05/25/2026
As we commemorate Memorial Day, we pause to reflect on how this day became a national observance—and on the role played by John “Black Jack” Logan, a veteran of the Fort Donelson campaign and a leading voice in establishing the holiday.
In early 1862, Colonel John A. Logan commanded the 31st Illinois Infantry Regiment during the Battle of Fort Donelson. On February 15, during the Confederate breakout attempt, Logan and the 31st Illinois supported the hard pressed 11th Illinois Infantry, helping to hold back the charging forces of Confederate Brigadier General Gideon Pillow. Their determined stand bought critical time for Union forces to systematically fall back before reorganizing and Brigadier General U.S. Grant directing for a counterattack to re-take the ground lost during the day.
Logan was severely wounded in the fighting but returned quickly to his regiment and continued to serve with distinction for the remainder of the war. He eventually rose to the rank of Major General and later served as commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, the nation’s largest Union veterans’ organization.
By the end of the Civil War, hundreds of thousands of Americans had died and were buried across the war-torn country. Families and veterans—both Union and Confederate—visited cemeteries in late April and May, decorating graves and honoring loved ones. These early acts of remembrance helped lay the foundation for a more formal, national day of commemoration.
Although many communities were already honoring their Civil War dead, Logan issued General Order No. 11 in May 1868, designating May 30 “…for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion…” Importantly, Logan did not prescribe specific ceremonies, allowing each community to observe the day in a manner that fit its circumstances. His order helped unify what became known as Decoration Day, the predecessor to today’s Memorial Day.
By 1890, most states recognized Memorial Day as an official holiday honoring the hundreds of thousands of U.S. soldiers who died preserving the nation. Families across the former Confederacy maintained their own established Decoration Day traditions, many of which continue today.
This weekend, we continue this tradition of honoring the memory of those who gave their lives in service to the United States. We invite you to visit Fort Donelson National Cemetery to remember, reflect, and pay tribute to their sacrifice.
Image description: War-period half-length portrait of John A. Logan, cropped from a stereograph
Source: Courtesy Library of the Congress
Alt text: John A. Logan in a general’s uniform with a bushy mustache
