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Calvin E. Johnson,
Jr.
April Is Also
Confederate History Month
April 4, 2009
“A people without the knowledge of
their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without
roots.” – Marcus Garvey
On Thursday, March 12,
2009, the Georgia State Senate passed bill No. 27, by a vote of
48-2, designating April as Confederate Heritage and History Month. I
understand that it has now been voted out of committee for a full
House vote. Supporters of this bill say,
“The measure would be a boom to
the state’s tourism industry, encouraging visitors to come to
Georgia’s Civil War Battlefield sites.”
Read information on the bill
here.
The diversity of the Old South still holds the
imagination of many people who come from around the world to see;
Southern Belle’s with hoop skirts, Confederate flags and soldier
memorials like the Confederate Memorial carving of: Robert E. Lee,
Stonewall Jackson and Jefferson Davis at Stone Mountain Memorial
Park near Atlanta.
This story is written in the spirit of the
Sesquicentennial, 150th Anniversary of the War Between the States,
which will be commemorated throughout the USA from 2011 to 2015.
Americans observe Black, Jewish, Hispanic, Native
American and Women’s History Month...And in April we also remember
‘Confederate History Month’ in tribute to those Americans who took
their stand for what some historians call the ‘Second American
Revolution.’
April is an important month in America's history. The Great
Locomotive Chase, where Union spies attempted to steal the
Confederate Locomotive "The General" and destroy rail lines and
bridges, took place on April 12, 1862. The month of April has become
to be known as Confederate History and Heritage Month when
proclamations will be signed by Governors, Commissioners and Mayors.
The Congress of the United States has officially in
past years recognized America's war, of 1861 to 1865, as the War
Between the States. This tragic war claimed the lives of hundreds of
thousands of brothers, uncles and husbands. Though they were enemies
on the battlefield, after the war the men of blue and gray sponsored
reunions at such places as Gettysburg. The soldier told war stories
while the United States and Confederate flags flew briskly in the
warm summer breeze.
Why do some schools ignore the teaching of American
history? Boys and girls once learned about American soldiers who for
over 200 years marched off to war. The church hymn book once
included "Onward Christian Soldiers." The young people read about:
George Washington, Robert E. Lee and Booker T. Washington. Northern
and Southern children stood up proudly to sing patriotic songs from
a standard song book that included "Dixie".
After the end of the War Between the States, Northern
and Southern women formed memorial organizations. They made sure all
soldiers were given a Christian burial and a marked grave. Memorial
Days were begun in many states North and South of the famous
Mason-Dixon Line. Confederate graves were also cared for in the
North and Union graves in the South. Great monuments were also
erected that still cast a giant shadow over many town squares and
soldiers' cemeteries across the U.S.A.
April 26, has become to be recognized as Confederate
Memorial Day in many states. For over one hundred years the Ladies'
Memorial Association, United Daughters of the Confederacy and Sons
of Confederate Veterans have held memorial services on or near this
day. Other Southern States recognize this day, which began as
Decoration Day, on May 10th and June 3rd,
which is the birthday of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
Efforts to mark Confederate graves, erect monuments
and hold memorial services were the idea of Mrs. Charles J.
Williams. It is written that she was an educated and kind lady. Her
husband served as Colonel of the 1st Georgia Regiment during the
war. He died of disease in 1862, and was buried in his home town of
Columbus, Georgia.
Mrs. Williams and her daughter visited his grave
often and cleared the weeds, leaves and twigs from it, then placed
flowers on it. Her daughter also pulled the weeds from other
Confederate graves near her Father.
It saddened the little girl that their graves were
unmarked. With tears of pride she said to her Mother, "These are my
soldiers' graves." The daughter soon became ill and passed away in
her childhood. Mrs. William's grief was almost unbearable.
On a visit to the graves of her husband and daughter,
Mrs. Williams looked at the unkept soldiers' graves and remembered
her daughter as she cleaned the graves and what the little girl had
said. She knew what had to do.
Mrs. Williams wrote a letter that was published in
Southern newspapers asking the women of the South for their help.
She asked that memorial organizations be established to take care of
the thousands of Confederate graves from the Potomac River to the
Rio Grande. She also asked the state legislatures to set aside a day
in April to remember the men who wore the gray. With her leadership
April 26 was officially adopted in many states. She died in 1874,
but not before her native state of Georgia adopted it as a legal
holiday.
Among the gallant women of the Confederacy was
Captain Sally Tomkins, CSA who was the only woman to be commissioned
on either side of the War Between the States. Commissioned by
Jefferson Davis, she took care of thousands of soldiers in Richmond,
Virginia until the end of the war.
Those who served the Confederacy came from many races
and religions. There was Irish born General Patrick R. Cleburne,
black Southerner Amos Rucker, Jewish born Judah P. Benjamin, Mexican
born Colonel Santos Benavides, Cherokee American Indian General
Stand Watie- the highest ranking officer on either side, and Major
Gen. Camille Armand Jules Marie, Prince de Polignac born in France.
Please go to:
ConfederateHeritageMonth.com or
ConfederateHistoryMonth.com to read more about Confederate
History Month.
Source:
http://www.newmediajournal.us/guest/c_johnson/2009/04042009.htm |
