The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-14

I~IMCE or NnNtFmenNo Oh HHe EtemnhnS
ms Early as 1SI9-withOut Avail.
Until 1901, when the Remains
Were Discovered by "A Committee,
of which Col. Asa Bird Gardiner
Was the Chairman, There Was.
Much Discussion AS TO the LOca-
tfon of the ReIicr-Many Theories
Were AdVanced-Their Final Dis
cOverY showed They Had Never
Been Disturbed,
AS early as the year 1919 efforts were
made to discover the resting place of
Gen. Nathaniel Greene. On July 2s,
1919 the City Council adopted the fol-
lowing:
The frequent inquiries made by cit
liens and strangers Where lie the re-
mains of the gallant General Greene,
who died and was buried in your city,
and the acknowledged want of infor-
nation on the subject imply a neglect
highly reproachful to the known patri-
otism and feelings of the inhabitants,
and whereas, 1t would be desirable, and
In fact. almost our duty to satisfy
public curiosity in this instance and
thereby give an opportunity to the peo-
pie of this state. among whom the
General lived and died, to testify a
share of their gratitude for the noble
and important services rendered in the
Revolution by this great and eminent
soldier and patriot. and tho this be
done late It Is yet but a common re-
spect to his memory for this body to
claim his precious remains and remove
them from the vault where they are
now supposed to be deposited and
nlingling with those in no wise akin TO
him, and have them Inferred under the
order. sanction and special protection
OF this board so as to enable the Legts-
lature or the public hereafter to erect
some monument worthy the memory
of this great and good man
on motion or Alderman Harris II
was unanimously resolved. THAT the
Mayor and Aldermen Harris and Ash
be committee to ascertain by all
means in their power, the vault where
the remains OF General Greene have
been deposited and on Identifying the
same to have such remains placed in
a neat mahogany coffin and thereupon
report TO Council for their further pro-
ceedings on this interesting subject"
1t was resolved further that this de-
cision Of Council should be "communi-
Gated TO the representatives of the de-
ceased who may now be in the state,
and also to the proprietors Of the vault
to be opened, to obtain leave for the
committee to carry this resolution into
effect" The committee was author
ized to draw on the treasury for any
expense incurred for this object and
that the treasurer pay the same. The
committee failed to ascertain where
the body Of the General lay. and on
November 20, 1919. when another adj
ministratiou had assumed charge Of
city affairs, the hoard, on motion, re-
viyed the committee for this purpose.
with. Alderman Ash still member Of
1t. AS far as the minutes of Council
show, the committee never reported
and Ii 10 presumed failed to secure the
Information sought.
Several other futile efforts were
made to discover his resting place.
Different theories had been advanced,
the most popular one being that the
Graham family. whose property (Mul-
berry Grove) had been confscated and
bestowed upon Cen. Greene, when the
vault was returned to them In revenge
removed the. body Of the General.
Lately the Rhode Island State Society
of the Cincinnati took up the matter
and instituted another search, as pro-
Vided In the following resolution
adopted by the society
Whereas, after diligent inquiry, ~
is believed that full investiga ton has
never yet been made to ascertain def
nitely where the remains OF Maj, Gen.
Nathaniel Greene, President Of the
Rhode Island State Society of Cincin-
natl. were finally deposited after his
deeease at Mulberry Grove, near Sa-
vannah, Ga, in 1856, ana
whereas, II Is believed that a.
thorough search Of the four old burial
vaults in the old cemetery now form
ing part of Colonial Park in Sayan-
nah, Ga, will determine whether the
remains are deposited In one of the
said vaults. as believed by persons well
Informed In matters of local history
or at a certain place in the said old
graveyard, as insisted by a venerable
citizen of the state Of Georgia. who has
for seventy years been q member OF.
the Chatham Artillery Company.
which acted as escort at MAJ. Gen.
Greene's funeral, such insistence ba~ed
on statements made to him by former
members of said artillery organization
who had assisted at said funeral, and,
Whereas, 1t is particularly appro-
pirate that the Society Of Cincinnati
in the state Of Rhode Island and Prov
idence Plantations should do whatever
may be necessary towards ascertaining
the burial place OF its first president,
the great patriot and soldier, who,
next to Washington, aided so poten-
TALLY in securing the independence of.
the United States;
Resolved, by the said society that
500 are hereby appropriated for the.
purpose of making the proposed In
qury."
The resolution also provided a com.
mittee to carry on the search, the city
of Savannah to be represented by Mr.
p. D. Daffin, Chairman of the Park
and Tree Commission, the other menu
bers being Hon. Asa Bird Gardiner.
president of the Rhode Island Cincin-
natl; Hon. Walter G.. Charlton, presi-
dent of the Society of Sons of the Rev
oiution In the state Of Georgia; Hon.
George A, Mercer, president of the
Geor~ia Historical Society: Alfred
bearing Harden, Esq, member of the
South Carolina Society of the Cincin-
natl. and William Harden. Esq, secre-
.tary OF the Society Of Sons of the Rev
loiutien in the state of Georgia and IL
kbrartan of the Georgia Historical So
lciety.
In Johnson's Life Of Nathaniel
Greene" published at Charleston, In
1920 it is stated that 'the funeral
ceremony of the Church of England
was read over the corpse by the Hon.
orahle William Stevens. as there was
not, at that time, minister of the
Gospel in the city. The body was then
deposited in a vault. but the Identical
.kE