37th Congress, Omnibus Act PL 165, Section 18 Excerpt of the 1862 Omnibus Act, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC.
“And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States shall have power, whenever in his opinion it shall be expedient, to purchase cemetery grounds, and cause them to be securely enclosed, to be used as a national cemetery for the soldiers who shall die in the service of the country."
Civil War Legislation
The outbreak of the Civil War in the United States brought about a need for Congress to enact a number of new laws. Some of them dealt with pay for the greatly expanded military and how civilians would be compensated for materials, livestock, or farm products if they were taken by a passing army. Others, like the 1862 Omnibus Act, were needed to take care of the most costly consequences of war.