Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-27

of the desired information the work was begun
vigorously and carried forward without delav
under direction of Gen. Montgomery C. Meigs,
assisted by Col NJ. G.. Ludngton.
Many thousands Of bodies were removed from
the places Of their original interment and
brought together in the new cemeteries. In
most cases some part Of battlefield was chosen
as the cemetery site. Such bodies as had been
buried In the near vicinity were inferred there
hrst, and then those collected from the neigh
boring territory within a radius Of from twenty
TO forty miles. Removals were also made in
great numbers from the hospital burying
grounds In nearby cities and towns, so that the
trally established points. Owing to the vast
area over which the operations OF the Union
armies had spread the collection and removal
Of bodies were found to be exceedingly labo-
rious. Frequently bodies were carried many
miles in wagons over rough country roads, and
the search for lost remains in tangled swamps
and obscure mountain passes was attended with
much difficulty. In the progress OF the work
were found many a deep ravine and valley full
of dry boues-very many that were very dry,
and again very many that were not dry. But
the faithful men to whom the work was in
trusted did not finch from their CHASTITY and
gruesome task. Pains were taken to preserve
all the memorials of identity found on the re-
mains. from the scrap of letter hastily pinned
on the breast or buried in can or bottle be-
side the remains to the rudely inscribed
head board set by the wayside. But in
Thousands Of cases there was not a vesrige or
mark or anything by which Identification could
be effected. This was particularly true of re-
mains found on the battlefields that were most
disastrous to the north, and notably so in the
prison pen at Salisbury. n. c.. where all records
Of the Interments, if any existed, had been de-
stroyed.
SEVENTEEN IN VIRGINIA.
Throughout the state of Virginia, which had
been the great theater of the war in the east,
it was found necessary to lay out no less than
seventeen different national cemeteries at the
most convenient points. In Tennessee and
Kentucky, the chief battle grounds Of the war
in the west. thirteen more were established
seven in Tennessee and six in Kentucky. Four
more were planted in North Carolina, four in
Louisiana, three in Mississippi. three in Mary
land. two in South Carolina, two in Georgia
and two in the District Of Columbia-the Sol
diers' Home and the Battle" cemetery In
the north and west four were established in
Illinois, three in Missouri, two in Indiana,
ono in Iowa, two in Pennsylvania. two in
New York and two in New Jersey.
These latter. except those in Missouri
and that at Gettysburg. far removed as they are
from the scenes of battle, were established
mainly for the reception Of the remains Of an
fortunates who had died in the federal hos
pitfalls, and, in some instances. Of confederate
prisoners of war who had succumbed to wounds
and disease. In many places elsewhere through
out the country. especially in New England
and in the state of Illinois, the government
purchased burial plats of limited ex-
tent, where both Union and confederate
dead were inferred For instance, in the
cemetery near Alton. ILL.,, there is govern
ment lot in which are buried 163 white Union
soldiers and near by are buried 1904 confed-
crate prisoners. In lakewood cemetery. Chi
cago. the government also owns lots in which
are graves of twelve Union soldiers and 4,099
confederate prisoners who died in confinement
AZ Camp Douglass. Likewise in Rock Island
there is a 10: of three acres in which ,92S dead
confederate prisoners repose.
THE KNOWN AND THE UNKNOWN.
By tie end of the yea- 1868 seventy-two Of
these national cemeteries had been founded at
great expense. and in them in connection with
eminent assumed charge of SIS. 233 graves. or
these the names of l75.164 had been preserved
and were indicated on the headsrcnes Con.
corning the remaining lao. 469 it is alone certain
that they died fighting in the Union armies,
and the only inscription that could be placed
over them was, Unknown United States Sol
ders." or the whole number then gathered
into these cemeteries less than one-ffth re-
posed in their original graves, and these lay on
battlefelds where Union victory insured their
careful interment and which afterward hap
pened to become the sites of the cemeteries
More than four-ffths were removed from the
rude trenches Of the battlefields at some dis