Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-08-18

The RECOVERY OF Col DAHLGREN's BODY
The Richmond Republic gives an aecosnt
of the means bv which the burial place OF
Col. Dahlgren was discovered and the body
obtained. 1t appears that the body was
buried secretly, and the horrible stories of
its rnuulation were invented BY the rebels
Themselves, to appaI our soldiers. The grave
was discovered through negro, who saw
the body buried The story OF the recovery
is as follows Il
"a number of Union men Of the city, believ-
;ng II nosslble that it might be recovered, were
anxious to secure and preserve it for the family
Of the dec sased. Prominent among them was
Mr.. F. W. l. Lohmsn, grocer, dong business
near the New Market. Mr.. Lohmsn at once be
gan his INQUIRIES and Investigations-whichi IN
the then state Of popular feeling il wae necessa-
~ 10 conduct with great caution-determined,
AT whatever cost and risk, to ascertain its fate
After nearly a months patient and untirlng in
ouiry. he, with the assistance OF Mr. Martin
Meredith Lipscomb, whose business II was 10 al
tend the interment OF all the Union prisoners
who died at the post, made the acquaintance oil
the negro grave-dIgger, the sole spectator Of the
burial Of Col. Dahlgren-
They fupd him at 0akvood, pursuing his
regular business When first approached on the
snfiect tine negro was very much alarmed. and
nrofested he would have nothing to do with the
matter. But after repeated assurance by Mr.
Lips,omb. whom he knew well, that he might
reiv upou Lehman, and that no harm should be-
fall him. he consented, on Mr.. Lohmsn's giving
HIM A hundred dollar note, to point out the
crave This he did by walking near and cast
inc stone upon it, while Lohman and Lips
corb stood al distance He was AFRAID TO EN-
nlov anv other method lest he might excite sus-
n;cion Of the superintendent Of the cemetery or
srr,e of the attendants The grave lay among
thousands Of those of confederate soldiers
Subsequently. after great deal of persuasion
a,5 The nrouise of a liberal reward. the negro
agreed 10 meet Mr.. Lohmsn at the cemetery on
the night of the 9th Of April, at ten O'Clock,
and exhume the body. In twenty minutes from
the time the negroes began their work, tney ap-
proached the cart, bearing between them the
coffin, which, being badly made, fell to pieces as
they rested il on the ground. Ii was tnen dis
covered that the body had not decomposed IN any
rarceptible degree Mr.. Lohman satisfied him
elf q the identity of the corpse, by passing
nj. hand over it. The little finger, torn of to
secure the jewel II bore, and the leg lost IN bat
tie. were missing. He paid the negro with whom
he had contracted, $500. and, placing the body
in the cart, the party started on their RETURN
The rest Of this story may be told in few words.
Orricks. some months after the second burial OF
Col. Dahlgren, succeeded in getting through the
confederate lines, and seeking an interview with
Commodore Dahlgren. informed him what had
been done to secure the body Of his son. The
corpse of the soldier laid in his second grave un-
nj the evacuation of Richmond. when an order
having been sent for it by the War Department.
it was again disinterred BY the Lohmans, and
sent to Washington.