Prattville Dragoons at the Ladies' Memorial Association Confederate Memorial Day Program

Five members of the Prattville Dragoons Sons of Confederate Veterans attended the 158th Annual Observance of Confederate Memorial Day hosted by the Ladies' Memorial Association of Montgomery on Friday April 26th at Oakwood Cemetery.  Quartermaster Myrick, Chaplain Brantley and compatriots Schwartz and Waldo were there representing the Dragoons.  Rev. Gary Johnson provided an Invocation to open the program and then the colors were posted including the US, Alabama, Confederate First National and Christian flags.  The pledges and salutes to the flags was then recited and everyone joined in singing "How Firm a Foundation" for the Christian flag, the National Anthem for the US flag, "Alabama" for the state flag and "Dixie" for the Confederate flag.  Ladies Memorial Association President Leslie Kirk hosted the event ad welcomed everyone and she introduced former Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill as the keynote speaker.  Montgomery Councilman Charles Jinright brought greetings from the City Council.  Ms. Kirk then provided a history of the Ladies' Memorial Association which stretched back to 1866 when the ladies of Montgomery helped care for the graves of Confederate and Union soldiers at Oakwood and held their first memorial service then.  Mr, James Pickett then brought greetings from the SCV and spoke of the veterans of all wars.  Bob Wieland greeted everyone and invited all to visit the First White House of the Confederacy where he is chief curator.  John Merrill then gave a powerful speech about our responsibility and the importance to remember and honor all the history of Montgomery and the state of Alabama including that of the period of secession and the War Between the States.  The colors were retired and the color guard followed the bagpipes over to the Monument to the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors of Alabama there in the cemetery where a wreath was placed.  A rifle salute was then made by the color guard and "Taps" played by Mr. Raymond Keep on trumpet.  Rev. Johnson then closed the program with a Benediction.  It was the continuation of an historically significant annual observance by a wonderful organization on a beautiful spring Confederate Memorial Day.