The age-herald., 1900-07-30
ALABAMA DEAD
 IN WISCONSIN Many Confederate Soldiers Are Buried At Madison. SOME FROM OTHER STATES The Noble Sentiment and Devotion of Miss Alice Waterman of Louis
 jana in Caring for Graves
 of the Braves
SOME FROM OTHER STATES
Mexia, Texas, July 27, 1900.

Mexia, Texas, July 27 1900 Editor Age-Herald:
 I herewith through the hands of my brother, D. B. Hickman of your city give you list of 139 names of Alabama dead who sleep in Forest Hill Cemetery, near Madison, Wis. Most of them, as you will see, are from the First Alabama Regi- ment.
 It may be of much interest to many a dear old father, mother. brother, sister, wife or other relation to know the last resting place of their loved ones. Will you kindly publish this list of names in your valuable paper, and request the state pa pers to also publish them, that the an nouncement may gladden. some hearts made so sad through all these years by not knowing where their loved ones were laid to rest.
 This list of names of dead Confederates was sent my old friend w. H. Herring, an ex-Alabamian now of Texas, from Madison Wis, by Mir. Davis, a Federal soldier. He had the letter of explanation accompanying and list of names read be- fore our company reunion which has just closed (and by the way one of the biggest and best organized in the South.) A num- Der of our camps found relatives amongst this list of names, having never heard from them since they were captured at Island No 10 just below Columbus, Ky, in the Mississippi river during the early part of 1862, and carried to Wisconsin, where they were imprisoned and where they died. They are buried in lot or cemetery ad- oining a Federal lot or cemetery. A speak, CTS stand is erected between the two, and a Federal camp hold their annual memor- ial services there each year. The Confed- crate graves as well as the Federal graves yearly are covered with beautiful flowers.
 The Confederate graves remained un- cared for for several years, when the work of improving and beautifying the grounds was taken up by the late Miss Alice W. Waterman. Miss Waterman was a South ern lady, born at Baton Rouge, La, Octo- Der 1S 1920. She spent a good portion of her life in the North, but had always great affection for her dear Southland Coming to make her home in Madison she discovered this neglected spot where lay buried these Confederate dead She at once began the work of improving the ground, and with her own hands and means worked untiringly all these years until overtaken by illness four years ago.
 She succeeded so we'll in getting the lot in good condition that for the present 1t does not need much care. She had placed about the lot substantial stone caping but had not the means to carry out her desire to place at the head of each grave a head stone of marble. However, the graves have been nicely marked with white painted boards, bearing the names company and regiment of each soldier These boards have been renewed three times at her expense.
 When Miss Waterman took up this labor of love she had quite an income but owing to unfortunate investments she lost her property. She died four years ago. and was laid to rest with her boys, as she so fondly called the dead heroes.
 / A few friends of Miss Waterman col lected about $75 for the purpose of erecting a substantial marble monument to these Confederate dead and to Miss Waterman. (Our camp at Mexia made a small dona- ton for this purpose)
 You can tell your comrades and friends that the Confederate dead are remember ed on our decoration day just the same as our boys-not one forgotten-for we honor them as Americans and brave soldiers and true men. As the years go by we can look back over the four years of battle and strife and suffering and agony, and thank God its all over and past, and we have come out of the struggle better men and better citizens, and loyal Americans.
 l am sorry l cant meet with you on your annual reunion and scenes of my youth When eyer l meet any of the old boys the blue or the gray, l am pleased, for no doubt l might meet somebody who faced me during the three years and half I served in Virginia as a Federal soldier
 These fact and sentiments we get from MT. T. J. Davis, an ex-Confederate soldier. at Madison, Wis. Should you publish this and some dear relations find where their boys are buried, they might doubtless get more information by aduresslns MT. Davis at Madison, Wis. l am very truly yours,
 J. P. HICKMAN
 List of Dead
 List of Confederate dead in Forest Hill Cemetery, Madison, Wis, with companv regiment and date of death in 1S52 report ed to the State Historical Society of Wis consin by James R. Stuart, October lS93:
 IL Talks, Company D, First Alabama. May l6; J. w. Gilmore, Company c, First Alabama, May 25; W. M. Ingraham Con- pany C, First Alabama, May l6; Abel Gil- krlss, Company C, Twelfth Louisiana May J; Samuel Coon, Company D. First Ala. pama, May l; John Dutfin, Company D. tlrst Tennessee, June 12; Isham Crew. company D, First Alabama, May 26; J. F. smith, Company K, First Alabama. May l6; T. Dumson, Company l, A. S. M. May g; F. N. Hood, Company l, First Alabama May l; Joseph Eddings, Company K