Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-10-15


l Confederacy provision was made
I& for suitable the dead
n - While the chief thought was
naturally the soldiers Of their army, even
in that early day there many Union soldiers
grave which also the recipient of tender atten-
ton from the hands of the people against whom ne
fought
There are than fifty of these Confederate
cemeteries scattered the southern states and on
Memorial day each still receives some tribute or re-
membrance Each grave in these cemeteries mas
been marked in way. either from the appro-
pratiens made for the purpose by the state or by
the subscriptions and donations made by the people
the vicinity in which it located. Special monu-
ments Of appropriate design are still being erected
honor of Confederate soldiers in each of the states
in the Confederacy and the state appro-
priations for this purpose have been most liberal.
Some of the cemeteries have number of monuments
representing different appropriations In the Con
cemetery Charleston. S. c.. there are six
memorial monuments and large number of memo
rial tablets.
Richmond has eleven monuments and number
memorial tablets, and winchester, in the same
state, has nearly many In New orleans the
beautiful monuments erected to the memory of Con
federate soldiers especially noteworthy. The
south has also honored the women whose loyalty
and unselfish devotion inspired the valor of the
men, and in the cemetery Fort Mill, S. c., there
has recently been erected monument to the women
of the SOUTH and another one TO the faithful slaves
VINO, Notwithstanding the temptation of proffered
liberty were yet loyal to their masters and to the
charges committed to their care
number of new monuments now in process
of erection in the south Some of them are being
placed national cemeteries for example, each
Confederate state which had troops in the battle Of
Chickamauga will have it's participation marked by
a shaft in the Chickamauga national park. Similar
be taken in the near future for the bat
tefields Of Antietam, shiloh and Gettysburg
The united action Of the soldiers of the north aud
the south in connection with the Spanish was
the blow to whatever amount of fractional feel
ing stiu existed between the two
and hO tIV
to favor the United States government making some
provision for the marking Of the graves Of the Con
federate soldiers with stones similar to those pro-
vided for the Union soldiers. President Mckinley
advocated it in public address in Atlanta shortly
after the close of the Spanish war
At reunion of the United Confederate Veterans
held few months later, however, the matter was
discussed and resolutions of appreciation adopted. 1t
was voted however that any Federal action taken
purpose should refer only to the COME Ter
ate graves which located iE northern states IS
Of such graves in the southern states is re-
garded a sacred trust
The first movement made towards provision for
marking the graves Of the soldiers of the Confed-
crate army and navy upon the part of the Federal
government the appropriation by congress OK
$4,000 the purposes of gathering the remains OF
Confederate soldiers buried in Arlington and in
rous places the District Of Columbia and collect
ing them at place in the national cemetery at
Arlington.
II is claimed that George l. Rhinehart soldier
lima infantry was the first Confederate interment
made in Arlington. Many nterments were made aft
erwards of persons held to be citizens in rebellion
until as late the latter part Of 1857. They were
not all Confederate soldiers few being state pris
oners Of who had been held in the Old Capitol
prison in Washington. In all there were $40 persons
cassed as Confederates buried there When after
the marking the graves Of Union soldiers, thtre
was surplus left from the appropriation, part OF II
was used to mark these other graves CHASING them
as rebels citizens, contrabands, prisoners OF war;
etc. and their graves were erected plain mar
BILE headstones similar description for all as civ
ilians having upon each only the NUMBER Oh cue
grave and the name Of the occupant, that there
was nothing to distinguish the graves of the Con-
federate soldiers from the other classes
This was the condition until in the 7Os, when 241
ware removed bv the states Virginia, North and
south Carolina leaving 1856 These were scattered
about the cemetery in irregular groups interminglad
with the graves of Union soldiers and others This
was about 1885, and it was also found that
there were 12S Confederate dead in the Soldiers
home cemetery. These collected and marked
with headstones bearing the name rank. company
regiment and state OF the soldier In June 1903 the
first memorial exercises were held over these graves
Out Of the reburial OF the Confederate dead at
Arlington arose investigation conducted by tire
Charles Broadway Rouss camp of United Confederate
Veterans regarding condition location of the
graves Confederate prisoners who died in the
northern states. AS result of this bill
passed by providing for the establishment
of a commission to ascertain the location and cond-
ton of the graves of Confederate soldiers
died in Federal prisons and military hospitals in the
north and who were buried near their place OF con-
hnement, and to acquire possession and control
all grounds where such prison dead are buried, whcn
is not now under control in possession of the
United States government.
No less than So,152 Confederate soldiers are
buried different places coming under the provisions
this 1t incurred little difficulty to search
out nearly forty years after they were buried
the work entered upon in spirit of earnest
and a large percentage Of the graves found have
been dentihed The task is practically
pete and detailed account is being prepared for the
secretary war which will doubtless be published
Between elections and world series games the
gambler need miss no opportunity.
The worlds series shows signs Of tapping right
over into the middle of the football season.