h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Arlington National Cemetery USA - A87803643
Author: Florida Sailor Visit my Club at A87794248 - U235886

I happened to mention to Dmitri that an Entry on Arlington might be a good addition to the Guide.

This is one of those strange events that deserves a bit of explaination.

I still need to add a few links, but I think this is ready for consideration.

F S

Thanks for this Florida Sailor. I'm glad that the family finally got some recompense from the gov't even though the owners were slave holders. Do you know what the qualifications a vet would need to be buried here? Is anyone who dies in the armed services eligible to be buried there? Or does it have to be one who died during combat? That is besides the Presidents. Are POTUS'es granted fancier sites? I know there is an eternal flame at JFK's site.

Thank for your comments Electra

I have added a section on both the current burial requirements, as well as a section about some of grave occupants. I am sure you understand that this could get quite lengthy, so I have tried to keep it as simple as possible.

All of the Southerners lost their slaves as a part of the war, and many lost their land to taxes. I think this story is of particular interest as it was focused on a particular family and had a certain vindictive intent.

On the other hand, had the cemetery not been placed on the grounds, the whole place would have probably been replaced by apartments and shopping centres long ago.

My intention was not so much to take sides, but to explain what I see as a strange side issue of the Civil War that still affects us today

F S

This is a very intersting Entry.
Did they tear down the house or did it find some use on the cemetery?

Good work, Florida Sailor. I have a few requests for clarification:

"...the grandson of Martha Washington. When his father passed away, shortly after his birth in 1781, he was adopted by his grandmother and her second husband George Washington."

This means nothing to me. Who was Martha Washington? What is the connection with *the* George Washington?



"The government refused to accept any money unless it was offered by Mary Lee herself. On 11 January, 1864 the estate was sold at auction, the sole bidder was the government of the United States."

You explain later why the property was sold to the government but it ought to be mentioned here.


I think when you talk about Robert Lee it would be worth saying something like "Lee had a successful army career and was promoted several times." to cover the fact that when they marry he is a Lieutenant but later serves as a General. At the moment he just jumps from one to the other (albeit over a period of decades).

Does the house still exist?

Added a bit about Arlington House today in the intro, and added a link.

I expanded the section on Martha Washington and provided a hootoo link for George.

I also expanded a bit on Robert E Lee and added several hootoo links.

I am not certain that the cemetery was planned at the time of purchase, or just occurred to them after the fact. I did point out earlier that it was a strategic location, and that the military had established a base there. This was probably enough to justify purchasing the property.

If you would like me to expand further, let me know what you would like to see.



F S

Thanks for addressing those.

I think the only one you haven't dealt with is explaining that the government bought the property at auction because she couldn't pay the tax on it.

(Oh and whether or not the house is still there.)

An interesting article, and one which left me with a couple of questions.

Are George Custis' artefacts of George Washington still there?

You don't actually mention that the city the cemetery overlooks is Washington DC until the very end of the article (although you do mention 'the capital city' which is a bit of a clue). I'd recommend mentioning Washington DC earlier. I didn't know that Arlington, Virginia was anywhere near Washington DC.
'It soon became apparent that there were not enough troops available to defend Arlington.' – presumably you mean Confederate?
When the southern officers resigned from the army General Montgomery Meigs assumed the office of Quartermaster General. – Presumably you mean for the Union sdide?
When was Mary born? You say that she was married in 1831, so I imagine she was at least 18 then. You later say that Congress passed a taxation law in 1862, which Mary Lee did not pay as health reasons prevented her from travelling. What travelling was involved? I've read that Mary left her home, but where did she go? How much travelling was involved, and how ill was she if she wasn't well enough between 1862-1864? Was the tax only payable in a certain place, and if so, where? Was she bed-ridden?

Oh, and there were a couple of 'the the'.

Peer Review definitely has an American Civil War theme at the moment – was that a Create topic I missed reading about .

<BB<

Revised

I think I have addressed everything.

I actually phoned the site to complete the answer on Washington's artefacts.

Let me know if we need any further clarification.

<BB< Peer Review definitely has an American Civil War theme at the moment – was that a Create topic I missed reading about

It is only that one Entry on the subject tends to develop other Entries that are far too complex to be cover with a line or two. This one was directly spawned from Dmitri's Entry about the chickens


S S

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

Thanks for contributing to the Edited Guide!

Congratulations!

Congrats FS!

Well done, FS

lil x

Thank you all we need a < bow > smiley.

I am that so many of you found this interesting

F S