The Portland daily press., 1865-08-12
Saturday Morning, August l2, 1865.
RECOVERY OF THE BODY OF COL
ULRIC DAHI,GREN

RECOVERY OF THE BODY OF COL
ULRIC DAHLGREN.
The Richmond Republican in the following
narrative describes what was done with the
body of Col. Dahlgren by the Confederate
Government, and also the facts of its exhuma-
tion by Union men, its reinterment and final
restoration to Commodore Dahlgren, father ol
deceased, and its final burial: la
When intelligence was received in Rich
mond of the death of Col Dahlgren, messen-
gers were despatched to bring the body to the
city for Identification. 1t reached the city OIL
Monday March 7, by the York railroad, and
lay during that day at the depot, where it was
examined by large number of persons His
death had been caused by gunshot wound in
the head The little finger of one hand had
been cut off on the field where he fel by some
one anxious to secure, with the least trouble a
valuable diamond ring. That night the body
was carried to Gen. Elzy's Office, in Belvin's
block and the next day, having been placed
in common pine coffin, Of the kind then
used for the burial of soldiers, which in turn
was placed in box, was transferred to Oak
wood Cemetery, a mile east of the city.
The hearse used on this occasion was four
mule street wagon, and the attendants con-
and two soldiers. Arriving at Oakwood,
which was the burial place Of all soldiers who
died at Chimborazo, Howard's Grove and 9th
er hospi ais in the eastern portion of the city
and suburbs, the negro grave-diggers and 9TH
er attendants about the cemetery were driven
off and ordered to absent themselves until no
titled that they might return. One of the ne
groes, now living in the city, having his curl
osity excited, secreted himself in the woods
hvr 4 90. L.
done. sIa VIDA uf SO t1l
The two soldiers dug grave, placed the box
in it and covered it up. They then shouted to
recall the attendants of the cemetery, and get
ting into the wagon returned to the city. The
only circumstance in the proceedings that
struck the negro as unusual was the mystery
observed, and the circumstance of the box, no
corpse ever having been brought there before
except in a pine coffin; but there havinP
been great deal of talk as to what was to be
done with the body of Col. Dahlgren, he at
once decided that this could be no other than
the corpse of that officer. He however kept
his opinion to himself at the time.
The question, what had been done with the
body of Dahlgren, was the subject of inquiry
and conversation for many days in Richmond,
to be revived from time to time up to the day
of the evacuation. And there were many sto
ries on the subiect-that it had been burnt
sunk in the river, &c. A city paper of thai
day announced, with a solemn and knowing
air, that it would never be found until the
trump of doom should sound. A number OF
Union men of the city, believing it possible
that it might be recovered, were anxious to Sc
cure and preserve for the family of the de-
ceased. Prominent among them was Mr.. f.
w. e. Lohman grocer. doing business neal
the New Market. After nearly months pa
tient waiting and inquiry, he, with the assis-
tance of Mr.. Martin Meredith Lipscomb,
whose business it was to attend the interment
Of all Union prisoners who died at this post,
made the acquaintance of the negro grayedig-
ger, the sole spectator of the burial of Col.
Dahlgren. esm
When first approached on the subject, the
negro was very much alarmed, but after re-
+, peated assurances by Mr.. Lipscomb, whom he
knew well, that he might rely upon Lohman,
and that no harm should befaIl him, he con-
sented, on Mr.. Lohman's giving him hun
dred dollar note, to point out the grave. This
he did by casting stone upon it, while Lob
man and Lipscomb stood at a distance. He
was afraid to employ any other method lest he
might excite the suspicion of the superintend-
ent of the cemetery or some of the attendants.
The grave lay among thousands Of those OF
Confederate soldiers Subsequently, after a
great deal of persuasion, and the promise Of a
liberal reward, the negro agreed to meet Mr..
Lohman at the cemetery on the night of the
9th of April, and exhume the body.
The appointed night having arrived, Mr.
Lohman, his brother, John A. Lohman, and
Mr. Lipscomb, started for the cemetery in
and stormy, and well suited to conceal their
movements. The party left the city at 8
o'clock, and reached their destination about TO-
and there found waiting for them the grave
digger and two assistants. The negroes being
assured that all was right, began their work of
exhumation, the three white men remaining
with the cart outside the inclosure of the cem-
etery. a t faa
In twenty minutes from the time the ne
groes began their work they approached the
cart bearing between them the coffin, which,
being badly made, fell to pieces as they rested
it on the ground. Itw then discovered that
the body had not decomposed in any percepti-
BILE degree. Mr.. Lohman satisfied himself on
the identity of the corpse by passing his hand
over it. The little finger, torn off to secure
the Jewel it BORE and the leg, lost In battle,
were missing. He paid the negro with whom
he had contracted fifteen hundred dollars, and
placing the body in the cart, the party started
on their return. M -
At o'clock that morning they reached Or
rick's, and buried the body under an apple
tree, in field, avoiding the graveyard for fear
OF exciting inquiry, which might lead to dis
covery. es
AnO ieSe Vi IiuS SIOfy may De Uolu III o 10 "
words. Orricks, some months after the second
burial Of Colonel Dahlgren, succeeded in get
ting through the Confederate lines: and seek
ing an interview with Commodore Dahlgren,
informed him of what he had done to secure
the body OF his son. The corpse of the SOL
dier lay IN this its second grave until the ev-
acuation OF Richmond, when an order having
been sent for it by the War Department, It
was again dlslnterred by the Lohmans and
sent to Washington.
Many Confederate officials knew that tbe
body had been deposited at Oakwood but thew
were ignorant to the last that it had ever been 1
removed. 1t has at length found its last earth
ly resting place"