What is Decoration Day?

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The Confederate Cemetery is the only physical remains of the Rock Island Barracks, one of 21 prisoner of war (POW) camps operated by the Union Army during the Civil War. From December of 1863 until July of 1865, a total of 12,192 Confederate prisoners were held at the prison camp located along the north shore of island.

A total of 1,964 prisoners died at the prison. The three major causes of death were variola (smallpox), pneumonia and diarrhea.

The present location of the Confederate Cemetery is its second location. Originally situated next to the prison, its move was recommended by Assistant Surgeon General Ambrose M. Clark during his second inspection visit to the Rock Island Barracks in April 1864.

A separate post cemetery for the 155 guards and 16 “Galvanized Yankees” who died at the Rock Island Barracks was created and its second location is the nucleus of the present day Rock Island National Cemetery.

Initially, graves in both cemeteries were marked with wooden headboards. From 1906 to 1912, all Civil War soldier’s graves throughout the United States were identified and marked in compliance with congressional commissions. A standard headstone design was selected for the graves of Confederate soldiers. Each marker identifies the name of the soldier, his company and unit, and the fact that he served with the “C.S.A.” – Confederate States of America. Ten graves are empty because the buried soldiers have been moved to family plots in the South.

What we celebrate today as Memorial Day was originally established as Decoration Day in 1868. As commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic veterans’ organization, former Major General John A. Logan created the day to remind us of the personal sacrifices made by both Union and Confederate soldiers.