'I'm very proud of my brother': Michigan siblings travel to Fredericksburg National Cemetery, where one joins others telling the stories of men who gave their all

Mark Fischer speaks at the grave of Sgt. Wallace Wight of the 24th Michigan (Photos courtesy Glenn Fischer)

Two brothers from Michigan are back from a super fun (and meaningful) road trip to Virginia.

Mark and Glenn Fischer traveled to Fredericksburg over the Memorial Day weekend. They took in the Civil War battlefield, the local library and the food and beverage scene, among other spots.

The main attraction, though, was the annual Memorial Day luminaria Saturday night at Fredericksburg National Cemetery. There, on a perfect weather evening, Mark stood next to the grave of Sgt. Wallace W. Wight of the 24^th Michigan, telling visitors about the infantryman's service and death in December 1862.

Last year, Fischer, 53, helped a researcher with the National Park Service identify the grave of Wight and another Iron Brigade soldier, from Indiana.

Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park invited the Livonia resident to join several others stationed in the burial ground to tell individual stories of those who died in service of their country.

“I had some folks ask me where the first burial site was, how much time passed between Wallace’s death and his father returning to the scene to reunite the remains,” said Mark Fischer, who conceded he could not provide firm answers to all questions..

Glenn Fischer, (left) director of the DeWitt District Library in DeWitt, was there to support his older brother over the weekend.

“While a somber and serious occasion, it was so moving to see how the public reacted to this event so positively,” Glenn told the Picket Tuesday upon their return to Michigan.

“I'm very proud of my brother for his dedication to this soldier's story. He's always been a very curious and persistent person when it comes to solving puzzles, so it was enlightening and satisfying to see him address this one successfully,” said Glenn.

Mark Fischer had wanted to know whether Wight was buried in Virginia or in Livonia, setting of a chain of research and correspondence with the park.

The citizen historian (right) worked with Steve Morin, a retired FBI researcher who volunteers at the park, to find information that led to grave identifications for Wight and Pvt. John S. Waller of the 19^th Indiana. 

Correspondence led to Morin eventually finding a Detroit Free Press article that detailed how and where the two men died. Wight, 18, and several comrades were killed on Dec. 13, 1862, and buried at Pollock’s Farm in Stafford County.

He was later moved to Fredericksburg National Cemetery. Waller was killed by rifle fire in April 1863 while attempting to cross the Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg.

Wight’s grave at Fredericksburg National Cemetery has the wrong surname (Wright), which complicated the research. (At right, Mark Fischer)

Cemetery records have been updated to reflect the correct ID for Wight and to add Waller’s name, which was just marked “J.S.W.” on his headstone.

Because of their historic nature, the headstones will not be changed, park officials said last year.

Glenn Fischer said Saturday's event was well-organized and attended. "The event served as an important reminder of the importance of funding our National Park Service so that public events like this one can continue." 

He said the research is an example of why funding public libraries is "vital to preserving and providing access to these items and records. Without these resources, this young soldier's final resting place might remain a mystery."

Steve Morin talks about Pennsylvanian Alvin Whitaker (NPS photo)

Morin, the volunteer at Fredericksburg, was posted Saturday evening at the grave of Sgt. Alvin Whitaker of the 141st Pennsylvania, whose grave he helped properly identify.

Whitaker was killed in action in May 1864 and was buried on the field in Spotsylvania, Va. His grave at Fredericksburg National Cemetery was marked "O. Whittaker" with the 4th Ohio, but that name does not match records of soldiers killed on that date. Morin determined Alvin is likely buried in the grave.

"I think there were more visitors than last year. I was still talking to folks at 11 p.m.,” Morin said of the luminaria.

Mark Fischer told the Picket he would recommend everyone attend a luminaria service at national cemeteries.

"I can’t imagine a better way to honor all those who sacrificed so that we can live free today."

Mark Fischer educates visitors about Sgt. Wight during the cemetery event (NPS photo)

Civil War researcher Brad Quinlin will lead free Memorial Day weekend tours at Marietta National Cemetery in Georgia. He will discuss soldiers of every U.S. war

Marietta National Cemetery is closed to new interments (National Park Service photo)

Researcher and historian Brad Quinlin will give free 90-minutes tours of Marietta National Cemetery in suburban Atlanta throughout the Memorial Day weekend.

About 10,200 of the 17,000 burials are Union Civil War soldiers, of which about 3,000 are unknown. Most died during the Atlanta Campaign.

Saturday’s tour is at 3 p.m. and Sunday and Monday walks are at 7:30 p.m. The cemetery is at Washington Avenue and Cole Street in Marietta, Ga.

“I cover the soldiers of every war we have been in, a total tapestry of American history,” said Quinlin (right) who routinely researches Civil War soldier histories for descendants. He helped in research that led to the Medal of Honor for two men who took part in the Civil War’s Andrews Raid and were executed in Atlanta.

Quinlin will tell the history of the cemetery and some of the men and women buried there.

Pvt. Dennis (Denis) Buckley, killed at the Battle of Peachtree Creek on July 20, 1864, is a Medal of Honor recipient. The New Yorker captured the flag of the 31st Mississippi Infantry

Near the flagpole and rostrum is a cenotaph for Korean War Medal of Honor recipient Cpl. Lee Hugh Phillips. 

Another grave is that of Union nurse Emma Stephenson (left), a formerly enslaved person who treated men wounded at Kennesaw Mountain. She died a few weeks later of disease.

Quinlin asks participants meet at the bank parking lot on Cole Street near Roswell Street. The cemetery walk is about ¾ of a mile.

Call him at 404-610-9922 or email 21stohio@charter.net for more information.

A persistent Michigander helped identify the graves of two soldiers buried at Fredericksburg. He will be at one's gravesite Saturday for Memorial Day luminaria

The Fredericksburg luminaria will remember 15,000 souls including Sgt. Wight (NPS photos)

A citizen historian from Michigan whose research helped lead to the identification of graves for two Iron Brigade soldiers buried at Fredericksburg National Cemetery will stand next to one’s headstone Saturday night during a Memorial Day luminaria.

Mark Fischer of Livonia will share the story of Sgt. Wallace Winfield Wight and his regiment, the 24^th Michigan Infantry to visitors walking through the cemetery, which will be aglow from thousands of candles placed in white bags.

Fischer worked with Steve Morin, a retired FBI researcher who volunteers at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park in Virginia, to find information that led to grave identifications for Wight and Pvt. John S. Waller of the 19^th Indiana.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to be invited; I also see it as a good citizen’s duty,” Fischer (left) wrote in an email, “and a way to thank all fallen soldiers for their service and sacrifice.”

Wight’s grave at Fredericksburg National Cemetery has the wrong surname (Wright) and Waller’s has only initials.

An email from Fischer to the park in 2023 began the saga.

Fischer’s research actually began with Wight’s father, an officer in the same regiment and who is buried in Livonia. A nearby stone with Wallace Wight’s named appeared to be a cenotaph -- an empty grave for someone who is believed to rest elsewhere. But that was not a certainty.

Fischer reached out the park, wanting to know whether the younger Wight rests there. 

That first contact did not prove fruitful because park officials could not find a Wight in their cemetery records (though the register did show a Wright, as later research came to show). So Fischer kept at it, looking at diaries, letters and old newspapers.

How persistence of 2 men cracked the code

Subsequent correspondence between Fischer and Morin led to the latter eventually finding a Detroit Free Press article, which broke the whole story open last year.

The lengthy piece (right) in December 1870 about a Grand Army of the Republic reunion included information about the deaths of Wight, Waller and other men in 1862 and 1863.

Interestingly, the mislabeled Wight marker includes a “Jr.”, likely because the teen and his father, Lt. Col. William Walker Wight, had the same initials.

After the Wight identification, Morin was able to do the same for Waller, whose grave is marked simply “J.S.W.”

The headstones have not been corrected, due to their historical nature and other factors, but the cemetery’s records were updated.

Park historian and ranger Peter Maugle credited Fischer for instigating the gathering “of the pieces of the puzzle.”

“This guy figured it out for us. He was persistent.”

Wight, 18, and several comrades were killed on Dec. 13, 1862, and buried at Pollock’s Farm in Stafford County, as the newspaper article detailed. He was later moved to Fredericksburg National Cemetery.

Waller was killed by rifle fire in April 1863 while attempting to cross the Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg.

The park decided to invite Fischer to this year's events as a sign of gratitude for his efforts.

Morin (left) on Saturday evening will be at the grave of a Pennsylvania soldier to discuss his service. A half dozen or so other people will be placed at additional grave sites of note.

Over the years, Maugle and his team have been able to “better” identify about 200 graves at Fredericksburg. About 85 percent of the graves at the cemetery are listed as unknown.

“Identification of soldiers is an ongoing project. It is very time intensive,” Morin (right) told the Picket. “It is great that records are continually being digitized by various organizations which really helps with the research work.” 

He called Fischer’s efforts to determine the location of Wight’s grave “relentless.”

Fischer said he would like to meet Maugle and Morin before the luminaria and thank them for their help. He hopes to visit the battlefield and see what the park archives have on the 24^th Michigan.

The citizen historian is transcribing the diaries of Webster Wood, a musician in Wight’s company, for a descendant. Wood also was from Livonia.

Monday's events include ceremony, walking tours

The luminaria is scheduled for 8 p.m.-11 p.m. Saturday. In the event of rain, the event will be moved to Sunday.

“The luminaria honors those who died in the service of this country,” the park said in a news release. “Local scouts will light 15,300 candles in the cemetery – one for each person buried there. In addition, a bugler will play “Taps” every 30 minutes during the evening as park staff posted throughout the cemetery relate stories about some of the individuals.”

The cemetery is located at the intersection of Sunken Road and Lafayette Boulevard. Click here for more information on transportation and parking.

A Memorial Day ceremony and observance is planned for Monday. (At right, grave of Pvt. Waller, NPS)

The event will begin at 10 a.m. with a 15-minute ceremony in the cemetery, including the  playing of Taps and the presentation of the colors of the 23rd USCT living history group.

From 10:15 am to 4 p.m., park staff will be stationed in the cemetery to share stories about the history of Memorial Day in Fredericksburg and “facilitate remembrance activities to honor those who lost their lives in service to the United States.” Golf carts will be available to facilitate access up to the cemetery.

Join staff at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. for walking tours of the Sunken Road. The tours will meet behind the Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center, 1013 Lafayette Blvd, by the panoramic battle painting.  

Sherman the soldier is back as the heart of an Ohio community. A replica of the granite monument smashed by a big rig in 2022 is set in place for the long haul

Statue at studio in Vermilion and monument installation in LaGrange (Courtesy Cleveland Quarries)

Sherman the flag bearer is again standing tall above the traffic circle in LaGrange, Ohio.

Nearly three years after a tractor trailer smashed the granite Civil War monument, workers installed a replacement Wednesday in time for Memorial Day and a founding celebration for the small community near Cleveland.

“Our community is almost whole. It’s wonderful to see him standing there again,” said LaGrange Township trustee Rita Canfield in a Friday email.

Zachary Carpenter, president of Cleveland Quarries in Vermilion, said the entire process of making the replica monument has gone more smoothly than expected. (At left, Sherman back in place)

“We are all very proud of the work completed and it means a lot to me personally to have been involved in something so historically significant to the area – especially knowing (hoping) that Sherman will be standing in LaGrange for another 100 years.”

While master stone carver Nicholas Fairplay fashioned the statue of the resolute soldier, Carpenter’s company made and finished the blocks below his feet. That includes the names of LaGrange area residents who served during the war, and mentions of a few battles and of Union generals Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, Philip Sheridan and George Thomas.

“The whole structure is almost 40,000 pounds,” said Carpenter, adding the soldier himself may weigh up to two tons.

So why is the soldier known around the community as Sherman? Yes, the general with that name is from Ohio. But the real reason is because of the four generals represented on the monument, Sherman's name is the one beneath the front of the statue.

Officials in LaGrange were determined to replace the 1903-04 memorial obliterated in June 2022. The monument, which was made up of several pieces, topped by the Union soldier, was shattered by the truck. Even his head was broken off.

The farm community determined the damage was too severe for a repair. After finalizing a $923,244 settlement with the trucking company’s insurance company, LaGrange Township hired Fairplay and Carpenter's company.

Pieces of the monument before assembly this week (LaGrange Township)

They worked from the original statue -- painstakingly glued together by Fairplay and an assistant to use as a template for the new one. He worked in a studio at Cleveland Quarries, which milled the raw form of the replacement statue at its operation in Vermilion.

The return of the fixture at the intersection of routes 301 and 303 (Main Street) coincides with the 200^th anniversary of the township and the 150^th for the village. (They are separate political entities. The monument is owned by the township and is the center point of the village.). 

Joint events on May 24-26 include a car show, pancake breakfast, 5K run, carnival, parade and the statue unveiling on Memorial Day. Members of the LaGrange Historical Society will be present all three days. (More details here)

The original statue was shattered into dozens of pieces, including its head (LaGrange Township)

Canfield said Friday caulking and grout work on the stone will be completed soon.

“The remaining work to be done to the site will be completed after Memorial Day. Due to the weather and the Founder Event planned, we are leaving the existing sidewalk until after Memorial Day weekend," the township official said. "The sprinkler system, grass, general landscaping, lighting and flag pole will wait until the heavy work is done.”

Mayor Gary Kincannon of LaGrange Village told the Picket he was pleased with the return of Sherman, the literal center point of town.

“I grew up in town and used to sit on the statue from 8-9 years old until high school. Something was definitely missing, but back now.”

Following Memorial Day parade, a Ohio community near Cleveland will dedicate a replacement for its Civil War statue shattered by a big rig in 2022

The new monument is at left in first photo, right in second image (Photos courtesy N. Fairplay)

Nearly three years after a tractor trailer slammed into a Civil War monument in northern Ohio, knocking it to pieces, a replica will be unveiled on Memorial Day, a symbol of community pride in veterans and their sacrifice.

Officials in LaGrange were determined to replace the 1903 granite memorial that was obliterated in June 2022. The monument, which was made up of several pieces, topped by a Union soldier, was shattered. Even his head was broken off.

The metro Cleveland and farm community determined the damage was too severe for a repair.

After finalizing a $923,244 settlement with the trucking company’s insurance company, LaGrange Township hired master carver Nicholas Fairplay and Cleveland Quarries to make new versions of the statue and other parts of the monument in the downtown square.

They worked from the original statue -- painstakingly glued together by Fairplay and an assistant to use as a template for the new one. He worked in a studio at Cleveland Quarries, which milled the raw form of the replacement statue at its operation in Vermilion.

The piece was shattered into dozens of pieces, including its head (Photos LaGrange Township)

Fairplay told the Picket he expects to have the work completed late this week. He provided a few photos showing results of the detail work he and the assistant performed.

“The space between the legs and hand are now pierced. We are now working on the surface detail,” he said. Of one photo he sent, the carver said, “You can see red pencil marks showing where we have to carve deeper shadow.”

LaGrange Township trustee Rita Canfield said the plan is to have the so-called Sherman statue installed the week of May 12. The soldier's figure will be covered until Memorial Day (May 26).

Return of the fixture at the intersection of routes 301 and 303 (Main Street) coincides with the 200^th anniversary of the township and the 150^th for the village. (They are separate political entities).

Joint events on May 24-26 include a car show, pancake breakfast, 5K run, carnival, parade and the statue unveiling on Memorial Day. Members of the LaGrange Historical Society will be present all three days. (More details here)

Faint red marks on new statue (left) show areas needing refining (Photo courtesy N. Fairplay)

“We hope to have a good turnout and will be hosting fireworks and other events as part of the return celebration and the founding of the community at the same time,” said Canfield.

Below the statue is the monument base, which carried the names of LaGrange area residents who served during the war, the names of a few battles and of Union generals Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, Philip Sheridan and George Thomas. Cleveland Quarries replaced all of the pieces comprising the base.

“I must say that Nick has done a fabulous job,” said Canfield. “His work has been impeccable. Cleveland Quarries owner Zach Carpenter and his team have given us our heritage back. They have been the type of partner that we all want to work with: Transparent, honest, fair and very highly skilled with an insane attention to detail in their recreation of our monument.”

He has stood tall for more than 120 years

To say the Sherman statue, as locals call it, is vital to the area’s identity might be an understatement. It sits smack dab in the middle of the community, which has about 2,500 residents.

The memorial, made of Vermont granite, was erected in 1903 (some sources say 1904) for about $3,000. The project was a joint project of LaGrange Village and LaGrange Township, a separate political entity. They are in Lorain County.

The monument is owned by the township and is the center point of the village. (At left, the monument before its destruction, photo LaGrange Township)

The township was determined the new Sherman is faithful to the old one in every way, from the pose and flag of the Federal soldier to the stacked blocks below him that feature battles and the names of area men who served and died in the war.

After the traffic accident, officials ensured that virtually every piece, down to chips, of the monument were stored so they could serve as a guide for the replica.

Fairplay describes the soldier as having undersized feet and hands. “I think his legs are a little shorter for this height.”

“He is carved quite simple but (is) a heroic, nostalgic statue. It is not a Greek or Roman statue emphasizing portraiture.” The work will include the U.S. flag leaning out and a tree stump next to the right leg. “Most have tree stumps or drapery because the weight of the statue will not be (supported) by the ankles,” said Fairplay.

I asked him why the new statue is lighter than the original.

“The original statue is darker due to pollution on the surface which could be cleaned off. You could see the original color of the granite when the statue was in pieces.” By that, he means granite below the surface was not discolored and when the memorial was broken, you could see the difference (photo below).

Safeguarding the soldier's future

Canfield said the insurance settlement will fund the monument, a new flagpole, lights and other infrastructure on the circle. 

Truckers often use Route 301 through town. A series of crashes, culminating with the loss of the soldier, prompted officials to place bright yellow metal poles – known as bollards – to warn motorists of the vulnerable circle.

In the 2022 incident, an incident report from the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the driver told a responding officer that he fell asleep and went through a stop sign. The driver was not found to be impaired.

Cleveland Quarries is donating large sandstone blocks to replace the bollards.

“We are pretty confident if someone fails to stop, if they hit the couple tons they will come to a stop,” Canfield said in a bit of understatement.

The Sherman statue suffered another indignity 65 years ago, according to a Lorain County nostalgia blog. A newspaper article in November 1957 said pranksters tarred and feathered the base.

So what will happen to the original monument after Memorial Day?

“At this time, the … old statue of Sherman will be placed in the old Society Hall/fire station. The remaining base pieces will be placed in the cemetery,” said Canfield. “The epoxy used to glue the statue back together will not tolerate the weather and would degrade over time.”

One of the Civil War campaigns being noted in the new monument (Cleveland Quarries)

'Boys, we're driving them': For Memorial Day, the Picket asked for individual stories of the Civil War fallen. Here are eight compelling accounts

Flags in the cemetery at Antietam battlefield in Maryland (NPS photo)

The roots of Memorial Day go back to immediately after the Civil War, when it was known as “Decoration Day.” Families and veterans would lay flowers at graves of those who died while serving the U.S. armed forces. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan and the Grand Army of the Republic were major proponents.

The Civil War Picket asked several people we’ve interviewed or communicated with over the years to name one person killed in action or while on duty during the Civil War, and why their memory is personally meaningful. We start each of the following entries with the name of those who died and end with the name of the contributor. Some responses have been edited.

We began this feature last year, and I really appreciate those who have responded. They help ensure their soldier or sailor is remembered.

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Capt. William W. Hutchinson, 103^rd Ohio Infantry

In mid-May 1864, The 2nd Brigade (Mahlon Manson, XXIII Corps) of which the 103rd Ohio Infantry belonged, overran the first line of Confederate works at Resaca and drove them to their main line. The attack was deadly from the start. Capt. Hutchinson, who commanded the 103rd that day, along with Capt. John T. Philpot we're killed in the advance. Also, all of the color guard we're shot down: two killed, seven wounded.

I believe their sense of duty pushed them to do the extraordinary. You read these accounts of these men (on both sides) who had a seemingly impossible task before them and would just drive forward. I never stop being amazed by reading their first-hand accounts. It was reported his last words were "Boys, we’re driving them," after he received his mortal wound.

TONY PATTON, board member with the Friends of Resaca Battlefield and an employee at Resaca Battlefield Historic Site in north Georgia.

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Lt. Col. Henry Pearson, 6th New Hampshire

One of the highlights of my Civil War adventurizing came on a sweltering day in 2016 at the grave of Henry Pearson in the beautiful Fredericksburg (Va.) National Cemetery on Marye’s Heights. I had with me a tintype of Pearson in his officer’s uniform, clutching a sword. He was a remarkable young man, 24, a lieutenant colonel well-liked by his soldiers. (Photo in John Banks' collection)

A sharpshooter’s bullet crashed into Pearson’s head, killing him, at North Anna River on May 26, 1864. Comrades placed his body in a large, wooden box and hastily buried him on the eastern bank of the North Anna. They carved his name on a crude, wooden marker and “left him alone in his glory."

Pearson’s comrades left quickly because the Army of the Potomac was on the move. After the war, the U.S. Army recovered Pearson’s body for reburial in the national cemetery. Before I part with the image of Pearson, I’d like to visit the spot where he suffered his mortal wound. I’m told it is (on) private property and remote.

JOHN BANKS, Civil War blogger, podcast co-host and author of “A Civil War Road Trip of a Lifetime: Antietam, Gettysburg and Beyond”

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Tom Parson with the artillery piece he describes below (NPS photo)

Pvt. Daniel Murray, Company C, 1^st U.S. Infantry

Daniel, an immigrant from Ireland enlisted in the regular army in 1859. On the morning of October 4, 1862, in Corinth, Ms., he and three other men from his company captured a 3.8" James rifle from the Confederates, a piece that had been captured from the Union at the Battle of Shiloh. Pvt. Murray was killed in action a few hours later during the Confederate attacks on Battery Robinett. The cannon is on permanent display at the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center, a unit of Shiloh National Military Park

TOM PARSON, ranger at Shiloh National Military Park

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Col. Willard G. Eaton, 13^th Michigan

As a student of Sherman’s 1865 Carolinas campaign, the bravery of the men willing to give the ultimate sacrifice so late in the war has always amazed me. One example that comes to mind is Col. Willard Eaton of the 13^th Michigan. He enlisted as a first lieutenant in October 1861. He distinguished himself as a capable leader, loved by the men with whom he served. At the time of his death, he was the acting colonel of the regiment though a major in rank.

On March 19, 1865 -- the first day of the battle of Bentonville in North Carolina --  U.S. Army forces encountered heavy resistance as they advanced within 25 miles the vital rail hub of Goldsboro. 

An ammunition box lid reportedly was used as marker for Eaton

Unaware that C.S. commander Joseph E. Johnston’s whole army was in front of them, 1^st Division, XIV Corps commander William P. Carlin ordered a probing attack in hopes to find and turn the Confederate right flank. Eaton’s 13^th Michigan was in the middle of three regiments selected for this movement. They advanced across an open field to within approximately 50 yards of the Army of Tennessee contingent, which was reinforcing its concealed position in a pine wood. Pvt. John Daniels of the 13^th Michigan recalled, “Our regiment charged…within about 5 rods of the enemy when our Major was killed and our color bearer wounded.”

After the battle, Eaton’s men returned to find his body. They found him stripped of everything but his undergarments and lying in a mass grave. They fashioned a headstone for him out of the lid of an ammunition box and buried him near where he fell. Though seemingly inconsequential to the outcome of the battle, his leadership in the probing attack proved vital both in determining the presence of a large Confederate force and in foiling the original Confederate plan of attack. This caused a delay which allowed vital U.S. reinforcements to rush into position, preventing the left wing from being routed.

CHAD JEFFERDS, assistant site manager at North Carolina’s Fort Fisher State Historic Site and former historic interpreter/programs coordinator at Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site.

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John Clark Ely

I want to remember Lt. John Clark Ely, who was with the 115th Ohio Infantry. He was captured near Nashville in early December 1864.  He had a wife and for young children back in Ohio. He kept a diary and often wrote about missing his family and how he longed to be with them again. On Christmas day of 1864, as he is being led toward Andersonville, he wrote: "I wonder if next Christmas will again find me among friends and family." He survived Andersonville and was taken to the parole camp outside of Vicksburg. On April 24, 1865, he boarded the Sultana that he described as a "large but not very nice boat."  On April 26, the entry in his diary read, "Still going up the river."  This was his last entry. In the aftermath of the explosion and burning of the Sultana, the body of John Clark Ely was identified by his diary. Lt. Ely never made it back to his family and friends. His final resting place is the Memphis National Cemetery. 

JERRY POTTER, Sultana expert and author of “The Sultana Tragedy: America’s Greatest Maritime Disaster”

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Sgt. William Anderson, Company I, 46^th U.S. Colored Troops

On May 18, 1864, a white Vicksburg citizen named John Bobb threw a "brick or stone" at Sgt. Anderson while the soldier was marching a picket detail back to camp through Bobb’s property. The citizen was shot and killed by Sgt. Anderson. The U.S. Army charged Anderson with murder but the July 1 court-martial proceedings resulted in a verdict of not guilty. The thrown object caused Anderson to suffer from a skull fracture. He received treatment at Vicksburg and returned to "light duty." He died on Aug. 26, 1864, at the Milliken's Bend hospital, with a military saying he died of apoplexy.

Affidavit written by Anderson's commander (click to enlarge)

But his commanding officer wrote an affidavit, in 1868, declaring the skull fracture as the cause of his death. Sgt. Anderson was 20 years old and left behind a widow, Sally, and a newborn daughter, Anna. The widow and child received pension benefits. The incident was and still is used to create a false narrative of unruly USCT soldiers (some accounts said the soldiers were inebriated or picking flowers at the home). Anderson’s death on the home front during Vicksburg's military occupation represents the daily racial violence USCT soldiers faced fighting for their freedom and equality. 

BETH KRUSE, Ph.D., Mellon Fellows scholar at Vicksburg National Military Park

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Cpl. Peter Gottlieb Nicholas Kuhn, Company K, 151^st New York

What strikes me about Peter Kuhn is two things; he was born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1826 and immigrated to the United States in 1855. He married later that year and had three children before the Civil War. He was an immigrant, older and had a family, yet he chose to enlist in September 1862. 

Peter was apparently a good soldier and was promoted to corporal in November 1862. He was noted for taking up the national flag when the color bearer of the 151^st New York was cut down at the Battle of Locust Grove on November 26, 1863, bearing the colors through the rest of the battle. He continued to serve until the regiment's costliest battle at Monocacy in Maryland. 

Killed in action at Monocacy, Peter Kuhn was first listed in wounded and missing. His wife Maria put in for a survivor's pension, which was granted on September 15, 1865.

MATT BORDERS, park ranger at Monocacy National Battlefield

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John Pelham, artillery and cavalry soldier

Every March 17, while Irish-Americans are celebrating St. Patrick's Day, I reread a bit on why General Lee remarked, while watching him serve his guns at Fredericksburg, that it was marvelous to see courage in one so young.

I once made a pilgrimage to east-central Alabama to visit his grave and pay my respects. (The Confederate soldier was killed March 17, 1863, in the Battle of Kelly’s Ford in Virginia)

STEVE DAVIS, Civil War historian and author