Civil War Cemetery Built Over in Indiana

[EclipseInDark]

Near where I live in Jeffersonville Indiana, there was a civil war cemetery in which several hundred soldiers from the Confederacy and Union alike who died in the western theater of the war were buried. After the war, they were only given measly wooden crosses and were left to decay and overgrown. In 1927 the Jeffersonville government stated “Better the sound of children’s footsteps at play than the silent stride of the nearly forgotten Great Spirit Army here at rest”. They then proceeded to build a softball field and child play field over the already unnamed and forgotten soldiers. Nowadays there is only a small piece left of this field, there is a playground over it, a small American flag pole, and a basketball court. Now more recently they have built apartments overtop of part of the area. No one in Jeffersonville nor southern Indiana for that matter know of it's existence. I have walked the exact ground numerous times and had no idea that there were hundreds and hundreds of civil war dead under my feet. I find the treatment of this land to be detestable, and a shame to the area and the people of southern Indiana. This land needs to be preserved, and marked as a place of remembrance and solemn reflection, not a residential and play space. Clark Count Civil War Cemetary is in the area of Jefferson General Hospital, the 3rd largest hospital of the entire war, and is nearly forgotten as well. I have written the mayor of Jeffersonville and I have been shrugged off, as the dead were officially respected in 2019, but he touched nothing on the sight of their bodies being heavily built over and forgotten. As a native to this area, finding out about this cemetery and the treatment of these fallen soldiers has left a sting in my heart. They must be memorialized.

[James Brenner]

Unfortunately, you are likely a lone voice in the wilderness - which means that you're going to need help. As a first step, I would contact your state historic preservation office. It's possible that this battle has already been fought and your options are limited. If not, you'll need to enlist their support. You'll also need to have done some research, not just in historic documentation of the cemetery (National Archives, state archives, newspapers, county histories, etc.) but you'll also need to research land records and, more importantly, what are Indiana's laws regarding removal and treatment of human remains. I also wouldn't be surprised if Indiana requires an archaeological survey to be done before construction begins. It's possible that one has already been done and, if so, that will make your task harder. One last comment - and forgive the candor -when dealing with bureaucrats, be dispassionate. Do not use phrases like "They must be memorialized". Tell them why they must be memorialized and why the cemetery is important to the community and the state. I hope this helps a bit.

[Redbeard]

I may be insane, but I don't get too offended by a burial ground being used for something that he living will enjoy. I'd be happy to have my grave somewhere exciting. I think short of a historical marker, there is no reason to do much here.

There are plenty of places for solemn reflection.

[timothy11]

Interesting information

[mtvernon]

I have walked the exact ground numerous times and had no idea that there were hundreds and hundreds of civil war dead under my feet. I find the treatment of this land to be detestable, and a shame to the area and the people of southern Indiana.

I agree 100%. I understand that what was then unoccupied ground is maybe now needed for other purposes, but at least have the decency to reinter the dead elsewhere where they will be respected, whether or not they're veterans. The same controversy exists in Ventura, Ca where a former cemetery filled with veterans (at least 55 from the Civil War) is now...a dog park. Here's a link to a news article here and to a site advocating restoration (it's really old and outdated, but full of information) here.

You may want to contact and/or partner with the local SUVCW group in Southern Indiana, the John W. Foster Camp No. 2 in Evansville. They may have brothers engaged in some kind of effort to rectify the situation.

Truthfully, you would be most likely be fighting a losing battle to get anything restored or the remains moved, but at least you'd be on record and force those who should have known better to be aware that this is no way to respect the dead.