Confederate Stone Dedication In The Land of Lincoln

Originally published June 2017 · p. 4

DANVILLE, Ill.—A Memorial Day weekend ceremony is being planned in Vermilion County, Ill., to dedicate a tombstone on the previously unmarked grave of a Confederate soldier who moved to eastern Illinois following the Civil War. “I came across the grave of Alford Kinley Bryant of the 50th Virginia Infantry as part of a research project I was doing on Confederates buried in the Land of Lincoln,” Larry Weatherford, who is President of the Ward Hill Lamon Civil War Roundtable and the Illiana Civil War Historical Society, said. “In a 1957 military burial census taken by Ill., there were a few Confederates in Vermilion County, some showing state and unit. I saw a Kenneth Bryant listed as a Confederate and buried in the Bock Cemetery near the Indiana state line. But, it didn’t list any more information than that. So it piqued my curiosity.” Through a lengthy process of elimination and research Weatherford learned this soldier was Alford Kinley Bryant who had moved to Illinois to work as a coal miner. A member of the

Alford Kinley Bryant.

Civil War Roundtable said that his cousin had been researching her Civil War ancestor and that he was a Bryant. Sure enough, it was the same soldier. Weatherford said, “I filled the family in on the information we had, and she shared some pictures and family facts she had gathered. Although it had been passed down in the family that A.K. Bryant was a C.S.A. general, when it was confirmed that he was a private in the hard fighting 50th Va. Inf. Regt., that seemed to please them. The regiment was engaged in most major battles in the Eastern Theater. I had found a letter written home by a fellow member of Company A, who proudly named a few soldiers his family knew, who had “fought like Tigers” at Chancellorsville. The first listed was A.K. Bryant.” Tara Auter, who also worked on the research project said, “We all got hooked on the details of this soldier’s story and his journey. Several of us have walked in A.K. Bryant’s footsteps at Gettysburg. It’s like we’ve all gained another Civil War ancestor, and we’ve made friends along the way. Some members of Civil War Historical Impressions from Gettysburg will be joining us at this Ceremony.” The 50th Va. Inf. was part of Gen. Edward Johnson’s Division, Gen. Richard Ewell’s Second Corps. The 50th arrived in town from the west during the early evening of July 1, 1863. Jones’ Brigade, including the 50th Virginia Infantry, spent the night in a ravine at the rear of the Daniel Lady Farm, and then marched to Benner’s Hill before the Confederate artillery barrage late on the afternoon of July 2. They fought on Culp’s Hill that evening. A.K. was captured at Monocacy in 1864 and spent time at Point Lookout before being exchanged a month before the surrender. The ceremony will take place at 1 p.m., Monday, May 29, following the annual Memorial Day activities at Danville, Ill., National Cemetery. Eugene Bencomo, a Vietnam War combat veteran, will lead the detail of reenactors in blue and gray who will present a three-volley salute at the gravesite. They will then turn and fire a volley in honor of the Union soldiers buried in the small rural cemetery. The ceremony will also feature live music, readings and speakers. Flower petals will be scattered, and a specially made wreath will be placed on the grave. Weatherford and the group members have coordinated and participated in several events and dedication ceremonies over the past two decades, including one that honored Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient Martin McHugh, whose lost grave was found after one hundred seven years and marked. Over Labor Day weekend last year, he and the group performed a formal rededication of the Illinois monuments at Gettysburg honoring the 8th and 12th Ill. Cav. and the 82nd Ill. Inf. A similar program is planned for this year, honoring western troops at Gettysburg. Other stone dedication ceremonies are in the works for more Confederate and Union soldiers’ graves in the Ill./Ind. area. The CWRT and Historical Society may be contacted on Facebook or email [email protected].

A.K. Bryant family.