I always thought this was a sad story when I visited Rebel, Louisiana.
According to local legend, a young Rebel soldier became separated from his unit during a skirmish at Crump’s Corner, near present day Marthaville. Alone in the woods and confused about where he was the soldier began searching for other Confederates. It was at a spring where he stopped for a drink of water that the lad was spotted by three Union Cavalrymen and killed.
The Barnhill family, local residents who had spoken with the soldier shortly before he was shot, discovered the body and buried him beside the road where he died.
For nearly 100 years after the incident, each generation of the Barnhill family cared for the grave. After some newspaper articles about the grave appeared in 1961, local interest grew and in 1962 the people of the area placed a marker on the spot and began to hold annual memorial services in honor of the unknown Confederate. Rebel State Commemorative Area has been established at this soldiers final resting place.
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According to local legend, a young Rebel soldier became separated from his unit during a skirmish at Crump’s Corner, near present day Marthaville. Alone in the woods and confused about where he was the soldier began searching for other Confederates. It was at a spring where he stopped for a drink of water that the lad was spotted by three Union Cavalrymen and killed.
The Barnhill family, local residents who had spoken with the soldier shortly before he was shot, discovered the body and buried him beside the road where he died.
For nearly 100 years after the incident, each generation of the Barnhill family cared for the grave. After some newspaper articles about the grave appeared in 1961, local interest grew and in 1962 the people of the area placed a marker on the spot and began to hold annual memorial services in honor of the unknown Confederate. Rebel State Commemorative Area has been established at this soldiers final resting place.
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