The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-07-17

UEAD.-lHc lOlioWiHS oiC cattaCtS from
paragraph In the local column of the Times
of Yesterday under the heading of "Con.
fcderate dead": =,
"The attention Of the ladies of the Me-
mortal Associations of Richmond is called
to the fact that there are number OF Con-
fcderate soldiers buried on the fields and
farms of various persons on the Charles
City, Williamsburg, and Darbytown roads,
within the distance Of three or four miles
from the city, which, through want OF care
or means to have them removed, have been
ploughcd up, and all traces of them oblite-
rated. This is shameful, after the large
amounts that have been given to secure
decent burial for the honored dead. We
arc aware that the Presidents of the Asso-
Citations have given public notice that
cases reported will be attended to; but
with all due Difference to their wisdom, ex-
perience has proven that the plan fails, be-
cause the farmers and others have very
little opportunity, and some no inclination,
to put themselves to the trouble of report
ing these cases.
"Wc know the desire and willingness OF
the ladies to do all they can, and hope soon
to chronicle the fact that all these remains
are decently disinterred and transferred to
our own burying- grounds
These remarks are certainly unjust to
the managers of the Memorial Associations
of this city, and we trust that they are
also unjust to the farmers of Virginia,
some of whom are accused of having no
inclination to put themselves to trouble in
the cause of the honored dead.
The Hollywood and Oakwood AsSocia-
tions are both pledged to use all the mo-
ncys they can collect in marking and pre-
serving the graves of the Confederate SOL
diers in the cemeteries from which they
derive their names. At least forty thou
sand dollars will he required to complete
the proposed work. Not more than one
eighth of this amount has so far been col
lected, and the Associations have not the
means of removing and interring in the
cemeteries the remains of the Confederate
soldiers who were buried below this city.
1t is the desire and intention of the Memo
rial AssOCiatons-aS soon as the work OF
marking aid preserving the graves of those
already inferred in their cemeteries is COM
plcted-to collect the remains of all the
soldiers within reach, and RENTER them in
HOLLYWOOD or OakwOod and their object
i'm calling for list of all soldiers graves
around the city is that their record may be
preserved, and steps taken in due time for
their removal. In many instances, persons
I'm the far south have written TO the Presi-
dents of our Memorial Associations for in
formation in relation to their friends VINO
were hastily buried on the field where
they fell. This was done in order that
their remains might he disintcrrcd and
taken home, and was another reason why
list of all such graves was required.
1t is hard to believe that within the
limits of the State of Virginia there can
be found any class Of Southern men who
will wantonly plough up and obllteratc tie
graves of Confederate soldiers found upon
their farms, for the sake of sparing them
selves little trouble They are not asked
to erect costly monument or even mar
bic hcad-stonc, but they are expected L"
make record of them, and see that mel
thcr time, nor wandering cattle, nor the
careless hand of the farm laborer, is allow
ed to sweep from the face of the earth the
humble mound that marks the soldier $
grave.
The farmer who would allow the graves
of the men who fell while fighting for him
and for his children to be obliterated and
dishonored, is false to his name as a man
and false to his fame as Virginian We
at least will not believe that our farmers
our upright, conscientious Virginia farm;
ers-would do our dead this wrong, and
neither will we believe that there has been
ANYTHING " "shanefm" in the action of the
noble hearted ladies who, regardless OF
labor and fatigue, conduct our memorial
associations, or that they are careless or
regardless of any one of our fallen soldiers,
whoever he may have been, or wherever
he may lie. ,-
Without intending it, no doubt, our con-
temporary has wounded the feelings OF the
managers and members of onr memorial
associations, and has, by inference, cast a
reproach upon the whole people OF Nirgl.
MIA. We call upon him, rs matter OF
Justice, to recall his remarks, or at least
give satisfactory proof of the truth OF his
assertions.