Savannah Morning News
Tuesday, August 22,1871

-- Honor to the Confederate Dead The arrival of the remains of
thirty-two Confederate soldiers from the Gettysburg Battlefield
-- Their escort from the Streamer America
-- Interment in Laurel Grove Cemetery &c., &c.

The hearts of our people were deeply stirred by the arrival on
the steamship America of the remains of thirty-two Confederate
soldiers exhumed from the memorable field of Gettysburg now about
to be upturned by the plowshear-- to be consigned to their final
resting place beneath the soil of their native Georgia.

The American arrived at her wharf yesterday morning and the
committee appointed for the reception of the remains, with two
hearses, met them at the wharf whence they escorted them to the
Exchange, where they were placed in State in the council chamber
during the day and looked with melancholy interest upon the three
plain chests that contained all that remained of the thirty-two
brave Southerners who fell on that memorable occasion.

The following pall bearers were appointed for the occassion:
Oglethorpe Light Infantry, Company "B" 8th Regiment, Lieut. S.W.
Branch, W.B. Mell, H.L. Davis, W.S. Rockwell, Raif B. Sandiford,
D.C. Bacon, Wm. Ed White, W.H.Bennett.

Reid's Battery- Lieut.. R.E.Falligant, James F. Murphy, John
Mooney, James Mahoney, R.H.Conway, Daniel Jackson.

Georgia Hussars of Jeff Davis Legion- E.A.Silva, W.L.Walker, Wm.
Chisholm, Jas. P. Farr, R.M. Pence, J.A. Sullivan, S.J. Baker.

26th Georgia Regiment- A.J.J.Blois

At four o'clock the hour appointed for the ceremonies, the
Committee accompanied by the twenty-four pall bearers who had
been selected for the occassion met at the Exchange. The remains
were carried down the street, and in the presence of a vast crowd
of citizens, and a detachment of the Police force under command
of Lieut. Howard, placed in two hearses preparatory to their
transportation to the cemetery.

The Policemen preceded by the Washington Coronet Band, marched
on, followed by the carriage with the minister of the Episcopal
church, Rev. Mr. Benedict and Col. J.F. Waring, formerly of the
Jeff Davis Legion. Then came the two hearses with the remains of
the dead soldiers, followed by those citizens, once soldiers, who
desired to participate in the ceremonies and pay their last
tribute of respect to the fallen comrades who's bones had rested
on the battlefield for the past eight years. Among those present
we noticed representatives of all the old volunteer companies of
our city, as well as many others who participated in the
struggles of the late Confederacy. No noise or ostentation was
perceptible but as the last hearse moved off many of the
bystanders stepped into the line and followed with sad
countenance. among those we noticed Gen. H.R. Jackson, Maj. W.S.
Basinger, Col. Rufus E. Lester and many others who suspended
their business for a time in order to participate in these
melancholy ceremonies.

As the procession moved through the streets, we marked the sad
features of the crowds around. Every store and office on Bay
Street along the line of their march was closed. Every respect
was observed and the nature of the case demanded. Along the
streets the ladies were observed standing at their doors and
windows shedding tears as the melancholy cavalcade passed by.
Never in the history of our city has a more quite, melancholy,
and sadly, appreciated occasion been before our people and never
have they seemed to feel more seriously.

Arriving at the cemetery, the pall bearers and entire procession
advanced with uncovered heads in the presence of hundreds of
ladies assembled for the purpose of paying a last tribute of
respect to the dead heroes of the "Lost Cause". They proceeded to
the place allotted to the burial of the dead. Three graves were
prepared for the reception of the three caskets containing the
remains and after the reading of the burial service by Rev.
Benedict, the Police detachment fired a military salute. A hymn,
"Rock Of Ages" was sung by Mrs. M.A.Blois, Mrs. J.Spivey, Mrs.
Robert Erwin, Maj. Withers, Mr. W.B.Bell and Lieut. Robert
Falligant during the interment.

After the graves were filled up and the last mortal remains of
these thirty-two dead confederate soldiers were deposited in
their final resting place, the ladies present numbering several
hundred, came forward and strewed flowers upon their graves so
that they were literally covered with floral offerings. This
accomplished, the people turned sadly from the spot hollowed by
the dust of the gallant men who gave their lives in defense of
the Southern Cause. These relics were recovered from the
battlefield by the ladies of the Memorial Association. The names
of those interred yesterday are as follows:

W F Brown, private, Co. B 15th Ga
W F Nash, private, Co.G 9th Ga
T H Lawrence, private, Co. G 24th Ga
W L Brewer, sergeant, Co.K 51st Ga
J B Forester, private 24th Ga
W R Bracewell, private, Co. G 49th Ga
Richard Jawet, private, Co. E 51st Ga
J S Harden, private, Co.E 13th Ga
James Corus, private, Co.H 8th Ga
J B Willoughby, private, Co.G 38th Ga
C L Walker, Lieutenant, Co.F 38th Ga
E S Johnston, private, Co.L 6th Ga
E A Ward, private, Co.C 60th ga
G Hangman, private, Co. G Georgia, Legion of Calvary
M Lewis, private, Co. D 22nd Ga
E M Ballard, captain, Co. C 8th Ga
R W Dyas, private, Co.A
T L Guerry, private
James Carr, private, Co. A 21st Ga
T J Simiton, private, Co.G 44th ga
S Colter, private, Co. E 12th Ga
J H Wright, private, Co. K 44th Ga
John Brown, private, Co.K 44th Ga
R M Boring, private, Co. K 44th Ga
Francis Penny, private, Co. F 13th Ga
E F Smith, Lieutenant, Co. E Cobb's Legion
T Hounce, Lieutenant, Co. C Cobb's Legion
T R Barrett, Lieutenant, Co. H Cobb's Legion
N Pugh, Cobb's Legion
John Cheeseborough, Cobb's Legion
Noah C Strickland, Cobb's Legion

--------------------------------------------------

Webmaster's note: The official rosters show:

Willoughby, John B. - Pvt. 10/1/1861. Wounded at Gettysburg, Pa. July 2, 1863, and died there of wounds in General Hospital August 3, 1863.

C L Walker, Lieutenant, Co.F 38th Ga: No listing of this person in Company F or elsewhere in the 38th Ga. rosters. Another article concerning the Gettysburg dead from Georgia lists Lt. C. L. Walker, Co. F, 26th Ga. It is probable the grave marker was nearly illegible, leading to the error.