Evening star., 1869-05-31
IN MEMORIANI.
THE PATRIOT DEAD.
DECORATION OF SOLDIERS GRAVES.
SOLDIERS HOME, BATTLE GROUND,
GLENWOOD, OAK HILL AND MOUNT
OLINET CEMEfERIES.
THE CEREMONIES YESTERDAY.

andria. Yesterday, the graves OF the patriot
dead in the Soldiers Home, Battle Ground
Glenwood, Oak Hill. and Mount Olivet Gene
lerIes were decorated. A portion OF the fewers
sent out TO Arlington not having been used
We're yesterday morning transferred 10 Soldiers
Home. where was added a load from the Bo-
tanical Garden. From the headq uarters of IN.
Grand Army OF the Republic a large quantity
OF fowers made into boquets, wreaths, Sc
by MISS NJ. N. q. Hall, Mrs. Bige!ow, and
other LADIES' who during the past week worked
almost necessarily IN arranging the floral
tribute 10 the dead. were sent out 10 Glenwood,
OAK Hill, and Mount Olivet- About two
O'Clock yesterday afternoon, Messrs. III. A.
Hall, VIM. Kelsey. ]. II. Dingman, II. G. Ous,
w. IL. Slater. A. Wright n. Is. FIthian, l.. g.
Fletcher, j. II. Smith, George Sellers, Y. ".
Slime, N. E. Young, G.. Fahren brook, NJ UreIl.
i. Gatchell, w. A. Bartlett, +. DIckInscn, q
w. George, and T. X. Hawkins being a SUBJ
committee, left the q. A. X. Headqua tiers in
tne large SIX horse coach of Messrs. Nailor
Brothers, for the Soldiers Home and Battle
Ground Cemeteries. They Were accompanied
BY number of ladies. The services AZ Soluiers'
Home having been set for 2h o'clock. from
noon TO that hour there was a continuous line
OF carriages and foot passengers on their way
towards that picturesque place, and near the
cemetery the roads were completely blocked.
From the terminus Of the 7th-street railroad
a number OF ambulances ran to the cemeteries
in that vicinity, doing q good business during
the day.
At Soldiers Home Cemetery.
When the sub. committee, with those who in.
tended to participate in the ceremonies, arrived
at the entrance Of tie Soldiers Home Cemetery,
which was beautifully adorned with flowers
and evergreens, it was deemed advisable, in
view Of the storm which was rapidly ap-
preaching, 10 commence the exercises at once;
and Major Hall having called the assemblaRe
to order from the steps of the superintendent's
Office, introduced Rev. Dr. Newman, who Of
tered fervent prayer, IN the course of which
hA AGosd 4, 49, kAl Arol
place OF the dead TO recall the virtues OF those
who bad given their lives that the nation might
live; to receive inspiration from their exam.
pie; and he prayed that each might have the
virtue they possessed-love OF country-deeply
impres>e ed upon their hearts; that they might
ever prove true to the flag. He thanked q cd
that no intestine foe or foreign power has been
able to destroy the fair fabric which has been
handed down by our fathers, and was now
handed down to posterity by those whose re.
mains were reposing In these grounds. He
lmplored the Divine blessing upon the sorrow.
ing friends and relatives OF the dead, returned
thanks for the blessings bestowed upon the
Republic, and prayed that the Lord might so
rule this nation as to make il a power whose
example will lead nation after nation to follow
her guidance to noble destiny. In conclu-
sion, ne prayed that no act might be committed
derogaory to the day or occasion.
Rev.Wm. Sharman, of the Unitarian Church,
followed in short address, saying that they
had come to-day to pay tribute TO those who
had died that the nation might live; to those
who loved their country more than lie itself,
and VINO had won for their fellow country men
to bequeath to posterity freedom and union
1t was not Americans alone who died for the
Union, tor here We find the remains, not only
of the descendant Of the Pilgrims, but here the
Frenchman who had failed to obtain liberty in
France, the Spaniard who failed to obtain lib
erty in Spain, the lrishman who had failed in
Ireland, and the German who had failed in
Germany-they had come from all parts OF the
globe. When their services We're called for
they gave them and now it was a special
pleasure 10 him, al English radical, but al
ready In intent an American citizen, to unite
in paying homage 10 the patriots who reposed
here. Their efforts had resulted in building
up Republic on such principles that the in
fuence OF the nation would be felt in every
quarter OF the earth. and that influence
would eventually result IN the establishing
world.
mates OF the Soldiers Home, numbering about
2jG war worE veterans, marched into the GEM
etery. bearing evergreens, and were shortly
after Joined by the committee Of arrangements,
ladies, and many citizens, who noiselessy
passed through the narrow walks between the
long rows Of graves OF the Union dead. deposit.
ing on each OF them flowers and evergreens
Hardly had this work been completed when
the storm come up, causing general scamper
to the Superintendent's Office, and other build
lngs ana 10 the carriages for shelter. The
graves Of the $50 confederates here buried were
not adorned by the committee, and some little
bad feeling was occasioned by a few young men
insisting on ne distinction beiRg made, and il
Is stated that, during the rain. some of them
took flowers from the graves of the Union dead
and decorated those OF the confederates.
Among the prominent citizens present here
We're Gen. Spinner and lady, Major +. A. Con-
rad, OF the 0uartermaster' Department, and
family. and Mr.. Thomas thompson of Armory
Square, each party with large contributions of
flowers. According TO the books of Mr.. Pat.
rick Callahan, the Superintendent, (who, by
the way, keeps this .'city Of the dead" In un-
eNcentlOQablp ORDER tlara al hara
j,6l3 bodies. as follows: Union officers, 20; en-
listed men, 5.G2i; unknown. 81; colored, 1875:
employees OF Quartermasters department, I3O;
laundress, I; limbs OF officers and soldiers, l05;
soldiers infants, 3; sailors killed on gunboat
Livingston, =; Confederate officers, S: enlisted
men, l22; Confederate citizens, y. The Iaun-
dress was Mrs. James Bowen, of Scott's 800.
who died on the 9th of November, ls62, and On
the head board OF the grave an appropriate
verse was pinned. While the company We're
engaged decorating the graves, a young man
was seen 10 drop flowers on a mound inscribed
Climbs and when told of il, remarked that as
much respect should be shown them as the en-
tire bodies, Tor they We're given for the same
cause.
Battle National Cemetery.
After the rain had ceased, the committee and
large number of other persons repaired to the
:. Battle Cemetery" near Fort Stevens, where
are inferred forty Of those who were killed in
the attack by Gen. Early on that fort in July,
1c6i. Here IL was found that q number of per-
sons had already decorated the graves. Mr..
Joseph Mattingly and some friends had pre-.
ceded The committee calling on Messrs Mar.
shall Brown and Richard Waliach, who made
up wagon load of choice flowers Tor them.
and with these the " Battle Cemetery was
handsomely decorated. The base of the flag.
staff had about il a profusion of flowers, and
small boauets or wreaths were placed OF each
grave. This cemetery is about half mile be.
yOpd Fort Stevens, and Is IN charge of Mr.
Andrew McCerty, who keeps IL In excellent
order. 1t is enclosed by 8 substantial fence,
and IN the centre is fiag.staff, around which,
in circle, there are buried the remains of
forty soldiers, three Of whom were killed ON
the llth of July, 1854, and the remainder on
mairs OF l.. L. Stevens, Sd Vermont volun.
teers, the last one OF seven brothers killed du-
ring the war. Some time was here spent by
the comm ittee converslng with residents OF
the neighborhood in reference to the battle,
some of the committee having been partici.
pants IN il; and the positions OF our troops
and the enemy were pointed out as also the
teen other Confederates were buried on the
farm OF Mr.. Richard Lay. The committee re-.
turned to this city about 6k O'Clock.
Oak Hill Cemetery.
Yesterday afternoon q committee Of the g.
A. r. left their headquarters, on F street, in
carriages and proceeded to Oak Hill, Cemetery,
Georgetown. They carried wreaths, boquets,
crosses, and other floral tributes to place over
the graves Of the patriot dead, and silently, and
without formal ceremonies, placed these offer
i1gs on soldiers graves. Among the graves
decorated were those Of Major General Jesse
l. Reno, Major General Charles Griffin. Brig
adler General Plummer, Lieutenant ]. r
ATAi~ - - l1nvn