Headstone ceremony to honor civil war graves

On Saturday, March 28 the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Sons of Confederate Veterans will hold a Civil War headstone ceremony at three burial sites in Early County. The event begins at 11 a.m. with transportation to the grave sites available.

Sites included in the ceremony are the Old and New Sardis Cemeteries, Enterprise Free Will Baptist Church and a private family cemetery located on Highway 39 North.

Seven headstones will be erected marking the graves of Civil War veterans Allen White (1827-1894) Cobb Guards, Georgia Infantry Co. A attached to the 22nd Battalion GA Artillery as Co G; William Sanders White (1838-1884) 17th Georgia Infantry Regiment Co. D Decatur Guards; Daniel White (1812- 1905) 5th Regiment Georgia Volunteer Co. C Privates; Edward Aman (1833-1889) Co. G, 13th Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, Evan's Brigade, Gordon's Division, Army of Northern Virginia, C.S.A., Early County, GA, 5th Corporal; Washington Nobles (1819-1890) 5th Regiment Georgia Volunteer Co C Privates; Warren Nobles (1846-1930) 5th Regiment Georgia Volunteer Co C Privates; and James Alfred Brownlee (1845- after 1888) Co E, Regiment 13, Georgia Infantry.

The headstone for James Alfred Brownlee will be a memorial marker only, not the actual grave site which is unknown to the family.

These veterans are descendents of the Brownlee, Nobles, White, Goocher, Aman, Robinson, Driver, Temples, Sirmons and Davis families.

All descendents, as well as the general public, are encouraged to come out and witness the event. The UDC and SCV will be performing a memorial service in era costume which will include a cannon salute. Commander Jack Bridwell, head of the SCV, will be the guest speaker.

A bus service will be provided to transport all attendees to and from the cemeteries.Pickup will be at the fellowship hall of First Baptist Church of Blakely at 10:30 a.m.

The headstones for the veterans were provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.