Over two-hundred spectators and re-enactors, several television news crews, numerous newspapers, SCV Division and Camp members, Park, and local elected officials gathered at Grand Gulf Military Monument Park for a most fitting and solemn ceremony honoring Pvts. Jackson Ross and Wesley Gilbert, USCT, who gave their lives for their country during the "late unpleasantness." This event, sponsored by four Third Brigade Camps, garnered more positive publicity for the SCV than any event in recent memory -- and possibly ever. This was genuine and heartfelt memorial to two fallen soldiers, honored for their heroism and sacrifice, no matter their allegiance during the war. Federal and Confederate re-enactors from all over the South participated, with Federal Chaplain Stan Copeland overseeing chapel services prior to the US graveside ceremony, which was conducted by Col. Kent Oestenstad and Sons of Union Veterans. Federal artillery came from as far away as Arkansas, Georgia, and Louisiana (Battery L, 2nd US Artillery). Two Mississippi artillery units also provided firepower: Stanford’s Mississippi Battery and Turner’s Battery (1st Mississippi Light Artillery). The multi-racial Heritage Singers of Port Gibson lent the entire ceremony a spirituality and dignity that could not otherwise have been achieved.

The ceremony was conducted as follows:

Chapel Service (Rev. Stan Copeland).

Musical Cemetery Prelude (Port Gibson Heritage Singers).

Procession to cemetery (Piper Rev. Page Brooks, Color Guards -- Port Gibson High School Army JROTC, 18th Indiana Light Artillery, MS Division SCV Jeff Davis Legion, Stockdale’s Rangers Camp, Brookhaven Light Artillery Camp, Col. Moses Jackson Camp, and B.G. William T. Martin Camp, Horse-drawn caissons of the 18th Indiana Light Artillery bearing coffins of Ross and Gilbert, and Uniformed Troops representing all organizations and re-enactors).

Posting of Colors (Color Guards).

Pall Bearers’ Journey to Graveside from cemetery trail (Sons of Union Veterans and Sons of Confederate Veterans).

Opening Remarks (Hon. Bob Ritchey, Chairman, Board of Directors, Grand Gulf Military Park).

Opening Prayer (Rev. Stan Copeland, Chaplain/Major, US Army [Ret.], Pastor, Multi-Racial Reformed Church, Pensacola, Florida).

National Anthem (Ms. Carolyn Hall, Port Gibson, MS).

Raising of the Colors (US Flag -- Port Gibson High School Army JROTC; Federal Union Flag of 1861 -- Sons of Union Veterans; Christian Flag -- Rev. Page Brooks and Rev. Stan Copeland; Flag of the State of Mississippi -- Grand Gulf Military Park Staff; and the Confederate First National Flag -- Sons of Confederate Veterans). Pledges and Salutes (United States -- Port Gibson High School Army JROTC; State of Mississippi -- Roy Wooten, Past Comdr., Brookhaven Light Artillery; Christian -- Rev. Page Brooks; Confederate -- Wayne Parker, Comdr., Stockdale’s Rangers).

"Battle Hymn of the Republic" (Heritage Singers of Port Gibson).

Memorial Address (Hon. Ed Funchess, SCV Event Chair, and Adjutant, Stockdale’s Rangers -- SEE FULL TEXT BELOW).

Graveside Service [SUVCW Ritual] (Col. Kent Oestenstad, Union Troops, Sons of Union Veterans, and Rev. Stan Copeland).

"Amazing Grace" (Piper Rev. Page Brooks).

Honor Guard Musket and Artillery Salute [rifle squad volley followed by artillery salute, repeated three times] (Massed Union and Confederate Infantry; Gun No. 1 -- Battery L, 2nd US Artillery; Gun No. 2 -- Stanford’s Mississippi Battery; Gun No. 3 -- Turner’s Battery, 1st MS Light Artillery).

"Taps" (Ms. Jennifer Hughes, McComb, MS).

Benediction (Rev. Stan Copeland).

Nothing this reporter could write could better express the sincere motivation and sentiments of the SCV participants in this sacred memorial than the words of Hon. Ed Funchess himself, who was the SCV Chair for the event. This is the full text of Ed’s Memorial Address, which moved everyone in the crowd, Black and White, Union and Confederate, one and all.    

On behalf of Stockdale’s Rangers, 4th Mississippi Cavalry, Brookhaven Light Artillery, Col. Moses Jackson, and BG William T. Martin Camps, Mississippi Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Sons of Veterans, United States Reserves, Sons of Union Veterans, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Daughters of the Grand Army of the Republic, and re-enactors representing all military branches both North and South, I welcome you to this service.

Many here today are veterans and, if not veterans, surely sons and daughters of veterans, those who unselfishly answered the call to defend liberty, to defend freedom, and to defend conscience. Veterans share a common bond, a lasting brotherhood, that transcends all social, economic, and racial issues -- issues which remain unresolved for others.

We are here today to honor and lay to rest two United States soldiers: Jackson Ross, Company I, 47th US Colored Troops, and Wesley Gilbert, Company E, 52 US Colored Troops.

To that end, many of you have traveled great distances and have sacrificed in labor, time, and personal expense to attend or be a part of this important service. We are deeply indebted to you. We are also indebted to our hosts, the Board of Directors of the Grand Gulf Military Monument Park and the Staff, to Bud, to Claire, to Catherine, and all the other employees who have worked tirelessly to accommodate us and create a meaningful atmosphere for this ceremony.

If we had been standing here on April 29, 1863, we would be witnessing the unrelenting five hour bombardment of Fort Coburn and Fort Wade by seven Union gunboats commanded by Union Admiral David Porter, massed to reduce Grand Gulf’s fortifications so that Union General U.S. Grant could disembark 10,000 Federal soldiers who waited out the attack on barges in the Mississippi River. The Confederate defenders held their positions through the bombardment of more than three-thousand shells, while inflicting heavy damage on the attacking fleet, causing Porter to withdraw and General Grant to disembark his assault forces on the Louisiana side of the river. With failure to achieve their objective, Grant was forced to march his army down the opposite side of the river under cover of darkness and cross the river to Bruinsburg, Mississippi. Once established on this side of the river, Grant moved on Port Gibson, causing the abandonment of Grand Gulf and, subsequently, the Battles of Jackson, Champion Hill, Big Black, and the Siege and surrender of Vicksburg.

With control of this area in Federal hands, Grand Gulf became a supply depot and garrison for Union troops under the newly established Vicksburg Military District, which was responsible for deployment of all forces and recruitment of former slaves into the Union army into units designated first as "Corps de Afrique," then "Troops of African Descent," and, last, "United States Colored Troops." In just months, the district was able to recruit, organize, and field at least eight regiments of infantry, two regiments of cavalry, and four regiments of artillery, many of whom were garrisoned at Grand Gulf from time to time. Many of these units were engaged in heavy fighting until the war’s end.

Of the estimated two-hundred thousand soldiers of African Descent in Federal service who fought in four-hundred and forty-six engagements, thirty-six thousand were lost in combat, and it is estimated that one out of every three were casualties from all causes. Putting this into perspective, the overall casualty rate for the Civil War was one-in-four and for World War II the rate was seven-in-one-hundred. The Civil War ranks higher than all subsequent wars in number of casualties, given the number of combatants.

Military records indicate the presence at Grand Gulf of the two units of Jackson Ross and Wesley Gilbert. However, the time and circumstances of their deaths are not known, and attempts to establish genealogy have been without success. Our best information would place Wesley Gilbert’s original enlistment with the 2nd Mississippi Infantry (African Descent) on July 27, 1863, at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Jackson Ross’ enlistment with the 8th Louisiana Infantry (African Descent) on May 5, 1863, at Lake Providence, Louisiana.

Having been buried here most probably during the war, over the past one-hundred and forty years the condition of their gravesites began to deteriorate due to erosion. Although there are six other US Colored Troops buried here, the circumstances of these two men’s graves required immediate attention, and, on December 28, 2002, their remains were exhumed, placed in coffins, and delivered to Catching’s Funeral Home in McComb until last evening, when they were returned here for this service.

As we are gathered here and look upon this multitude of flags, we pause to reflect on what they represent. The lofty virtues of valor, honor, loyalty, sacrifice, and patriotism remind us of our heritage and our history. As we consider these attributes, it is important to be mindful that, as we gaze upon these unfurled banners, that the ideals they represent do not reside in pieces of cloth, but, rather, in our hearts, as human being, as Americans.

One-hundred and forty years ago, Abraham Lincoln set before us a lasting example of true reconciliation and hope when he penned these words: "We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and Patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature. With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work that we are in, to bind up the Nation’s wounds."

If Jackson Ross and Wesley Gilbert could awaken from this sleep, walk among us, consider this ceremony, and the watch, care, and honor bestowed upon them by the descendants of their former enemy, the brotherhood of their fellow soldiers, and their brothers and sisters gathered here today, I believe they would be compelled to say, "Our sacrifice on the long journey to freedom was worth it all. Let us rest now. We are home. We are finally home." Thank you. [End of Address]

AND THANK YOU, ED AND EVERYONE INVOLVED, FOR THIS FABULOUS, ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO MEMORIALIZE THESE FORGOTTEN HEROES! -- reported by Jim Huffman, Adj./Ed., Gainesville Vols, SCV Camp 373, Pearl River County,