The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-04-14
The Confederate Dead.
REMOVAL OF THEIR REMAINS FROM GErTYs

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The accompanying letter and circular explain
the work proposed to be done by the Holly
wood Memorial Association, in removing to-
Richmond the neglected remains of the Con-
federate soldiers who fell at Gettysburg:
LEXINGTON, VA, March 8, 1868.
My Dear Mrs. -: have felt great in
terest in the success of the scheme of the Hol-
lywood Memorial Association of Richmond for
the removal of the Confederate dead at Gettys-
burg, since learning of the neglect OF their re-
mains on the battlefield. hope that sufficient
funds may be collected by the association to
accomplish this pious work. 1 feel assured
that it will receive the grateful thanks OF the
humane and benevolent. May request you to
apply the enclosed amount to this object
With great respect and esteem, l am your
most obedient servant,
"To Mrs. -, Richmond, Va"
The above letter was received in Richmond
by one of the directors of the Hollywood Me
mortal Association, enclosing very handsome
contribution from General Lee to aid IN the re-
moval of the Confederate dead from Gettys-
burg. AS it was private letter, it was not
published until permission was granted by
General Lee. In subsequent letter, dated
i
was written for your own eye, and am always
reluctant to be unnecessarily brought before the
public. Still, if you think that the publication
will be of any aid to the cause which the Hol-
lywood Memorial Association has so kindly un-
dertaken. cannot refuse the slight assistance
within my power" -, =,
We are informed by the President OF the Ma
tiona1 Cemetery at Gettysburg Willis,
Esq.-that the charter incorporating the asso-
citation in charge of that national cemetery
provides only for the "interment of the remains
of those who fell in defence of the Union" 1t
is estimated that 1000 Confederate dead were
hastily inferred at Gettysburg, 600 alone hav-
ing their graves marked. The marks on these
600 graves MIR. Willis informs us, are fast be-
coming obliterated. The remains of the 1000
of our kindred who there offered so willingly
their lives for us and ours are constantly, we
are told, being thrown out from their shallow
sepulchres, Gas the farmers cultivate their
fields"
An appeal has been already made to the
Southern people by the Hollywood Association
to aid in the removal of what we once esteemed
"our beloved and honored dead" from Gettys-
burg. a work which General Lee terms ga pious
work." and of which he, in his letter above
copied, says "I feel assured that it will receive
the grateful thanks of the humane and benevo-
lent.a This appeal went forth more than
wear ago, and about one thousand dollars have
been received by the association from The fol-
lowing, sources: *. - ~.
From Norfolk Va. about ..5s4o0
From Richmond, Va, about. ut.............."..".294
From Gen. Lee and his family, about........125
From lady.in Louisiana ..20
From the State of Alabama.
From the State of Georgia
These figures require little commentary. We
would simply ask: Are they true Indication
of our estimate of what we fought, bled and
died for, during these memorable years between
April, 1861, and April, 1865? Is life SO cheap
in. this our land of chivalry, or is a name and
nation but an empty sound The Legislature
of Louisiana has recently-nobly, We would say
authorized $1,000 to be paid from her public
treasury for the protection OF her dead at Fred
ericksburg 1t was a-righteous act on her part,
for it is her solemn duty to guard the graves OF
her children wherever found They rest, how
ever. in Virginia, where the grave of the South
ern soldier who fell under Lee and Jackson
will ever be hallowed spot. But our dead at
Gettysburg find no resting g-place. Their bones
lie scattered on that terrible field exposed to
everv insult, polluted and cast out by North
and South, by friend and foe. The Soldiers
National Cemetery has no place for them, as it
is only for 'tthe remains of those who fell in
defence of the Union" and they are thrown
out of the shallow sepulchres in which, In our
haste on the field of battle, we inferred them,
exposed to every insult, cas- the farmers culti-
vate their fields"
If there is indeed any one thing that makes
us tremble most of all for the future OF our
country, it is the quick oblivion that covers the
past. The nation that never remembers the
past, will never be mindful of the future. The
present alone will be its God.
We ask, shall this be so in the South Shall
the North provide for its dead, and have we no
thought for ours? Where is our boasted PRIDE
and chivalry? Eighty-fve dollars from Ala
bama and forty-six dollars from Georgia !!
Nothing from South Carolina Nothing from
Tennesseel Nothing from Mississippi Moth
ing from Texas! Nothing from Arkansas !!
Nothing from Florida! If this had been told
in their lives to the seven thousand men whose
bones now lie on the field of Gettysburg-the
'seven thousand who have not bowed the knee
to Baal"-do YOU think they would have so
willingly offered up their lives for us and ours,
to make us q nation to give us liberty, If they
had been told that we would let their bones be
thus thrown out of their graves "as the farm
ers cultivate their felds?" In the name OF our
country in the name of our kindred, in the
name of honor, and in the name of humanity,
we ask the Southern States and Southern peo-
pie, one and all, to come forward and rescue
our name and the cause for which so many
died, from this infamous reproach, that, unless
Immediately removed, will be lasting reproach
to the latest day to us and our children forever,
individually and nationally.
VIRGINIA.
Communications and remittances may be
sent to Mrs. George W. Randolph, Richmond,
Virginia:
Southern papers are respectfully requested to
COPY this appeal at once, and bring it to the
notice of the Southern people.
"A correspondent in Mississippi asks: els
it true, as some of the Northern papers continue
to assert, that the negro Revels occupies MIR.