Remembering Gettysburg

A History - There are two special days in Gettysburg every November called Dedication and Remembrance Day. On November 19, 1946, the Gettysburg Address anniversary date was formally designated as "Dedication Day" by a joint resolution of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Annually now on November 19, there is a ceremony at the National Cemetery. The commemoration of Remembrance Day goes back to 1956 when the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, in conjunction with the city of Gettysburg, began a celebration to help ensure that the purpose for Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address would not be forgotten. That same year, the SUVCW dedicated a memorial statue to the Grand Army of the Republic and Albert Woolson, the last member of the G.A.R. Today, the program includes decorating the graves of the Civil War sol-diers that died and are buried at Gettysburg, a memorial and wreath lay-ing program at the Woolson memorial by the SUVCW, Woman's Relief Corps, Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, and Auxiliary to the SUVCW and the Military Order of the Loyal Le-gion of the United States. It is at this memorial program that the Gettysburg Address is read. This is followed by a parade that includes over 2,000 participants.

Flags - Memorial Day, May 30, 1908, marked the first time that flags were placed on the graves in the Get-tysburg National Cemetery. In the fall of 1998, during the Remembrance Day event, the Department of Michigan, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War placed small 8”x12” State flags on the graves of the graves of 173 Michi-gan buried in the national cemetery. These flags were a gift from Mr. Richard Micka, Vice-President of the La-Z-Boy Corporation in Monroe, MI.

With the knowledge that each of those men died serving un-der the flag of the United States, small U.S. flags were pur-chased in 2003 to also place on the graves.

Members of the Michigan Allied Orders of the G.A.R. meet at 8 AM the morning of Remembrance Day to place both the U.S. and State flags on the graves. The flags remain on the graves throughout the weekend until removed on Monday.

Today - Prior to the 150th anniversary program held last November in the Gettysburg National Cemetery, an assessment was made of all the flags and it was determined that time and the elements had taken their toll on the flags. The Champlin Corps No. 41, Woman’s Relief Corps has faithfully cleaned, mended, and ironed these flags for more than ten years. Most importantly, they have ensured that the label, bearing the name and regiment of each soldier buried in the Michigan section, is securely attached to the staff of the State flag. To give proper cred-it to those men who gave their life at Gettysburg, each flag bears a name specific to his headstone. In conjunction with the special ceremony, Michigan Remembers Gettysburg, that was held at Gettys-burg in 2013, the Department of Michigan, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, has partnered with the Woman’s Relief Corps and History Remembered, Inc. to conduct a special “flag retirement” project.

How You Can Help Retire the Colors – You can purchase both the U.S. and State flags that have flown at Gettysburg for any of the soldiers in the following list.

Price includes packaging and shipping. 1 set: $20 2-10 sets: $15 each 11 or more sets: $12 each With each set purchased, you will receive the matching commemorative tin used to transport soil from Michigan to that soldier’s grave for the November 2013 ceremony at no additional charge. These 4.5” tins include a special label identifying the soldier’s name, unit and grave and still include soil residue from the soldier’s county, farm, school, or other connection. All orders must use the official order form. All money raised, minus the packaging and shipping will be presented to the Department of Michigan, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War for future maintenance and the purchase of replacement flags.

5th US Artillery (4th Michigan)

Pvt. Eugene Brower, Washtenaw Pvt. Oscar F. Drake, Saginaw Pvt. Lewis C. Griswold, Livingston

1st U.S. Sharpshooters Lieut. George W Sheldon, Kalamazoo

9th Mich. Artillery Pvt. John W. Barber, Lenawee

1st Mich. Cavalry Lieut. James S. McElheny, Kalamazoo Corp. Thomas Shanahan, Wayne Pvt. Charles Sitts, Lapeer Pvt. Philip Wilcox, Jr., Lapeer

5th Mich. Cavalry Pvt. Nelson A. Allen, Wayne UNKNOWN (Sergt. Charles A Ballard) Sergt. Frank A. Barbour, Oakland Corp. Horace S. Barse, Wayne UNKNOWN (Sergt. Henry Becker) UNKNOWN (Pvt. Caleb Bennett) Sergt. William Brennan, Ottawa UNKNOWN (Sergt. Stephen Buzzell) UNKNOWN (Pvt. Artimus H. Clark) UNKNOWN (Artemus Clark) Duplicate UNKNOWN (Pvt. Moses Cole) UNKNOWN (Wm. A. Cole) Triplicate UNKNOWN (Corp. Wm A. Cole) Triplicate )

5th Mich. Cavalry, continued

UNKNOWN (Sergt. William A. Croel) UNKNOWN (William Daft) UNKNOWN (Lieut. GA Dickey) Duplicate UNKNOWN (Sergt. Thomas J. Divit) Pvt. Andrew R. Evans, Oakland UNKNOWN (Pvt. J Falketts) REMOVED (Major Noah H. Ferry) Pvt. Levi Gibbs, Clinton Pvt. George Hetchler, Macomb Corp. Philip H. Hill, Macomb Pvt. Francis P. Kent, Genessee UNKNOWN (John Lavaby) Pvt. Peter LaValley, Oakland UNKNOWN (Pvt. Charles I. Masters) UNKNOWN (Pvt. David M. Merrifield) UNKNOWN (Pvt. Christopher B. Miller) UNKNOWN (Pvt. Albert S. Norris) Pvt. John Notting, Allegan UNKNOWN (Corp. John H. Ohrenberger) UNKNOWN (Pvt. Henry Reed) Pvt. Irwin M. Skinner, Clinton UNKNOWN (Pvt. Edward A. Warner) UNKNOWN (Pvt. Miles D. Webster)

6th Mich. Cavalry Sergt. Charles W. Cox, St. Clair Corp. Horace Hart, Gratiot Pvt. Charles C. Krauss, Kent

7th Mich. Cavalry Pvt. James T. Bedell, Oakland Pvt. Edward J. Brickell, Cass Sergt. Benjamin Church, Saginaw Pvt. Robert Hastings, Lenawee Pvt. George W. Lundy, Hillsdale Sergt. John L. Milbourn, Eaton Sergt. Charles E. Miner, Lenawee Pvt. Thomas Motley, Bay Pvt. Nelson Walters, Cass

Cavalry (Regt. Unknown) UNKNOWN (Lieut. F. J. Diatt)

1st Mich. Infantry Sergt. Hiram Hopkins, Marquette Pvt. Austin A. Whitman, Saginaw

3rd Mich. Infantry Pvt. Hiram Blood, Kent Pvt. John M. Brown, Newaygo Pvt. Charles B. Burgess, Kent Corp. Oliver M. Culver, Kent Pvt. James O'Neil, Muskegon Pvt. James N. Pierce, Kent Pvt. Robert Sligh, Kent UNKNOWN (Pvt. Erson R. Smith) Pvt. Silas E. Thurston, Ingham Sergt. Reuben Tower, Ionia Corp. Orin D. Wade, Ionia

4th Mich. Infantry Corp. Adelbert Benson, Monroe Pvt. Samuel Bisonette, Monroe Pvt. Joseph Brink, Wayne Pvt. Ellis B. Comstock, Allegan Corp. Hiram B. Fountain, Lenawee Pvt. Charles W. Gregory, Hillsdale Pvt. Addison J. Hoisington, Lenawee Sergt. William H. Jackson, Wayne Sergt. Duane C. Kimball, Washtenaw Corp. Norman King, Washtenaw Sergt. John H. Kydd, Washtenaw Corp. Charles H. Ladd, Monroe Pvt. David C. Laird, Monroe

Pvt. Lawson W. Lampman, Livingston Pvt. Robert Moodie, Wayne Corp. Constantine Pease, St. Joseph Pvt. James H. Pendleton, Hillsdale Pvt. Charles W. Phelps, Washtenaw

4th Mich. Infantry, continued Corp. William A. Pryor, Washtenaw Pvt. George Purdy, Lapeer Pvt. Charles M. Rouse, Washtenaw Sergt. Frederick A. Sheets, Washtenaw Pvt. Charles A. Thurlack, Monroe Sergt. Edwin G. Tripp, Hillsdale Pvt. Charles H. Wilson, Hillsdale Corp. Freeman P. Worden, St. Joseph Pvt. Dionis Zimmerman, Washtenaw

5th Mich. Infantry Pvt. Asher D. Artley, St. Joseph Pvt. Richard Aylward, St. Clair Pvt. Henry Butler, Livingston Corp. William A. Cole, Oakland Pvt. John Dover, Lapeer Pvt. John G. Folkerts, St. Clair Pvt. Luther Franklin, Gratiot Capt Peter Generous, Macomb Corp. William C. Harlan, Kent Sergt. James Hazzard, Wayne Pvt. George H. Hillee, Livingston Corp. Reuben Howe, Saginaw UNKNOWN (Corp. Reuben Howe) Duplicate Pvt. George Lawrence, Saginaw Pvt. Chester W. McAley, Gratiot Sergt. Alexander Moree, St. Clair Pvt. John Roberts, Wayne Pvt. Peter E. Roy, Wayne Corp. Jerome Shook, Macomb Corp. Albert Smith, Oakland Pvt. Joseph Sutter, Wayne Corp. Charles W. Thayer, Livingston Lieut. John P. Thelan, Wayne Pvt. Joseph W. Tucker, Macomb Corp. Charles A. Turner, Macomb Sergt. Daniel A. Vodra, Wayne

7thMich. Infantry Pvt. William Almas, Lapeer Pvt. Edwin D. Beebe, Tuscola Pvt. Charles W. Fulmer, Lapeer Sergt. Russell B. Godfrey, Ingham Sergt. Nicholas Goshey, Houghton Corp. Delos W. Harris, Hillsdale Pvt. Sidney G. Harris, Monroe Corp. Edward Moore, Wayne UNKNOWN (Sergt. John C. Sholes) Lieut. Albert Slafter, Tuscola

7thMich. Infantry, continued

Pvt. William Underwood, Houghton

16th Mich. Infantry Sergt. Hubbard H. Barrett, Ionia Pvt. John R. Beagle, unk. Sergt. James Beckett, Wayne Pvt. James P. Bogart, Livingston Sergt. Josiah G. Bond, Genessee Lieut. Butler Brown, Washtenaw Pvt. Edward Burton, Calhoun Pvt. George W. Ervay, Wayne Pvt. Jacob Genner, Wayne Pvt. James K. Hall, Hillsdale Corp. John Hart, Washtenaw Pvt. William B. Hunt, St. Joseph Lieut. Wallace E. Jewett, Saginaw Pvt. Charles A. Martin, Genessee Pvt. Silas Mason, Hillsdale Corp. Charles McBratner, Saginaw Sergt. Joseph Mullenbrey, Washtenaw Corp. John M. Nestor, Wayne Sergt. Henry Raw, Wayne Pvt. Isaac H. Scott, Wayne Pvt. George W. Stevens, Saginaw Sergt. James M. Stevens, Macomb REMOVED (Pvt. Emory Tuttle)

24th Mich. Infantry

Pvt. Elias B. Browning, Wayne Sergt. George D. Cline, Wayne Sergt. George Colburn, Monroe Pvt. John Dewyer, Wayne Lieut. Gilbert A. Dickey, Calhoun Corp. Jerome T. Fales, Wayne Pvt. Edward B. Harrison, Wayne

Pvt. K. Robert Hermann, Wayne Pvt. Augustus Jenks, Monroe Corp. William H. Luce, Wayne Pvt. John McNish, Wayne Pvt. Mason Palmer, Wayne Pvt. Charles J. Paton, Wayne Sergt. George H. Pettinger, Wayne Sergt. John Powell, Wayne Pvt. John S. Rider, Wayne Corp. David E. Rounds, Wayne Pvt. Charles Ruff, Wayne Corp. Otis B. Southworth, Wayne Corp. Thomas Suggett, Wayne Pvt. William Williams, Wayne

The soldier’s county of residence follows each name (or county of enlistment if residence is unknown).

NOTE: There are many UNKNOWNs on this list with a name in parentheses indicating the name engraved on the headstone. However, most of these UNKNOWNs are names of men who did not die at Gettysburg or for some other reason are not the ones who are buried in that location. It is most likely the man who is buried beneath that stone came from the regiment listed on the stone. There-fore, the UNKNOWN soldier in that grave still receives our respect and honor even though he is known only to God.