Regent in Madison in Dane County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Confederate Rest
The valiant Confederate soldiers who lie buried here were members of the 1st Alabama Inf. Reg., Confederate States of America. They were captured in the spring of 1862 in the Civil War Battle of Island No. 10 in the Mississippi River south of Cairo, Illinois. Their task was to stop traffic carrying men and supplies to Northern forces further south.
After weeks of fighting under extremely difficult conditions, they were forced to surrender. Constant fire from river gunboats and land forces made their position untenable. After surrender, they were moved to Camp Randall and when they arrived many were suffering from wounds, malnutrition and various diseases.
Within a few weeks 140 graves were filled, the last resting places for these unsung heroes, far from their homes in Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas.
Here, also, is the grave of Alice Whiting Waterman, a gracious Southern lady who devoted more than 30 years of her life caring for the graves of "her boys."
Erected 1981 by Mr. and Mrs. William Austin Huggins.
Topics and series. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the United Daughters of the Confederacy series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1862.
Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near 43° 3.894′ N, 89° 25.751′ W. Marker was in Madison, Wisconsin, in Dane County. It was in Regent. Memorial was at the intersection of Speedway Road and Regent Street, on the left when traveling west on Speedway Road. The marker was located just to the southeast of the Mausoleum in section 22 of Forest Hill Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 1 Speedway Road, Madison WI 53705, United States of America.
We have been informed that this sign or monument is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. Forest Hill Soldiers' Lot (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Forest Hill Cemetery & Effigy Mound Group (about 800 feet away); Forest Hill Cemetery (about 800 feet away); Site of Former Greenbush Cemetery Burials (approx. ¼ mile away); In Memory of Our Beloved Sons (approx. 0.3 miles away); Aldo Leopold House (approx. 0.4 miles away); Bradley-Sigma Phi House (approx. half a mile away); Edgewood (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Madison.
More about this marker. The Madison Landmarks Commission designated Forest Hill Cemetery and Effigy Mound Group as a landmark (no. 33) in 1975 (revised 1990), stating that "Forest Hill Cemetery was developed from 1857-1862 as the new city cemetery, replacing the smaller cemetery where Orton Park is today. It is one of the most intact examples of the rural cemetery movement of the 19th century, in which burials were set in a park like grounds that also served as a place for strolling, picnics and quiet recreation. The popularity of the rural cemeteries signaled the need for recreational space and gave impetus to the city parks movement. Historic buildings within the cemetery boundaries include the chapel-like receiving vault of ca. 1865, the John Catlin Memorial Chapel of 1878 and the Mausoleum, built in 1916. The cemetery office was built in 1908 for that purpose and also served as a shelter for people waiting for the streetcar at what was then the end of the line. Interesting interments include sections for soldiers and orphans of the Civil War, a section for Confederate prisoners of war who died at Camp Randall, a section for other war veterans, and sections for some of Madison's earliest Jewish citizens." See also "The Northernmost Confederate Cemetery in the United States: Madison, Wisconsin" by Mark Hudziak.
Also see . . .
1. "The Boys of Forest Hill". The band Whiskey Farm sings this song about the boys buried in Confederate Rest, and it is currently available on this web site. (Submitted on April 13, 2014, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin.)
2. Confederate Monument In Madison Cemetery Removed. NPR/Wisconsin Public Radio website entry (Submitted on February 11, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 30, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 3,358 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 30, 2010, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.