Note; a long but interesting read;

A few grave sites in Soldiers Ground are now among a line Palms. Most, like below, were well worn and nothing can be read clearly.

However one grave site had a newer stone of the kind used to replace old damaged ones. He was Lt. McCowen of Co K, 53rd Georgia Infantry.

Lt. McCowen, from Josey Road, Swarr, Georgia died on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg along with 50,000 others. This was the battle that changed the direction of the US Civil War to the Union.

Co. K, 53rd Georgia Infantry, was a Confederate unit in the American Civil War, known as the “Quitman Guard,” primarily from Quitman County, Georgia, serving in the Army of Northern Virginia through major campaigns like Sharpsburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg, eventually surrendering at Appomattox with only a few men.

There were conflicting records on Lt McCowen’s death, however one was a typo on the date of the Gettysburg battle. Also he was thought to have been buried with Unknowns at Rose Farm in Gettysburg, PA. (Rose Farm was the location in the battle of Gettysburg where numerous soldiers from both sides were found)

However 80 Confederate soldiers (known as the “Gettysburg Dead”) were reinterred at Magnolia’s ‘Soldier’s Ground’ area in 1871. Because he had been among South Carolina soldiers at the time of his death he was mistakenly moved with them to Soldiers Ground.

Jere Baxter, of Charlotte, N.C., found his great-great-granduncle’s mistaken grave after years of researching his family genealogy. The new headstone most likely was provided by the Baxter family in 2003.

Note; I’m always amazed at what information can be found on line with some research.