"The Pillaged Grave of a Civil War Hero" -- Col. W.M. Shy

Now i'm very interested in if anyone has followed up on the obituary research for the Lady in Red. The internet can do amazing things and given the nature in which and where she was buried, it would only seem rational to find some trace of a description matching her somewhere. So many mysteries in this world.
 
Thanks for sharing this interesting story! One thing bothers me though after reading
the forensic examiners autopsy report. It is the fact that the bullet that killed Colonel
Shy entered at a downward angle through his head at close range. (powder burns were
evident) Colonel Shy was an above average height man for his time so this suggests
that he may have shot after surrendering. (he may have been on his knees) If my
suspicion is true, this would be a most ignoble way for a man who seemed to be a
gallant and able soldier to die.
I can't put my finger on my source for the powder burns. I know it wasn't Emily Compton in 1912 ( I think) in Confederate Veteran, nor did I read it in Dr. Bass. It stuck in my head as proving he was hit by a bullet fired from a small arm at close range. The enormous damage done to the skull would suggest a rifle bullet at extremely close range.
 
Something similar happened in 1969 in Cruger, Mississippi, (Holmes County), when a pre-Civil War casket was dug up on Egypt Plantation containing the very well preserved body of a teenage girl in a red dress - today she is known as the "Lady in Red:"

Mystery Shrouds the Lady in Red In April 1969, on Egypt Plantation near Cruger, Mississippi, workmen unearthed a surprising discovery while digging a septic tank line with a backhoe in a vegetable garden: a casket, which later investigations indicated had been buried there since before the Civil War. When the casket was first discovered, the woman inside it was described as “miraculously preserved, wearing a red dress, her long auburn hair and beautiful skin that of a young woman.” The casket, which funeral home workers described as “very, very expensive,” was made of cast iron and lined with glass, custom-made to fit her small frame. Prior to the Civil War, such caskets were used in order to preserve the body. Alcohol was poured over the body, and a glass sheet was sealed on top. The dress of the "Lady in Red" was made of a beautiful brocade, the type worn by aristocratic women of her day, and her shoes were "tiny, low broad heel boots, forming a slipper, the fabric of silk or leather going almost to the midcalf"—a popular shoe worn during the 1830s and 1840s. She was also wearing white gloves. So, who was this aristocratic Lady in Red? There are several theories, but none has been proven. It is possible that she was a member of the Ricks or Hyman families, which owned Egypt until 1907. However, until the present owners–the Thomas family–purchased the land in 1919, none of the owners actually lived on the land, so it is unlikely that one of them would have been buried there. Another theory is that the woman became ill aboard a river boat on the Yazoo River, and after dying, was brought to the popular river landing at Egypt and buried nearby. She might also have been a victim of the yellow fever, which was common in the Delta in the late 1870s. It was required that a victim of the yellow fever be buried on the spot to prevent the disease from spreading further. The true identity of the Lady in Red will most likely never be known. Whoever she was, she was moved to a new resting place in August 1969. Following a court order, she was buried in a pauper's area of the Lexington Cemetery.

I googled and found this thread. I had just read about the "mystery" of Colonel Wm Shy's grave and body. I don't know if it was pointed out but the person to investigate the excavated body was Dr. Bill Bass, the Tennessee Forensic Anthropologist. Initially Dr. Bass concluded that the body was that of a male in his mid-to-late twenties who originally stood between 5 feet 9 inches and 6 feet tall. There was no indication of trauma to his body to indicate what killed the man. Based on the examination of the flesh, he estimated the time since death to be between 2 to 6 months. The Davidson County Sheriff ruled it was a recent murder and the perpetrators had tried to cover up their crime. Later it was discovered to be a case of grave robbing. Someone had excavated the grave, broken into Colonel Shy’s sealed iron coffin, and perhaps removed heirlooms with which he had been buried.
This investigation lead Dr. Bass to establish the “Body Farm” at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His work over the ensuing decades vastly expanded the accuracy of determining the time of death of body remains for solving murder cases. This scientific base of information changed forever the field of forensic science where human remains were involved.

But I also wanted to comment about the "Lady in Red" that was found near Cruger in April 1969. At the time, I was a senior at the Cruger-Tchula Academy and boarding with my aunt in Cruger. I heard a little bit about this story--I guess it took time to get all the information reported. The one thing I recall is that when they opened the sealed casket the body immediately changed color. But again that could have been one of the rumors started at my aunt's country store in Cruger. I graduated a few weeks later and was off to college and fame and fortune.


More links about Colonel Shy.

“Forensic Case Files: The Strange Case of Colonel William Shy”, blog dated April 12, 2012.
Link: The Strange Case of Colonel William Shy

Col. Shy’s Grave Robed in 1977. Link Colonel Shy
 
I googled and found this thread. I had just read about the "mystery" of Colonel Wm Shy's grave and body. I don't know if it was pointed out but the person to investigate the excavated body was Dr. Bill Bass, the Tennessee Forensic Anthropologist. Initially Dr. Bass concluded that the body was that of a male in his mid-to-late twenties who originally stood between 5 feet 9 inches and 6 feet tall. There was no indication of trauma to his body to indicate what killed the man. Based on the examination of the flesh, he estimated the time since death to be between 2 to 6 months. The Davidson County Sheriff ruled it was a recent murder and the perpetrators had tried to cover up their crime. Later it was discovered to be a case of grave robbing. Someone had excavated the grave, broken into Colonel Shy’s sealed iron coffin, and perhaps removed heirlooms with which he had been buried.
This investigation lead Dr. Bass to establish the “Body Farm” at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His work over the ensuing decades vastly expanded the accuracy of determining the time of death of body remains for solving murder cases. This scientific base of information changed forever the field of forensic science where human remains were involved.

But I also wanted to comment about the "Lady in Red" that was found near Cruger in April 1969. At the time, I was a senior at the Cruger-Tchula Academy and boarding with my aunt in Cruger. I heard a little bit about this story--I guess it took time to get all the information reported. The one thing I recall is that when they opened the sealed casket the body immediately changed color. But again that could have been one of the rumors started at my aunt's country store in Cruger. I graduated a few weeks later and was off to college and fame and fortune.


More links about Colonel Shy.

“Forensic Case Files: The Strange Case of Colonel William Shy”, blog dated April 12, 2012.
Link: The Strange Case of Colonel William Shy

Col. Shy’s Grave Robed in 1977. Link Colonel Shy

Dr. Bass is a heck of a mystery writer, too. I've read his series and enjoyed it a great deal.
@TerryB is the one who got me interested in Col. Shy.
 
I believe that the casket was made of cast iron, because when I saw it at the Carter House; it had the appearance of having been fractured in the manner of cast iron and that it may have possibly had a viewing port in the top of the casket.
 
It's off topic, those viewing ports were a eerie. Dad adhered to the old tradition of making the rounds to cemeteries where family is buried. We still do that although not as faithfully I'd like. I have a distinct memory of round, thick glass lying flush by a grave, nearly grown over. Someone- can't remember who- said it was originally for being able to look down, to see a coffin whose viewing port was in line with it. Just a kid, remember thinking " Do I look? ". I did not.
 
One thing I also remember from an account of his death I read a long time ago was that he had a rifle with the trigger at "set." I'm not a black powder man, so I hope someome can clarify that. Half-cock?
 
to see a coffin whose viewing port was in line with it. Just a kid, remember thinking " Do I look? ". I did not.
Ooooh. Not me!

For some odd reason this made me think of my college days at Mississippi Statue University, which was originally an A&M college. The Veterinary guys had performed surgery on a cow to install a glass viewing port to allow you to view into one of the cow's 7 stomachs. They would bring this cow---fully alive and walking---out to an event on the "drill field" to show off. If you were lucky, the glass was all steamed up and it wasn't so gross.

Link: Holey Cow
 
I believe that the casket was made of cast iron, because when I saw it at the Carter House; it had the appearance of having been fractured in the manner of cast iron and that it may have possibly had a viewing port in the top of the casket.
I have the same recollection.

I first read the story in a lengthy and well done article in Blue and Gray.
 
Ooooh. Not me!

For some odd reason this made me think of my college days at Mississippi Statue University, which was originally an A&M college. The Veterinary guys had performed surgery on a cow to install a glass viewing port to allow you to view into one of the cow's 7 stomachs. They would bring this cow---fully alive and walking---out to an event on the "drill field" to show off. If you were lucky, the glass was all steamed up and it wasn't so gross.

Link: Holey Cow

Mississippi State is indeed one of the Land Grant Universities, which means it is the HQ for the state Cooperative Extension Service. You're welcome (there are a LOT of those cows running around in various schools, come to think of it!). Every state has one of these schools, and one of their missions is outreach to the citizens of the state--in Agriculture and Family & Consumer Sciences.
 
One thing I also remember from an account of his death I read a long time ago was that he had a rifle with the trigger at "set." I'm not a black powder man, so I hope someome can clarify that. Half-cock?
A set trigger is usually found on civilian arms, both shoulder arms and handguns but NOT on military weapons, other than civilian hunting rifles that may have been pressed into service for sharpshooting (sniper) purposes. Basically, an arm with a set trigger has a secondary position - somewhat similar to the idea behind half-cock - or in some cases like on hunting rifles an actual second trigger, that is VERY sensitive and requires only the slightest pressure to fire. That position is highly unsafe for carrying the weapon around and is only for target shooting or a situation where the user would be firing from a stationary position, lest it go off prematurely. It became a possibility for dueling pistols, but was at first considered unsportsmanlike - it's possible in the famous duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton that Hamilton's pistol may have been set and gone off prematurely before he could present (aim), and that an incensed Burr then killed him on purpose!
 
A set trigger is usually found on civilian arms, both shoulder arms and handguns but NOT on military weapons, other than civilian hunting rifles that may have been pressed into service for sharpshooting (sniper) purposes. Basically, an arm with a set trigger has a secondary position - somewhat similar to the idea behind half-cock - or in some cases like on hunting rifles an actual second trigger, that is VERY sensitive and requires only the slightest pressure to fire. That position is highly unsafe for carrying the weapon around and is only for target shooting or a situation where the user would be firing from a stationary position, lest it go off prematurely. It became a possibility for dueling pistols, but was at first considered unsportsmanlike - it's possible in the famous duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton that Hamilton's pistol may have been set and gone off prematurely before he could present (aim), and that an incensed Burr then killed him on purpose!
Thanks for the explanation. It sounds like he may have had a sniper rifle, but it bothered me at the time that a colonel would have a rifle that late in the war. Of course, he'd only recently been promoted.
 
I googled and found this thread. I had just read about the "mystery" of Colonel Wm Shy's grave and body. I don't know if it was pointed out but the person to investigate the excavated body was Dr. Bill Bass, the Tennessee Forensic Anthropologist. Initially Dr. Bass concluded that the body was that of a male in his mid-to-late twenties who originally stood between 5 feet 9 inches and 6 feet tall. There was no indication of trauma to his body to indicate what killed the man. Based on the examination of the flesh, he estimated the time since death to be between 2 to 6 months. The Davidson County Sheriff ruled it was a recent murder and the perpetrators had tried to cover up their crime. Later it was discovered to be a case of grave robbing. Someone had excavated the grave, broken into Colonel Shy’s sealed iron coffin, and perhaps removed heirlooms with which he had been buried.
This investigation lead Dr. Bass to establish the “Body Farm” at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His work over the ensuing decades vastly expanded the accuracy of determining the time of death of body remains for solving murder cases. This scientific base of information changed forever the field of forensic science where human remains were involved.

But I also wanted to comment about the "Lady in Red" that was found near Cruger in April 1969. At the time, I was a senior at the Cruger-Tchula Academy and boarding with my aunt in Cruger. I heard a little bit about this story--I guess it took time to get all the information reported. The one thing I recall is that when they opened the sealed casket the body immediately changed color. But again that could have been one of the rumors started at my aunt's country store in Cruger. I graduated a few weeks later and was off to college and fame and fortune.


More links about Colonel Shy.

“Forensic Case Files: The Strange Case of Colonel William Shy”, blog dated April 12, 2012.
Link: The Strange Case of Colonel William Shy

Col. Shy’s Grave Robed in 1977. Link Colonel Shy
I actually spoke with Bass about this incident. A minor correction--Shy's grave is in Williamson County. I remember the news conference where the county sheriff gave several reasons why they were forced to conclude that this was no longer a murder mystery. Bass says that the brain was still pink in places. I saw the body close up as it appeared wrapped in translucent plastic bags, like trash bags. He reminded me of an Egyptian mummy in terms of how the skin and some flesh, brown like Rameses, still clung to the bones.
 
Thanks for sharing this interesting story! One thing bothers me though after reading
the forensic examiners autopsy report. It is the fact that the bullet that killed Colonel
Shy entered at a downward angle through his head at close range. (powder burns were
evident) Colonel Shy was an above average height man for his time so this suggests
that he may have shot after surrendering. (he may have been on his knees) If my
suspicion is true, this would be a most ignoble way for a man who seemed to be a
gallant and able soldier to die.
By the way, could you share a link to the autopsy report? All I have is Dr. Bass' book and a very unsatisfactory conversation with him (he doesn't like to talk about the Shy case). I don't recall him mentioning the downward angle. That might actually reinforce the shrapnel or canister theory. [edit] Dr. Bass did report an exit wound lower down in the skull's back. Sorry, I didn't remember that.
 
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Thanks for the explanation. It sounds like he may have had a sniper rifle, but it bothered me at the time that a colonel would have a rifle that late in the war. Of course, he'd only recently been promoted.
This seems to have been not so unusual at all: in his classic memoir - that has admittedly been questioned for its accuracy and veracity many times, including here on the forums - Co. Aytch by Sam Watkins, he describes his mounted regimental colonel firing his revolving rifle (a Colt perhaps?) over the heads of his men in line-of-battle, a memory Sam should have had no reason to invent or exaggerate.
 


"Sherriff’s investigators recovered 17 fragments of the cranium and mandible during additional inspection of the coffin (pictured here). When Bass glued them back together he found that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head with a large caliber gun at close range. The entrance wound was in the forehead right above the left eye, and the exit wound was near the base of the skull.

"Dr. Bass began to suspect that he had made a huge error in the time since death when the teeth and clothes were examined. When he examined the teeth he discovered that many of them had cavities, but there were no signs of modern dental care, such as fillings. Then a technician from the crime lab who examined the clothes found that there were no synthetic fibers or labels, things that are typically seen in modern garments.

"Bass realized his mistake. This body belonged to William Shy and it had been pulled out through the small hole in the lid while looters were trying to robbing the grave.

"Dr. Bass reflected on how he could have miscalculated the time since death by more than a 100 years. Though embalming does preserve human remains, a body will not stay uncorrupted forever because embalming fluids only delay the inevitable process of decomposition.

"Colonel Shy’s corpse was protected from oxygen and insects inside his hermetically sealed coffin. The cast iron coffins of the 19th century were constructed to be air tight to prevent bacteria, a necessary part of putrefaction, from flourishing. The metal coffin also protected the body from insects, which can burrow through wood coffins and feast on human remains.
 
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