Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-12
NATIONAL CEMETERIES.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

The generosity with which the Ameri-
can government treats its soldiers and
| sailors has often excited the favorable
| comment of other nations. No nation
provides such liberal compensation in
time OF service or such bountiful pen
J sions in case of disa bility. This generos-
ity does not even cease with death. for
| there are no less than seventy-two ma
tional cemeteries in this country in which
sailors and soldiers are buried and for
\ which the federal government makes an
| appropriation each year to provide FOR
care and maintenance.
Each one is under competent super1n-
| tendence and the cemeterial division OF
the War Department is kept constantly
employed attending to the details of all
these burial places. Many of them are
beautifully laid out and decorated with
fine monuments and shrubbery. All are
expected to receive an equal amount OF
attention from the government in proper
ton to their size and the numDer OF
graves. although some are more attrac-
tive than others because of special monu-
ments which have been erected as well as
because of their natural advantage OF
location.
Many of the cemeteries have been call
ed into existence because of battle
which has been fought nearby. For in
stance, at Little Big Horn in Montana
there is a cemetery located upon the Gus
ter battlefield, in which over 400 soldiers
are buried. This is rather desolate
looking place, decorated only by the tall
marble shaft erected by the government
in honor of these heroes that fell by the
Indian arrows Owing to climatic con-
ditions 1t is almost impossible to secure
any kind of ornamental shrubbery or dec
orative plants in this cemetery. as it has
the extreme cold in winter and severe
drought in summer, SO these soldiers are
resting in less attractive surroundings
than most of the others.
Strange ito say, one of the first ceme-
teries established by the government is
located in the
One Cemetery City of Mexico
=. The first apprO-
purpose was made in 1850. $4,000 being
appropriated for purchasing, walling and
ditching a piece of land near the City OF
Mexico for a burial ground for such Of
the officers and soldiers of our army in
our late war with Mexico as fell in bat
tie or died in or around said city and
also for the interment of American cit
1ZenS VINO nave uleu OF Inlay uic III sdio
CITY,"
This cemetery is beautifully kept up
and is adorned with numDer or hne
monuments. in addition to those provided
by the United States government, which
with the Llxuriant vegetation native to
that locality make it an attractive place
in the eyes Of hundreds of tourists who
visit it each year.
The largest national cemetery in the
country. excepting Arlington, is at Ficks-
burg, Miss, where nearly 1900 sol
diers who fell in the great battle
of those who died in the hospitals and
prisons near there. This cemetery was
esta blished in 1866. year later than the
one at Corinth, in the same state, and
both are under the same local jurisdiction
A national cemetery is located at Natchez
which contains over 5000 graves cared
for by the government.
Another large cemetery located in the
south is at Newbern, S. G.. where about
$3.50 soldiers are inferred, about a third
especially attractive. 1t Is surrounded by
a substantial wall having most at
tractive entrance gate This is built OF
shell rock which is exceedingly porous. so
that it absorbS moisture during a rain
and then permits its oozing out slowly,
and the dripping of the rock has caused
collection OF stalactite formations
which greatly add to its appearance. The
gate is known as the w coping baie
and is regarded as an especially appro-
pirate entrance to this city of the dead.
The other more important cemeteries
in the south supported by the federal
government
Other Important are located
r, GO, at Nash
ou11d1 1IdCeS Ill ooutA. Vile, Shi-
Ion. Chattanooga. in Tennessee; at Ander-
sonville and Marietta. in Georgia: at Sal.
isbury. in North Carolina: at Chalmette.
in Louisiana, and at Fredericksburg i'll