Posted on 04/06/2006 5:43:14 PM PDT by SJackson
April is Confederate History Month in America!
May I share with you a story about the "Heroes of "Dixie" who are commemorated during April (Confederate History Month) when proclamations will be signed by Governor's, Mayors and County Commissioners in their remembrance and honor?
I dedicate this history month story to those who are serving our country in Iraq and around the world. God keep you safe and bring you back home soon.
Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for those who fought for the Confederacy and Union during the War Between the States. It is also the burial place for men and women who fought our nation's wars since the War Between the States.
Did you know there are 245,000 Servicemen and Women, including their families, buried at Arlington?
The world famous Arlington National Cemetery in located in the shadow of the Custis-Lee Mansion (Arlington House) that was home to General Robert E. Lee and family until 1861 at the beginning of the War Between the States. This cemetery is on the Virginia side of the Potomac River and Washington, D.C. is across the river.
In 1864, Union soldiers were first buried here and by the end of the war the number rose to 16,000.
The Union burial site at Arlington National Cemetery is located at (section 13). Also buried at Arlington include: President John F. Kennedy, General Jonathan M. Wainwright and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
About the turn of the century 1900 this country also honored the men who fought for the Confederacy. The burial site for Dixie's soldiers is located at (section 16).
A beautiful Confederate monument at Arlington cemetery towers 32.5 feet and has an inscription that reads, " A Obedience To Duty As They Understood It; These Men Suffered All; Sacrificed All and Died!"
Some people claim the Confederate monument at Arlington may have been the first to honor Black Confederates. Carved on this monument is the depiction of a Black Confederate who is marching in step with the white soldiers.
In 1898, President William McKinley, a former Union soldier, spoke in Atlanta, Georgia and said, "In the spirit of Fraternity it was time for the North to share in the care of the graves of former Confederate soldiers.
In consequence to his speech, by act of the United States Congress, a portion of Arlington National Cemetery was set aside for the burial of Confederate soldiers. At this time 267 Confederate remains from and near Washington, D.C. were removed and re-interred at this new site at Arlington.
In 1906, The United Daughters of the Confederacy asked for permission from William Howard Taft to erect a Confederate monument. Taft was at the time serving as the United States Secretary of War and was in charge of National Cemeteries.
With permission the Arlington Confederate Memorial Association was formed and the ladies of the UDC were given authority to oversee work on the monument.
An agreement and contract was made with Sir Moses J. Ezekiel who was a Jewish Confederate Veteran by the record of his service at the Battle of New Market while he was a cadet at Virginia Military Institute. Work started at his workshop in Italy in 1910, and upon his death in 1917, the Great Sculptor, was brought back home and buried near the base of the Arlington Confederate Monument. This was his wish.
Sir Moses J. Ezekiel was honored in his life by being Knighted by the German and Italian governments.
The year was 1914, and the Arlington monument was unveiled to a crowd of thousands that included former Union and Confederate soldiers.
This memorial event was presided over by President Woodrow Wilson and the people applauded the stirring speeches given by: General Bennett H. Young---Commander In Chief of the United Confederate Veterans, General Washington Gardner---Commander In Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic and Colonel Robert E. Lee---grandson of General Robert E. Lee.
The Arlington Confederate Monument unveiling was concluded by a 21 gun salute and the monument was officially given to the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the UDC gave it back to the United States War Department for keeping and was accepted by President Woodrow Wilson who said:
"I am not so happy as PROUD to participate in this capacity on such an occasion---proud that I represent such a people."
Since President Woodrow Wilson wreathes have been sent to both sections of Arlington, including the Confederate section. Some of our President's have also spoken at Arlington on Confederate Memorial Day. This is a tradition that should be continued.
Please check out: http://confederateheritagemonth.com where you can find more stories about Confederate History Month. Also contact your local Sons of Confederate Veterans or United Daughters of the Confederacy and ask what they have planned for April, a month of remembrance.
Lest We Forget!
Calvin E. Johnson, Jr.
Is that true? If so, great.
Dixie Ping, Sir!
The reference to Moses Ezekiel might be of interest.
Dixie Ping
I replaced the 118 yr old fallen and broken headstone
of my former Confederate soldier great Grandfather recently.
It was just placed at the beginning of this month.
Feels good.....
I honestly did not know there were Confederate soldiers buried in Arlington. That is very, very neat. That spirit of reconciliation is sadly lacking these days.
I'll check back here in a few hours when the "disinter the traitors and burn their bones" Southron-slander crowd shows up.
}:-)4
Brother:
You are not kidding. There are people on this board that would disinterre our Confederate Heroes in a second!
"Not for fame or reward -More pictures of the Arlington Confederate Monument
Not for place or for rank -
Not lured by ambition -
Or goaded by necessity -
But in simple -
Obedience to duty -
As they understood it
These men suffered all -
Sacrificed All -
Dared all - And Died -"
The fact is that the men who fought on both sides were remarkably gallant and selfless.
However, the country would have been a lot better off if the manic depressive Lincoln had stayed in Illinois to practice law.
I donate to the McGavock cemetary here myself...around 1500 fallen kinsmen.
and some of the most strident anti-South FReepers are also loudmouth Quislings on immigration.
What a surprise..
I've always admired that inscription. Not just because it was appropriate for the monument but because you could take it, word for word, and put it on a monument for Union soldiers, or World War I soldiers, or Revolutionary War soldiers, or Gulf War soldiers and it would remain entirely fitting.
So which pisses you off more? The fact that Lincoln fought the war that Davis initiated? Or the fact that he won it?
And that is what separates that generation, from the youth of today. I am proud to be from Southern stock, and I despise all closed-minded Yankees with their "We were right" attitude. They wouldn't know "right" it it was slapping them in the face.
Don't look in the mirror much, do you?
I have. I thought it was a great book, very interesting. I especially liked the post-Appomattox, post-assasination parts. So often civil war histories treat Appomattox as the end of the war when it actually spluttered on for another two months. Winik gives a nice, short history of what happened during that period. Nice bio of Forrest, too.
Couldn't even if I wanted to as your head's always in the way.
I realize I'm way ahead of you in most things, but not in arrogance.
Arrogance is your middle name judging from some of your postings. And the only thing your ahead of me in is hat size!
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