whose groves were filled with altars and tem- | the loved and lost. But we have spoken of them ples. At Rome, even after incremation became common, because of her crowded population, the Appian Way was lined for miles with costly sepulchres and finely chiseled urns. The same custom prevailed at Pompeii, as recent discoveries have satisfactorily developed. In Babylonia and Egypt there were immense burial-places, proportioned to the denseness of their ancient populations, as is well attested by the grand ruins and multitudinous mummies still to be found there. thus at length especially, in order to affirm this thought, namely: that in but few, if any instances, that we can discover, after much research, had any age or any people, except Republican Athens, vouchsafed a cemetery to its fallen soldiery. Instances abound, indeed, of monuments and memorials to distinguished generals, from the Pyramids of Egypt and Pompey's Pillar to the latest statue of Washington and Wellington. Rome had her Temple of Janus, dedicated to War, with its doors closed but three times in seven hundred years, and her Campus Martius, where, by solemn vote of "the Senate and people of Rome," her great commanders were borne to their rest. France has her Hôtel des Invalides, consecrated to her surviving veterans, and with the Great Napoleon sleeping beneath its dome. England has her St. Paul's Cathedral and her Westminster Abbey (the latter now past its thousandth an In Europe many of the ancient churches have crypts beneath them, filled with the dead of other generations, and several of its great cities are literally honey-combed with vaults or catacombs, containing the bones of their former inhabitants. The three most finished and celebrated of modern European cemeteries are those of Pisa, Naples, and Paris. That of Pisa, called Campo Santo, is inconsiderable in size, being only 490 feet long by 170 wide; but it is sur-niversary), with her Wellingtons, her Nelsons, rounded by arcades of white marble, 60 feet high, and is most beautifully adorned by ancient Etruscan, Greek, and Roman bass-reliefs, and by superb paintings by the old Italian mas ters. In the centre is an extensive mound of earth, said to have been brought from Palestine during the Crusades, and formerly used as a burial-ground itself. This cemetery is the pantheon of the Pisans, and among its most famous monuments is the tomb of Algarotti, erected by Frederick the Great in 1764. That of Naples lies along the main road leading from the city, and consists of 365 great cells, one of which is opened every morning to receive the dead of that day. That of Paris, Père la Chaise, is a vast necropolis, northeast from the city, and contains the tombs of Abelard and Heloise, La Fontaine, Molière, Beaumarchais, Laplace, Cuvier, Arago, Marshal Ney, David, Sièyes, Barras, etc. Situated mostly on a hill, it commands a fine view of the city and surrounding country, and is adorned with column, pyramid, obelisk, and every variety of sculpture suitable to such a place. The cemeteries of Russia are mostly distant from the cities, and their chief adornment consists of the native pines. In our own country we have many handsome rural cemeteries, chief among which are Mount Auburn, near Boston; Greenwood, near New York; Laurel Hill, near Philadelphia; and Bonaventura, near Savannah. All of these are of considerable extent, and abound with walks and shrubbery, the most of which are in good taste and of excellent design. They already contain many elegant and costly tombs, and year by year advance in beauty and refine ment. We have touched thus upon cemeteries in general, because we hold them to be indicative of the spirit and growth of the race. We commend them very heartily, in so far as they go, because the visible expression of civilized affection and well-meant, if not just, tributes to and her Napiers, as well as her Pitts and her Palmerstons, reposing in their shade. So, also, great battles and famous victories have been commemorated, from the plains of Marathon to the ridges of Waterloo, and from ancient Zama to modern Bunker Hill. But in all these instances, as a rule, the common soldier has been overlooked, as if too humble to be taken into account, or as if posterity were indifferent to his fate, no matter how bravely he fought and fell.* In truth, in former ages, and among other peoples, the private soldier seems generally to have been held as only so much food for powder or the sword, and a hasty pit or ditch to receive his remains, on the field where he fell, appears to have been all that he was entitled to.† This was, perhaps, natural enough with aristocratic and monarchical governments, such as have usually dominated in the past, because their logic contemplates and cares for only the so-called higher orders. But a Democratic republic like ours, based on the equality of the race, and affirming justice for all that knows or professes to know only excellence and worth wherever found, can not afford to pass by unheeded, however humble, those who have proven themselves by fierce and sturdy warfare in its behalf at once its best citizens and brave defenders. Then, also, it seems to us, there is something due to the voice and progress of the age. Things are not now as they have been. A new era has dawned, or is beginning to dawn. The world is getting to believe, however slowly, in the Fatherhood * We except Athens again. She inscribed the names of all who fell at Marathon on the monument that she erected there, and, in general prescribed by law, that the obsequies of all her citizens who fell in battle should be able manner. performed at the public expense, and in the most honor † We do not except England and France, even in the Crimea; for though the most of their dead there were decently interred, and chiefly together, yet we are not aware that either nation has done any thing as yet to preserve or adorn their resting-places. The same is true of France and Sardinia at Magenta and Solferino. and its care about ended ordinarily with the smoke of the guns that were prescribed to be fired over their graves. These additional instructions, however, we rejoice to say, soon worked a radical reform. The surgeons in charge of regiments and hospitals soon began to exhibit a just pride in keeping and perfect of God and the Brotherhood of Man. The day of narrowness and bigotry, of class and caste, seems passing away. There is, beyond dispute, a spirit abroad in the earth exciting to humane thought, rousing to generous endeavor, stimulating to philanthropic deeds, refining constitutions and laws, and seeking-indeed, ever and irresistibly-by all right methods, to broad-ing their melancholy records, and the result is, en and elevate our common humanity. the mortuary history of our armies to-day is about as complete as could well be desired— far more so, indeed, than could reasonably be expected, if we consider the number and vastness of our campaigns, and the heavy lists of mortality invariably attendant on great miliCom-tary operations. Certain we are that it is far in advance of that of any other nation, in any previous war, ancient or modern. Our Government, with all its multiplied burdens and cares, and though struggling for very existence, does not seem to have forgotten its duty in this regard in our late war, though, in common with other governments, it seems to have omitted it in all previous ones. mon burying-grounds, indeed, appear always to have been kept at the various posts and forts where our troops were stationed, and those who died thus in garrison have doubtless been well cared for; but those who fell in battle, whether in the Revolutionary struggle in the second contest with Great Britain, or in the Mexican and Indian wars, seem to have been hastily interred on the spot where they fell, and that was the last the nation knew or seemed to care for them. At all events we may safely affirm that nothing approaching to the dignity of national respect or national care appears ever to have been manifested afterward. This has struck us as fairly remarkable, all things considered; and we did not suppose that there had been such a total neglect of our national duty in this respect until we came to inquire into the facts for the purposes of this paper. But our record in this matter, as well as in so many others, promises soon materially to improve. The Secretary, in his Report for 1865, states the aggregate number of men credited on the several calls, and put into the service of the United States, in the army, navy, and marine corps, from April 15, 1861, to April 14, 1865, when drafting and recruiting ceased, as 2,776,553. Of course it will be remembered that this number does not represent actual men, but enlistments, of which many of our men made two or three. It is probable that the greatest number of men actually in the service at any one time was about May 1, 1865, when they amounted to 1,000,516. In the same Report, p. 29, he gives the total number of colored troops enlisted into the service during the rebellion as 178,975. Of these, he says, "the loss during the war from all causes, except muster out, was 68,178;" that is, about thirty-eight per cent. It would not do, however, to take this heavy per-centage as a fair average for mortality among all our troops, because it includes desertions and discharges for sickness or other disability; and, also, because our white troops enlisted oftener under the different calls, were mostly longer in the service, and lost more by battle and desertion, and less by disease, than our colored troops. But if for these differences, which, on reflection, will appear very considerable, we allow say twenty-three per cent., this will still leave our aggregate losses during the war, from both battle and disease, at fifteen per cent. of all enlistments, say 400,000 men, which we do not believe will be found very far wrong. A careful examination of official reports, as far as published, and repeated conversations on the Early in the war, so long ago, indeed, as September, 1861, the Secretary of War, by a General Order*, directed accurate and permanent records to be kept of deceased soldiers and their places of burial. To this end the Quarter-Master General was ordered to print and place in every general and post hospital of the army blank books and forms, very minute and specific in their details, for the purpose of classifying and preserving such records. The Quarter - Master's Department was also charged with the further duty of providing proper means for a registered head-board to be secured at the head of each soldier's grave. To guard against the loss or destruction of mortuary records it was further ordered that copies should be transmitted as soon as possible to the Adjutant-General's office at Wash-subject with those in the army who ought to ington for file. The substance of this order was afterward embodied in the Revised Army Regulations, and thus became a part of the permanent law of the army. pre The Quarter-Master's Department had viously been charged with "the burial of officers and soldiers, as a part of its general duty; but its instructions were far from know, as well as good opportunities of our own of judging in the premises, confirm us in this view.* This mournful number, though large, Since this article was written the Provost-Marshal General has reported "the deaths in battle, from wounds and from disease, in every regiment and company of every loyal State, from the beginning to the close of the war," at specific,280,739-officers and men. As this does not include losses in the regular army, nor losses of Union troops--white and colored-enlisted in the disloyal States, we do not think our estimate of 400,000 in excess, especially if yon include those discharged for disability, many of whom subsequently died from diseases contracted while in the service. * No. 75, Adjutant-General's office, 1861. 1863. is not so large, however, as the nation a year ago sorrowfully expected, nor nearly so large as our enemies both at home and abroad then gleefully proclaimed. And, large as it is, the Republic, calmer than a Spartan matron, not unwillingly made the sacrifice, rather than yield one jot or tittle to treason, and she would do it again, thank Heaven! yea, thrice over if need were. In the touching lines of one of our best war lyrics: "Four hundred thousand men, In tangled wood, in mountain glen, Four hundred thousand of the brave Good friends, for me and you." great majority we say, of necessity, still lie on in the fence corners, by the side of turnpikes other in the attention given to the decent and respectful burial of their own dead; and the long rows of graves are almost invariably mark Gallant, high-souled, manly fellows, they loved home and friends, parent, wife, child, domestic ease, and fireside comfort, not less than the best of us; yet they cheerfully forsook all, and marched Southward at the call of So, also, on battle-fields where we were vicpatriotism to fight and die—as God so willed-tors, our regiments seem to have vied with each unmurmuringly, that the nation might live. There is not a Northern town or hamlet, scarcely a Northern family of spirit, that has not been called to mourn the loss of some favorite citi-ed by stones and head-boards, however rude. zen or darling son. This generation at least There is something touching, indeed, and that will not forget our frequent funerals that for speaks well for American human nature, in four years darkened with their woe almost half passing over our lines of campaign, and oba continent, nor the dull roll of the platoon, serving how anxious our brave fellows appear that daily announced another Martyr for free- to have been to pay the last offices of respect dom laid to his rest. Oh, how grand and how to their fallen comrades as far as could be glorious our roll of honor! There are Kear- done. Disinterments made in various places ney, and Whipple, and Stevens, and M'Pher- show that so well has this been done, that at son, and Bayard, and Shaw, and the countless least eighty or ninety per cent. of our dead can heroes of the ranks unknown to fame, but who readily be identified, if not more. Even where each did his part well, and, falling, died none outward indications fail, it is often found that the less gloriously because carrying a musket vials and bottles have been buried with the or swinging a sabre instead of leading a division dead with papers inclosed, giving all needed inor commanding an army corps. If men after formation; and where these are wanting our death are to be judged and honored according army blue woolen clothing ordinarily distinto the work they have done and the results guishes Union from Confederate dead, because they have achieved, then above all others should of their cotton gray; and names, etc., can genwe take the memories of these men home to erally be gleaned from marks on clothing, belts, our hearts and lives, and embalm in the na- or cartridge-boxes, or from letters, diaries, tion's remembrance forever and forever. The memorandum books, Testaments, etc., someremains of many, indeed, have been recovered thing of which sort is usually found on the body by friends and brought back from the South, of every soldier. and our communities with one accord have united in burying them with booming cannon and muffled drums and half-mast flags beneath our own loyal soil. Many on entering the service or marching into battle made each to the other a solemn vow, that if either fell the other would, if possible, send his body home for burial. Comrades in arms and friends at home have no doubt done what they could in this respect, but the number thus brought back and interred among our Northern hills has necessarily been very small compared with the many thousands that fell throughout the South, and still lie buried there, from the Potomac to the Rio Grande, and from the Ohio to the Gulf. The But on battle-fields which we lost, of course, as a general thing, the enemy cared little for our dead, except to get them out of the way and under ground with the least labor and as soon as possible. As a rule, when we triumphed, we religiously buried the Confederate dead, and in many instances, where time sufficed, we marked their graves as carefully as our own. On the battle-field at Corinth, near the foot of Fort Robinett, our men magnanimously interred a Confederate officer who fell fighting gallantly at the head of his command, and out of admiration for his conduct erected a rude head-board over his grave with the generous inscription, "Col. Wm. Rogers, 2d Texas Infantry, said to be the Bravest of the Brave." Here was true chivalry worthy of the Black The Country and the Army have already Prince or Richard Cœur de Lion, and the best shown their deep and abiding interest in the days of Agincourt and Cressy.* But the Con-premises by what has been done voluntarily at federates undoubtedly were less particular in Gettysburg and elsewhere. In the absence of this respect than we. any national action, immediately after the batThose of our men who died in Confederate tle of Gettysburg, Governor Curtin, of Pennsylprisons seem as a rule to have fared much bet-vania, "took the responsibility" of purchasing ter. Though tortured and tormented with cold some seventeen acres of ground, embracing the and hunger, disease and vermin, while living, centre of our line of battle there, and proceedwhen dead they were turned over by their keep-ed to disinter and re-bury there the bodies of ers to burial-parties of their own comrades, who gave them the most decent and respectful intérment they could, and kept accurate records of the same in all instances where allowed to. Even at Andersonville the last privilege to the dead was permitted; for which let history award such credit as is due. all our soldiers who fell in that memorable struggle. They were found to belong to eighteen States, including Pennsylvania, and the Governors of those States were invited to participate in the purchase and assist in the further work of reinterring the slain and beautifying the grounds. Of course they all readily These remarks now conduct us naturally to assented, and those eighteen States are now the question, What shall be done with these joint stock-holders of the cemetery there, in fallen heroes, the nation's martyrs, the repub- the ratio of their representation in Congress. lic's slain? Shall we permit their honored We give herewith a plan of the cemetery graves, holding the best ashes of the land and there, which, as we have said, embraces about proudest of the century, to be left liable to seventeen acres. It is inclosed on three sides desecration by hostile hands, or to be obliter- by a substantial stone-wall, surmounted with ated quickly by time and nature, as among oth-heavy dressed capping-stone, and on the fourth er nations and in other ages? Or rather shall side by an iron fence, that divides it from the we not at once gather their remains tenderly old local or town cemetery at Gettysburg. The together into great national cemeteries, few in grounds have been simply graded and tolerably number but centrally located; beautify and planted with shrubbery and trees, and roads adorn these in a moderate but just way, and and walks have been introduced, so as to comsolemnly commit them to posterity as a part bine utility, as far as possible, with pleasing of the precious price our generation paid for landscape effects, at the same time having refthe Union, to be the republic's legacy and the erence to economy both in the present and the nation's inheritance for evermore? We are future. As will be seen by the plan, the inglad to find that Congress has already antici- terments are arranged in a semicircular form, pated this question, at least in part, and for the ground appropriated to each State being, what it has done we say, most heartily, hail and as it were, a part of a common centre. thanks. By act approved July 17, 1862, sec-position of each lot, and indeed of each intertion 18, it was enacted, "That the President ment, is by this means relatively of equal imof the United States shall have power, when-portance, the only difference being that of ever in his opinion it shall be expedient, to extent, which, of course, had to be determined purchase cemetery grounds, and cause them by the number of interments belonging to each to be securely inclosed, to be used as a na- State. The coffins are deposited side by side tional cemetery for the soldiers who shall die in parallel trenches, a space of twelve feet bein the service of the country." We are not ing allowed to each parallel, of which about aware what action has been had under this five feet are reserved for a walk between each law as yet, if any, though surely there has been row of interments. At the heads of the graves none worthy of the subject, and a lawyer-like are granite head-stones, all precisely alike, mind might construe it, we suppose, as author-bearing the name, company, and regiment of izing the establishment of only one cemetery. the man interred, each rising nine inches above If this be so, we submit all loyal and patriotic hearts will agree (and none others have a right to speak in this matter) that Congress should at once give us additional legislation, and call on the President, respectfully but earnestly, "to go forward" with this great and humane national undertaking, before the lapse of time and the obliteration of the graves render it too late. Says Napoleon, in his Life of Caesar, vol. i., p. 162, in speaking of the proudest period of Roman history-"It was an age when all noble sentiments were raised to such a point as even to do justice to an enemy. The consul, L. Cornelius, gave magnificent funeral rites to Hanno, a Carthaginian general, who had died valiantly in fighting against him." Across two thousand years we strike hands with Rome! † General Orders, Volunteer force, 1861, '62, '63, p. 82. The the ground, and showing a face or width of ten inches on its upper surface. A main roadway, or drive, courses round the grounds, and in the centre of the semicircle it is proposed to erect a simple, unostentatious monument, some sixty feet high, twenty-five feet square at the base, and crowned with a colossal statue representing the Genius of Liberty. Into this cemetery have been collected all of the Union dead that fell at Gettysburg that have not been claimed by friends and removed elsewhere for burial, and the total number of interments now foot up 3512. All this, it will be observed, has been done by the States themselves represented there, the only contribution made by the National Gov |