West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1894-05-31

ENTRANCE TO AR1INcroN HEIGHTS cruEr
Terry.
the war. In Septembcr, 1851. the sccratart
OF war issued an order to- the effect that
accurate aud permanent records be kept az
to All deceased Union soldiers. and this or.
der was nt once followed by the issuing Of
blank forms through the quartermastcr's
department TO hospital surgeons ana all
others who could use them. on the battle
fields when the Federal troops were vic;o-
riOus great care was taken 10 bury the dead
I'm such a way chat each grave could be
marked, and headboauls provided by tue
general quartermaster were set up. Only
on fields where the Cuufedelates won were
the dead buried without marking the
graves. Soldiers who survived the south
srn prisons in many instances marked the
graves Of their comrades who died, and
records We're kept everywhere 10 was posi-
bic to do so, so that the murtuory records
OF the great civil contest exceed ANYTHING
else of the came nature in the world.
1t was in the second year OF the war that
congress authorized tho president TO pur-
chase grounds and have them prepared for
soldiers cemeteries. The next year such
graveyaris were dedicated 40 Chattanooga.
Stone River and Gettysburg 1t was no the
dedication OF the last named of these three
that President Lincoln delivered that ad-
dress which, spoken modestly as it was. did
not then attract the attention of its hear
ers as anything greatly out OF the ordinary.
but which, when il was telegraphed over
the land and read In the newspapers, speed
lIy took high rank among notable spoken
passages and has since been accorded n
place among classic orations The national
cemetery at Arlington was land out i'm 1Sjf
that az Autetam in 1863
IN pursuance OF the general plan Of 1855.
u cemeteries were established i'm Nirgini1.
Z in Tennessee, Is in Kentucky In North
Carolina, in Louisiana, 3 in Mississippi. 3
IN Maryland, ? in South Carolina. in
Georgia and . IN the District Of Columbia.
In the north and west were established in
Illinois, 3 I'm Missouri, 2 i'm Indiana. in
iowa. 2 in Pennsylvania, = in New York
and in New Jersey. In many places be-
sides these the government has purchased
small plots of ground where a few soldiers
lie, and several cemeteries contain Govern
mcnt plots wherein tie bodies OF Copfed-
crates who died iu Federal prisons are
buried Less tnUn oue-ilth OF the entire
number whose graves are now marked and
teuderly cared for lie where they were first
Inferred.
Five Of the national cemeteries contain
tie bodies of United States soldiers who
fell IN other wars than the struggle for the
Union. One Of the most notable b. near the
City Of Mexico Another is iu Montana In
the latter lie the bodies OF 9l8 regulars. fn-
Guiding the 500 brave men who were rnaesa-
cred with Custer by the redskins.
IT Is thing shat every American may be
proud Of that I'D these cemefefies are kent
in superb condition. THE cemetery at Az
HnGton heights, near Washington. is the
most beautiful and contains the LARGEST
number Of graves of idut Ied dead. The
total number oi iutgmcuts there lG.585. of
which but $3.50 are Of unidentified so.diers.
Ihe hr-t soldier buried there was Con
federFte cu Hag 81. $685.
ILe grave of suoi7o0 striking fca-
ture of the Arlington cemetery. where have
a'-o been gathered te bodies OF most of
those who ieil at Buil F1n ChauUlly and
other bttlche.ds intHe vIc.ug IS ma. vc
monument of sarcophal- luim. uartirt
Che bodies Of 2.fIl unknown .aiI..,. III
trects much attention. as does also tse T.u.