The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-05-31

THE SPANISH WAR SHAFT.
Philippines, was laid in Arlington not
long ago, and within the recent past
Rear Admiral Sampson has been placed
here beside the bodies of his glorious
predecessor
+ Built by George Washington Parke
Gusts, grandson of Martha Washing
ton, Arlington was for almost CEN
fury the home of one of the first faml-
lies of the south, and it was from the
son-in-law of this Gusts, Robert e.
Lee, commander Of the Confederate ar
mics, that tine federal government took
the estate soon after the outbreak of
the war
During the latter part of the war the
old Lee mansion was used as head
quarters by the Army OF the Potomac,
and the burial of soldiers In the
grounds about 1t began In the time of
this military occupat ton. Curiously the
first to be buried here was a Confed-
crate soldier who died captive in
the former home Of his general. In
1867 the National cemetery was estab-
lished. and on May 80, 1870, 1t was
formally dedicated. Since then no Me
mortal day has failed to leave some
mark of honor here.
The old mansion has been little
changed since Its erection. The classic
simplicity Of its architecture, modelled
after the pantheon at Paestum, Italy,
has not been defiled, and even the hunt.
ing scenes painted on the walls by the
mansions first owner have not been
disturbed. .-.z
The original estate consisted of 1,100
acres, and the greater part of this is
still unused for burial purposes, giving
Arlington as much the appearance of
a park as that of burial ground. The
view from the mansion toward the
capitol is unobstructed, and to one
standing on the portico the city lies
spread out like panorama. On the
terrace In front of the house stands the
monument Of General Philip
H. Sheridan. and near it that of Gen
eral Crook, the conqueror of Geronimo.
Admiral Porter also is buried here, and
Generals Baxter, Berdan, Ricketts,,
Meigs. Burdette. Rousseau, Watkins
and Doubleday, General Gresham, who
died while serving as Cleveland's Sec
rotary of state; General John Gibbon,
who helped turn back Pickett's charge,
and a host of others not less cour-
ageous.
Half mile south of the mansion are
xos sxf the aff;ocsss xx,Isc Fell -,
the war with Spain. Captain Allyn K |
CaLron of the rough riders, General |
Guy v. Henry, first American govern
or of Porto Rico; Admiral Sampson. |
General La yton and many more. Near |
them lie the victims of the Maine ex-
plosion One of the newest If the |
shafts is that in honor |
of the men who fell in the fight to free
The oppressed of Asia and the West In
lies. ...-..
Many and magnificent as are the in |
1ividual and regimentai monuments |
Ind the commemorative shafts, per-
laps the most striking feature of the
cemetery is the vast level plateau given
,ver to private soldiers. Here seem
ngly endless rows of headstones, uni
'orm in size and style, stretch as far
is the eye can see. thousands of sol
liers resting beneath them In battalion
fray awaiting the final bugle call.
Wear the mansion is the famous tomb |
4 the unknown dead, where over 1900
,odies, brought unidentified from the
rrpat haftaofsolds Of fho ~ivsi xuo~ have |
zen buried In wide, deep grave.
It Is not generally known that vet
rams are permitted to choose their
'wn grave sites, but II Is 50, and sew
raj hundred men who are still linger-
ng on the rolls of the Grand Army
laye already picked out the places
vhere they are to go when their lives
re ended SAMUEL HUBBARD.