Thursday, May 1, 2014

May Day



1 May 1865, Charleston, South Carolina

“I might tell you a great deal about Charleston, but to-day I will speak of one incident only – the first celebration of May-day in free South Carolina. When our soldiers were made prisoners by the rebels they were carried to Belle Isle, near Richmond, or to Salisbury, in North Carolina, or to Andersonville, in Georgia, or to Charleston. . . . Here they were detained on what is called the Race Course. Charleston was once noted as the head-quarters of a jockey club, and many of the finest horses in the country were owned, and raised, and raced here. . . . Robust, healthy young men soon sickened under this [cruel imprisonment], and many of them died. Two hundred and fifty-seven of them were found dead, and were buried in an enclosed piece of pasture near by. . . .

Accompanied by a few friends, I went out one day and saw their graves; and on them the marks of the hoofs of cattle and horses and of the feet of men. Very sad we felt when we looked on these melancholy red mounds and on this wicked profanation of the resting-places of our martyrs. We all sat down and thought what we should do. We resolved to have a fence built around it, and, if we could raise the money, a monument erected to the memory of the soldiers who rested from their sufferings below. The general gave me liberty to pull down some rebel buildings not far off, and nearly thirty colored men volunteered to put up the fence, without any wages or reward. Very soon there was more than half an acre enclosed.

On May-day I told all the colored children of the free schools of Charleston to go out to the Race Course with bouquets of roses and other sweet-smelling flowers, and throw them on the graves of our martyrs. Nearly three thousand children went out, and perhaps double that number of grown-up people. The children marched from the Race Course singing the John Brown Song, and then, silently and reverently, and with heads uncovered, they entered the burial ground and covered the graves with flowers. Afterwards they went to the fields near by and sang the ‘Star Spangled Banner,’ ‘America,’ and ‘Rally Round the Flag.’

This is how the colored children spent May-day in Charleston. It was the first free May-day gathering they had ever enjoyed.”

Uncle James [James Redpath], “Eye and Ear Notes: May-Day in Charleston, S.C.,” The Youth’s Companion 38 (1 June 1865): 86.

“In the last autumn of the Civil War, in 1864, two hundred and forty-nine Union soldiers, prisoners of war, died while confined upon the race-course in Charleston, S. C., and were buried there in two rows of graves. In April, 1865, the war was over, and the flag was raised again on Fort Sumter with patriotic ceremonies, including an oration by Henry Ward Beecher, especially named for that service by President Lincoln. . . . James Redpath had recently been appointed superintendent of education in Charleston, and he suggested to Rear-Admiral Dahlgren, present as commander of the United States fleet, to come ashore May 1 and assist in the decoration of these soldiers’ graves, among which were some of the sailors in the United States navy. Other engagements kept Admiral Dahlgren from taking part in the ceremony, which was carried out by Mr. Redpath and a number of his teachers. . . . Among those who spoke on that first Memorial Day, besides Mr. Redpath, were Gens. Stewart L. Woodford, James Hartwell, and James C. Beecher, brother of Henry Ward Beecher. . . . The wives of several of these gentlemen were present, and Mrs. James C. Beecher directed the negro women who took part in the celebration.”

“Memorial-Day Texts and Suggestions,” The Homiletic Review 39 (May 1900): 431.

5 comments:

ELS said...

Fascinating, especially the account of fencing off the graves. Can you recommend any books on the subject; I have woeful US history gaps.

Toad said...

Start here then google your interests. Libraries are filled with tomes on every teeny point of the war and its aftermath.

http://www.examiner.com/article/remembering-the-martyrs-of-the-race-track-the-first-memorial-day

My favorites are anything written by Douglas Southall Freeman

Unknown said...


Daunpoker.net Agen Poker Domino Online Indonesia Terbaik Terbesar Dan Terpercaya
Buahpoker.com Agen Poker Domino Online Uang Asli Indonesia Terpercaya Tanpa Robot
LigaDaun.com Agen Taruhan Bola Piala Dunia 2014 Casino Tangkas Poker Online Terbaik Terbesar dan Terpercaya
Judi Bola Terpercaya | Bandar Bola Online | Agen Taruhan
Prediksi Bola | Judi Online | Agen Casino | Taruhan Bola
Casino Online | Agen Bola | Prediksi Dan Berita Sepakbola
Agen Bola Online | Bandar Bola | Agen Casino| Situs Judi
Agen Bola | Taruhan Online | Bandar Judi Terpercaya
Agen Bola | Taruhan Bola Online | Agen Casino Terpercaya
Taruhan Bola | Judi Online | Agen Casino Terpercaya
Agen Bola Online, Situs Judi Casino Online, Bandar Taruhan Bola
Agen Casino | Judi Online | Bursa Taruhan | Bandar Bola
Agen Judi Bola | Bandar Bola Online | Casino Online
Informasi Terupdate | Sumber Berita | Sumber Inspirasi
Berita Terbaru | Inovatif
Berita Bola | Prediksi Bola Jitu
Hanya Untuk Anda Pecinta Dunia Maya
Info Masa Depan | Ulas Bola Hari Ini
Info Terupdate | Berita Inovatif | Berita Pilihan
Ulas Bola Hari Ini | Prediksi Skor | Jadwal Bola
Prediksi Skor | Berita Bola | Jadwal Bola
Prediksi Bola | Pasaran Bola | Berita Bola Online
Informasi Terkini | Prediksi Dan Berita Sepakbola
Info Berita Terbaik | Bursa Taruhan
Berita Terhangat | Info Masa Depan
Berita Terupdate | Sumber Berita
Hasil Skor | Prediksi Bola Terpercaya
Info Skor Hari Ini | Update Bola
Prediksi Online | Bursa Taruhan Bola
Berita Terkini | Informasi Akurat Berimbang
Jadwal Dunia Sepak Bola | Prediksi Skor
Kumpulan Informasi | Prediksi Skor | Berita Bola

pak muliadi said...

KAMI SEKELUARGA MENGUCAPKAN BANYAK TERIMA KASIH ATAS BANTUANNYA MBAH , NOMOR YANG MBAH BERIKAN/ 4D SGP& HK SAYA DAPAT (350) JUTA ALHAMDULILLAH TEMBUS, SELURUH HUTANG2 SAYA SUDAH SAYA LUNAS DAN KAMI BISAH USAHA LAGI. JIKA ANDA INGIN SEPERTI SAYA HUB MBAH_PURO _085_342_734_904_ terima kasih.الالله صلى الله عليه وسلموعليكوتهله صلى الل

KAMI SEKELUARGA MENGUCAPKAN BANYAK TERIMA KASIH ATAS BANTUANNYA MBAH , NOMOR YANG MBAH BERIKAN/ 4D SGP& HK SAYA DAPAT (350) JUTA ALHAMDULILLAH TEMBUS, SELURUH HUTANG2 SAYA SUDAH SAYA LUNAS DAN KAMI BISAH USAHA LAGI. JIKA ANDA INGIN SEPERTI SAYA HUB MBAH_PURO _085_342_734_904_ terima kasih.الالله صلى الله عليه وسلموعليكوتهله صلى الل


KAMI SEKELUARGA MENGUCAPKAN BANYAK TERIMA KASIH ATAS BANTUANNYA MBAH , NOMOR YANG MBAH BERIKAN/ 4D SGP& HK SAYA DAPAT (350) JUTA ALHAMDULILLAH TEMBUS, SELURUH HUTANG2 SAYA SUDAH SAYA LUNAS DAN KAMI BISAH USAHA LAGI. JIKA ANDA INGIN SEPERTI SAYA HUB MBAH_PURO _085_342_734_904_ terima kasih.الالله صلى الله عليه وسلموعليكوتهله صلى الل

KAMI SEKELUARGA MENGUCAPKAN BANYAK TERIMA KASIH ATAS BANTUANNYA MBAH , NOMOR YANG MBAH BERIKAN/ 4D SGP& HK SAYA DAPAT (350) JUTA ALHAMDULILLAH TEMBUS, SELURUH HUTANG2 SAYA SUDAH SAYA LUNAS DAN KAMI BISAH USAHA LAGI. JIKA ANDA INGIN SEPERTI SAYA HUB MBAH_PURO _085_342_734_904_ terima kasih.الالله صلى الله عليه وسلموعليكوتهله صلى الل

KAMI SEKELUARGA MENGUCAPKAN BANYAK TERIMA KASIH ATAS BANTUANNYA MBAH , NOMOR YANG MBAH BERIKAN/ 4D SGP& HK SAYA DAPAT (350) JUTA ALHAMDULILLAH TEMBUS, SELURUH HUTANG2 SAYA SUDAH SAYA LUNAS DAN KAMI BISAH USAHA LAGI. JIKA ANDA INGIN SEPERTI SAYA HUB MBAH_PURO _085_342_734_904_ terima kasih.الالله صلى الله عليه وسلموعليكوتهله صلى الل


KAMI SEKELUARGA MENGUCAPKAN BANYAK TERIMA KASIH ATAS BANTUANNYA MBAH , NOMOR YANG MBAH BERIKAN/ 4D SGP& HK SAYA DAPAT (350) JUTA ALHAMDULILLAH TEMBUS, SELURUH HUTANG2 SAYA SUDAH SAYA LUNAS DAN KAMI BISAH USAHA LAGI. JIKA ANDA INGIN SEPERTI SAYA HUB MBAH_PURO _085_342_734_904_ terima kasih.الالله صلى الله عليه وسلموعليكوتهله صلى الل

mj said...

In today’s fast-paced technological landscape, fast and reliable wireless internet is no longer a novelty. It’s a bare necessity! Workplaces rarely thrive when employees can only work from their desks and WLAN Deployment has been a tremendous boon for workplace productivity. WLAN Deployment