Muscogee County Georgia History Memorial Day File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Lindy Hard lindy.hard@ccconnection.com) Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/muscogee.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Memorial Day in Columbus, Muscogee Co., GA and the original letter written by Mrs. Mary Ann Williams to the Columbus Times.. 27 Apr 1894 (newspaper issue) "Memorial Day. Yesterday was memorial day and all over the Sunny South loving tribute was paid to the soldiers of the lost cause. The custom of decorating the graves of the Confederate dead, as nearly everybody knows, was the original idea of a Georgia lady-Mrs. Mary Ann Williams, of Columbus. Throughout the war her labors were spent in alleviating the wounds of the Confederate soldiers, and no one was more devoted than this noble woman to the cause of the confederacy. She was the wife of Col. C. J. Williams, who commanded the First Georgia regulars in the early part of the war, and was one of the first to fall in the defense of his country. In the life of Mrs. Williams, who has passed to her reward, but whose memory is still preserved in the myriad garlands which strew the month of April, there is much to admire, and concerning her, many volumes might be written. The idea which came with such beautiful, unassuming modesty from her lips has grown into a custom which yearly asserts itself not only in the South, but is imitated by our quondam foes in the North." " The following is a copy of the original letter written by Mrs. Williams to the Columbus Times containing the suggestion of Memorial Day:" "Columbus, Ga., March 12, 1866.-- Messrs. Editors. The ladies are now, and have been for several days, engaged in the sad but pleasant duty of ornamenting and improving that portion of the city cemetery sacred to the memory of our gallant confederate dead, but we feel it is an unfinished work unless a day be set apart annually for its especial attention. We cannot raise monumental shafts and inscribe thereon their many deeds of heroism, but we can keep alive the memory of the debt we owe them by dedicating at least one day in each year to embellishing their humble graves with flowers. Therefore we beg the assistance of the press and the ladies throughout the South to aid us in the effort to set apart a certain day to be observed, from the Potomac to the Rio Grande, and be handed down through time as a religious custom of the South, to wreath the graves of our martyred dead with flowers, and we propose the 26th day of April as the day. Let every city, town and village join in the pleasant duty. Let all alike be remembered, from the heroes of Manassas to those who expired amid the death throes of our hallowed cause. We'll crown alike the honored resting places of the immortal Stonewall Jackson in Virginia, Johnson at Shiloh, Cleburne in Tennessee, and the host of privates who adorned our ranks. All did their duty, and to all we owe our gratitude. Let the soldiers graves, for that day at least, be the Southern Mecca, to whose shrine her sorrowing women, like pilgrims, may annually bring their grateful hearts and floral offerings. And when we remember the thousands who were buried 'with their martial cloaks around them,' without Christian ceremony of interment, we would invoke the aid of the most thrilling eloquence throughout the land to inaugurate this custom, by delivering on the appointed day this year, a eulogy on the unburied dead of our glorious Southern army. They died for their country. Whether their country had or had not the right to demand the sacrifice is no longer a question for discussion. We leave that for nations to decide in the future. That it was demanded-that they fought nobly and fell holy sacrifices upon their country's alter, and are entitled to their country's gratitude, none will deny. The proud banner under which they rallied in defense of the holiest and noblest cause for which heroes fought, or trusting women prayed, has been buried forever. The country for which they suffered and died has now no name or place among the nations of the earth. Legislative enactments may not be made to do honor their memories, but the veriest radical that ever traced his genealogy back to the dock of the May Flower could not refuse us the simple privilege of paying honor to those who died defending the life, honor and happiness of the Southern women." Source: The Calhoun County Courier Calhoun County GA newspaper microfilm 28 July 1882- 10 Dec 1886 (scattered issues); 16 Mar 1888, 12 Dec 1889, 13 Feb, 10, 17 Apr, and 9 May 1890; 20 Nov 1891; 5 Feb 1892-13 Nov 1896 ======================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for FREE access. ==============