After the address, lead by

the color guard and reenactment honor guard, the audience will walk as

a group to the old Fayetteville cemetery. The featured event of the evening

will be a presentation of Southern state flags by local Fayette school

children, each honoring one of their Confederate ancestors from the various

states. After the presentation of the state flags, there will be a cannon

salute, and the playing of taps.

Confederate Memorial Day, a

legal holiday in Georgia since 1874, is celebrated each year on April

26 and was the inspiration for national Memorial Day. The day was created

as a tribute to the approximately 224,000 Confederate soldiers, sailors

and marines that were killed or died in service during the war. Of this

number, some 400 were Fayette Countians. More Fayette soldiers died in

the Confederate service than all other American wars combined. In later

decades, the day was celebrated as a tribute to all Confederate veterans.

The observation of Confederate

Memorial Day is the culmination of various activities honoring Southern

heritage in April as it is officially designated as Confederate History

and Heritage Month by various state and local governments. This year the

town of Tyrone issued proclamations to that effect for the fourth consecutive

year. The SCV will also be sponsoring a Confederate history display at

the Tyrone library beginning on April 16, and running through the end

of May.

The Gen. LaFayette McLaws Camp

79, SCV, of Fayette County will be placing Confederate flags on the graves

of approximately 250 Confederate veterans prior to Confederate Memorial

Day. If any local citizen knows of a Confederate grave that they would

like to have marked with a flag, the SCV will gladly supply a flag.

There will be a reception afterwards

at the Hollingsworth House, and the public is invited, and encouraged

to attend both functions. For more information please contact Scott Gilbert

at [email protected], or call 770-716-5344.

Scott K. Gilbert, Commander

Gen. LaFayette McLaws Camp

79