Recently, I have received interesting histories from women, all over the age of 90, whose grandmothers were "the girl I left behind me" on the Iowa plains, when the men of the Battalion marched away. As I read their histories and learn of their trials, I find it difficult to decide which group suffered the most--the men, without food or water, and with frequent illnesses and danger; or the women--left defenseless and without provisions, and with the added terrible task of sometimes burying a Child beside the Trail. The loneliness and not knowing how the other was doing was especially debilitating. It is only right, then, that we give honor and remembrance to these "special, elect ladies" by memorializing their graves. I am so happy that we have this program. May we take the responsibility to memorialize as many graves this year as we can.