Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-08-19
HEAD STONES FOR
THE VETERANS GRAVES
Sons of Vets viii Locate Graves and
State Will Pay for Markers.


The Connecticut division, Sons of
Veterans, is instituting a movement to
look up the graves of all soldiers of
the Civil war who were buried in this
state and whose graves are unmarked
with headStOnes. The latter are to be
provided at the expense of the state.
This information has been conveyed in
a letter to Col. NJ. J. Wise, assistant to
the acting chief quartermaster, from
Malcolm D. Rudd of Lakeville, secre-
tary of Hiram Eddy camp, No 3, and
a son of former Quartermaster Gen.
William B. Rudd. Mr.. Rudd said in
his letter that the commander of the
Connecticut division had appointed
him to a committee which was to in
vestigate and locate all unmarked
graves and provide headstones. He
asked Colonel Wise for cooperation to
the extent of giving the Recommended
ton and endorsement to the state
comptroller than is needed to procure
the funds for the headstOnes. Colonel
Wise replied that such cooperation
would be gladly given.
1T is estimated that there were 55.-
600 soldiers from Connecticut in the
Civil war;" said Colonel Wise today,
and up to the present time about T.
600 headstOnes have been erected This
number includes those marking the
graves not only of soldiers in COnnec-
ticut commands but Of men who serV-
ed in other commands and who later
either became legal residents here or
died and were buried here. From this
it can be seen that the number of I'M
marked graves is very large"
Colonel Wise has ordered 80 head
stones to be sent to Southington for
erection in memory of the men from
that town who lost their lives in the
Civil war, and whose bodies were
never brought home for interment. The
request for these ri headstOnes came
from the CHI of 10 Of co
Iectmen, in accordance with a law
which authorized the quartermaster
general to have erected in any ceme-
terry or public place, at a cost to the
state of act more than SIS, a marker
or sOIdierS's headStOne, having inscrib-
ed thereon the name of the soldier,
sailor or marine, the organization to
which he belonged, the place of his
death or burial or when he was re-
ported as missing in action or lost at
sea. The soldier, sailor or marine
must have served in the army, navy or
marine corps of the United States dur
ing the Civil war or Spanish-A American
war. or have been in the service of the
United States since April 81, 1898, at
home or abroad and must have been
credited to this state. (. He must have
died, during the wars or period indi-
Gated, in battle, Of disea Sc or wounds,
or in prison, or have been lost at sea.
The body may have either been bur-
leu elSeWnere or never nave been found
The law also applies to men whose
fate is unknown, but who were re-
ported missing in action and never
heard from. If there is no state head
stone erected to the memory of such a
man, and if his name is not Inscribed
on any state memorial in his home
town, the selectmen or board OF char
tiles of this town can, after rendering
proper application and proofs to the
quartermaster general secure funds for
headstone. ,-
Fifty more headstones have been
ordered by Colonel Wise to mark the
graves throughout the state, of SOL
whose funeral expenses were paid by
the state, in view of theee not having
been sufficient estate to cover these
eXpenss. Colonel Wise has also sent
to thes conptro4 ler9 his Endorsement for