St. Mary's gazette., 1866-04-26
4 Pious Appeal

VIC give bciow An eloquent auh t"h
est appeal by Soldier to the people Of
this county for aid to enable the Indies OF
Richmond to distinguish the graves Of the
Copfetferate dead in the different cemete-
rics around that city. As many of the
dead there cutoInbed are from tins state
mud some from this county, the appeal un-
der notice is entitled to the thoughtful con
ridcration of our people and we sincerely
hope that it will not be made in vain.
COMMUNICATED.
.M. E,1for-Will you permit me to
make a charitable use Of your columns to
bring to the notice Of your readers a sub
iect in which, I feel assured they will
sympathizc Many of them are person
ally interested in some one of the battle
fields which cover our country. Some OF
them have husbands, brothers or friends,
whose graves arc unmarked on these helds,
or but little better, IN cemeteries, save by
the decay and neglect which Is their only
monument The Southern people are too
poor to give any thing from their bare
subsistence to this work, although they feel
It merits the svmpathics of their hearts
and tho labor of their hands. No greater
pleasure could be theirs than to mark the
grave of each hero who has given his life
for the common cause. On the suburbs
of Richmond, there are several large grave
wards Of Confederate soldiers, some con-
tanning five thousand dead These grave
yards, from necessity, were lald ont IN
haste, and from want Of means unncloscd
Hnd otherwise neglected. The graves are
fast going to decay, and if not soon atten-
ded to. can never be identified by the
charts themselves. They contain the dead
Of all the States represented i'll the Con
federate army, and from my personal
knowledge, many from your own. While
the cemeteries of the Federal soldiers in
our midst arc cared for with tender hands,
and marked with many little attentions by
their friends from abroad, shall those of our
dear kindred be left to decay and neglect.
md that too within sight of our own doors:
There are many that will be removed to
their homes as soon as their friends can
spare the means to do So There are many
more that never will be removed. Per-
haps their friends are far off and their
resting place unknown. Let us take care
Of them Are there not enough generous
hearts and willing hands that are able to
commemorate the deeds Of brave men by
some little monument to their hcroism, to
their sacrifices and privations? Many OF
them were your mcssmatcs. your comrades
in arms, your sons or your friends. Will
YOU not give something toward perpctust-
ing their memory? 1t appeals to you,
fathers. whose sons were there. 1t ap-
pcals to you, mothers, whose only idol son
chanced to fall 1t appeals to YOU, sisters.
whose cherished brothers perhaps lie there
To you especially. surviving comrades, it
appeals by the memory of the common dan
gers you have shared with the dead Will
YOU forget the memory efassociationS which
must be dear to every eye that ever look
cd upon battle field No, | am sure
You cannot. am sure you will not -
You need only to be reminded of them tc
enlist your cooperation i'll pcrpetuatin2
them The ladies Of Richmond will bt
glad to cooperate with yol and receive
Nou Iiis'N give 1-tt ii'
urge the noble women of Maryland and o
st. Mary's to take hold of this charity ant
labor for its advancement You have al
ready done much, but know you are will
ing to do more You need only an organ
isation to ensure success. Form it., an,
the sympathizing hearts of your count,
will cheertully assist You in making greer
the memory Of your fallen friends. Gu
bravo generals, living and dead, have thci
names as monuments to their deeds. bu
these humble followers in their footstcr
are now scattered in strange places, or re
main unknown and uncared for. Ii is q
little as those of us could do who hay
been more fortunate or who have admire
their valor while living. and their sutierin
unto death, to enclose and save them frol
utlcr extinction SOLDIER.