The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-05-30

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g N the palmy days OF democratic Athens
U II i: +: : 4: / \: !. !: ;
" HD the bones of every citizen who had per
III II, | ished I'm the service OF his country
LNI L<Sd were brought home TO be buried In the
EA E~1 Ceramicus A day appointed In
I&1 5S winter, when military operations were
* LIaSI suspended, for the funeral One OF
--A>O the noblest orations OF antiquty-that
attributed by Thucydides TO Perices-
was delivered on such an occasion.
Modern nations build stately mausoeums for
their great generals but are usually content TO
allOt only the hasy trench or ditch to the com
soldier The bones OF British soldiers for
example are scattered the world around. Says
Kipling:
Walk wide o. the Widow at Windsor,
For alf o. creation she owns;
We ave bought er the same with the sword an
the fame,
An we've salted It down with our bones
poor beggars! It's blue with bonesD
To this rule of Indifference as to the final rest
Ing place or obscure heroes the united states
forms a shining and honorable exception. There
are today eighty-four national cemeteries, which
contain the graves OF 100000 American sol
diers and sailors, These cemeteries are among
the grandest and loveliest Gods acres" In the
world They are lavishly adorned by nature and
art and guarded by the starry flag. Treasure
has been expended upon them without stint, and
they cared for by large corps of supern-
tendents, overseers and gardeners.
The national cemeteries are mainly result OF
the Civil war In September, 1861, the secretary
OF war by general order directed accurate and
permanent records to be kept Of deceased sol
dlers and their places OF burial. The work
assigned to the quartermaster generals depart
ment That department already had charge OF
the burial OF officers and soldiers. but its
had ordinarily ended with the drifting smoke OF
the guns that were discharged over their graves.
BY act OF July II, 1862. congress empowered the
president TO purchase cemetery grounds to be
used for the burial OF soldiers who shall die
In the service OF their country" Such the
intensity OF the great war that for some time
action taken under the law.
Following the battle OF Gettysburg, Governor
Curtin OF Pennsylvania inaugurated movement
whereby several states purchased seventeen
.cres OF ground embracing the center OF the
Union line and caused TO be reburied there the
bodies OF the soldiers who had been buried out.
side this The cemetery dedicated by
Lincoln November 10, 1863 In that perfect tribute
10 the "honored dead" who there gave the last
full measure OF devotion" The cemetery
subsequently taken over by the nation.
The cemeteries at Antietam, Murfreesboro
Chattanooga and other places were begun like
wise by states by federal troops acting under
orders OF their commanders. That at Chatta
nooga was largely the result OF the activity OF
Gen. George II. Thomas, in charge OF the depart
ment. II is related that when the work or rein
terring the dead was proceeding question arose
as TO whether they should be buried together ac
cording to the states from which they came.
I'VE have heard enough about states and states
rights lately" said Thomas who though a Vir-
ginan, had remained loyal to the Union "Let US
mix them up and nationalize them little"
Other cemeteries sprang up by mere accumu-
iation OF interments about military centers. hos.
pitals, prisons etc. At Andersonville. for exam.
ple the dead were buried by parties OF their
comrades. who, notwithstanding the horrors OF
their o~n lot, took pous TO keep accurate
records, and even erected many rude headboards.
From first to last about $4,000 men con.
fined at Andersonve. In August 1854. there