The Washington herald., 1907-07-28

South. and 10 become its most conspicu-
Gus military leader, its idol, and its hero
The maHsion has been preserved. as faI
as possible, in it's original condition
though since it became a national ceme-
terry much has been added 10 H. The six
columns Of the two northern gateways
were part Of the north portico Of the old
War Department building at Washington,
and they We're removed on the demolition
Of that building in 1873 The beautiful
Temple Of Fame, just east of the man
sion, is supported by stone pillars taken
from the corridors of the Patent Office
after its partial destruction by fire in
1871
II was Quartermaster General Mont
gOmery Cunningham Meigs who first
suggested the interment OF soldiers
in Arlington. There were forts on
the heights in those days-Fort Whip
pie. now known as Fort Myer. and Fort
Mcpherson, which is now within the Gem
etery. an earthwork. which has been re-
stored TO its original form On Nav 30,
1864, President Lincoln left the White
House to visit the hospitals where the
boys in blue lay wounded. Gen. Meigs
accompanied him. Late In the afternoon
they visited Arlington. where they found
twelve dead soldiers, waiting 70 be carried
20 the Soldiers Home Cor burial Gen
Meigs directed that they be buried In
Arlington, designating a spot near the
mansion There the first graves were
dug, and as the sun set that night the
first body-that of a Confederate soldier
of a North Carolina regiment-was low
cred into the grave. Among the very first
of the officers to be buried there was Gen.
Meigs himself His grave is one of the
most striking in the cemetery. It is a
huge but simple sarcophagus, inscribed:
Montgomery Cum fneham MeiRs
Brigadier General. Brigadier Major General,
United States Amy.
Quartermaster General,
lS6l-lSs2
Soldier. Engineer, Architect Scientist Patriot
Born lsl6. Died IS92
Here, too, hard beside him. is buried
his father, Josiah Meigs, born I757. died
1872: his wife lies beside him. too. and
there, on a little tomb, is bronze effigy
Of a young soldier in a captains uni
form-his son, a sacrifice TO the Union.
The body lies there as his father saw II
on the field Of battle. and all about Il
on the bronze there are the imprints of
horses hO0fs, a memento Of the prints
Of the war horse ridden by the dead sol
dier's father, who was near him when
he died.
Thousands OF Soldiers.
More than 1900 soldiers lie in this
graveyard beneath the trees, and every
year the population of this city of the
dead is increased by 800 bodies. Here is
the monument TO James Beaverton Rick
etts. major general. L. S. A, who served
m, na
war with Mexico, fought in twenty-seven
battles Of the rebellion, was wounded five.
times, prisoner of war in Richmond. and
who died from wounds received in the
Shenandoah Valley while he was in com
mand OF the Sixth Corps. His monument
is a tall plain shaft with his military
record plainly told, and underneath:
He gave his honors to the world again.
His blessed part to heaven,
And sleeps in peace"
Would you seek more inspiration from
the glory Of the past? Then here is the
grave Of Philip Sheridan, that dashing
cavalry leader the beau ideal of soldierv
1t rests in front OF Arlington Mansion. a
low shaft OF marble granite with
panel in bronze, bearing his noble head
in bas-relief, and simply his name and
date Of death. That breathes history
enough,
This IS the eastern slope, where the
kindly turf bends toward the river be-
meath. Casting the eye downward. you
note the graves and their monuments.
Here rest Gen. Samuel Sturgis. Gen.
Joseph A. Mower. Col. Berdan. Gems.
English, Ord, Broughton. Watkins.
Veasey, Mitchell. Van Vliet, McNair.
Scott, and others. There are names here
that one may trace to Ireland. 10 Eng
land. to Holland, and to Germany. but
they were Americans, these, and fordheir
country gave their lives, and in American
soil they sleep their sleep.
Look up from the ranks Of the graves
a moment There. through that arch Of
trees, you note the river, but beyond Il.
as If set on hill, there rises the stately
dome Of the Capitol the gilded dome Of
the Library Of Congress flames in the