
almost every county seat in the
a+atp. There Confederate veterans
Gould come with their families
snd friends to spread large tables
a. bome cooked food. Not mfre-
ouentlv. these gatherings were &C
samnsnied with shrill "rebel
ro1ls' and %recountings OF the war
days.
pnt with the course Of the years,
ro+prans became fewer and few
~ And today, the states four re-
moinino ones are too old and
,eeb1e to get into the old spirit.
Thev were, however, reminded of
.bp "old days" today through
visits Of the Daughters of the Con-
,adaracv who brought flowers and
other gifts.
IN Raleigh, the Johnston Petit
crow Chapter of the United
]n.ughters of the Confederacy will
hid a memorial service tomorrow
IN the House of Memory il Oak
wood cemetery. R. L. Mcmillan,
pa1ejgh attorney and former ma
+onal vice = commander Of the
American Legion, will be princi-
nal speaker. Flowers will be
placed on the Confederate graves.
In Oakwood's House of Memo
~ dedicated to North Cardinals
Confederate veterans, are several
0Iaoues telling of the States part
in the Civil War.
One PLAQUE says that North Car
alma sent 1877, 900 soldiers ito the
war between the States" from a
nossible military population OF
lis, 1863. This means that many
Young boys below military age en-
listed, The State furnished "a regi-
ments and 20 battalions, thus sup
nlvinq more than one-fifth of the
600, 900 men in the Confederate
Army,
"Of General Lees 1874 regi.
ments "a were from North Caro-
lima
Total number of lives los, in the
Confederate army was 74,524. o..
these. 9 ,643 were North Caroilnl-
ans.
A part of Oakwoo6 is marked
off as a Confederate burylns
ground. There lie more than 2.soo
soldiers who gave their lives tor
the Southern cause"
Of this number 1000 are from
North Carolina; 46 from South
Carolina; a from Georgia; 8 each
from Alabama and Mississippi;
four from Virginia; two each from
Florida and Tennessee; d one
each from Arkansas, Louisiana
and Texas. Three were from the
Confederate Navy; 1924 were
moved here from Gettysburg in
1871: 1903 from Arlington in 1888;
1888 from Pettigrew Hospital Gem
etery; and 1O6 are unknown dead.
Another plaque says: largely
due to the efforts of Zebulon
Baird Vance, governor of North
Carolina from 1862 to 1865, this
state contributed large sums OF
money and supplies to the Con-
tolerate Cause besides supporting
her own troops throughout the en"
tire war. Records show that Tor
many months previous to the sur
render, Lees army had been al
most entirely fed from North Car
Dina.
Through Wilmington, t h last
Confederate port to be closed, was
imported materials which were
the chief source of supply to
Southern armies"
Throughout the years, North
Carolina has not forgotten its Con-
tederate veterans. Through the
State Pension Bureau, they are
each paid $72 per month, and the
body servant gets $26,66. Widows
are also given pensions, and like
the veterans, 500 is provided for
their funeral expenses.
Bills introduced il tn recent
General Assembly to give higher
pensions failed.
The Johnston Pettigrew chapter
today sponsored the sale of BUTTON
mole Confederate flags, tn e pro-
ceedS of which will go to:
|. Care for widows and Gaugh-
ters Of Confederate veterans IN
the home at Fayetteville;
:. Care for veterans descend
ants who are tuberculosis patients