Memorial Day Order - HQ -GAR - 1868

Washington, D.C., May 5th, 1868
Headquarters, Grand Army of The Republic

General John A. Logan’s General Order 11 (Memorial Day Order)

I. The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

We are organized, comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose among other things, "of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers, sailors, and marines who united to suppress the late rebellion." What can aid more to assure this result than cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead, who made their breasts a barricade between our country and its foes? Their soldier lives were the reveille of freedom to a race in chains, and their deaths the tattoo of rebellious tyranny in arms. We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.

If other eyes grow dull, other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain to us.

Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan.

II. It is the purpose of the Commander-in-Chief to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades. He earnestly desires the public press to lend its friendly aid in bringing to the notice of comrades in all parts of the country in time for simultaneous compliance therewith.

III. Department commanders will use efforts to make this order effective.

By order of

JOHN A. LOGAN,
Commander-in-Chief

‍N.P. CHIPMAN,
Adjutant General

Official:
WM. T. COLLINS, A.A.G.

Family Day at Spangler Farm in Gettysburg , Memorial Day Weekend - Sat May 28

Family Day at Spangler, Memorial Day Weekend

The Gettysburg Foundation will host Family Day at Spangler, a free, one-day event from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., Saturday, May 28, 2022, at the George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital. The event marks the first opportunity for the public to visit the George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital this year.

Offering free admission and the opportunity for the Adams County community and visitors to Gettysburg to experience the George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital, Family Day at Spangler provides an educational day for families to experience and learn about the history of the 80-acre historic site.

"Family Day is an excellent opportunity for families and anyone who enjoys history to explore the best surviving example of a corps-level field hospital used during the Battle of Gettysburg,” said Paul Semanek, Spangler Farm Site Coordinator. “We look forward to offering this event during the Memorial Day weekend. The community and families can enjoy a late springtime visit before we kick off the summer season beginning the weekend of June 10 to 12," added Semanek.

Living historians with Blue & Gray Hospital Association, an official living history group of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, will be on-site during the event. Guests will have the opportunity to interact with a living historian portraying Father William Corby, a Catholic Priest and chaplain of the 88th New York Infantry, who witnessed the carnage of Gettysburg and survived the battle.

Historic Gettysburg-Adams County (HGAC) will present information on historic barn preservation. HGAC interprets the design, construction and use of the iconic Pennsylvania Bank Barn.

The family-friendly programming and offerings include the opportunity to:

• Hear stories about the civilian role during and after the battle and the Spangler family.

• Explore Civil War era pharmaceuticals and dentistry.

• Learn about the Letterman System and how it was used during the battle.

• See a reproduction of a Civil War Wheeling (Rosecrans) ambulance reproduction.

• Discover Civil War era games.

• Treat yourself to a local favorite with Mr. G’s old-fashioned ice cream.

Visitors to the special Family Day at Spangler event may drive directly to the property and park on-site

Special Ranger Program Sat May 7 on Gettysburg's Forgotten History

They Once Lived Here – A Hike through Gettysburg’s Forgotten History

 Release Date: April 26, 2022

Contact: Jason Martz

Captain Dwight D. Eisenhower stands next to a tank at Camp Colt on the Gettysburg battlefield.

 Gettysburg, PA – In recognition of National Historic Preservation Month, we invite you to attend this free guided hike and explore the sites and stories of buildings that have long since vanished from the landscape. On Saturday, May 7 from 1 pm to 3 pm, join Rangers Matt Atkinson and John Hoptak of Gettysburg National Military Park, and Ranger Daniel Vermilya of Eisenhower National Historic Site on this one-mile walk, following mowed trails and paved sidewalks, that will explore over 175 years of Gettysburg history. From the long-forgotten homes of Gettysburg’s African American Community to World War II POW camps, tenant houses, and farms caught in the crossfire of battle, discover the stories of the people who once called this battlefield home.

This free program begins at Auto Tour Stop 4, the North Carolina Memorial and concludes at the Gettysburg National Cemetery Parking Lot, Auto Tour Stop 16. Parking is available on West Confederate Avenue, the Gettysburg National Cemetery parking lot, and along Hancock Avenue. On all park avenues please park your vehicle on the right side of the road, unless otherwise directed, with all wheels on the pavement.

Gettysburg National Military Park is a unit of the National Park Service that preserves and protects the resources associated with the Battle of Gettysburg, the Gettysburg National Cemetery and provides an understanding of the events that occurred there within the context of American history. Learn more at www.nps.gov/gett.

Eisenhower National Historic Site preserves and interprets the home and farms of the Eisenhower family as a fitting and enduring memorial to the life, work, and times of General Dwight David Eisenhower, 34th president of the United States, and to the events of far-reaching importance that occurred on the property. Learn more at www.nps.gov/eise.

Jason Martz, Communications Specialist

Gettysburg National Military Park & Eisenhower National Historic Site

Office - 717.338.4423

"Worm Fencing" To Be Removed From Farm At Harpers Ferry NHP

From National Parks Traveler... - April 24th, 2022

"Worm fencing," a unique pattern used for fencing on preserved Civil War battlefields, will be removed from the Murphy-Chambers Farm at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park because there's no record of such fencing used there, according to the National Park Service.

Crews are scheduled to begin removing worm fencing Monday from the Murphy-Chambers Farm section of the park. There is no evidence of worm fencing at Murphy-Chambers Farm in either historical photos or the records from the Chambers family, a park release said.

"Removing this fencing is an important step in returning this area to the way it looked from the Civil War period into the early 20th century," it added. 

Worm fencing, also known as Virginia, split-rail, log, zigzag, snake, or battlefield fencing, is composed of timber logs split lengthwise into rails. The rails are stacked on top of one another, often in an interlocking zig-zag pattern. It was the most common type of fencing in the United States by the late 1800s, and was primarily used for animal enclosures and agriculture. 

“We recognize that this type of fence often invokes the iconic look and feel of a Civil War battlefield,” said Harpers Ferry Superintendent Tyrone Brandyburg. “However, we believe in the importance of historical accuracy as we decide how to maintain our landscapes. These places are such an important piece of the stories that we tell. We want to provide our visitors with the chance to make authentic connections with the history we protect, and this change will contribute to those efforts.” 

The park will continue to follow best practices to protect and preserve Murphy-Chambers Farm. For more information on this project, visit the Murphy-Chambers Farm Historic Landscape Improvements page on the park website. 

Murphy-Chambers Farm was the site of several significant moments in Harpers Ferry’s history:  

• Confederate General A.P. Hill made his flanking maneuver against the Union Army’s position on Bolivar Heights at Chambers Farm during the 1862 Battle of Harpers Ferry.   

• Local resident Alexander Murphy made five acres available on the farm to Washington, D.C., journalist and preservationist Kate Field for $1 to rebuild John Brown’s Fort after it sat in a vacant lot in Chicago for some years.   

• John Brown’s Fort stayed here from 1894 to 1909, attracting attendees of the Niagara Movement’s 1906 second annual meeting, including Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, for a pilgrimage. Niagara Movement members formed the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1911. 

• Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

Eisenhower Home Reopens for Tours on Memorial Day Weekend

From NPS News Release…

Beginning Friday, May 27, the Eisenhower Home at Eisenhower National Historic Site (NHS) will reopen for public tours. The shuttle between the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center (MVC) to Eisenhower NHS will also resume on May 27 at 10:30 am.

From Memorial Day Weekend to Columbus Day Weekend, the National Park Service (NPS) will offer free tours of the Eisenhower home Thursdays through Mondays, hourly from 10 am until 4 pm. Regular shuttle service will be available on days the Eisenhower Home is open for tours. Shuttles will depart the MVC once an hour starting at 9:30 am, with the last shuttle at 3:30 pm. The fee for the shuttle is $9 for adults and $5 for youth. No home tours or shuttle service will be offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; however, the grounds will remain open. Limited public parking is available on site.

“We are looking forward to welcoming visitors to the Eisenhower home again,” said Steve Sims, Superintendent of Eisenhower NHS. “And we’re excited to share more of the Eisenhower farm story beyond the home tours. Visitors can expect more special programming and opportunities to explore the site.”

In addition to the home tours, visitors will find several new opportunities at Eisenhower NHS. On Farm Fridays from noon until 4 pm in June and July, visitors will be able to explore the Show Barn and other farm buildings and learn about the 34th President’s role in agriculture in the region. At the Eisenhower barn garage, volunteers will be on hand to share stories about the Presidential limo, golf carts and other vehicles in the collection.

Park staff took advantage of the two-year closure to make several significant improvements to the home and exhibits. A new heating and cooling system was installed in 2021 to replace the one originally installed in 1955. This new system will provide better protection for the almost 3,400 original items in the home. In addition to infrastructure, several items on exhibit received conservation or were reproduced. The 14 dining room chairs were conserved so that visitors may continue to enjoy them for years to come. Two reproduction West Point chairs joined the two original chairs in the den to complete the full set. On the sun porch, reproduction rugs now grace the floor. These reproduction rugs were made possible by the loan of the original rugs from Anne and Susan Eisenhower.

To purchase shuttle tickets or for group reservations, contact the Gettysburg Foundation ticket office at 877-874-2478 or by visiting their website.

Co. A Civil War Cartoons

From the Blue and Gray Dispatch

Greg Sweatt has been drawing Co. A for more than 18 years, and he has generously offered to share some of his cartoons with the BGES Dispatch. 

What is Co. A?

It is a single panel cartoon that looks at the humerous side of the Civil War soldier, poking fun at Yankees and Rebels equally: the mis-steps, absurdities, and impossibilities of their daily life. And while Co. A should never be compared to the cartoons of the great Bill Mauldin of World War II fame (with his two dog-faced soldiers Willie and Joe), it will show the humor in the common soldier, North and South alike.

Co. A, at times, also touches base with Civil War reenactors (of which Greg is one), pointing out, once again, the humor in this hobby.

There is no recurring character in Co. A, rather—like The Far Side, Herman, or Bizarro—the characters rotate in and out, North and South, Blue and Gray, officer or enlisted man alike, all on equal footiing.

Thank you, Greg, for sharing your amazing work with us!

David Wills House Reopens for 2022 on April 23rd

Beginning April 23, 2022, the historic David Wills House will reopen, free of charge, on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 pm to 5 pm Effective June 2, 2022, operations will expand to Thursday-Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm National Park Service Rangers will staff the home with support from Main Street Gettysburg.
The reopening of the David Wills House will operate consistent with CDC recommendations and capacity will be limited to meet federal facility Covid-19 standards. Additional details are available at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.
The three-story brick house at 8 Lincoln Square was the home of David and Catherine Wills before, during, and after the Battle of Gettysburg. President Abraham Lincoln was one of their house guests the night before the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. Lincoln finished composing his Gettysburg Address in the second story bedroom the evening of November 18, 1863. This historic home features two re-created rooms – Wills’ law office, and the bedroom where Lincoln spent the evening – as well as two short films, a computer interactive on the Gettysburg Address, a diorama of the two-block radius surrounding the home, and virtual identity cards to gain further insight and perspectives into the aftermath of the largest battle on American soil.
“The David Wills House should be a part of any visit to Gettysburg. The National Park Service is excited to be back in the heart of downtown Gettysburg and to make this historic home free to our visitors,” said Steve Sims, superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park. “The David Wills House exhibits provide an opportunity to learn about the Wills family and reflect on the meaning of Gettysburg, the aftermath of the battle, and the legacy of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.”
The David Wills House is part of Gettysburg National Military Park. Gettysburg National Military Park is a unit of the National Park Service that preserves and protects the resources associated with the Battle of Gettysburg, the Gettysburg National Cemetery and provides an understanding of the events that occurred there within the context of American history. Visit our website for more details: https://www.nps.gov/gett/planyourvisit/david-wills-house.htm.

Gettysburg Observation Towers to Close in April for Periodic Inspections

Observation Towers Close for Safety Inspections 

 Gettysburg National Military Park announces temporary and intermittent closures of all three of the park’s observation towers for safety inspections. Structural engineers will inspect all three of the park’s observation towers from April 5 to April 8. Inspections will take place via vertical access (rappelling) and by hypsometric laser scanning. Each of the park’s three observation towers will need to close to the public during these safety inspections. The tower closure schedule will occur over the following dates: 

  · West Confederate Avenue Tower: April 5, 6, 7, (8 if needed) 

· Culp’s Hill Tower: April 5, 6, 7, (8 if needed) 

· Oak Ridge Tower: April 6, (8 if needed) 

  April 8 will be reserved for any weather interruptions. If inspections are able to be carried out with no weather interruptions, April 8 will not be required as a closure date. 

  All three towers were built between 1895 and 1896. The most recent safety inspections took place in 1999 and 2013.  

  We will update our website with opening and closing details as they become available during the safety inspection schedule so that our visitors may stay informed. www.nps.gov/gett  

Pamplin Park remembers the Breakthrough Battle

Petersburg, Va. – Pamplin Historical Park & The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier is holding a 157th Breakthrough Battle Anniversary event on April 2, 2022 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

At 4:40 a.m. April 2, 1865, some 14,000 Union soldiers moved forward in the chilly gloom toward the Confederate fortifications six miles southwest of Petersburg. Less than an hour later, the American flag flew over the Confederate line following one of the most important battles of the entire Civil War. This engagement led directly to the evacuation of both Petersburg and Richmond. One week later, Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House and our nation began the long process of healing.

The Park is hosting a full schedule of activities and programs for walk-in visitors. Visitors will have the opportunity to drill with the troops, see demonstrations and more. A tour of the Breakthrough Battlefield will allow guests to see the fortification and fields where the battle was fought and hear the moving stories of the Prentiss brothers and others who were present during the fighting.

Captain Charles G. Gould of the Union's 5th Vermont Volunteer Infantry was the first man to enter the enemy works and he later received a Medal of Honor for his efforts. Visitors will be able to meet an actor portraying Gould and hear of his harrowing tale from the early hours of April 2, 1865. The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration for acts of valor in combat. Author John Selby will also be presenting a discussion on Union General George Meade and his performance during the Petersburg Campaign. Selby will be available afterwards for a book signing of his work “Meade: The Price of Command” and his book will be available for purchase.

These programs are included with Park admission. Daily admission for adults is $15, seniors (65+) and Military w/ID $12.00, children (6-12) $8, and children under 6 free.

One of “Virginia’s Best Places to Visit” according to the Travel Channel, and designated as a National Historic Landmark, Pamplin Historical Park & The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier is a 424-acre Civil War campus located in Dinwiddie County, Virginia offering a combination of high-tech museums and hands-on experiences. The Park has four world-class museums and four antebellum homes. The Park is also the site of The Breakthrough Battlefield of April 2, 1865 and America’s premiere participatory experience, Civil War Adventure Camp. For more information, please call 804-861-2408 or visit www.pamplinpark.org.

Please do not hesitate to contact me for additional images or information.

Colin Romanick, Director of Marketing & Development

Pamplin Historical Park & The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier

pamplinpark.org 804-861-2408

Head Turning History from the American Battlefield Trust

Better Late Than Never:  Recognizing Above-and-Beyond Valor More Than 100 Years Later 

  Today revered as the United States’ highest award for military valor in action, the Medal of Honor stemmed from a simpler vision. Iowa Senator James W. Grimes sought a way to uplift morale during the Civil War through the presentation of “medals of honor” to enlisted seaman and marines who “distinguish[ed] themselves by gallantry in action and other seamanlike qualities.” The Navy’s Medal of Honor was established in December 1861, and the Army’s followed in July 1862. By March 1863, Army officers were made eligible, but Naval and Marine Corps officers had to wait until 1915. The first Medals of Honor were presented to a group of six soldiers on March 25, 1863 — a date that officially became National Medal of Honor Day in 1990.

  Despite the years-long twists and turns of Congress altering qualifications — particularly time restraints — for awarding the great honor, two Civil War soldiers received the Medal of Honor more than 100 years later: Cpl. Andrew Jackson Smith and 1st Lt. Alonzo Cushing. 

  After escaping slavery in Kentucky, Smith happened upon a military path — first as an unarmed body servant with the 41st Illinois and then as an enlisted soldier in the 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, the sister regiment of the “Glory”-bound 54th Massachusetts. By the summer of 1864, Smith was in combat in South Carolina. But his bravery in battle met its peak during the November 30, 1864, Battle of Honey Hill. It was there that he saved and carried the 55th’s flag after the color sergeant was killed, exposing himself to heavy fire to ensure that his regiment’s colors weren’t lost to the enemy.

  Initially nominated for the Medal of Honor in 1916 by a white surgeon who served with him in the 55th Massachusetts, Smith was denied the honor in January 1917 after the War Department performed a meager two weeks of research. But Smith’s daughter, Caruth Smith Washington, never forgot her father’s legacy. The quest for the medal was shared with Smith’s grandson, Andrew Bowman, through several story-filled documents that Smith had handed down. Traveling to battlefields, museums, courthouses and historical societies, Bowman spent years gathering a slew of testimonies to prove his grandfather’s heroics. Smith was again nominated, with U.S. Rep. Thomas W. Ewing (R-IL) reviving the effort in Washington. In 2000, Congress passed a bill that allowed Smith to be awarded the honor, removing the statutory time limit in special cases. On January 16, 2001, President Clinton posthumously presented Smith’s Medal of Honor to Andrew Bowman and Caruth Smith Washington, stating “sometimes it takes this country a while, but we nearly always get it right in the end.”

  Today, you can see Smith’s Medal of Honor on display at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Ill. You can also find the 55th Massachusetts's regimental colors at the Concord Museum in Concord, Mass. 

  Originally born in Delafield, Wis., Alonzo Cushing and family moved to Fredonia, N.Y. six years later. He graduated from West Point in 1861 and entered into service for the Union, becoming a skilled artillery officer in the Army of the Potomac. Cushing saw action at First Manassas, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville before his final battle at Gettysburg. On the third day of the battle, July 3, 1863, Cushing commanded 126 men and six cannons positioned on Cemetery Ridge. The devoted 22-year-old was in the direct line of fire during Pickett’s Charge, and despite being struck in the shoulder — and later, devastatingly struck in the abdomen — Cushing refused to leave the field. Held upright by Sgt. Frederick Fuger, who relayed his orders, Cushing was again hit by a bullet in the mouth and fell at the foot of his gun.

  In 1987, Margaret Zerwekh began a long journey to recognize the above-and-beyond valor Cushing displayed during the famous Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg. Though not related by blood, Zerwekh was a historian from Cushing’s hometown of Delafield, Wis., who became invested in his story after discovering that she was living on property once owned by the family. After a decades-long campaign appealing to local, state and federal officials — and even Hollywood — she finally got the attention of U.S. Sen. Russ Fiengold (D-WI). On November 6, 2014, President Obama posthumously presented Cushing’s Medal of Honor to his cousin twice removed, Helen Loring Ensign.

  You can visit the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pa., to see the blood-splattered belt Cushing wore at Gettysburg. As an alternative, take a look at this video from the Trust highlighting the belt, and its journey back to the spot where its wearer fell.