Alberta cemeteries became the resting place for many U.S. Civil War veterans

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Writer, photojournalist and former Calgary Herald journalist David Bly has written many historic items for the Herald over time. The next story was written in 2005.

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Many American Civil Conflict veterans are buried in Canadian cemeteries

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Calgary Herald
Solar., October 9, 2005
By David Bly

William Hatcher Barnett fought many battles as a personal within the Accomplice States Military.

He was captured by the Union Military close to Richmond, Va., in 1862. He was launched a number of months later in a prisoner alternate to battle extra battles, together with Pickett’s Cost in 1863, the place he dropped his rifle and the flag of the colour bearer who was shot. The Accomplice troopers suffered significantly losses in that battle, however Barnett managed to return to his personal traces with the flag.

In 1933, on the age of 90, he got here from Virginia to Alberta to go to his sons. Most likely exhausted from the journey, he died on July 17, 1933 and was buried in Bottrel Cemetery, about an hour’s drive northwest of Calgary.

He’s considered one of dozens of U.S Civil Conflict veterans buried in Canadian cemeteries, says Kathy Brown, a Calgarian enthusiastic about Civil Conflict historical past.

Her curiosity in Civil Conflict Veterans took place when an American buddy requested her to search for an ancestor buried in Alberta. That ancestor was William Barnett, whose grave lay unmarked for 60 years.

In 1993, members of the eighth Texas Unit, a navy re-enactment group, donned their Accomplice uniforms and helped dedicate a grave marker despatched to Canada by the US authorities.

“The US authorities will ship headstones wherever on the earth the place US veterans are buried,” mentioned Brown.

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She compiled a listing of Civil Conflict veterans who lie in Canadian graves, together with biographical details about every veteran. At any time when doable, she verified them Civil Conflict Service by US Army Information.

She couldn’t confirm John Glenn’s navy service, however says native histories point out he was concerned within the Civil Conflict, first as a Southerner, then as a “galvanized Yankee” — a southerner who switched sides.

Glenn and his spouse, Adelaide Belcourt, settled alongside Fish Creek in 1873 and are thought-about Calgary’s first non-native residents.

Accounts point out that the Irish-born Glenn was drafted into the Accomplice Military at Waco, Texas, in 1861, then abandoned close to Vicksburg, Miss., as a result of he didn’t approve of slavery. He apparently later joined a Union regiment.

He died of pneumonia in 1886 and is buried within the pioneer part of St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Calgary.

Historian Hugh Dempsey mentioned it might be pure for Civil Conflict veterans to search out their approach to Alberta.

“Within the settlement interval there was such a terrific migration of People right here,” he mentioned. “There undoubtedly can be Civil Conflict veterans amongst them.“

Not all have been hearty characters. Just like the Civil Conflict ended, the whiskey commerce started.

“Some troopers did not wish to go house when the warfare was over,” Dempsey mentioned. “Many wanderers determined to go west.“

Dave Akers seems to have been a kind of, though Brown has but to show up official data for him. He’s mentioned to have left in 1864.

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Akers was the proprietor of Fort Whoop-up close to present-day Lethbridge when the North West Mounted Police arrived to drive the American whiskey merchants out of Alberta in 1874.

Akers was shot and murdered in 1893 when he dismounted from his horse at Tom Purcell’s farm in Pothole Coulee close to present-day Magrath. Apparently he and Purcell had a dispute over cattle, and Purcell feared for his life. One account signifies that he served a three-year sentence for manslaughter.

Two Civil Conflict veterans are recognized to be buried in Calgary’s Union Cemetery.

“The northerner was buried within the southern half, and the southerner was buried within the northern half,” mentioned Brown.

George H. Gowen served with the 4th Georgia Cavalry, and noticed motion in Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas.

Brown is not sure when Gowen got here to Calgary, however believes he adopted his youngsters right here. He died in 1910 and was buried within the Evans household plot.

The northern one in Union Cemetery is Francis Marion Corridor, who served within the fifth Illinois Cavalry. He got here to Alberta in 1903 and lived on De Winton, Hanna, Gleichen and Lawnsburg close to Three Hills. He died in 1916 on the Calgary Normal Hospital.

Brown says about 60,000 Canadians served within the US on either side Civil Conflict.

One was Quebec-born Edmond Brosseau, who served with the 2nd New York Cavalry.

After the warfare he tried his happiness within the California and BC Cariboo goldfields earlier than settling in northern Alberta, the place he ran a dry items enterprise and named the hamlet of Brosseau after himself.

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He turned unwell whereas on trip in Minnesota and died in 1917 on the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He was buried in Brosseau.

Aaron Franklin, who served with the eleventh Illinois Cavalry, got here to Alberta together with his sons who settled within the Cremona space within the early twentieth century. His primary supply of earnings was his Civil Conflict pension. He died in 1933 and is buried in Didsbury Cemetery.

Albert F. Miller served with the twelfth Wisconsin Infantry and was discharged in July 1865. He lived in Wisconsin and Illinois till 1924 when, apparently a widower, he moved in with a married daughter in Pink Deer. He died in 1925 and is buried in Pink Deer Cemetery.

Three Sherans – brothers Nicholas and Michael and their cousin, James – have been Civil Conflict veterans who died in Alberta.

Second Lieut. Nicholas Sheran enlisted within the 99th New York Nationwide Guard in New York Metropolis on July 11, 1864. After the warfare he went west and labored as a whiskey supplier on the Healys in Montana.

He got here to Alberta in 1870 and dug the primary coal mine alongside the Oldman River. He drowned within the Ouman in 1882; his physique was by no means discovered.

Michael got here to Alberta to take over the household enterprise after his brother’s loss of life. He served for a number of months in 1862 with the 69th New York State Militia.

He died in August 1885 on the age of 46 years and was buried within the Holy Cross Roman Catholic Cemetery in Fort Macleod.

Michael’s loss of life introduced James Sheran to southern Alberta to handle the coal enterprise. He enlisted in 1861 and served within the New York Infantry.

In addition to being concerned within the coal enterprise, he farmed on the west aspect of the Ouman River. He died in 1924 and is buried within the St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery in north Lethbridge.

“There are most likely extra” Brown mentioned, noting she had a listing ofCivil warfare wannabees,” males whose biographical info mentions Civil Conflict service, however for whom she may discover no additional documentation.