Burial of an Unknown Soldier
FRANKLIN, TN – In the spring of 2009, a construction crew unearthed the bodily remains of a soldier who is believed to have lost his life during the bloody Civil War Battle of Franklin, nearly 150 years ago. A mini ball and buttons from his uniform confirmed his involvement. However, there was no clear cut evidence to determine whether the soldier was Federal or Confederate. Even though the buttons were Union eagles, many soldiers repaired and supplemented their garments by scavenging the clothes of battlefield casualties.
The City of Franklin decided to honor the fallen soldier in the form of a proper burial and solicited the help of Civil War reenactors from the 18 states that had regiments fighting in the horrific and edifying battle. A committee headed by my friend and colleague, noted photographer, Robin Hood, constructed a stunning monument from pieces of the original columns of the Tennessee State Capitol, which had been replaced during restoration in 1955.
When I heard talk about the October 10 ceremony, I was curious and decided to attend. For a number of years, I had owned a farm that lay within the boundaries of the terrible battle that left over 2000 dead. So I drove from Nashville early Saturday morning, thinking I would spend an hour or so soaking up the ambience, see some friends, and then quietly be on my way before all the spectators showed up and jammed my exit routes. From the moment I arrived though, I was hooked. I photographed the camaraderie of the early morning muster. Then a friend gave me a press pass into the ceremony at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Afterwards, I followed the procession to the Rest Haven Cemetery where the enthralling eulogies continued.
I was not only impressed with the sincerity of the tribute and its underlying theme of national unity, but also with the professional exactness of the event itself. Every minute detail appeared to be properly addressed. Not only was the costuming accurate, the participants stayed in character the entire time. I felt as if I were on the set of a major feature film. Especially moving for me was the placing of soil, hand carried by the re-enactors from each of the states represented. Thus giving this final resting place a sense of home no matter where the soldier’s birthplace may have been.