“Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.”
— General John A. Logan, Grand Army of the Republic, 1868
On this date, Alexandria joined the nation in observing the very first official Decoration Day, now known as Memorial Day—a solemn occasion to honor the Union dead of the Civil War.
The holiday was established by General John A. Logan, Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), who issued General Order No. 11 designating a day for citizens to decorate the graves of Union soldiers “with the choicest flowers of springtime.” His order led to ceremonies across the nation—and Alexandria was among the earliest participants.
Locally, GAR Ellsworth Post No. 5, part of the Department of Virginia, organized an inaugural ceremony at the U.S. Soldiers’ Cemetery on Wilkes Street—today known as Alexandria National Cemetery. The event included remarks by Mayor William N. Berkley, Judge Westel Willoughby, and other civic leaders and ministers representing both white and Black congregations.
“The graves of our fallen were adorned with flowers, and the people came together in solemn remembrance—Union and freedom the cause, memory the duty.”
— Alexandria Gazette, June 1, 1868
That first Memorial Day set a precedent. By 1869, the Decoration Day ceremony had become an annual tradition in Alexandria, featuring music by the Germania Band and remarks from prominent citizens. Although attention sometimes shifted to larger events at Arlington National Cemetery, and Confederate Memorial Day grew in prominence across the South, Alexandria National Cemetery continued to host its own ceremonies well into the 20th century.
Today, the tradition continues.
Each year, on the Saturday before Memorial Day, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 609 leads Flags-in-the-Ground, a moving community event where volunteers place American flags on each of the more than 4,000 graves. Citizens of all ages gather to honor those who served—and to ensure they are never forgotten.
“From scattered petals to rows of flags, Alexandria has remembered its fallen—year after year, generation after generation.”
