Eli Metcalfe Bruce, buried nearby in Highland Cemetery, was a vital link in providing equipment and food for the Southern cause. He amassed a fortune in meatpacking before the war, then moved his plants south. He acquired blockade runners to export cotton and bring in supplies. He was twice elected to the CSA Congress and served on the staff of Gen. J. C. Breckinridge as a noncombatant. After the war, Ell M. Bruce used his wealth to assist destitute Confederate soldiers and their families, helped many stranded Kentuckians return home, and provided funds for the education of disabled CSA Kentucky soldiers. Pardoned by Pres. Andrew Johnson, Bruce then bought and renamed the Southern Hotel in N.Y.C. for penniless ex-Confederates.