The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-05-02
CONNECTICUT IS GRATEFUL
IGNORING THE MEMORY OF ITS
 SOLDIER DEAD.

Five Hundred Soldiers Graves in New
 Haven Cemeteries-AboutT Two Hundred
 and Seventy five Graves Win Soon be
 Marked by Monumental Stones Provided
 by the State-Over One Hundred and
 Twenty-Five Stones Already in Place
 List of the Graves Thus Designated.
 In the recognition of the responsibil-
 ity imposed by unrewarded service, the
 state of Connecticut is establishing for
 itself a reputation unequalled by any
 other state in the Union,-a reputation
 that awakens gratitude in the hearts of
 those of her sons who wear the badge of the Grand Army of the Republic.
 True, the recognition comes late and has only a sentimental significance;
 but even in the performance of the
 simple duty of marking appropriately
 the spots where the bodies of her sol diers lie, there is a source of some grat- ! ification for the man who might other wise repose in an unknown sepulchre.
 It is only recently that New Haven be- gan to participate, through the efforts s of John G. Chapman, in even this be- lated generosity. Bordering the paths and avenues of her cemeteries there , were hundreds of grassy mounds mark ed by no other sign than the little iron marker" provided by the G. A. R. Tor the graves of soldiers that are scat teredNall over the cemeteries, and the sight of them was almost enough to make men blush for the neglect of the uvins, who reaped the reward won for them by the dead
 Now a new order of things brought about by MT. Chapman, has come to pass Where before there were only simple mounds of earth and G. A. R. markers" to tell where soldiers lay there have in many instances been placed marble headstones upon which the name of the soldier, the letter of his company and number of his regiment and date of his death are carved. The change is an agreeable one. The men over whose graves these stones may some time be placed know only too well how dearly they have established a right to them.
 So much has been accomplished through the efforts of John G. Chap man of this city. It was while attend ing to the business of securing pensions for the soldiers, widows and children that he found there were hundreds of unmarked soldiers graves in New Ha- ven cemeteries. His efforts were at first directed simply toward the loca- tion of the unmarked graves of the members of the Twenty-seven regi- ment, Connecticut Volunteers, Of which he is member. He found many of them, but more of other regiments. The result was that he began sys- tematic and thorough investigation of all the cemeteries, which caused him to determine to secure stone for every unmarked grave of a veteran soldier in H the New Haven cemeteries. Then, by thorough investigation, he, with con- \ siderable work found out the company and regiment of which the dead sol- dier had been member and then made formal request for a stone in accord ance with the provisions of the follow ing act of the Connecticut legislature 'sUpon proof furnished the quarter master general by said selectmen that the grave of any honorably discharged E soldier, sailor, or marine, who served in the late civil war, and who has been buried in any town in this state, is un- ' marked by a suitable headstone, the uuartermaster general shall cause to be erected at such grave a headstone Of material and design approved by the governor, marked with the name of the deceased. the date of, death and the or ganization to which he belonged. But this provision shall apply only to those soldiers, sailors, and marines who, at the time of decease, were legal resi- dents, or whose service during the war was credited to this state. The expense of such headstone shall not exceed if teen dollars, and shall be paid by the comptroller"
 The headstones are of the best Ver- mont gray white marble five feet six inches long, sixteen inches wide and four inches thick, standing two feet six inches above ground when set. They cost the state of Connecticut $15 each and are given free of cost to the rela- lives of the deceased soldiers. The United States government furnishes a stone free also, but it is greatly inferior to that furnished by the state of Con- necticut in size The government stone is three feet in length, ten inches wide | and two inches thick, and when set is twenty inches above ground. It is white marble, with the name of the sol dier. his company and regiment on the stone by the process called the sand blast. The government stones are de- livered free at our depot, and the rela- lives pay the expense of setting, which is at a cost of S2. The expense to the government in furnishing these stones are s1.85 apiece, and the government has just made contract with the | Massachusetts firm for 10000 at S1.85 Tine relative dimensions of the two stones are: Connecticut stone, A inch wide, inches thick and feet 6 inches long; the government stone, inches thick 10 inches wide, and 3 feet long.
 When Mir Chapman began the inves- tigation of this subject he reported tc the quartermaster's department al Hartford that about 200 headstones would, he thought, be needed. The de- partment was pleased and said they were glad that someone had taken hold of the matter and that it would be done thoroughly, and advised him to se- cure a stone for every unmarked sol dieSs grave In Mir. Chapman's further search he again reported to the quar- termaster's department that at least 40( stones would be needed. When about 200 stones had been ordered the quar-