In the United States the last Monday in May is designated as, Memorial Day. It's the day Americans set aside to honor the country's war dead. It is estimated the current number of U.S. military personnel who died in wars is around 1.1 million human beings. No one knows the exact number because back in the early days of the republic the record keeping wasn't exactly scientific It was particularly poor in the confederate states during the Civil War. That's why the total number of dead from that conflict--counting both Union and Confederate fatalities as American--ranges between 620,000 all the way to 750,000. (Roughly, 2% of the nation's entire population at the time.)
According to the site, Copilot Search, the day was initially known as Decoration Day. The first known public ceremony was observed in Columbus, Mississippi on April 25th, 1866, when the town's women decorated the graves of both Confederate and Union soldiers with fresh flowers. In the north, other towns from New York and Pennsylvania to Illinois also held post-civil war observances. In 1868, in the north, at least, the date May 30th was settled on mainly because it was in the spring--flowers were in bloom everywhere--and it was one the few dates available when there wasn't a major battle being fought between 1861 and 1865.
In 1873 New York recognized it as an official holiday and by 1890 all the Union States had declared it a holiday. In the old confederate states different states recognized different dates. Apparently, Decoration Day began to morph into Memorial Day in the early 1880s, It remained reserved for civil war dead until after WWI. Possibly because it finally dawned on people we actually are one country and there had been a lot of American wars and there would be a lot more. The name, Memorial Day didn't become official until 1967. In comparison, Armistice Day was legally changed to Veteran's Day in 1954. The last Monday of May didn't become legally standardized by the government until 1971.
America's wars have varied in scope and duration. For example, among those 1.1 million we honor today is private Harry Eagan of the 2nd U.S. Infantry. He is the only United States soldier to die in what is known as The Sheepeater Indian War. It lasted from May of 1879 until October that same year. "The "war," pitted the U.S. army against a 300-member (men, women, and children) band of the Shoshone tribe who raised sheep in the Idaho Rockies for food and clothing. The Sheepeater Indian War was the last military conflict between U.S. troops and Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest.
An even briefer, "war," occurred in February of 1904. It was known as the Santo Domingo Affair. The U.S. Navy was in port to, "observe" the revolution going on in the Dominican Republic. It seemed the rebels had burned some sugar cane fields which were owned by American corporations. As a shore party approached the piers Seaman J.C. Johnson was shot and killed. Like Harry Eagan, he was the only American service member who died in the action, which lasted 10 days. In response to his death President Theodore Roosevelt sent in more ships and the Marines.
All the fire breathing American patriots out there can rest easy. Both military campaigns were considered U.S. victories. The Sheepeaters surrendered and as the Navy shelled the city the Marines routed the rebels.
It is unknown where Harry Eagan and J.C. Johnson are buried, although in Johnson's case the odds are his remains are at the bottom of Santo Domingo harbor. It is doubtful either one has a grave someone will stick a little American flag on--a practice which has largely replaced the fresh flowers in the last seven or so decades. In truth, most people in this nation will honor our war dead by not thinking about them at all. They'll be too busy enjoying time with their family, guzzling beer, watching sports, or doing something else.
However, ol' Harry and J.C. are out there somewhere. And while it's debatable if either man's death measurably helped all of us remain free, they both died while serving their country. That in itself makes them worth being remembered.
Well, at least for one day every year.
5-25-26
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