The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-07-05

columns Of his bright little paper are always
open to those who wish TO make special inquiry,
aud the Star circulates largely among the old
residenters who were here during the war. A
great deal of interesting war history has already
been resurrected through its influence.
The Memorial Day services here, of which
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE has given the
astounding facts and figures that there are
12.S07 unknown dead buried on Marye's
Nights has stirred up the old boys and the
country generally to a realization of the sad
fact that this army of the unknown have been
for years sleeping their last long sleep almost
forgotten, close to the Capital of the Nation
they died to save.
The figures I have given are taken from the
register of Maj Birdsell, the Superintendent
of the Cemetery, and are correct, as follows
Known, 2,476; unknown, 12,S07; total inter-
ments, 1928.
1t is safe to say that all of these died at the
front majority of whom were killed in the
battles around here.
OF the 2, 476 known 700 are from Penusyl-
vana and over 500 from New York which
States have also their proportion among the
unknown. Perhaps every State in the Union
has it's quota of unknown in this biyouac of
the dead
! Many thousands of families who have no
record of their missing friends, will be sur
| prised to hear that no monuments have been
| erected here to the unknown, and but for the
| few ex-Confederates of NJ. F. Maury Camp, the
| graves would not all have been decorated.
This correspondence from the Boy Spy y
| has served one good purpose if no other: at
| tention has been called to this neglect
Suggestions looking toward the building of a
monument on Marye's flights TO the memory of
this army of unknown have eliminated in the
! organization of an association for this purpose.
! An informal meeting Of the few visiting GA. r.
comrades was held at the Exchange Hotel on
Memorial Day, May 30. Judge Henry A.
! Souther, formerly of Erie, Pa, and for many
years prominent figure in Pennsylvania his
| tory, was made President. Other officers were
selected and plans of organization are being
| formulated. 1t is proposed TO incorporate the
| society and to place its management and con
| troll in the hands of the GAR. Appeals will
be made to the different States for apprOpria-
tiOns to this " Unknown" monument. The Gov
! ernmcnt will be solicited to do as much for the
| 12,807 unknown who sleep on the field of bat
! tie here as it has so generously provided in the
beautiful monument at Arlington for the com
| paratively few in number who lie in that one
grave.
To the credit for this movement The Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE through it's war CORE
| spondent," is entitled for whatever may mate
rialize in the future in the way of monument
on the historic fields of Fredericksburg. Ii il
further suggested that a stone be placed Il
mark that most heroic volunteer crossing or
the pontoons, as also the fsrthest advance o.
the Union lines on Marye's HI ghts.
There are over 1000 unknown Confederate
dead in this cemetery. a monument has beer
erected over these comparatively few Confeder
ates who sleep on this plain over which Sedge
wick charged. 1t is a singular fact that il
death the positions are reversed, the Federal
resting on the ground occupied as Lees head
quarters.
The recent dedication of beautiful monu
ment to mark the place where Gen Stonewal
jackson received his mortal wound, near Chan
celloTsvile, May 2 1868, has added to the
awakened interest in Fredericksburg as
monumental city in Virginia similar to that a
Gettysburg in Pennsylvania OK.