The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-09-15

bidder.
The Lee family has always claimed
that this was virtual if not technical
confscation. Until 1864 the bodies
of those dying in the military hos
pital in and around the city were
taken to the Soldiers Home Gene
terry, about three miles north of the
present city limits, for burial, but in
that year, on May 24th, a Confederate
officer, dying from wounds, and eight
Union soldiers from nearby hospitals
were buried at Arlington. In 1865
it was decided to establish National
Cemetery, and the grounds surround
ing the mansion were assigned to that
purpose, and since that time most of
those from the army hospitals have
been uttered here. After the war
some thousands of dead from the
neighboring battlefelds of Virginia
were removed to that place, and from
an abandoned cemetery in George
town about eleven bodies of Revolu-
tionary officers were taken to Airing
ton; the old fiat stones show dates of
deaths to have been from 1900 to
1890. In 1877 the son of General
Lee, who had inherited the estate at
the death of his mother and had en-
tered suit to establish his title and
have the tax sale set aside, accepted
from the Government $50, 900 for
his claim, as he did not desire the
place in the condition in which it
then was. Originally but small
portion was set aside for burial pur-
poses, but it has been increased from
time to time as necessity required,
until cow 4o8 acres are enclosed by
stone wall, and on July Ist last, 2o,-
100 interments had been made. The
older part, near the mansion, is roll
ing and lends itself to terracing, and
this is the most beautiful and pictur-
esque, as it is the largest OF the
eighty-three cemeteries maintained
by the government. Forest trees,
cedars and oaks abound, and colonies
of native birds and squirrels are in
possession, safe from molestation.
Great beds of Howers appear in differ
ent places the graves are carefully
tended, the grass kept mown, and
falling leaves and branches removed.
Not far from the house marble monu-
ments mark the graves of Mr.. and
Mrs. Custis, the parents of Mrs. Lee.
The soldiers graves are in long even
lines, those below the rank of officer
of uniform size and appearance bear
ing the name, regiment and State of
the dead soldier. A section is de-
voted to the colored troops, another
to army nurses, and the men of the
later wars have a portion allotted
them. From Cuba, China and the
Philippines they have been brought
to rest at home. Here III long line
are the sailors of the ill-fated "Maine"
whose bodies were recovered. A Apor-
ton is set apart for Confederates who
died in prison or hospital, and about
400 rest near the men they opposed
in life.
| "Under the sod and the dew
Waiting the judgment day,
| Under the one the blue,
| Under the other the gray"
And these graves receive as much
care as the others.
The tomb of the unknown, the men
who perished alone in the woods or
by the wayside. or whose graves were
unmarked, is near the mansion, and
bears this inscription, which tells its
own story:
Beneath this stone repose the bones of 2,1l1
unknown soldiers gathered after the war from
the fields Of Bull Run and the route to the
| Rappahannock. Their remains could not be
identified but their names and deaths are re-
corded in the archives of their country and
noble army of martyrs. May they rest in peace.
On slope toward the river, on
spot selected by himself, is the grave
of the fiery hero of Winchester, on a
massive granite block is the single
word Sheridan near by is the grave
of General "Joe" Wheeler, the vet
eran of two wars, one against the
Union, the later when he wore the
double stars of Major General in
the service of reunited country.
Not far distant lies Admiral Porter,
the descendant of line of naval
heroes, himself one of the most dis
tinguished. In the officers section
are many handsome monuments. No
ticeable among these is the huge
granite block which marks the grave
of Gen. George Crook, the willy
leader, called by the Indians the Grey
Fox. On one side is a large copper
plate showing the surrender of Geron-
imo, the bloc dthirsty Apache, who
had out-marched or out generated all
pursuers until brought to bay by
Crook and his tireless men. The
General is shown in campaign uni
form surrounded by his staff, among
whom is General Chaffee, then a
Major, who little dreamed that he
would live to lead American troops
in China and become commander-in-
chief of the United States army. The
other side of the block contains the
names of battles in which Crook was
engaged. At the grave of Lieuten-
ant Dahlgren, the young cavalryman
who was killed in 1868 in raid near
Richmond. black marble pedestal
supports the bronze figure of the body
as it was found, face upward, uni
form overcoat open, cap on head and
pistol displayed, and in the sand are
horses footprints. Here II d er
stately shafts are many who forty
years ago were leaders of men and
whose fame filled the land. as we'll as
others whose laurels were won in
later years. A roll call show Meigs,
the great quarter-master-general
Rawlins, Grants grim chief of staff
Humphreys, the engineer /; Liscum,
who died at the head of his men in
far off China Lawton, the fearless
soldier who served through the Civil
War, campaigned for years against
the hostile savages, and was fated tc
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