Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-22


villes or wherever the diminishing
army left Its dead. All have been
gathered In. The cemetery contains
thirty acres of land, and is now sur
rounded by high, well-built board
fence, painted white. It 10 laid out
in semicircle. Fronting the en-
trance is mound forty or fifty feet
In diameter, raised some eight feet,
and well sodded, which supports
high flag staff, from which the
American Stars and Stripes float to
the breeze through all the days in
the year. The graves are SO arrsng-
ed, radiating from this mound. that
could the sleepers below open their
eyes the flag under which they
fought, and for which they died,
would be the first sight to greet
them. Surrounding this mound, ct
distance which allows carriage
drive around it, are placed four sew
enty-lb. cannons in vertical position,
and near them small pyramids Of
cannon balls, four in number. In
front Of the flag staff on the mound
and in full view of every one that
enters the gate is shield bearing
this inscription:
"On fane's eternal camping grounds
Their silent tents are spread,
And glory guards in solemn rounds
TIE biyOuacs of the dead.V
At the base Of each upright can
non, east and west, is cut star OF
forty feet from point to point, and
richly bordered with small Towering
plants, while the center Is filled with
Japonica shrubs. The north and
south cannons are surrounded with
choicest monthly roses. Beds Of
flowers fill in the spaces among the
cannon balls and around the mound.
The avenues that radiate from the
mound are wide enough for carriage
drives, and every one is bordered by
trees which willin few years make
an almost impervious shade over
these weIl-keptstrcets in the city of
our dead. One can hardly believe
that these trees have nearly all been
placed here within four years. The
avenues will bear the names OF the
trees that border them. Live Oak,
Maple, Magnolia, Cedar, Pine, Will
low, Carolina Peach Ia beautiful
tree, Oleander, Elm, Orange, and a
great variety of Southern trees, all
growing thriftily; and they are al
ready very beautiful. Small, white
wooden head boards, lettered with
black, mark the heads of the graves.
White marble headstones are con-
tracted for, and will probably be put
up this season. There are in this
cemetery, Glass No. A, four thousand
seven hundred and thirty-seven
graves whose occupants are known,
and whose names, companies and
regiments are marked on the head
boards and registered in the govern
ment books, and four thousand four
hundred aud eighty-nlne whose
names are unknown and whose
graves are so marked. But company
and regiment are marked in the
Record. These are all grouped to-
gether In the southwest portion of
the grounds, and gray granite
monument is raised in the centre,
thus inscribed; Immortality to
the memory Of the hundreds OF
brave defenders of American Iiber-
ty against the Great Rebellion"
In another part OF the cemetery is
marble slab laid upon a solid wall
Of South Carolina brick (which
seems as durable as stope), upon
which these words are chiseled:
Sacred to the memory of many
who died in prison at Charleston, s.
c." Around this tablet waves the
weeping willow, our Northern en-
blen Of mourning, while at every
point are scattered the most beautiful
and rare flowers Of the North aud
South, making perpetual Decora-
ton Day for our honored dead.
Oh! We nine thousand two hun
dred and twenty-six mothers, who
gave their precious souls to your
country, be comforted; and while
you may not find the exact spot
where the ashes Of your beloved are
laid, you will know that whichever
OF these holy graves 1t may be, ma
ton watches over 1t with grateful
care, and nations people individu-
ally and collectively pay tribute ev-
cry year to deck with flowers aud
beauty these resting places of her
immortal dead.