Monday, May 11, 2009

Confederate Memorial Day


As you read this, the 142nd observance of Confederate Memorial Day in North Carolina is drawing to a close. There were numerous activities throughout the state yesterday and today. I had the chance to attend two: the service in Burnsville (Yancey County) on Saturday morning and the candlelight service in the old Bakersville Cemetery in Bakersville (Mitchell County). I was hoping to attend a couple of others, but pressing projects kept me away. The program in Burnsville started at 9:00 am, and included the flying of a first national on the flag pole in front of the court house, the reading of the names of 148 Confederate soldiers from Yancey County who died during the war, and the laying of a wreath at the Confederate monument on the courthouse grounds. Three volleys were also fired in honor of the common Confederate soldier. The photograph to the right was taken at the monument.

The second service was conducted at dusk on Saturday evening. This service was almost rained out, but fortune favored us and the rain held off. There are eleven Confederate soldiers buried in this cemetery. The event was well attended by the public, who braved the possibility of foul weather to honor those who sided with the South during the war.

I hope you had a chance to get out and attend one of the many services being conducted across the Tar Heel state yesterday. If you have any pictures, please send them to me, and I will try and put them up.

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