PAWTUCKET, R.I. — For many years, the cremated remains of over two dozen veterans from the American Civil War sat unused in storage spaces of a funeral home and cemetery located in Seattle.
The unadorned copper and cardboard urns, gathering dust on shelves, contained nothing but the names of the 28 soldiers, lacking any direct indication of their connection to the Civil War. However, this minimal identification was sufficient for an organization with a mission to locate, identify, and arrange the burials for unclaimed veterans. After several years of investigation, they determined that all the individuals were Union soldiers deserving of a formal burial with military honors.
“It’s remarkable we were able to locate them,” remarked Tom Keating, the Washington state coordinator for the Missing In America Project. The organization enlisted a team of volunteers to verify the veterans’ military service through genealogical exploration. “This has been a long time coming. These men have waited far too long for proper burial.”
Most of the veterans received burial services in August at Tahoma National Cemetery in Washington, alongside the remains of 31 spouses from the Civil War also recovered from the same storage site.
During the ceremony dedicated to Civil War veterans, members of the 4th U.S. Infantry Regiment donned Union uniforms and fired musket salutes while attendees sang “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Each veteran’s name and associated unit were called out, followed by the presentation of their remains and sharing of stories detailing their heroic contributions. Subsequently, the burials were performed.
Among those honored was a veteran who had endured imprisonment at Andersonville, a notorious Confederate prison. Others had suffered injuries during combat, and many fought in pivotal battles like Gettysburg, Stones River, and the Atlanta campaign. Notably, one soldier survived a gunshot wound, thanks to a pocket watch he retained until his death, while another soldier famously deserted the Confederate Army to align with Union forces.
“There was a profound sense of closure,” said Keating, noting that attempts to locate any living descendants of the veterans proved fruitless.
In addition to the burials at Tahoma, several more veterans will find their final resting place at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery, and a naval veteran is set to be interred at sea. The remains of additional Civil War veterans have been dispatched to locations like Maine and Rhode Island, where family affiliations were discovered.
One notable veteran was Byron Johnson, born in Pawtucket in 1844. He enlisted at the age of 18 and served as a hospital steward for the Union Army. Following the war, he moved westward and passed away in Seattle in 1913. Once his remains were sent to Pawtucket City Hall, he received military honors during his burial at the family plot in Oak Grove Cemetery.
Pawtucket Mayor Donald R. Grebien expressed that Johnson’s burial was a necessary act of respect.
“When someone serves in a war—especially one as significant as this—we owe them our gratitude,” he stated. “It becomes even more compelling when you think about how this individual was left unburied in his own hometown.”
Grebien remarked that these burials serve as poignant reminders of the sacrifices made during the bloody conflict of 1861-1865, in which the Union Army fought against the Confederate States, ultimately costing countless lives.
“It’s crucial to remind the people of Pawtucket, as well as the entire state of Rhode Island and the nation, that sacrifices were made for our freedoms,” he emphasized.
Bruce and Ben Frail, both deeply engaged in the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, attended the ceremony. Ben even participated as a re-enactor, portraying a Union Army captain during Johnson’s service.
“This is the finest tribute we can extend to a veteran,” noted Bruce Frail, who previously served as commander-in-chief of the Sons of Union Veterans and is a state coordinator for the Missing In America Project.
“The feeling that envelops you while honoring someone in this manner is indescribable,” he stated, adding that honoring those who dedicated their lives to the country is a profound privilege.
The task of piecing together Johnson’s life narrative fell to Amelia Boivin, the constituent liaison in the Pawtucket mayor’s office. A history enthusiast, she recalled receiving the request to have the city handle his remains and give him a burial alongside his family. This endeavor made Johnson’s story a topic of discussion within City Hall.
Boivin discovered Johnson grew up in Pawtucket, had a brother and two sisters, and worked as a druggist following the war. He ventured west to seek his fortune, residing first in San Francisco and ultimately in Seattle, where he remained until his passing. Evidence suggests that Johnson never married or had children, and no living relatives were discovered.
“It felt like a form of resolution,” Boivin reflected. “It seemed we were righting the wrong of someone who would have otherwise faded from our collective memory.”
The unadorned copper and cardboard urns, gathering dust on shelves, contained nothing but the names of the 28 soldiers, lacking any direct indication of their connection to the Civil War. However, this minimal identification was sufficient for an organization with a mission to locate, identify, and arrange the burials for unclaimed veterans. After several years of investigation, they determined that all the individuals were Union soldiers deserving of a formal burial with military honors.
“It’s remarkable we were able to locate them,” remarked Tom Keating, the Washington state coordinator for the Missing In America Project. The organization enlisted a team of volunteers to verify the veterans’ military service through genealogical exploration. “This has been a long time coming. These men have waited far too long for proper burial.”
Most of the veterans received burial services in August at Tahoma National Cemetery in Washington, alongside the remains of 31 spouses from the Civil War also recovered from the same storage site.
During the ceremony dedicated to Civil War veterans, members of the 4th U.S. Infantry Regiment donned Union uniforms and fired musket salutes while attendees sang “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Each veteran’s name and associated unit were called out, followed by the presentation of their remains and sharing of stories detailing their heroic contributions. Subsequently, the burials were performed.
Among those honored was a veteran who had endured imprisonment at Andersonville, a notorious Confederate prison. Others had suffered injuries during combat, and many fought in pivotal battles like Gettysburg, Stones River, and the Atlanta campaign. Notably, one soldier survived a gunshot wound, thanks to a pocket watch he retained until his death, while another soldier famously deserted the Confederate Army to align with Union forces.
“There was a profound sense of closure,” said Keating, noting that attempts to locate any living descendants of the veterans proved fruitless.
In addition to the burials at Tahoma, several more veterans will find their final resting place at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery, and a naval veteran is set to be interred at sea. The remains of additional Civil War veterans have been dispatched to locations like Maine and Rhode Island, where family affiliations were discovered.
One notable veteran was Byron Johnson, born in Pawtucket in 1844. He enlisted at the age of 18 and served as a hospital steward for the Union Army. Following the war, he moved westward and passed away in Seattle in 1913. Once his remains were sent to Pawtucket City Hall, he received military honors during his burial at the family plot in Oak Grove Cemetery.
Pawtucket Mayor Donald R. Grebien expressed that Johnson’s burial was a necessary act of respect.
“When someone serves in a war—especially one as significant as this—we owe them our gratitude,” he stated. “It becomes even more compelling when you think about how this individual was left unburied in his own hometown.”
Grebien remarked that these burials serve as poignant reminders of the sacrifices made during the bloody conflict of 1861-1865, in which the Union Army fought against the Confederate States, ultimately costing countless lives.
“It’s crucial to remind the people of Pawtucket, as well as the entire state of Rhode Island and the nation, that sacrifices were made for our freedoms,” he emphasized.
Bruce and Ben Frail, both deeply engaged in the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, attended the ceremony. Ben even participated as a re-enactor, portraying a Union Army captain during Johnson’s service.
“This is the finest tribute we can extend to a veteran,” noted Bruce Frail, who previously served as commander-in-chief of the Sons of Union Veterans and is a state coordinator for the Missing In America Project.
“The feeling that envelops you while honoring someone in this manner is indescribable,” he stated, adding that honoring those who dedicated their lives to the country is a profound privilege.
The task of piecing together Johnson’s life narrative fell to Amelia Boivin, the constituent liaison in the Pawtucket mayor’s office. A history enthusiast, she recalled receiving the request to have the city handle his remains and give him a burial alongside his family. This endeavor made Johnson’s story a topic of discussion within City Hall.
Boivin discovered Johnson grew up in Pawtucket, had a brother and two sisters, and worked as a druggist following the war. He ventured west to seek his fortune, residing first in San Francisco and ultimately in Seattle, where he remained until his passing. Evidence suggests that Johnson never married or had children, and no living relatives were discovered.
“It felt like a form of resolution,” Boivin reflected. “It seemed we were righting the wrong of someone who would have otherwise faded from our collective memory.”