This was the date and time when the guns finally fell silent over the bloody fields of Europe in 1918. The date has been commemorated ever since, first as Armistice Day, then, since 1954 in the United States, as Veterans Day. It has come to be the day where we remember and recognize all of our military veterans, both living and dead.
On Saturday, November 8, the Old City Cemetery Committee conducted their annual Veterans Day Tour. Featured on the tour are the graves of veterans from various eras, including some from the Civil War. It may surprise some to know that there are well over 100 Civil War veterans buried in the cemetery, including a battlefield nurse and two Medal of Honor recipients. Also among the notable Civil War veterans in the cemetery is General George Wright, who was the Commander of the Department of California from 1861 to 1865. At the time it was the largest military command in the west. General Wright was responsible for providing troops to the Union Armies in the eastern theater, as well as defending key west coast ports against Confederate attack.
Another point of interest in the cemetery is the row of Civil War battlefield trees, located near the Spanish American War memorial (which is well worth seeing, as it consists of an actual fragment from the famous USS Maine battleship). The battlefield trees are from cuttings taken from trees actually growing on famous National Battlefield Parks such as Fredericksburg and Shiloh.
A scene from the re-dedication ceremony. Note the “stack” of muskets at the near corner of the monument, and the anchor and cutlass at the far corner. (click on the photo for a larger version) Photo by Troy Glasson
Perhaps the most significant military marker in the cemetery, though, is the Grand Army of the Republic monument. The monument is significant not only because of its size, but also because it is the first veterans memorial ever erected in Sacramento. As a grand finale to the OCCC’s tour, the members of SUVCW Camp 22 and Company B of the 8th California performed a re-dedication of the monument. Their brief, yet moving ceremony was based on part of the original dedication festivities.
A Color Guard, in cadence with a military drummer, marched to the monument carrying a 34-star US flag, representative of the flags flown in Civil War battles by the Union. Next, two soldiers approached the south side of the monument, while simultaneously a sailor and a Marine approached from the north. In the photo to the left, you can see that the soldiers then laid a knapsack and cartridge belt at a stack of muskets next to the monument, while the sailor laid an anchor and the Marine placed a cutlass at the base of the monument. The four servicemen then offered a slow, solemn salute to honor their ancestral comrades-in-arms. The ceremony concluded with the Color Guard marching of to a smartly-played military tattoo by the drummer.
The SUVCW conducts engaging, historic re-creations at the monument every Memorial Day and Veterans Day, as well as other special events at the cemetery and throughout the Sacramento area. Read about upcoming events here on our website, or follow us on Twitter or Facebook.
The SUVCW salutes everyone who attended the tour and ceremony. Special thanks also to the Old City Cemetery Committee. We will see you again soon! Photo by Troy Glasson