A military ceremony this afternoon near Atlanta, Georgia, honored three menwho were killed during the Civil War, fighting under the Iowa banner. Members of the 5th Iowa Cavalry were attacked by Confederate soldiers inAlabama in July 1864. Three Union troops were killed who were later buriedin Marietta, Georgia, in numbered graves as “unknown” soldiers. A southernhistorian has worked for 17 years, using casualty lists, maps and otherrecords to determine their identities. In the ceremony, new headstones wereunveiled, an honor guard fired a military salute, and as taps played, threewomen dressed in Civil War mourning clothes laid wreaths on the graves. IowaNational Guard Colonel Bob King represented Iowa at today’s ceremony.King says one can’t help but reflect on the history involved in today’sevent — 135 years after these men were killed in battle.Though they fought for the Union under the Iowa flag, none of the privateswere from Iowa. King says men sometimes crossed state borders and joinedanother state’s forces.They’re James Harris of Bailey’s Creek, Missouri; David Sage of Belleview,Nebraska; and William Britt — an Irish immigrant. Today’s ceremony at theMarietta National Cemetery was held at 2 p-m.
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