Partial Remains of Three U.S. Civil War Soldiers Buried in Fredericksburg National Cemetery
Remains were discovered in 2015 during construction of Riverfront Park.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
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The City of Fredericksburg and the National Park Service buried the partial remains of three U.S. Civil War soldiers in Fredericksburg National Cemetery on Saturday.
The remains were discovered on Sophia Street in downtown Fredericksburg in 2015, during construction of what is now Riverfront Park. According to a newsflash from the city, staff in 2017 requested that the remains be buried in Fredericksburg Cemetery alongside other soldiers who died locally during the Civil War.
The reinterment was delayed because of the need to conduct archeological investigations at the cemetery, which is managed by the National Park Service and has been closed to new burials since 1945. These investigations were in turn delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to an article published by the NPS, the city contacted Dovetail Cultural Resource Group immediately upon discovery of the remains in 2015.
Dovetail determined that the site was the original resting location of three Union soldiers who likely died during the Battle of Fredericksburg. In addition to human remains, the burial deposit also included a bundle of textiles and small artifacts.
X-rays revealed a total of 113 small objects, including a patent medicine bottle containing mercury, turpentine, and animal fat; a pack of straight pins; a brush; a pocket watch key; and a cuff button belonging to the 14th Connecticut Unit, which was the only Connecticut unit to participate in the Battle of Fredericksburg.
The Sons of Union Veterans and the Missing in America Project helped with the reburial ceremony on May 2. According to city spokeswoman Sonja Cantu, Fredericksburg Mayor Kerry Devine attended the ceremony, along with Mike Craig, the director of community planning, and Kate Schwartz, the historic resources planner.
Cantu said there were discussions about making the ceremony public, but that “the National Park Service limited attendance due to their security protocols.”
“Completing the reinterment before Memorial Day ensures the remains can be honored alongside other fallen soldiers during the annual luminaria event,” Cantu said. “Although the ceremony was private, the public is now welcome to visit the grave and pay their respects at any time.”
The Fredericksburg National Cemetery is open to the public daily from sunrise to sunset. The Memorial Day luminary event will take place on May 24 from 8 to 11 p.m.
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