A Civil War soldier who was killed at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, August 10, 1861, was buried at Springfield National Cemetery on October 17, 2015. This was four years after his remains were discovered at nearby Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield. The burial was considered a reinterment, because he had apparently been given a battle site burial.
A committal service was held the same day of the burial, with full military honors, Civil War reenactors, and remarks by dignitaries.
It was 2011, when a visitor to the National Battlefield park saw a bone protruding from an embankment, then found other bones and artifacts as he dug around the bone. Removal of artifacts and especially human remains from such a site is illegal. Ten days after taking the artifacts, the individual returned them to the National Park Service. The man could have been given a prison sentence of up to two years and fined up to $20,000. Instead he was allowed to pay $5,351 restitution and do several hours of community service.
[Sources:
"Civil War soldier’s remains finally laid to rest" by Jon Swedien, Springfield News-Leader, October 18, 2015, accessed Dec. 1, 2015.
patriotguard.org, accessed Dec. 1, 2015.]
Ken Horn photos, Dec. 1, 2015
