The old soldiers as they would pass up and down the Mississippi river past Helena on the steamboats would, as they came near that hill, gather at the rail of the boat on the side facing that hill, get in formation and salute as they passed by the General's grave.

Such was the respect that Cleburne's men had for their General.

This year was the 25th Anniversary of our modern observance of a Cleburne Memorial. There have been times, during that period, when only a few interested persons showed up for the services. But like the old soldiers at the steamboat rails, as they grew older their numbers grew fewer, But they still remembered and that is all that really matters in the end.

I will admit that, since we have been doing these memorials, the interest in General Cleburne and his role in american history has multiplied several times over. That hilltop has transformed from a overgrown trash heap (occational Whiskey bottles aside) and lovers hangout with graffiti scrawled on the monuments to a respectable part of Helena history and a really lovely place to sit on the benches and reflect on the place while gazing out over the Mississippi River. I am under no grand impressions that this would have happened had the City of Helena not seen the possibility of attracting tourist and their dollars to Helena. But I am aware that they got this impression because a bunch of nuts would once a year gather on top of that hill dressed in civil war uniforms and Victorian dress and shoot their guns and the thunder of Artillery would once again sound over that old man river.

To preserve History someone has to demonstrate they have an interest in history.