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Adjutant and Inspector General Reports
1863 Report
Appendix CGettysburgh, Pa., August 11, 1863.
To His Excellency Frederick Holbrook, Governor of Vermont:
Sir, -- It having been proposed, by the Governor of Pennsylvania, that a cemetery be established at Gettysburg, Pa., for the burial of the Union Soldiers killed at the recent battle there, and the matter having been committed by him to the charge of David Wills, of Gettysburg, with authority to apply to the Governors of the several States whose soldiers were in the battle, for their co-operation, and to arrange the details for the carrying out of the project, the following plan is proposed by David Wills, by authority of Gov. CUrtin, to the several States interested.
1. The State of Pennsylvania to purchase the ground -- about twelve acres, on the battle field near the present Gettysburg cemetery, and take the title in fee, and the ground to be devoted, in perpetuity, to the object.
2. All the bodies of the soldiers who fell in defence of the Union, to be taken up from the battle field without unnecessary delay, and deposited in the cemetery, those that can be designated by name, in graves marked by a small head stone, with a number upon it, and the others in a common grave, to be marked by some appropriate stone, a record to be kept of the names indicated by the numbers on the stones.
The dead of each State, where known, to be buried by themselves in the particular lot set apart to the State. The whole expense of this to be carried to a common account.
3. The ground to be enclosed by a well build stone wall, from stones found on or near the premises. Also, a keeper's house to be erected on the lot at a cost of about $2000, and the ground to be tastefully laid out and adorned with trees and shrubbery, all the expense to be carried to a common account.
4. A suitable monument to be erected o the ground at the common expense, at a cost not exceeding $10,000, or if it shall cost more, only that sum shall be charged to the common account.
5. All the foregoing expenses, stated, to be chargeable to a common account, (to wit, under heads 2, 3 and 4,) are to be apportioned among the States having soldiers to be buried in the Cemetery, -- to wit, the States of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, wisconsin and Minnesota, each State to be assessed according to its population, as indicated by the number of its representatives in Congress.
6. After the original outlay, the ground is to be kept in order, and the house and fences in repair, by the State of Pennsylvania.
7. It is expressly stipulated that the whole expense chargeable to the common account shall not exceed $35,000.
8. Each State may if it pleases appoint an agent who shall act with David Wills, agent for Pennsylvania, and other State agents, in carrying out the foregoing plant.
Respectfully submitted, by authority of A.G. CURTIN, Governor of Pennsylvania. For (Signed,) DAVID WILLS, Agent.