Another image taken in the old Soldiers Ground military grave yard. Even before moving to the south I loved to explore and photograph old cemeteries. Every small town in New England has a patch or two. Even NYC has their share.

In this Civil War era cemetery I try to research people or at least the persons unit from the old stones. The US Civil War had an enormous number of casualties. These cemeteries have a large number of ‘unknowns’ buried, many others are long forgotten and just a name on a stone. I have had some decent success though.

Below are two prominent headstone, both killed in the same general timeline, and area since the Civil War dead were generally buried near where they died.

During the time they died there was only one battle in Charleston. it was at Fort Wagner, Morris Island in the Charleston harbor September 1863. Both soldiers here died October and November 1863. A good assumption they were involved in some way.

Fort Wagner was the site of numerous battles, September 1863 being the last, the second  Battle of Fort Wagner was of note since the first African American troops, the 54th Massachusetts almost captured the island against all odds. The movie ‘Glory’ famously depicted the 54th and the battle.

The real ending for the 54th did not have much glory though. The Federals lost the battle and many 54th were captured. They spent the rest of the war living in the court yard of the old Charleston Jail. A horrible place that we were allowed to photo document before it was completely gutted and the building renovated.

I only pieced together a small part of their history, but maybe it’s better than just being a name on a stone.