Sherman Gravestones - "Sherman's Boys"

[mkyzzzrdet]

I like to look for Union veterans up here in Minnesota (won't find too many Rebs!) I found a couple of Sherman's boys who wanted to make sure that when someone passed by their grave, the visitor would know that he soldier buried there was with Sherman!

The above marker was in Owatonna, MN, about 60 miles south of the Twin Cities. It is to the prominent Latsch family.

The son (above) was fairly prominent in the area, but the father, below , was the one I was interesetd in.

The marker above tells that John Latsch was born in Switzerland. But, Swiss or not, by George he marched with Sherman.

The veteran below was born in Denmark . This was from the Mazeppa cemetery, above 45 SE of the Twin Cities. You can see his unit designation at the bottom of the marker, and beneath that the inscription, "Marched with Sherman to the Sea"

 

[mkyzzzrdet]

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=35005225

Here is his entry (Peter Clemens) on "Graves Search"

 

[Northern Light]

I am not surprized that these men wanted to have the march remembered on their stones. It was probably on of the most amazing things that had ever occurred in their lives. How many times does one have the chance to be part of something of which most of his fellow countrymen and women were aware, and about which there was a song written! A realization that they had been part of something that clearly lead to the end of the war and all that meant must have been a defining moment in their lives, like being part of the D-Day invasion or liberation of Paris and Holland.

 

[Study the Past]

Very beautiful grave-sites, indeed. Thank you for sharing!

 

[mkyzzzrdet]

Looks like I got that wrong about Mr Clemens above. The inscription says native of Germany, not Denmark. And on "Graves Search" it says he was born in Luxembourg.

 

[Cumpston1862]

I have seen several soldier obituaries that mention the deceased was with Sherman on his march to the sea...including my ancestor mentioned in my by line below.