Memorial Day

Monday, May 6, is Memorial Day in the United States. While many see it only as a three-day weekend that marks the beginning of summertime fun, it remains a day to commemorate the men and women who have died in military service to their country. Known originally as Decoration Day, the day has been commemorated annually since the end of the American Civil War.

Here are two map postcards depicting scenes from that war:



Randy Green created the card above, depicting a "somber yet magnificent overview of the key states involved and the heroic figures who emerged from this tragic yet ultimately liberating and unifying conflict." A full sized poster or jigsaw puzzle of this card is available from White Mountain Puzzles.

The postcard below was sent to me by a friend many years ago. I especially like this one because, while you cannot see the detail, it does include a map. The original painting, The Last Council at Chancellorsville, by Mort Künstler, depicts Generals Jackson, Lee and Stuart. The Battle of Chancellorsville was one of Lee's greatest victories on the field, but he lost his "right arm" when General Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson was mortally wounded.