Memorial Day Ceremony Honors Civil War Veterans

Many young teenagers today aspire to be rock stars. But David Orlando Black, buried at Pocasset Ceremony on Dyer Avenue, was a 15-year-old who got to play music on a far different stage before he died less than a century ago.

On Memorial Day at the annual ceremony sponsored by the Elisha Dyer Camp No. 7, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, a gathering of 15 people learned Black actually served his country at that tender age.

“Some didn’t want to wait until they were old enough to serve in the Civil War,” said James McGuire, Sr. Vice Commander, about Black, born on June 20, 1846. “So he joined Company K, 26^h MA Infantry, as a musician in 1861 and was honorably discharged in 1862.” Black died in 1916 at the age of 70.

Flowers were placed on the gravesites of Black and for Benoni Lewis at the ceremony. Paul Cairrao, Camp Commander, named 112 other Civil War veterans buried at the Dyer Avenue cemetery in a roll call of the departed lasting 15 minutes. (Over 400 Union Civil War veterans in all are buried there, camp officials also disclosed in a ceremony which honors a portion of them each year.)

Dressed in Civil War uniforms, Camp No. 7 members Henry Duquette and David Procacccini were carrying the colors, or national and state flags, while Gregory Payne and Kenneth Pike were designated to shoot a musket tribute at both gravesites.

Michael Stewart, Camp Patriotic Instructor, recited the Pledge of Allegiance and a reading of General Order No. 11 of the Camp No. 7.  Linda Payne, President of Elisha Dyer Ladies Auxiliary #2 was also present. Moments of silence were also observed.

After sisters Brynn and Jenna Wilbur- the great-great-great granddaughters of Black- placed flowers at his gravesite, their father, Jared Budlong Wilbur of West Greenwich, explained the proud lineage linking him and his daughters to their Civil War ancestor and to the city of Cranston, too.

“I grew up in Cranston and we are the same family that owned the (former) Budlong Manufacturing Company and Budlong Pool is named after our family,” said Wilbur, mentioning six generations of Budlongs dating back to Black.

Benoni Lewis, Corporal, Company I, 4^th RI Infantry, also was honored for his service in the military. “He became an associate mustery officer and served from 1861-1864,” said McGuire. “He later served time in the U.S. Army and was a member of the Grand Army Republic Post 4 established by the Civil War veterans and their sons in 1909.” Lewis, born in 1843, died in 1914.

 In one poem titled, “Our Colors”, Carraio said, in part: Red, ‘tis the hue of battle …white, ‘tis the sign of purity… blue, ‘tis the sign of heaven…,” invoking the patriotic colors of the American flag.

Concluding the ceremony was a poem, “When the Boys of Blue Are Gone” to which the members of Camp No. 7, responded each time to the specific line, “who will remember the boys in blue?” by chanting: “We will.”

The event was held during the sesquicentennial anniversary of the Civil War.

As the oldest of five camps in the state, officials of the 42-member Elisha Dyer Camp No. 7, SUVCW, say their non-profit organization (dyercamp7.org) is dedicated to the preservation of the memory of Rhode Island’s Union Civil War veterans. They are currently using the Governor Sprague Mansion in Cranston as a base. 

But this day was not just about Union soldiers buried here and who served in Rhode Island, Massachusetts or elsewhere during the Civil War. “One of every four families in Rhode Island lost a son in the Civil War,” noted Carrario. “But we are also here today to honor their memories and all veterans who sacrificed their lives for us.”