Congressional Cemetery on Capitol Hill-- Part 1

From the Washington Times American Civil War Blog by Steve Hammond.

This cemetery opened in 1807 and today the 35+ acres has over 55,000 burials.

Some interesting folks permanently residing there are as follows:

ELBRIDGE GERRY-- signer of Declaration of Independence, vice president and the person for whom the term gerrymander was named.
JOHN PHILIP SOUSA-- the march master

J. EDGAR HOOVER
DAVID HEROLD-- Lincoln assassination conspirator
ARCHIBALD HENDERSON-- longest-serving Marine Corps Commandant
700 Civil War veterans: 600 Union, 100 Confederate

There are also 185 cenotaphs which are empty tombs built to honor members of Congress.

One belongs to Senator Andrew Butler of South Carolina who co-authored the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854. In 1856, Sen. Charles Sumner of Massachusetts gave a speech severely derogatory toward Butler. Two days later, his nephew, Representative Preston Brooks of SC, caned Sumner.. His cenotaph is 100 feet away.

More to Come. --Old B-Runner