The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-02-24
MONUMENT TO CON FED.
ERATES.

IaDloCS TO De erecCeu at rom
Lookout, Maryland, by thu
United States Government
Graves Cannot be Identified
Special Enactments by Con
gress.
A large masonry monument is to b,
erected at Point Lookout, Md, by thC
United States Government 10 the mem
ory of 1884 Confederate soldiers ano
sailors who died in the Northern prison,
during the Civil War and are now buried
in that vicinity.
a contract for the construction of the
monument has been let by the Wal
Department, but it could not be bull
without authority from Congress. as the
Foraker Act, passed in 1906, providing
for the marking of the graves of the
Confederates who died in Northern
prisons, directed the War Department
to erect over every such grave white
marble headstone.
The work has been in progress during
the past four years under the direction
first, of Colonel William Elliott, o
South Carolina, the Commissioner fol
that purpose, appointed in March, 1906
by President Roosevelt Upon the death
of Colonel Elliott, the President ap
pointed as Commissioner in his stead
former Governor VIM. c Oates, of Ala
bama.
Governor Oates died last October
and since that time former Senator
| James H. Berry, of Arkansas, has been
in charge of the work. In executing the
law, General Oates and General Berry
have found in several places, among
them Point Lookout that the remains
of Confederates had been removed from
the places of their original burial and in
the reinterment the identity of the re-
mains had been lost, making it difficult
to erect separate head stones.
This was true of the 4,4oo Confed
crates buried under a mound in Oak
wood Cemetery. Chicago An elabo
rate monument has been erected there
by their surviving comrades. who have
formed an association to look after the
place of sepulture. This association
protested against the plan of the govern
ment to place a large number of small
white head stones in rows.
A somewhat similar condition wa.
presented to General Berry at Poin
Lookout, Md, which is at the southern
extremity of the peninsula separating the
Potomac River from Chesapeake Bay
A large prison camp was maintained
there during the war, and many Con
federate soldiers and some sailors dice
there. A prison cemetery was estab
lished near the camp, where 1884 wer,
buried. After the close of the war
about the year 1874 small tract O
land was acquired by the State of Mary
land, at some distance from the origina
place of interment There the remain
OF the Confederate dead were reinterret
collectively and small monument wa
built to their memory. The work wa
done under the supervision of the lat
Captain George Thomas, c. S. A, c
Saint Mary's county, Md.
The transfer of the remaus was Cal
ried on under such conditions that Ger
eral Berry believes it is practically in
possible TO erect the small tablets wit
any assurance that thev would indcat
the final resting places of the Confeo
crates in whose memory they were t
be erected.
In letter received on December I5tt
by Senator Warren, Of Missouri, fror
Secretary of War Dickinson, the state
ment is made that in view of the unce
} tanty of Identification the proper autho
tiles of Maryland refuse to permit tn
establishment of the small marble mari
, erS, but are willing to permit the erectio
Of a central monument containing table
upon which the names of the lndividu
: Confederates can be inscribed. AS
} the case at Chicago, a contract has bee
let out for the construction at Poi
2 Lookout of central mass of mason
of suitable form, on which are to
) placed bronze tablets containing Il
: names of the dead. The monument
to be completed by September, IoI
i according to the plans.
To grant Legislative authority for til
work Senator Warren on December st
1910, reported to the Senate a joi
resolution, which was passed, grantil
1 authority to erect the monument al
extending the Foraker Act for t,
: more years. Otherwise its provisio
I, would expire February 26, 1911.
: General Berry reports that I4,6
j separate headstones have been plac
. over the graves of the Confederate s
> ulSiS, uHuSI tiS FOIdkei ACl, Willc |
E monument TO 4.4oo more at Oakwo
Cemetery, Chicago, and to 1884
y Point Lookout, will bring the total
e 2,4oI by next September leaving OIL
few hundred more graves to
+ marked
It During Nthe session Of Congress
n Ioo5-I9o6, Seuator !. B. Foraker,
$ Ohio. introduced bill, which promp
u became law, appropriating S2oo,C
e for the cost to locate and mark
: graves of the Coniederates-prison
It or war-who died in the Northern pl
}, ons; also commissioner to carry
y the work was created, TO be appoin
by the President, which. as bef,
r, stated, was done. and successive
o Two years was given to perform
IS work, but the time has been extent