How Arlington National Cemetery Came to Be

Smithsonian Magazine ^ | Nov 2009 | Robert M. Poole

[kempster]

Better save this for the sake of posterity. When the politically correct get a hold of this no telling who donated the land to us.

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[DonaldC]

What an incredible story.

[ex-snook]

Well done.

[rustyncrusty]

bookmark

[SoKatt]

Very interesting, thanks for posting.
My dad’s ashes are resting in the Columbarium in Arlington. I’m very proud of him.

[iowamark]

Mrs. Lee seems to have naively hoped that she could remain at Arlington while her husband was commanding a Confederate Army.

Orton Williams was not only Mary Lee's cousin and a suitor of her daughter Agnes but also private secretary to General in Chief Winfield Scott of the Union Army.

Interesting to note how many Confederate sympathizers were in the War Department. Williams was captured in 1863 wearing a US Army uniform and was hanged as a spy.

[Rappini]

Thanks for that, as I get older History seems to become more important especially today.

[tatsinfla]

GREAT POST...i have been to Arlington a few times and toured the lee mansion...it has a great history...george washington himself lived there for awhile....all should make the pilgramage at least once and learn of its history...

[ArrogantBustard]

The government appealed the verdict to the Supreme Court—which ruled for Lee again. On December 4, 1882, Associate Justice Samuel Freeman Miller, a Kentucky native appointed by President Lincoln, wrote for the 5 to 4 majority, holding that the 1864 tax sale had been unconstitutional and was therefore invalid.

Once upon a time the Supreme Court, at least, had some respect for private property ... even if the rest of the government did not.

Today ... not so much.

[TopQuark]

Great post! Many thanks.

[Joe 6-pack]

Well done. I only recently found out that Patricia Donovan, dughter of William Donovan (CMH, WWI, Commander OSS, WWII)is buried in Arlington...just trivia, but I thought it interesting.

[Dr. Ursus]

Nice post. Thanks

[married21]

I think the amazing thing here is that America eventually paid for the property, after the parties had been to court over it. The rule of law prevailed. There are so many countries where the loser in the civil war would not be able to go back after the war and get his case heard fairly, or else the loser would not even go to court. He would just plan some violent revenge and keep the conflict going. The ability to move on, back away from grudges, and consider things objectively is really something we should value and preserve in our national character.

God bless America.

[stainlessbanner]

Dixie*Ping

[manc]

what a great post BG.
Very informative too.

thank you.

[kaylar]

Here's a story somewhat related to Arlington:

Back in the 1970s (1976 IIRC) , there was a move to honor the war dogs with a monument . This was right after if not during the very end of the Vietnam war, sentiment for honoring even canine war heroes was low, some objected to equating canine and human soldiers (as they saw it). The issue was acrimonious .

Then a congressman stood up(no, I don't recall if he was house or senate, or his name/state) . He said he was a veteran of the "island hopping" during WW II. He described the hardships suffered in the campaigns, and he stated that the only time he and the other men in his squad could get any decent sleep was when they had a canine and handler team with them. Then, they could sleep and recuperate.

This congressman suggested putting the memorial at the entrance gate to Arlington. Let the dog stand watch over the soldiers sleeping eternally, he said.

Sadly, his suggestion did not pass. But the war dogs were honored with a memorial anyway-several in fact, giant bronze statues of an alert doberman , with the names of some of the canine soldiers KIA engraved on the base. (One was set up in Guam, another at a Tennessee veterinary university, think there was one or two more but the only one I can say for sure is the one in Guam. I saw a picture of the statue online recently, which brought to mind the story of the congressman and his suggestion. It was a beautiful image , of a living soldier and his K9 looking at the statue of the doberman and the list of names.)

So the war dogs got their memorial...But I can't help thinking the congressman had the right idea, of where it should have been placed. The symbolism-the alert dog guarding the fallen heroes-would have been perfect.

[scrabblehack]

Could it be at the Tennessee Veterans’ Cemetery in Knoxville?

[wardaddy]

Nice thread...and no baiters just yet....give them time.