The History of Memorial Day
- Chipco Preserve
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
Maeve Kiley
Honoring the Fallen for 158 Years
General John A. Logan was an American soldier, general, and politician. He served as an officer with the 1st Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the Mexican-American War and, upon his return home to Illinois, was elected to the US House of Representatives in November 1858. He defended the Union during the months leading up to the Civil War and then volunteered his services upon the war’s outbreak.
Logan served with a Michigan regiment at the Battle of First Bull Run. He returned home and recruited a regiment, the 31st Illinois, where he served as regimental colonel. He led his regiment in Belmont in November 1861 and fought at Fort Donelson, Corinth, and Vicksburg. He rose to the rank of major general of volunteers and is considered by many historians as one of the best Union political generals.
After the war, Logan helped found the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), a Veterans group made of former Union Army soldiers. Logan formalized “Decoration Day”, a practice started in the South to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers that had spread throughout the country. As the GAR’s Commander-in-Chief, Logan issued General Order Number II in 1868 to designate May 30th as a “day of remembrance for all fallen soldiers.” It is reported that May 30th was chosen because the nation’s flowers would have been in bloom.
Before laying the flowers upon the graves, Logan urged, “Let us…gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime.” Children from the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Orphan Home placed the flowers upon the graves in Arlington National Cemetery.
Memorial Day began as a day to honor Civil War soldiers, but that changed after World War I.
After the Great War
An estimated 116,516 to 117,000 soldiers died in World War I, with the Muse-Argonne Offensive and the Spanish Flu pandemic claiming thousands of lives in only a year. The war traumatized the world, with young men and women witnessing atrocities and weapons unknown to the world.
When the conflict ended, the public wished to honor their loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of their country. Memorial Day was expanded to include fallen soldiers from all wars and to honor them. The name “Memorial Day” was formally adopted.
In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May, rather than May 30th. They wished to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. This decision sparked controversy, but the law took effect in 1971 and remains in force today.
More Than A Weekend
Many people tend to forget the importance of Memorial Day and view it more as a “holiday” rather than a remembrance of those who died in the line of duty. The tradition of visiting cemeteries and closing nonessential offices has faded. Memorial Day is not just about getting a three-day weekend; it is for solemn remembrance and reflection on those who could not come home.
From “Decoration Day” to an official federal holiday, Memorial Day has evolved to honor the fallen American soldiers. The day was born from grief and designed to be a permanent, national day of gratitude. By recognizing and remembering the stories of all those who paid the highest cost for their country, Americans must uphold the tradition that connects the past to the present.
References:
A brief biography of General John A. Logan. John A. Logan College. (2023, August 14). https://www.jalc.edu/admissions/a-brief-biography-of-general-john-a-logan/
Admin. (2016, May 5). General John A. Logan, Memorial Day founder. The Army Historical Foundation. https://armyhistory.org/general-john-a-logan-memorial-day-founder/
U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.-a). John Logan: War hero, public servant, founder of Memorial Day (U.S. National Park Service). National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/john-logan-war-hero-public-servant-founder-of-memorial-day.htm
(2021a, May 28).
The history of Memorial Day. Airborne and Special Operations Museum. https://www.asomf.org/the-history-of-memorial-day/
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