Page "Confederate Memorial Day" Paragraph 5

In 1868, General John A. Logan, who was the commander in chief of the Union Civil War Veterans Fraternity called the Grand Army of the Republic ( GAR ), launched the Memorial Day holiday that is currently observed in the entire United States.

According to General Logan's wife, he simply co-opted the practices of Confederate Memorial Day, already in existence, and turned it into a national holiday.

His wife quoted him regarding his order for the whole nation to observe the day: " He ( John A. Logan ) said it was not too late for the Union men of the nation to follow the example of the people of the South in perpetuating the memory of their friends who had died for the cause they thought just and right.