From Gettysburg To Petersburg To Grove Hill —  Civil War Heroes Honored In Vernon Tradition

VERNON, CT — It's a tradition in Vernon that the New England Civil War Museum honors those who fought in the War Between the States on the Thursday before Memorial Day.

And this week was no exception at Grove Hill Cemetery, a short distance from Town Hall.

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The evening began with the Alden Skinner Camp of the Sons of Union Veterans placing flags at the graves of Civil War veterans at Grove Hill. It was a solemn endeavor and no grave was left undecorated.

From there, a fife and drum detail led the procession to the grave of Col. Thomas Burpee, a Vernon resident who commanded the 21st Connecticut Volunteers. Burpee was fatally wounded by a rebel sharpshooter at the Battle of Cold Harbor and died on June 9, 1864.

A sharpshooter was also the undoing of William Goddell, but he was killed on the third day at Gettysburg — July 3, 1863 — before the main battle and Pickett's Charge unfolded.

Civil War re-enactors then fired a firing a salute after a wreath-laying at Burpee's grave, and a reading of the names of Vernon and Rockville’s Civil War veterans.

Another grave of note is that of Capt. Edwin Post, a few steps north of Col. Burpee. Post, of Terryville, was an officer commanding Company B of the 9th U.S. Colored Regiment. Pope's gravestone tells us it is merely a marker and that he was buried "with the Rebel Dead" after being killed in action on Aug. 16, 1864, "before Petersburg" in Virginia.