Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1913-05-30

TIGS 09zlT MNQHZHzaz
Wy n Aalna7n~
the palmy days of democratic Athens
= : ! J; ;
Fl ED the bones of every citizen who had per-
I'll II, ished in the service of his country
T5<I LAA we're brought home to be buried in the
EfN Fl Ceramicus A day appointed in
It1 IS winter, when military operations were
tg2 A9S suspended, for the funeral. One of
SH--A>D the noblest oratons of antiquity-that
attributed by Thucyddes to Pericles-
was delivered ON such occasion.
Modern nations build stately mausoleums for
their great generals, but are usually content to
alot only the hasty trench or ditch to the COM
mon soldier. The bones of British soldiers, for
example are scattered the world around. Says
Kiplng
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 sailed it down with our bones.
Poor beggars It's blue with honesty
To this rule of indifference as to the final rest
ing place of obscure heroes the United States
forms shining and honorable exception. There
are today eighty-four national cemeteries which
contain the graves OF over 100000 American sol
ders and sailors. These cemeteries among
The grandest and loveliest Goods 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 superin-
tendents, overseers and gardeners.
The national cemeteries are mainly a result of
the Civil war. In September, 1851, the secretary
of war by general order directed accurate and
permanent records to be kept of deceased sol
diers and their places of burial The work was
assigned to the quartermaster generals depart
ment, That department already had charge of
the burial, of officers and soldiers, but its care
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 was the
Intensity Of the great war that for some time
no action was taken under the law.
Following the battle of Gettysburg, Governor
curtin of Pennsylvania inaugurated movement
whereby several states purchased seventeen
acres 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 area. The cemetery was dedicated by
Lincoln November 10, 1853, in that perfect tribute
TO the "honored dead" who there gave the last
Iuil measure of devotion The cemetery
consequently taken over by the nation.
The cemeteries at Antietam, Murfreesboro,
Chattanooga and other places 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
Ten George n. Thomas In charge of the depart
ment 1t is related that when the work Of rein
terrlng the dead was proceeding question arose
rs TO whether they should be buried together ac-
Sording to the states from which they came.
we have heard enough about states and states
rights lately, said Thomas who, though a Vir-
slnlan. had remained loyal to the Union. LET US
NIX them up and nationalize them little"
other cemeteries sprang up by mere accumu-
Aauon of interments about military centers, hos
pItals prisons. etc. At Andersonville for exam
PIE the dead were buried by parties of their
comrades who, Notwithstanding the horrors of
their own lot took pious care to keep accurate
records and even erected many rude headboards.
from first to last about $4,000 men were con-
Hheo at Andersonville. In August 1864, there