* From the Decatur Herald & Review…

The mystic chords of memory that swelled into the chorus of remembrance we call Memorial Day had its first notes sounded in Decatur.

It all began with the Grand Army of the Republic, which called for the creation of Decoration Day in 1868, a commemoration that would eventually morph into the Memorial Day we honor today. So the GAR gave us Memorial Day, and a march back through history shows Decatur gave us the GAR.

The veterans organization for Union soldiers who served in the Civil War was actually the brainchild of Maj. Benjamin F. Stephenson, who lived in Springfield. His idea was to create something that could pool resources and help the “hungry and poor” widows and orphans left behind by his fellow soldiers killed in the war. He also thought it would be jolly to have something to promote “worthy comradeship” between the survivors who had lived to go home again. […]

With growth came publicity, and with publicity came political firepower and influence, which was being felt as early as 1868. That’s when the GAR’s second commander in chief, Maj. General John A. Logan, issued something called “General Order No. 11,” establishing May 30 as Decoration Day to honor Union veterans’ graves, and it wasn’t long before a grateful nation also snapped to attention and took notice of what the GAR was doing.

…Adding… A view of General Logan’s grave this morning…