Approximately 620,000 soldiers lost their lives during the Civil War. It was a catastrophic loss of life. Decoration Day was instituted to decorate the Civil War graves with flags and May flowers. Decoration Day was later changed to Memorial Day to remember the brave soldiers that gave their life instead of emphasizing their graves. After World War I, Memorial Day was expanded to include all American fallen heroes.
Many Americans equate Memorial Day with the start of the summer season with picnics, parties, time off work, swimming and other leisure activities. The devastation and bravery of war is rarely the emphasis of this three day weekend. One of the many ways to honor our war heroes, is to visit a preserved battlefield, I would suggest spending time walking in the footsteps of these historic heroes to feel the sacred and sober energy that resides in the blood stained grounds.
I recently visited the Wilson’s Creek Battlefield, operated by the National Park Service. It was the location of the second battle of the Civil War and the first fought west of the Mississippi River. It’s here that 537 Union and Confederate soldiers killed each other and thousands more were wounded in August 1861. Both sides hoped the fight would determine Missouri’s course — slave state or free. The Confederates won the battle but did not achieve its major objective of taking over Missouri, which very likely would have led to its secession from the Union. Most people in Missouri wanted to stay neutral but there were many, including the governor, who wanted to secede.
On the battlefield is the preserved Ray house. I can’t imagine how scared the Ray family must have been when over 10,000 Southern soldiers descended on their farm. All their fields, crops and animals were confiscated with no supplies for the family to make it through the next winter.
Ray House
On the morning of August 10th, some of the Ray children were outside tending to their horses when a Confederate soldier told them to take shelter because there was going to be a fight. All of the Ray family including their slave Rhoda and her four children took shelter in the cellar where they stayed for the entire six-hour battle. John Ray sat on the front porch throughout the battle and observed the action in his cornfield and the continuing action on what became known as Bloody Hill.
Depiction of General Lyon’s death
Near Bloody Hill, Union General Nathaniel Lyon caught a musket ball through the heart and was killed. He was the first Union general to die in the Civil War. General Lyon had a premonition that he was going to die in battle that day. He told his chief of staff, “I am a believer in presentiments, and I have a feeling that I can’t get rid of that I shall not survive this battle.” He later added, “I will gladly give my life for a victory.” A Confederate soldier said General Lyon was one of the bravest soldiers he ever met. His funeral was attended by approximately 15,000 people, his death touch those near and far. We should never forget our heroes but we should be careful not to glamorize war.
I agree with this presidential quote, “Peace is the real and right memorial for those who have died in war.” I pray we can find ways to resolve conflicts without killing each other and live in a harmonic world that honors the Sixth Commandment, “Thou shall not kill.”
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