Remains of Civil War soldier to be interred 154 years after Battle of Wilson’s Creek

[Subdeacon Joe]

Remains of Civil War soldier to be interred 154 years after Battle of Wilson’s Creek

Little is known about skeletal remains unearthed in 2011 at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield. Not name or age, not gender, not where the person was from.

But the National Park Service, which administers the battlefield, used artifacts discovered with the bones to determine the person was likely a soldier who died on Aug. 10, 1861, during the Battle of Wilson’s Creek.

Because of that military distinction, the remains will be re-interred during a ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday at Springfield National Cemetery (1702 E. Seminole St.).

The service conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs will include remarks by Gary Edmondson, administrative officer at the cemetery, and Ted Hillmer, superintendent at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield. Members of Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and Sons of Confederate Veterans will provide funeral honors. Civil War re-enactors, personnel with Veterans Affairs and the National Park Service and local dignitaries also will pay tribute. The service is open to the public.

The remains were found illegally by a Civil War collector in an area noted for heavy fighting during the battle. When the man spotted a bone on a creek bank eroded by rain, he started digging, a violation of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act. He soon returned the bones to the National Park Service and was facing federal prosecution. Instead, he agreed to pay restitution and perform 60 hours of community service at the battlefield.

Since the discovery, the National Park Service has excavated the site and discovered more bones – in all about 29 percent of the skeleton – along with eight machine-tooled buttons that appeared to be attachments for instep tabs used by mounted troops during the war.

The Battle of Wilson’s Creek was the first major battle of the Civil War west of the Mississippi River and the second major battle of the war. About 2,500 Union and Confederate soldiers were killed, wounded or captured during the battle. Many of the soldiers who died are buried at Springfield National Cemetery.

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield includes a free visitor center featuring a 27-minute film, museum and changing exhibits. A five-mile self-guided tour road and walking trails that lead to various battle sites, such as Bloody Hill, the John Ray House and the Edwards Cabin, allow visitors to explore the battlefield in-depth and at their own pace.

The battlefield is one of many Springfield area attractions that draw thousands of tourists to the area.

For more information, call Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield at 417-732-2662 or Springfield National Cemetery at 417-881-9499.

Read more: http://www.houstonherald.com/news/remains-of-civil-war-soldier-to-be-interred-years-after/article_3fe30628-7278-11e5-b9ca-e381bfdf9c36.html#ixzz3omcwWV3s

 

[J-BAR #18287]

Very interesting, thanks.

 

Funny that it shows up in Houston but not in Springfield news outlets.