The Confederate Mound
During the War, there existed a Confederate Hospital in Meridian, Mississippi which is the current site of the newly constructed Number One Fire Station bordered by 14th and 15th Street and 25 and 26th Avenue. One brief source suggested that a church building was located at that site, but not whether that building was the hospital. Mention was made of the Way Station Confederate Hospital in Meridian in several service records. However, it is not known if that name applies to this hospital or another one in the city.
A detailed log consisting of the name, military unit and date of death of the soldiers that died in the hospital from wounds or sickness was maintained. The soldiers were buried in the churchyard upon their death. In approximately 1885 the city decided to construct a new high school on the site to be called the Whitfield High School, which was called "Old Central" by many residents. During the excavation for the new building, the skeletal remains of the soldiers were unearthed and placed in wooden wagons and transported to the lower or south mound at Rose Hill Cemetery in the city. The remains were interred within a mass grave under the mound, which was then referred go as the Confederate Mound. The Cemetery Board approved in 1890 that space he appropriated in the South mound for a Confederate monument and the interment of a Confederate Soldier, who surely was Lt. Charles Read. It is presumed that the monument referred to is the small monument for Read which bears an anchor and for many years was positioned on the west side of the mound about halfway up its side. The anchor, of course, makes one think of this valiant Naval Career. However, the anchor was used by the people of that day to also signify "HOPE". This monument, in addition, bears the inscription, Charles W. Read-May 13, 1840-January 25, 1890.
The Egyptian style obelisk which sits atop the mound was purchased from proceeds obtained from the performance of the play, The March of Progress or The Queen of the East, written by E. H. Dial and performed at the new Opera House in May 1889. Mr. Dial became the most progressive Mayor of Meridian of the Nineteenth Century and was made an honorary members of the United Confederate Veterans Organization for his extensive efforts on behalf of the veterans.
On July 15, 2000 the W. D. Cameron Camp Number 1221 dedicated a beautiful new monument to honor and to remember Lieutenant Charles W. Read and his remarkable naval exploits during the War for Southern Independence.