Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-31
ALL NATURE SEEMS SOMBER
Dark Clouds Form Canopy Over Veterans
Mourning for Their Dead.
soLDERs GRAVES sTREwN WITH FLowERs
Comrades of Crook Post Find Resting
Places of Fallen Heroes in
Prospect Hin Cemetery
for Ftrst Time.

All nature was IN sympathy with the day
which has been set aside out Of the year
to laurel the graves OF the nations dead.
The heavens appeared in their Somber liv-
cry. the air was cool and pure and the sun
was tvelled behind a pail Of low-hanglng
clouds, drenched with moisture, to typify
tear-dimmed eyes. Flags we're at half-mast
to honor the memories Of those who gave
up their lives in the hour OF their country's
peril. At the various cemeteries loving
hands strewed blossoms where the heroes
OF bloody fields keep their eternal bivouac;
there the mounds we're bright with the ten
der tributes Of comrades left behind. and
last night they slept beneath a wilderness
OF flowers.
From early morning old soldiers with
but q short Il ne to wait before they are
mustered in by the Great Commander
toiled to the graveyards, there to
search out the modest heads.ones which
mark the vetersns' last resting places.
In many cases the quest was in vain, as
even in Omaha unknown soldiers occupy
unmarked graves. Mt Prospect Hill a de-
preston in the earth, which had on6 been
a mound, bore the remnants Of a tattered
flag, survivor Of some previous Memorial
day. 1t was known that here lay the
bones OF an old soldier, but the grave was
nameiess and the cemetery records con-
tanned no entry Of the burial. Several
wearers OF the modest bronze button bent
over II and dropped flowers upon 1t. II
was only a nameless grave, but he whose
ashes lay there may have been the bravest
of the brave; Il may be that at Donelson
he reached the inner trench. that at Shiloh
he led the broker line, at Chattanooga
climbed the fa~me-swept hill or stormed
the clouds on Lookout's heights. He was
an unknown hero, but on Memorial day
differences of rank are forgotten; all are
members OF the Grand Army triumphant,
and the sunken grave was honored with the
rest,
At Prospect Hill Cemetery.
BY 9 O'Clock in the morning Prospect
Hill cemetery was teeming with life.
George Crook post and corps we're first
upon the scene and were followed very
soon by civilians in carriages and on foot.
Wagons laden with flowers from the vari-
Gus green houses we're everywhere in evil
dence. Twenty soldiers from Company L.
First Nebraska, went out to decorate tho
graves Of their dead comrades, Captain Lee
Forby, Corporal Francis Hansen and Pri-
Yates Maynard sayles, Ralph Kells and c.
r, Crosby, the latter a member Of the
Thirteenth Minnesota volunteers.
% 8. B. Watt, commander of Crook post.
assisted by Comrades A. X. Rhoades and
Thomas L. Hull and several members OF
the Relief corps, put in the greater part Of
the forenoon searching for unmarked
graves Of soldiers. The graves of Veterans
Jacob Gish and Reuben Miller we're found
and decorated for the first time. The
graves OF many other soldiers are known
TO be there. but have never been located.
Among these is the grave Of Malochi Frank
lin, who was mustered into the First Ne
braska in February, 1854, and who died the
same year, before he could, be assigned to
DUTY aIoris F. odell was mustered into
the same regiment June IS, 1851, and was
killed In judy 1851. His grave has never
been found. The resting place OF Willard s.
Smith, who died In 1864, is also unknown.
and there are many others. Charles
Thomas, secretary Of the burial corps Of
Custer post, has been making a systematic
effort during the past year to ind these
and other graves. as the government has
promised to furnish free headstone for them,
and has met with some success. Whereas
In 1883 only 100 graves Of dead soldiers
were marked in Prospect Hill, nifty eight Of
them regular army soldiers, III are now
known.
At other Cemeteries.
Woman's Relief corps No. IS and Crook
post sent a committee to Mount Hope ceme-
terry, where tiny flag STATS were entwined
with the g~arlands OF green that have come
to be accepted as the most appropriate
and most beautiful OF tributes to the mem
DRY Of those whose deeds are to remain
fresh In the nations mind forever.
Both Grant and Custer posts contributed
TO the large committee that had in charge
the decorating Of Forest Lawn. where SO
many to the soldier dead lie. Here, as
elsewhere. the green's and the blossoms
brought by the committee had to be SO
arranged as to leave space for other greens
and other blossoms already placed on the
graves by the hands Of those to whom the
sleeping heroes were nearest and dearest.