Confederate Memorial Day 2019

Confederate Memorial Day is June 3 in Louisiana.  This year we gathered at Metairie Cemetery on Sunday, June 2 to honor our ancestors who fought for Southern independence.

I was honored to give a prayer at the monument dedicated to the men of the Washington Artillery. This storied regiment was founded in 1838 as a Louisiana militia unit, served the CSA from 1861-1865, went back into federal service in 1865, was renamed the 141st Field Artillery in 1917, and continues to serve as part of the US Army to this very day.

A Roman Catholic priest (whose name I didn't get) said the prayers at the beginning of the procession (at the Tumulus of the Army of Northern Virginia) and at the end (at the Tumulus of the Army of Tennessee).  The former was the first burial place of President Davis; the latter is the former resting place of General Albert Sydney Johnston (whose equestrian statue sits atop the tumulus) and the current grave of General P.G.T. Beauregard.  Volleys were fired at each of the three locations along the procession, and a color guard marched along.

We were honored to have my old friend, the 75th Commander in Chief of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Paul Gramling, and his lovely wife Lynda present for the ceremony.  The CIC graciously took the above picture of me.

At the conclusion of the event, we were invited to ring a memorial bell in memory of our Confederate ancestors.  I honored two uncles: Private Richard Johnson McLaughlin, and his brother, Private James Buchanan McLaughlin - both of the 25th Virginia Infantry, both POWs.  The former died at Point Lookout POW prison, while the latter survived both Point Lookout and Elmira Prisons, dying in 1940 at the age of 97.

After singing Dixie, we met at the Metairie Cemetery funeral home for fellowship. 

Thank you to the P. G. T. Beauregard Camp 130, Sons of Confederate Veterans for their sponsorship of this great annual event, and for inviting me to take part in it.  Our ancestors are not forgotten!  Deo vindice!

At the Tumulus of the Army of Northern Virginia

At the Monument of the Washington Artillery

At the Tumulus of the Army of Tennessee

Here is the prayer I offered at the Washington Artillery Monument:


Lord God, Heavenly Father, we thank You for the service and sacrifice of the men of the Washington Artillery, especially those who served in the Army of the Confederate States of America.

We thank You for their manly and heroic legacy of laying down their lives in defense of liberty, independence, defiance of tyranny, and resistance against invasion.

We pray that we may be worthy of their sacrifices, and that we may be blessed with the gift of remembrance of their valor, their deeds, and their example of courage and devotion to that which is just, right, and honorable.

Bless their memories and their legacy, O Lord, and bless us that we may continue to honor their memories, for our sakes, and for the sakes of generations yet unborn.  May we continue to live in liberty, ever vigilant to resist aggression, and to stand up for what is good, true, and beautiful.

We pray through Christ our Lord.  Deo vindice.  Amen.

The Washington Artillery Monument

With CIC Paul Gramling