History of Antietam National Cemetery

space devoted to the erection of a monument commemorative of the great event of the battle, and the heroism of those who sleep at its foot and around it. The design of the monument, which was adopted at a meeting of the Board, held in the city of Baltimore, on the 16th day of September, 1867, seems to meet all requirements in a military, national and patriotic point of view. It is the Colossal Statue of an American Soldier standing guard over the remains of the loyal dead, and, when completed, will be the largest work of its kind in the country.

Mountain, memorable as the spot where Lee received his first check during the invasion of Maryland, and which caused him gradually to fall back with his army until it rested on the waters of the Antietam, and made a final stand only to be again defeated. In the far distance also looms up, in their majestic prominence, the continuous chain of the so-called Maryland heights, rendered notorious as the rendezvous of John Brown prior to his raid on Harper's Ferry.

should be here mentioned, is, that a person occupying a position in the centre of the grounds, with his face turned to any point of the compass, can, with a good field glass, read the inscription on every head-board contained therein. As yet no uniform character of head and foot-stones have been adopted by the Board, but a general plan for marking all the graves in a proper and suitable manner will, in a short period, be decided upon, when the present temporary and imperfect stones, and monuments erected by friends, will be removed.

by the United States Burial Corps, detailed by the General Government for the purpose, under the superintendence of Lieutenant JOHN W. SHERER, and they continued their work until January, 1867, when, by reason of the severity of the weather, operations in that department were stopped. There had been removed up to that time about three thousand bodies. They resumed work in April, 1867, and finished their work in August of the same year.

to the sum of $15,000. During this winter appropriations from other States were made, so that the amount of funds appropriated to the 1st day of August, A. D. 1866, amounted in round numbers to $30,000. Other States interested continued, from time to time, to make their appropriations, so that the treasury has, ever since 1866, been in a condition to promptly discharge all its financial obligations, and to leave a surplus therein.

indicated by their representation in the House of Representatives of the United States.

New York,       31 Representatives,       $17,281 88
Indiana,       11       "         6,132 28
Connecticut        4       "        2,229 92
*Maryland         5       "         2,787 40
New Jersey        5       "         2,787 40
Illinois 14 " 7,804 72
Minnesota,       2       "        1,114 96
Maine,        5       "         2,787 40
#R. Island        2       "         1,114 96
Pennsylvania,       24       "         13,379 52

Amount brought forward,       $83,036.00
For pointing wall, outside and inside, at 12 cents
per perch, 316.32
For contingent expenses, 2,500.00
$85,852.32
Amount already expended for work and materials, $5,200.00
Cash paid for ground,              1,161.75
Balance on hand, Md. appro'n,       638.25
       7,000.00
Amount yet required to complete the work, $78,852.32

lar letters be addressed to the Governors of the respective States interested in the Cemetery, urging upon them to recommend to their legislatures the importance of a sufficient appropriation to ensure the success of the enterprise, and of having their States represented in the Board.

best to reject all the proposals, which was done at a subsequent meeting of the Board, under a resolution to that effect.

in trust for all the States that should participate as therein mentioned, and that the same should be devoted in perpetuity for the purpose of the burial and final resting place of the remains of the soldiers who fell at the battle of Antietam, or at other points north of the Potomac river, during the invasion of Lee, in the summer and fall of the year 1862, or who died thereafter in consequence of wounds received in said battles, or during said invasion; and that the grounds and property of said Cemetery should be forever free from the levy of any State, county or municipal taxes, and that