Chattanooga's Memorial Day - And Response

  • Friday, July 31, 2015

It is recorded in the Fourth Chapter of the Book of Joshua, that after the nation had crossed the River Jordan, Joshua would receive a divine commandment to choose 12 men from among the people and tell them to take 12 stones from the middle of the river.  Each man placed a stone on their shoulder which represented one of the tribes of Israel, and served as a memorial of the crossing and turbulent times that had been endured by the people during their exodus wilderness experience. They did this so that in the future when their children and forthcoming generations might ask, “What do these stones mean”, they could be told that the stones signified the day when the flow of the river was cut off before the Ark of the Covenant. This event may very well be one of the first recorded Memorial Days. 

Throughout human history, we can find evidence that many cultures practiced customs that honored those who became deceased. In the Mesopotamian Valley, we find the Great Ziggurat of Ur, which would have been erected during the age of ancient Sumner. Based upon the Great Pyramids of Giza, we learn that the Egyptians placed a high value on honoring the pharaohs and their dead. They would also be among the first to develop a process of preparing the body that included wrapping and embalming known as Mummification. The Mayans and many Mesoamerican cultures also built pyramids, and at the site of the great pyramid of Teotihuacan the Avenue of the Dead serves as a divider between the structures of this ancient city of over 100,000, such as the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. The Harappan people of the great Indus Valley had a custom which usually saw a person buried with a memento of something that they owned. Cemetery H is one famous burial site of this culture. Likewise, it’s important to note there is evidence that cremation was a practice that can be associated with some groups who lived here. The Greeks had a threefold system of burial:(1) the prothesis, when the body is displayed and formal mourning began; (2) ekphora, which started with a funeral procession and was a time when the formal inhumation process was initiated; and (3) the perideipnon, a time when the mourners paid final respects to families and loved ones of the deceased which was often accompanied by a banquet. Whether it was the Great Mausoleum at Halicarnassus built for Mausolus and his wife Artemisia, or one of the grandest monuments of India, the (Taj Mahal), that the legendary Persian prince Shah Jahan would build out of love for his departed wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their fourteenth child, needless to say, though honoring the dead may vary from culture to culture, there has been a long-standing need amongst most people throughout human history to pay final respects to those who have passed on before them.

In his history of the Peloponnesian War, the Greek historian Thucydides would chronicle The Funeral Oration of Pericles, one of the most remarkable tributes to fallen soldiers ever given in the history of the world. Pericles began his tribute by saying that there were no words, accolades, or acts that the living can do that can supersede the bravery, honor and valor of the fallen soldier, and ultimately performance of duty to the state and ensuring that it is preserved until the next generation becomes the standard-bearers that carry the torch is one of the primary duties of the soldier and citizen alike. He then exalts the virtues of the Constitution and Democracy, and cites the importance of being governed by a nation of laws and not men while dually stressing the significance that equality under the law plays with all men despite class, which is primarily based on a person’s merit. Pericles would highlight the importance of Athens as an open city where commerce and ideas flow freely, and goes on to say, “We cultivate refinement without extravagance and knowledge without effeminacy; wealth we employ more for use than for show, and place the real disgrace of poverty not in owning to the fact but in declining to the struggle against it.” To Pericles, the deeds of courageous men when a test of life arrives is what makes up the character of a nation, and at one instance he proclaimed, “For there is justice in the claim that steadfastness in the country's battles should be as a cloak to cover a man's other imperfections; since the good action has blotted out the bad, and his merit as a citizen more than outweighed his demerits as an individual. But none of these allowed either wealth with its prospect of future enjoyment to unnerve his spirit, or poverty with its hope of a day of freedom and riches to tempt him to shrink from danger.” Pericles would conclude, “Thus choosing to die resisting, rather than live submitting, they fled only from dishonor, but met danger face to face, and after one brief moment, while at the summit of their fortune, escaped, not from their fear, but from their glory.” Pericles would charge the Athenians to always commemorate and honor the deeds of the fallen soldier as being heroic, and would end his speech with this reference about honoring soldiers: “For heroes have the whole earth as their tomb; and in lands far from their own, where the column with its epitaph declares it, there is enshrined in every breast a record unwritten with no tablet to preserve it, except that of the heart.”

Many historians often note that much of the spirit of Pericles' famed oration can be found in Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Following in the great tradition that had been established by the performance of last rites ceremonies by the ancient civilizations of old, and the great charge issued by Pericles to the people of Athens, the American people displayed an inherent need to properly recognize and remember the more than 620,000 lives lost during the Civil War, and it was in this sentiment of gratitude and respect for the service of the soldier that the American people felt the need to establish annual Memorial Day ceremonies.

Communities in both the North and the South can make valid claims for being among the first to hold a day of commemoration and remembrance to the fallen soldier of the Civil War. Nevertheless, David W. Blight is one of the historians who can vividly detail the origins of what he believes is America's first Memorial Day, which for many decades was known as Decoration Day. As the War drew to a close in spring of 1865, hundreds, perhaps thousands of blacks in Charleston, South Carolina, many former slaves, would erect a cemetery on the grounds of the Washington Race Course and Jockey Club, a facility that had been converted into a prison for Union soldiers during the War. Due to the unsanitary conditions and disease which plagued the facility, by late April 1865 roughly 300 Union soldiers would succumb to these effects. Viewing this calamity, nearly three dozen black men would take it upon themselves to give these men a proper burial by cleaning the grounds, fencing off the newly cemented cemetery, and building a main entrance that read, “Martyrs of the Race Course.” 

After fulfilling this official duty, over 10,000 townspeople, mostly black and Christian missionaries, would lead a procession to the racetrack singing hymns and waving flowers, wreaths and other fixtures as they marched with precision. Following this the crowd dispersed and participated in picnics, watched units like the 54th Massachusetts perform drills, and heard rousing speeches commemorating the day's activities. Oddly enough, a New York Times writer was on hand to chronicle the entire spectacle, and to David Blight this is the first official account that came to symbolize what we today refer to as Memorial Day. 

Interestingly, it wouldn't be until May 26th,1966 that then President Lyndon Baines Johnson would sign an official Presidential Proclamation which would recognize Waterloo, New York as having the first and most continuous of the nation's Memorial Day celebrations.  Likewise, it's important to note that many times Southerners had to take it upon themselves to bury their fallen soldiers. One of the most famous Confederate places of burial is the Carton Plantation in Franklin, Tn., where Carrie McGavock and African Americans would maintain the cemetery and grounds from the end of the war in 1865 to her death in 1905. The story of Carrie McGavock has come to epitomize the human cost of the war experienced by so many southern women and communities as their sons and husbands would not make a return journey home. Robert C. Hicks would immortalize McGavock in his historical fiction novel and refers to her as The Widow of the South.  

Chattanooga itself is one of the few locations in the nation with two Confederate cemeteries, Silverdale on Lee Highway and the City Cemetery along East Third Street. Many official Confederate Days of Remembrance coincide with the official surrenders of Generals Robert E. Lee and Joseph E. Johnston, as well as the birthday of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. 
Memorial/ Decoration Day in America became officially rooted in the American consciousness by Major General and then head of the fraternal organization of the Grand Army of the Republic Commander in Chief John A Logan's General Order No. 11, which publicly conveyed that:
“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 churchyard in the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit...” 

Oddly enough, the contributions made by the former slaves and free society of Charleston, Southerners who endured the unspeakable hardships of the war, and the order of General Logan are still some of the characteristics which define current Memorial Day and commemorative events and activities. 

The tradition of honoring the fallen soldier in American goes much beyond battlefield commemorations, burials, and the erecting of monuments, for the general citizen has grown accustomed to demonstrating gratitude for the service rendered by the soldier through public and patriotic acts of appreciation and affirmation. One such act is flying the flag at half-staff.  One of the earliest historical traditions of flying the flag at half-mast (staff) can be traced back to the tribute paid by the crew of the British vessel Heart's Ease upon the loss of its captain in 1612. As many onlookers saw this feat of kindness as the Heart's Ease returned to London, a legend grew that the lowering of the flag at half-mast allows “the invisible hand of death” to fly
at the top of the mast.  

As the American tradition of lowering the flag at half-staff blossomed, soldier turned statesman President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who had been the Supreme Allied Commander during WWII, outlined the official guidelines and protocols for lowering the American flag to half-staff by issuing presidential proclamation 3044 on March 1st , 1954. 

Perhaps one of the more remarkable tales of honoring soldiers was that of Georgia professor and humanitarian Moina Michael. While attending the 25th conference of overseas YMCA war secretaries on Nov. 9, 1918, Michael had an epiphany when she happened to be given a copy of John McCrae’s epic WWI poem (We Shall Not Sleep) In Flanders Field. Performing the solemn duty of burying fallen soldiers following the Second Battle of Ypres, McCrae would note how quickly the red poppy grew over the graves of those who had fell at the terrible battle.The poem inspired Michael so much that she would begin a campaign to have the red poppy recognized as the official symbol of remembrance for the soldiers of the war. In addition, Michael's used the advocacy of the red poppy as a source of fundraising on behalf of the veterans of the war, and by the 1920's, many national and international veterans organizations had embraced both Michael's call for the red poppy to be the official symbol of remembrance and to sustain financial support for WWI veterans and organizations dedicated to aiding and assisting veterans causes. In 1948, the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp in dedication to the “Poppy Lady”, and in 1968 the State of Georgia would name a section of Highway 78 in her honor.

The city of Chattanooga has also played a remarkable historical role in paying homage to soldiers, most prominently due to the events that occurred throughout the region during the Civil War. By late 1863, the staggering loss of life experienced by the Union and Confederates because of the Tullahoma Campaign, Battle of Chickamauga and the Chattanooga series of battles, as well as other smaller conflicts then occurring throughout the area, necessitated the need for a proper place of burial; this fact would not be lost on Major General George H. Thomas and his staff officer Thomas B. Van Horne. As author of the official history of the Army of the Cumberland, Van Horne is able to offer a unique glimpse as to the logic and rationale behind General Thomas’ General Order number 296. Van Horne (1875) would note, “That never, in the history of war, have the slain of any other army been so honored in battle.” (p. 577).Thomas and some of his staffers would notice the place during the battle of Missionary Ridge when a reserve force would be in line of formation on the hills. Van Horne described the place as “conical in general outline, but fruitful in lateral hillocks and varied in expression from every point of view.” With immense pride, Van Horne boasts that the Chattanooga National Cemetery is “the first permanent” National Cemetery for soldiers specifically done by military order. (P. 577-78). 

In Van Horne’s (1882) official biography of Thomas, he would further elaborate on the establishment of the Chattanooga National Cemetery. During the assault on Missionary Ridge, Thomas had been thinking of the men falling before him and all the men he had lost during the previous campaigns. Looking at the line of troops aforementioned, he would notice an ideal location for a suitable place of burial and ordered it to be taken. Van Horne notes the great personal interest that Thomas took in the work of erecting the cemetery as he frequently visited the area to review the progress of the work being done and would at times detach whole regiments to not only carefully bury the men but to also beautify the grounds. When he was asked if the soldiers should be buried according to their states, the general’s reply was, “No, no. Mix them up; mix them up. I am tired of states-rights.” (P.212-214).

We can rank the Chattanooga National Cemetery as one of the most exquisite and fascinating burial places of its kind, for within its mighty caverns we can learn stories that are the true stuff of legends. Upon entering this solemn sanctuary of serenity, one can gaze upon the bronze-based train mounted on granite which was erected to Andrews Raiders, who were commemorated for their heroism in commandeering the wood burning engine The General in Big Shanty, Georgia on April 12th ,1862, and disrupting the communication apparatus of the Confederate Army as far as North Georgia. For this act, most of the military participants of what became known as the Great Locomotive Chase would be among the nation's first Medal of Honor Recipients. In his book, A Path to Valor: Chattanooga Civil War Medal of Honor Recipients, the preeminent Chattanooga historian E. Raymond Evans chronicles the stories of the daring raiders and the dozens of other medal of honor awardees who participated in the Battles for Chattanooga. Together, Andrews Raiders and many troops who participated in the Chattanooga Campaign are amongst the first recipients of this great national honor, and this is also one of the reasons that the Chattanooga National Medal of Honor was began and continues to fulfill its endearing mission today.

The Legend of the General is not the only story contained within Chattanooga’s National Cemetery. We can find honorably entombed there a solider from the Revolutionary War and in fact every American war, including 78 German prisoners of War from WWI, and 108 prisoners of War from WWII, which ranks Chattanooga's cemetery as the only one in the nation with that distinction. Though they are still compiling data, the Center for Civil War Research at the University of Mississippi estimates that there are over 850 known and unknown United States Colored Troops buried at the cemetery. Perhaps the most beloved of the more than 10,000 persons buried there is National and Tennessee Radio Hall of Famer Luther Masingill, who for nearly 75 years could be heard over the air at same the Luther Time and on same Luther Channel (WDEF), and is the only broadcaster in American history to have covered the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 and the events of Sept. 11, 2001. 

The names and motto’s that have become associated with both Tennessee and Chattanooga offers an intimate portrayal as to the defining principles and character behind the land and people of the region. Historians have generally accepted that the name Tennessee derives from one of several Native American tribes (dialects) who called the great valley by the river home for centuries prior to European encroachment. It's most accepted that the name derives from the Overhill Cherokee whose village was located along the little Tanasy River in Monroe County, Tennessee. Other historical accounts will argue that the name derives from the Euchee (Yuchi) nation, the Children of the Sun, who lived along the Hiwassee River in Polk County. While we should always defer to the descendants of these great people on the topic, as best we can detail the origin of the name Tennessee means “meeting place” or” bend of the river.” The two things we know for certain is that it's of Native American origin, and to no surprise, is the offspring of the greatest symbol of the State, the mighty Tennessee River. What's also not in dispute is the nickname of the State which was bestowed on it because of the number of Tennesseans who enlisted (volunteered) in the Armed Forces during the War of 1812, “Volunteer State.” Nevertheless, Chattanooga's name is more mysterious. In 1903, the foremost Chattanooga historian of the age Zella Armstrong inquired about the name meaning with Joshua Ross, nephew of Chief John Ross.  It was in his opinion that the true name of Chattanooga was creek and meant “rock coming to a point; a cliff, bluff or overhanging rock.” Gilbert E. Gavan and James W. Livingood corroborate this story and dispel of some of the Tennessee name origin romanticism, which many had believed up to that time to have meant hawk’s or eagles nest.

As the world reflects upon the events which occurred on Thursday, June 16, they may recognize this date as Chattanooga's Memorial Day. It may become an occasion when we remember the great dedication and sacrifice that is offered on a daily basis by our men and women in uniform. Perhaps the occasion will be marked with pomp and circumstance, when flags will be lowered to half-staff out of remembrance, where there may be public displays such as memorial marches; citizens and buildings may proudly wave the flag on every corner; the yellow ribbons might be attached to every chest; TAPS might yet be playing in the wind; and the red poppy may be displayed along every well manicured lawn. It is well that we follow in the long tradition of humanity which is honoring the bravery and sacrifice of our fallen soldiers with a proper place of burial. With the interment of Staff Sgt. David A. Wyatt and U.S. Navy Petty Officer Randall Smith, the Chattanooga National Cemetery will once again live true to it's legacy of having interred a soldier from every American War. Likewise, communities in Massachusetts, Georgia and Wisconsin will reserve fitting place for Lance Corporal Skip Wells, U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt Thomas Sullivan, U.S. Marine Sgt Carson Holmquist, and like the nation's first medal of honor recipients, many who are entombed at Chattanooga National Cemetery, perhaps one of the official military medals of valor, the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force Cross, and Silver Star or Purple heart, will posthumously be bestowed upon them one day. Our federal, state and local governments may one day build a memorial to commemorate the occasion.

Yet, this occasion should come to represent more if we are to truly honor the Fallen Five and all members of the Armed and Civil services. Just as Joshua ordered the nation to build a memorial at the River Jordan, it may be befitting of this community to build and dedicate such a memorial in future years to come, so that when our young people and future posterity ask what do these stones mean, we might be able to say that this was the day when our community decided that it will stand, “NOOGA-STRONG.” It may be a surprising irony that all the names believed to be bestowed upon Tennessee and Chattanooga are not altogether so wrong, for if we combined them we can say that they meeting place by the great bend of the river sits on an eagles nest at the rising point; and if the epitaph holds true, then we can further say that in a time of great struggle and adversity, Chattanooga choose to rise again. We must finally resolve to take to heart the great charge that Abraham Lincoln issued to the nation in his Second Inaugural Address, when he said: “With malice towards none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive to finish the work that we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace for ourselves and with all nation.” 

And if we follow these ideals, it may be our greatest tribute to the Fallen Five. At last, we as a community have yet another solemn duty we must perform. We cannot give into hate, malice, attitude polarizations, confirmation biases or our destructive vices. We must not loose sight of our defining principles which say that we are one nation, many believe under God, with liberty and justice not for the one, but liberty and justice for us all. We should look to our preamble and reaffirm our duty to build a more perfect union. We must care for our veterans and the institutions that support them, and remember after the darkness, there must come light, and after the storm, there is still hope. A flame must first flicker before its true light can shine and manifest. 

Eric A. Atkins 

* * * 

Mr. Atkins, you sir, have surely written a beautiful, moving tribute and history lesson for all to read and contemplate. 

Thank you,
John T. Sanders

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