Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-03-21
Our Washington Letter.
NJ
ARLINGTON CEMETERY

Editor 9th Free Press and Times.
Yesterday afternoon about four O'Clock,
rode over to Arlington Cemetery. Airing
ton was formerly the family estate OF Gen.
r. E. Lee, and after he deserted our army
for that ofrebellion, these lands Of his, with
in our lines. were seized by the government
and eonGscated by act of Congress. The
government is gradually making a beauti-
ful national cemetery Of Arlington. Here
are buried, say from 5000 to 10000 men,
who were killed or died Of wounds received
in the battle-felds near Washington
Above each grave is placed 4 wooden head
board bearing the printed name, age, com
panv and regiment Of the soldier who sleep
beneath. Congress has appropriated money
sufficient to replace these perishable head
boards with stone slabs. The last time
saw Arlington was in September, 1851 then,
A. far as the eye could reach, the hills and
valleys were white with tents, every road
was filed with a erOwding mass Of army
,varops and batteries Of cannon, while long
blue lines Of soldiers, hurTying to JOIN Ne
Clellan. everywhere streamed IN winding
march over the ways increasingly; the air
was full of the noise Of drum and fife, wa,
vocal with the sweet melodies Of home and
the stirring ones Of war, played in turn by
the reqimental bands the cavalry buge-
rong ont sharply in the autumn air, and
The whole scene was one of inspiring inter
est and blood-quickening excitement Il
was one continual roll Of the stirring drum
and the trumpet that rings Of fame,
SIGHT such as Scott loved to describe
ct see the dagger crest OF Mar,
/ see the Moray's silver star
Move Ger the cloud OF saxon wlr
That up the lake comes wind NJ -tr-
And Yesterday as 1 stood at Arlington and
Iooked off on the same face Of country. now
:, calm and still, the Potomac below me
flowing in placid beauty, the splendid dome
of the Capitol looming up in stately grand
eur. / thought with sadness 20 myself that
yoa would never know that " trenfhins
war had so lately channelled tins land until
YOU turned round and saw these significant
hcad-boards. dotting in thick-set rows tle
fair fields of Arlington. As Lowell saws
"And keep thinking of the ieet that il.-
lowed once, but now are quiet iae-e
20 900 were in the brave, young rank that
saw pouring along all these roads in ISL.
Now they lie all ''quiet along the Potomac
tonight" the pickets that are of duty
forever" Just think of IL; these humble
heroes were all young men, full OF the l-11i
and fire and efall Of first manhood, and
counting the bodies in the other government
cemeteries there are $50, 900 who died FIR
me and YOU This does not include tie
thousands buried in trenches, hastily after
battle, who are still - unnamed, unkne-el
uncoffned and unknown, and when these
are added. A. well as the thousands sent
home for burial to their friends, You have
at least a halfa million Of men, fallen m the
flower and flush Of youth. 4 stone mJ1u-
ment, surmOunted by riied cannon, marks
the spot where lie buried , 200 slain az Boil
Run. Among the inscriptions set up i-tlc
well known verse Of Colonel y 'Hara
ION fame's eternal camping ground,
Their lent tents are spread
And glory guards Wftn solemn ln-
The biyouac Of the dead
think it fortunate for the future good s.
the country, that this terrible reminder Of
tneawiul woes Of war l. close enough O. the
Capit0l 10 be seen of the men WIN can give
Us peace OF sword. The money treasure
spent, need not be fretted over, for the war
opened a thousand springs Of national
wealth: ,but We never think OF these J0u.O10
dead bows without sadness. for IN our panied
and -oftened fancy, We think how many
high deeds, how much rc-rc of great pub
lie enterprise, how much capacity o. Do
gallant. benefcent and unse.E-h work .r
their day and generation. was lost O. Us
when the light Of all these glowing nature
went ont in the storm of battle. Really
the war Is 50 long over that did not expect
to be so powerfully impressed. but the rre-
objection Of Washington ia l,6l. was So
wildly in contrast with its present aspect
that the sight Of this HseDleHfo morn of the
war. very naturally moves in the belolier
some thoughts that nothing else wo1.i
easily excite at this late day. when the
generous spirit Of the old war days" has
been succeeded by the gr1ssest materisli-l
in politics, business and religion Long
may Arlington remain 70 tell our children
that there was time when their father
felt some things more deeply than the loss
ola dollar, days when --lite and love and
youth were freely lost in successful defence
of what tuneiul voices, now hushed among
Arlington dead, used To sing Of, as
The flag OF the free.
Emblem cf sweet Lbc-t..