Author: Marty Willett
Date: 6/1/2010 3:49 pm EDT
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FORT HILL CEMETERY MEMORIAL DAY 2010
Two hundred and four years ago, in 1806, the U.S. Army erected a frontier fort & factory only a short distance from here on the highest hill of the Muscogee Creek’s sacred “Old Fields.” Although Fort Hawkins never saw any blood shed – red, black or white – in actual conflict or war, being on the American frontier was a constant and potential deadly conflict with the Spanish, the English, the Natives, and even white squatters. During the War of 1812, Fort Hawkins was one of the most important outposts in the Southern Theater, and today you will see flying at half mast at the fort site, the 15 star spangled banner from that 2nd War of American Independence.
We are here today to remember and honor – perhaps for the very first time – those soldiers who died in service of their country while stationed at Fort Hawkins. Although there is no official count of those that died here – primarily due to the British burning Washington, D.C. during the War of 1812 – it is estimated that between 30 and 200 soldiers could have died here during the fort’s 22 years of existence. This Fort Hill Cemetery would have become their final resting place and that is why we are here today.
In 1823 the GA General Assembly called for the fort’s burial site to become an official Macon burial ground, making Fort Hill the oldest such site in our area save for the Funeral Mound at the nearby Ocmulgee National Monument. However, this hallowed ground has certainly seen much better days despite our so called progress into the modern world. Thus this 2010 Memorial Day Service is a proud although long overdue recognition of these Fort Hawkins servicemen buried somewhere in this northwest quadrant.
The flags you see are a symbolic gesture to remember these unknown yet deserving U.S. servicemen, many no doubt veterans of the American Revolution. This may be indeed the first Memorial Day that they have been remembered for so many historical reasons. The term “Memorial Day” was not used until 1882 to describe “Decoration Day” that grew out of the American Civil War. Our “Memorial Day” did not become an official United States observance until 1967.
We will not hear “Taps” today at this brief and simple ceremony, but you can hear a stirring rendition at the Fort Hawkins Annual Veterans Day Salute in November. Taps was not created until 1862 by a U.S. Army General, so these soldiers would not even be familiar with that tune or even the Scott Tattoo the Army began using in 1835. These soldiers buried here served and died on the American frontier 200 years ago.
As the Fort Hawkins Commission continues to celebrate its Bicentennial, we felt that it was necessary to begin remembering these soldiers on Memorial Day, and we will have the Fort Hawkins Blockhouse Replica open for the remainder of the day. We encourage your visit to remember this patriotic history. We thank all of you that have attended. We will now close without Taps and without cannon or gunfire – but with a brief moment of silence followed by our closing prayer. God Bless You All, God Bless These Fallen Soldiers, and God Bless America!
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