COMMITTEES ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT 237 
The Secretary of War had, in the meantime, received the 
report of the Academy, which he acknowledged in the following 
letter: 
“War DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D. C., 
“ January 23, 1867. 
“Pror. HENRY, ETC., ETC. 
“Dear Sir: ‘The report made at my request by the National Academy, rela- 
tive to the subject of galvanic action on the iron head-blocks proposed for marking 
soldiers’ graves, has been submitted to this department, and I offer my thanks to 
the Committee for the valuable information it contains. I beg now to refer the 
case back again for report whether there is anything known to the Academy of a 
nature which would be more suitable on account of its durability, and at the same 
time not so expensive as to forbid its use for the purpose, than the combination of 
materials already submitted to your Committee for their opinion; and would be 
glad to have an opinion as to the fitness of these materials for the purpose 
designated. 
“Very respectfully, dear sir, your obedient servant, 
“ Epwin M. Stanton, 
“ Secretary of War.” 
There is no evidence in the records of the Academy that 
this second request was complied with, though in view of sub- 
sequent proceedings it is not unlikely that it was. 
As indicated by the discussion in Congress, opinion in the 
War Department was divided on the subject of the headstones, 
some officials favoring the iron blocks and others regarding them 
as unsuitable. Quartermaster-General Meigs was absent from 
duty on account of illness during the year 1867 and a part of 
1868 also, and on December 19, 1867, the acting officer, General 
Rucker, made a number of recommendations to the Secretary of 
War relative to the National Cemeteries, among which was the 
following: 
“That proposals be speedily invited by the Quartermaster-General for cast- 
iron (zinked) head-blocks of the pattern enclosed, in quantities sufficient to mark 
all the graves not now supplied with proper wooden head-boards; and that the 
contract for them be let, and the blocks erected without delay (provided it shall 
be deemed too expensive to erect stone blocks, after definitely ascertaining the true 
cost of the same). ” 4% 
“Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., vol. 1, pp. 61, 62. 
“Rep. Secr. War for 1868, vol. 3, part 1, p. 908. Exec. Doc. no. 1, goth Congress, 3d 
Session. 
17 
