Omaha daily bee., 1889-09-23
Of the fact that one Of tho nSrce.t ba,tls. o

of the fact that one Of tho f6rcest battles o
tho war ragged here In September, 1868
About q quarter Of mile TO the right Of
tho electric road is the gateway that loads TO
tue National cemetery. Under au arch
nearly forty feet in height, within which
swings q massive iron gate, / entered the
grounds cousecrated forever as the last rest
ing place to the heroes who died for the
union Over the entrance read the follow.
ing inscription: Here rest in peace l2,056
citizens who died for their country In the
years lSil-ls65" The keeper informs me-
that there are now 1907 soldiers buried
here. The cemetery Is really beautiful
natural PARK. II is nearly circular in snaps,
about one mile in circumference and covers
tract OF seventy-flve acres. IL Is SUR
rounded bv well coped wall,
which is almost hidden by ciosly
clipped Usage hedge. In the center
knoll nearly 100 feet high rises above tho
gravel driveway, on the well.kopt blue
grass sides of which are nineteen SPECIAL iu-
termcnt sections, each one designated by q
small granite obelsk. Surrounding these
are hundreds of small, white marble head
stones To the right from the gateway in
semicircle lie the remains of Samuel Slavins,
S. Robinson, G.. ID. Wilson, Marion Ross,
William Campbell, p. G. Shadrach and John
Scott, all OHIO soldiers whose daring cap.
ture Of n locomotive on the Western & At
lantic railroad in 1862 caused them to ba
hanged in Atlanta. Near the summit Of the
cemetery is the large brick rostrum finished
with beautiful cut stone coping. It's carpet
is of natures green, most beautifully kept.
The climbing vines are covering the twelve
brick pillars that support the open roof.
ho la- l.. a
by four large cannon standing on end
should call them 10 inch columbeads. On
one Of these on the regulation shield In
bronzs are the raised letters, "United States
national military cemetery, Chattanooga.
Established in 1863 1nterments 12,S76.
Known, ,7,047. Unknown 1929" About
one hundred yards below the ros-
trum stands handsome obelisk dedi-
Gated to the Fourth Army corps
with the simple inscription "In memory of
our fallen comrades"
What sad memories this beautiful spot
recalls Just think of il, more than thirteen
thousand men are sleeping the last sleep un-
der the sod within space of 500 yards
square. Most OF them were young men and
all in their prime. Over four thousand Of
them nave not even been identified All we
know them by is the number carved on top
of the square white headstones. Others were
only partially identified by initial letters on
their clothing, and these initials on the head
stone with the state whence they hailed
leaves their identity still an eternal mystery.
As walk along the gravel path, shaded by
weeping willows, live oak, cypress and ever
green cedars, | take a random inventory of u
row OF headstones planted over the trenches,
in place of the shingles, that bore inscrip-
tions of the union dead: No. S,29l, Elias
Humphreys Iowa; S,293, B. A. Gould, Iowa;
1855 b. Cohu, Indiana; 96S7 and 96SS, two
square BLOCKS ''Unknown;" 9,695, II. A.
George, no state; 1868, Charles Roam, no state;
Then larger sandstone tablet Inscribed:
SIN Memory of Sergeant Joseph w. Wllkin-
son, Co. X, lst Mich. Engineers; died May,
1854 aged % years." another headstone upon
which union flag was carved bore the name
of David A Gray, Co. II, l1Jh Indiana.'
Three or four rows further back stands a
headstone with master maSon's emblem
carved over the following inscription:
Corporal Andrew d. COBB, Co. d, 33d Reg.
Mass Vols; Killed in Battle of Resaca, May
1st, 1864. In last letter home, he wrote
If fall die for libsrty.'" These special
inscriptions are, however. very few
and far between Most of the head
stones over the remains of known soldiers
simply give the name, company and regi-
ment and state.
Sadly and almost overpowered by the
emotions evoked by my surroundings, I
wended my way back, aud as l turned the
angle toward the gate | read upon an iron
tablet with raised letters:
The neighing troop, the flashing blade,
The buRles STIRRING blast;'
The charge, the dreadful cannonade,
The din and shout are past.
e. RosEwATER.