620,000+... We killed 620,000+ of each other during the War.
They died on battlefields, of wounds, and of disease. The last cause felled the
most men. The 58th North Carolina Troops spent the winter of 1862-1863 guarding
mountain passes in east Tennessee. Something made them sick. It could have been
the common camp complaints, like measles. Or, something could have been in the
water. Whatever the cause, scores of men from the regiment died that winter.
These men were taken to a family cemetery, the Delap family Cemetery near
Jacksboro, Tennessee.
Over time, the final resting place of these Confederates was
forgotten to all but a few. In 2004, a friend of mine walked into the Campbell
County Historical Museum, looking for
the graves. She just happened to walk in on a day when the volunteer on duty
was someone who knew of the cemetery. To make a long story short, the cemetery
was found and cleaned, and gravestones were installed. I had the honor to speak
at the dedication service a few years ago. You can see a list of names by
visiting this link: http://www.tngenweb.org/campbell/cemetery/listings/delap.html
I visit the Delap Cemetery from time to time. This photo was
taken in June 2007.
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