The Curious Autodidact

Memorial Day had its origin at the end of the Civil War when on May 30^th 1868 General John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, honored the soldiers and sailors who had given their lives in the horrific civil conflict. He chose to honor the war dead of not only the victors but both the Union and the Confederate soldiers who were buried at Arlington, by decorating their graves with flowers. This was known as Decoration Day then some time after World War I this became known as Memorial Day, a day set aside to memorialize and pay tribute to all those who gave their lives in military service to the country. It is celebrated on the last Monday in May each year and is a United States Federal holiday.