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| | USATODAY.com - Early history of Memorial Day closely tied to mourning rituals (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-10) |
 | | Marta Vincent is preparing for the holiday, so she dresses herself, bonnet to floor-length skirt, in the dull fl of an 1870s widow in "high mourning." Her jewelry is of lusterless fl gutta percha. |
 | | Whatever its origin, the day began its march toward official status in May 1868, when Illinois' Gen. John A. Logan, first Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, issued General Order 11 to the membership of the influential veterans' group. |
 | | "The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated 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, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land. |
| www.usatoday.com /news/nation/2005-05-29-memorial-day_x.htm?csp=34 (974 words) |
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