Clark E. Carr to Richard Yates

Galesburg Ill Dec 26th 1864

Dear Governor

Enclosed I send about what I think would be appropriate to be said in your message concerning the National Cemetery, in compliance with your request-I have been waiting for some days for documents from Gettysburg which I need to make a full report. I will have them all right when the Legislative meets and have the report in accordance with what you are made to say by the enclosed-You will see that I have given you the points as if they were a part of your mes-

sage so that you can if you choose copy what I have said into it.

Hulyoke at the very least acounts stood firm for you-they are using the whiskey argument all they can but I think they cant phase him.

Very respectfully

Truly yours

Clark E Carr

I hope to be at S some time this week.

CEC

Church P. report & mine are now on file-I will have my last on file before the Legislature meets CEC

National Cemetery

Soon after the Battle of Gettysburg, I was informed by the Governor of Pennsylvania, that that State, had purchased seventeen acres of land, on Cemetery Hill on the Gettysburg battle field to be set apart as a National Cemetery, for the burial of the remains of the soldiers who fell in that battle, and the skirmishes incident thereto, to be holden, in trust, for all the States having dead buried therein, and notifying me that the Grounds would be publicly consecrated, with appropriate ceremonies on the 17th day of November AD 1863 and re-

2

questing me, to send two Commissioners, to represent this State on that ocasion-I appointed Col Wm S Church of Chicago, and Clark E Carr of Galesburg, as such Commissioners - the President of the United States, nearly all of the members of the cabinet, delegations from both houses of Congress, the Governors of many of the States, Commissioners from all of the loyal states represented in the battle, took part in the ceremonies-How faithfully the commissioners from Illinois performed their duties, will be shown by their report, which is transmitted-It will be seen that through their efforts, the world has been apprised of

3

the fact, that in that first decisive victory gained by the Army of the Potomac, the brave men of Illinois, were the first to meet the invading foe, and hurl him back, the first to bleed, and the first to die (P)- under the Charter of the National Cemetery Association, the care and management of the grounds, are solely intrusted, to the board of commissioners, consisting of one from each State, having dead buried therein, to be approved by the respective Governors and to hold these officers, for the tenure of three years-I have accordingly appointed Col Clark E Carr, Commissioner for this state-He has attended several meetings of the

4

board, and I refer you to his report, herewith transmitted, for a full account of his action, of the work already performed, and of the proceedings of the board of commissioners, & c.

Over a hundred thousand dollars, [illegible] laid out under the direction of this board of commissioners, in building a monument, arranging graves, erecting headstones and ornamenting the grounds-All of the loyal states having dead buried in the cemetery, (some three, including Illinois, whose legislatures have not met since the work was commenced), have cheerfully appropriated their pro rata, based upon their representation in Congress, to assist in defraying this expense-I earnestly recommend such an appropriation, believe that as our sons are never behind in the hour of the nations peril, we should not be the last to testify to them the nations gratitude-

Carr Clark E

Galesburg Dec 26/64

Encloses statement of National Cemetery for message