Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-02-04
MONUMENT To
CONFEDERATES
To Be Erected At Point Lookout
Maryland By United States
Government.

a large masonry monument IS to be
erected at Point Lookout, Md, by the
United States Government in memory
of 3, 1884 Confederate soldiers and sailors
who died in Northern prisons during the
Civil War and are now buried in that
vicinity.
A contract for the construction of the
monument has been let by the War De-
partment, but it could not be built with
out authority from Congress. as the
Foraker act, passed in 1906, providing
for the marking of the graves of Con-
federates who died in Northern prisons,
directed the War Department to erect
over every such grave a white marble
headstone.
This work has been in progress dur
ing the past four years under the direc-
tion, first, of Colonel William Elliott. OF
South Carolina, the Commissioner for
that purpose, appointed in March, 1906,
by President Roosevelt. Upon the death
of Colonel Elliott, the President appoin-
ted as Commissioner in his stead. for
mer Governor VIM. G. Oates, of Ala
bama.
Governor Oates died last October, and
since that time former Senator James
II. 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 original burial and in the
reinterment the identity of the remains
had been lost, making it difficult to erect
separate headstones.
This was true Of the Confederates
buried under mound in Oakwood Gene
terry, Chicago. An elaborate monument
has been erected there by their surviv-
ing comrades, who have formed an as
sociation to look after the mound This
association protested against the plan of
the Government to place large number
of small white headstones in rows.
A somewhat similar condition was
presented to General Berry at Point
Lookout, Md, which is at the southern
extremity of the Peninsula separating
the Potomac River from Chesapeake
Bay. A large prison camp was main
tanned there during the war, and many
Confederate soldiers and some sailors
died there. A prison cemetery was es-
tablished near the camp, where 1854
were buried. After the close of the war.
about the year 1874, small tract of
land was acquired by the State of Mary
land at some distance from the original
place of interment There the remains
of the Confederate dead were reinterred
and small monument built to their
memory The work was done under the
supervision of the late Captain George
Thomas, of st. Mary's County, Md.
The transfer of the remains was car
ried on under such conditions that Gen.
eral Berry believes it practically impos-
sible to erect the small marble tablets
with any assurance that they would in
dicate the final resting places of the
Confederates in whose memory they
were to be erected.
In letter received December Is, by
Senator Warren, of Missouri, from Sec
retary of War Dickinson, the statement
is made that in view of the uncertainty
of identification the proper authorities
of Maryland refuse to permit the estab-
lishment of the small marble markers,
but are willing to permit the erection
of a central monument containing tab
let's upon which the names of the indi-
vidual Confederates can be inscribed.
AS in the case at Chicago, a contract
has been let for the construction at
Point Lookout of q central mass of ma
sonry of suitable form. on which are to
be placed bronze tablets containing the
names Of the dead. The monument is
to be completed by September, 1911, ac-
cording to the plans.
To grant legislative authority for this
work Senator Warren today reported to
the Senate joint resolution, which was
passed, granting authority to erect the
monument and extending the Foraker
act for two more years. Otherwise its
provisions would expire February 26,
1911.
General Berry reports that l4.6l7 sep
arate headstones have been placed over
the graves of Confederate soldiers, un-
der the Foraker act, while the monu-
ments to 4, 400 more at Oakwood Gene
terry, Chicago, and to 1884 at Point
Lookout, will bring the total to %. 40l
by next September, leaving only few
hnndrad moro oyravas IN he marked.