I wanted to share a couple of the graves I was finally able to visit today at Milton Cemetery:
– William Jones Ladd: Staff officer to notable Civil War figures including Gen. Charles Devens during the Overland Campaign. He is often credited as the first Union officer to enter Richmond. I’m on the fence when it comes to superlatives because they’re often inaccurate. Case in point: Atherton Stevens. I did a video at Stevens’ grave earlier this year and mentioned he is also credited as the first to enter the Confederate capital.
– Edward Jenkins Jones: he served as Chief of the State Police after the war and like Ladd, was a witness to history. Jones was captain of the 11th MA Battery and during the Battle of Fort Stedman, helped repulse the last major Confederate attempt to break Grant’s siege of Petersburg. He would receive a brevet promotion to Major for gallantry during the attack.
– Louis Tucker: Captain of the 18th MA Infantry. He suffered numerous gunshot wounds including a bullet that entered the side of his face, pulverized the top row of his teeth, and tore apart the palate of his mouth. Tucker would survive and live until the age of 71!
– Jonathan Russel: State politician and diplomat under Presidents James Madison & Monroe. He was one of the men who negotiated the Treaty of Ghent which ended the War of 1812.
– William Forbes: US Ambassador to Japan and Governor-General of the Philippines under President Taft.
– James Perkins: Lt. Colonel tasked with overseeing the American Red Cross’ operations in France.
– Helen Homans: Croix de Guerre recipient and descendant of presidents John & John Quincy Adams. She knowingly and willingly put herself in harm’s way to tend to servicemen afflicted with influenza and succumbed to the virus five days before the armistice.
– Collette Lyons: Although not military, her grave was one I had wanted to find for a while. She was a vaudeville, stage and film actress in mainly comedies. A top-billed star, she acted alongside notables of the day including Betty Grable, Al Jolson, and The Three Stooges and was formerly married to publisher George Hearst. Lyon’s grave is unmarked.
#atrestoration
– William Jones Ladd: Staff officer to notable Civil War figures including Gen. Charles Devens during the Overland Campaign. He is often credited as the first Union officer to enter Richmond. I’m on the fence when it comes to superlatives because they’re often inaccurate. Case in point: Atherton Stevens. I did a video at Stevens’ grave earlier this year and mentioned he is also credited as the first to enter the Confederate capital.
– Edward Jenkins Jones: he served as Chief of the State Police after the war and like Ladd, was a witness to history. Jones was captain of the 11th MA Battery and during the Battle of Fort Stedman, helped repulse the last major Confederate attempt to break Grant’s siege of Petersburg. He would receive a brevet promotion to Major for gallantry during the attack.
– Louis Tucker: Captain of the 18th MA Infantry. He suffered numerous gunshot wounds including a bullet that entered the side of his face, pulverized the top row of his teeth, and tore apart the palate of his mouth. Tucker would survive and live until the age of 71!
– Jonathan Russel: State politician and diplomat under Presidents James Madison & Monroe. He was one of the men who negotiated the Treaty of Ghent which ended the War of 1812.
– William Forbes: US Ambassador to Japan and Governor-General of the Philippines under President Taft.
– James Perkins: Lt. Colonel tasked with overseeing the American Red Cross’ operations in France.
– Helen Homans: Croix de Guerre recipient and descendant of presidents John & John Quincy Adams. She knowingly and willingly put herself in harm’s way to tend to servicemen afflicted with influenza and succumbed to the virus five days before the armistice.
– Collette Lyons: Although not military, her grave was one I had wanted to find for a while. She was a vaudeville, stage and film actress in mainly comedies. A top-billed star, she acted alongside notables of the day including Betty Grable, Al Jolson, and The Three Stooges and was formerly married to publisher George Hearst. Lyon’s grave is unmarked.
#atrestoration
