Heading to Vicksburg tomorrow.

I was the only one there that Saturday afternoon and it really was a nice day to be there. I love how the Confederate Cemetery has it's own enclosure within the Raymond Cemetery. The front half of the cemetery is very old. I walked the grounds of the cemetery to the right of the Confederate Cemetery facing it. Some of the graves have collapsed. Lotta very old and many broken gravestones. The back half of the cemetery is the modern part. Didn't even know it was there until I was walking and saw it. Can't see it from the highway. Not sure if the Confederate Cemetery is where the soldiers were actually buried or if it's a memorial cemetery. Maybe a Friend Of Raymond will answer that question in this thread. I kinda like that second picture.

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The front 2 rows are mostly "Unknown Confederate Soldier".

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The back 2 rows are all soldiers from the 7th TX Infantry. Didn't know that a short while later I'd be walking the ground where some of 'em were probably wounded/killed. Maybe @John Winn or somebody else here can tell me what it is that makes those gravestones turn a reddish color. In the background of the second pic you can see some of the collapsed and toppled graves I mentioned earlier.

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The back 2 rows are all soldiers from the 7th TX Infantry. Didn't know that a short while later I'd be walking the ground where some of 'em were probably wounded/killed. Maybe @John Winn or somebody else here can tell me what it is that makes those gravestones turn a reddish color. In the background of the second pic you can see some of the collapsed and toppled graves I mentioned earlier.

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Thanks again for all your photos; really enjoying them as it's one of those places I'll not likely ever get to see in person.

As to the reddish color I'd say in the photo you provided it would be an algae or a fungi. These are quite common and especially in the softer stones which have more surface porosity. We try to clean such as these organisms can trap moisture which can cause damage with freezing and because they tend to secrete acids that can dissolve softer, basic stones such as limestone and marble. One often sees a range of colors - green, black, yellow, red are common - which I suppose is due to a combination of the invading organism and the host stone (taking a guess on that). Being under trees or in deep shade tends to be another factor.
 
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I drove past the walking trail and went to Artillery Ridge first. I know they're all reproductions but it's still a neat place. From what I understand they are pretty accurately positioned too. Can't imagine the noise and smoke there on May 12,1863:

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I was the only one there that Saturday afternoon and it really was a nice day to be there. I love how the Confederate Cemetery has it's own enclosure within the Raymond Cemetery. The front half of the cemetery is very old. I walked the grounds of the cemetery to the right of the Confederate Cemetery facing it. Some of the graves have collapsed. Lotta very old and many broken gravestones. The back half of the cemetery is the modern part. Didn't even know it was there until I was walking and saw it. Can't see it from the highway. Not sure if the Confederate Cemetery is where the soldiers were actually buried or if it's a memorial cemetery. Maybe a Friend Of Raymond will answer that question in this thread. I kinda like that second picture.

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These are great pictures and I'm loving your thread. As I told you, I owe you a meal when you come back!

In regards to Confederate Cemetary in Raymond: the soldiers were indeed buried there sometime after the battle. The town's people removed them from the battlefield and interred them at that site. Of course, those who died later in homes and hospitals in town were also buried there (including wounded Rebs from other battles who perished from their wounds, i.e., Port Gibson, Champion Hill).

At some point, unknown soldier markers were placed. Then, sometime in the 1980's, those were replaced by markers with names of soldiers known to have perished at Raymond. Of course, particular markers with names does not correlate to who actually is buried there beneath the markers. However, it at least shines light on actual names.

Some of those unknown probably represent soldiers who died of wounds from Champion Hill, etc.

Thanks for a great thread!
 
These are great pictures and I'm loving your thread. As I told you, I owe you a meal when you come back!

In regards to Confederate Cemetary in Raymond: the soldiers were indeed buried there sometime after the battle. The town's people removed them from the battlefield and interred them at that site. Of course, those who died later in homes and hospitals in town were also buried there (including wounded Rebs from other battles who perished from their wounds, i.e., Port Gibson, Champion Hill).

At some point, unknown soldier markers were placed. Then, sometime in the 1980's, those were replaced by markers with names of soldiers known to have perished at Raymond. Of course, particular markers with names does not correlate to who actually is buried there beneath the markers. However, it at least shines light on actual names.

Some of those unknown probably represent soldiers who died of wounds from Champion Hill, etc.

Thanks for a great thread!
Thank you. More to come.

"Of course, particular markers with names does not correlate to who actually is buried there beneath the markers."

That's the info I was looking for. Kinda sad too.
 
I left Artillery Ridge and went back to the walking trail. I think the folks who laid out that part of the park intended the walking trail to start to the right of the sign. As I'm known to do from time to time,I just started walking to the left of the sign and figured out later that I did it bassackwards again. :D


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As you walk on the trail to the left of that sign you cross Fourteen Mile Creek and at that point are on the opposite side of the field where Artillery Ridge is. There is one interpretive sign on the trail before you cross the creek:

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Crossing back over the creek,the walking trail continues to the left parallel to Fourteen Mile Creek for some distance. There are 2 interpretive signs on that stretch of the trail. The interpretive signs on the walking trail are really good.

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Fourteen Mile Creek in front of that sign and looking to the right. The next interpretive sign on the trail is visible in the upper right. Not sure how much deeper the creek and creek bed was at the time of the battle. Being late spring,I'm guessing the creek was deeper on the day of the battle.

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At the end of that march I arrived at the start of the walking trail. That's how I roll. :D I'll call it the Visitor Center at Raymond Military Park. If you look at the map in the 3rd pic you can see that in relation to the walking trail,most of the action took place next to the bridge on the walking trail and further down Fourteen Mile Creek. Pics of that area to follow,2 or 3 posts later.

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I left the Raymond Military Park and headed out in search of the Texas Monument at Raymond. Passed it once without even knowing it. It sits off the highway a bit and there is no sign with a big arrow pointing to it on the highway. Probably wouldn't have found it without instructions from Alan's text message. In the 3rd pic you can see my truck,and the driveway you have to park off the side of and the highway beyond. The flat marker in the second pic is behind the monument. Maybe Alan or someone else here knows the story of how/why that monument ended up where it is:

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Next stop was "McPherson's Ridge". It is up the highway from the Military Park and past Artillery Ridge. No way I woulda known to turn off the highway there without directions from Alan.The interpretive sign up there is a little faded.:

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