Remembering Medfield's Civil War Soldiers

The sound of a lone drummer could be heard all across the old section of Vine Lake Cemetery Saturday morning (Oct. 15) as the crisp autumn wind blew the trees and the fallen leaves. Soldiers marched in formation from gravesite to gravesite and Vine Lake Cemetery came alive to honor the memory of 24 Civil War veterans interred there.

As this year marks the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, Rob Gregg, president of the Vine Lake Preservation Trust, led a walking tour throughout Vine Lake Cemetery to commemorate and honor 24 of the 53 soldiers from Medfield who are buried there and fought in the Civil War. 

An image of one of them, Allan Alonzo Kingsbury, a soldier and bugler, was on the cover of the walking tour handout. Kingsbury, killed by a bullet that pierced his belly button, died on April 26, 1865 at the age of 23.

In telling about the lives and the funerals of the fallen soldiers, Gregg was accompanied by Barbara Andrulonis, who placed a white long-stem rose at the gravesite of each soldier honored. 

Gregg spoke about each of the 24 soldiers honored and his vast knowledge and detail of these 24 men was obvious. He told what age they were mustered into service, where they fought, their family history,  their occupation in Medfield before fighting in the war, and the age at which they died. In some cases, Gregg read documents and letters from family members who attended the funeral, but in other cases there was little known about them. 

Some soldiers now lie beneath glorious monuments built in their honor, while others have simple marble stones, made to government specifications, but each soldier was honored during this tour. Many of these soldiers died as young boys, while others lived to a ripe old age after returning home. 

At one point during the tour, while standing by the gravesite of Richard Crowninshield Derby, Andrea Murray placed flowers at his headstone. She reenacted a scene from Derby’s interment as it was documented that a young girl placed flowers one-by-one at his gravesite and his mother was quoted as saying there should have been a reporter at his funeral.

Some of the soldiers buried at Vine Lake Cemetery died with honor and glory and were laid to rest with the townspeople’s blessings; while John Franklin Harvey was buried in shame because he had deserted after serving for eight months. His obituary referred to him as a “wasted life.”

While honoring Cyrus Daniel Strang and his brother J.A. Strang, Gregg welcomed their first cousin, Gail Strang Stewart, who travelled to Medfield from her home in Maine. Stewart was emotional when she spoke to the crowd because Gregg had helped her finally find her cousins’ final resting place. Another soldier and relative of Stewart is Gabriel Strang. He is listed on the Civil War monument of “Heroic dead who lie in unknown graves” in Vine Lake Cemetery, but it was recently learned that he is buried in Poplar Grove, Petersburg, Virginia.

At the gravesite of Joseph L. Clark, Gregg pointed out Medfield selectman, Mark Fisher is a descendent of Clark, on his mother’s side of the family. Fisher was present at the walking tour.

Men from the 28th Massachusetts Voluntary Infantry, dressed in Civil War garb and led by Commander Tom Higgins, reenacted a battle and were instructed to “fire” their rifles three times, which filled the air with billowing gun smoke. 

The 24 men honored were:

George Frederick ADAMS, John Robert ADAMS, Lucius Whiting ALLEN, Ebenezer Granville BABCOCK, William Henry BULLARD, Franklin Artemas CHENERY, James Parkman CHENERY, John Brown CHENERY, Joseph L. CLARK, Henry Jasper DANIELS, Richard Crowninsheild DERBY, Julius Augustus FITTS, John Franklin HARVEY, Benjamin Emmons HEMENWAY, Caleb HOWARD Jr., John G. HUTSON, George Warren KINGSBURY, Allen Alonzo KINGSBURY, Frank Edward MORSE, James ORD, John ORD, Jr., George Howard SHUMWAY, Cyrus Daniel STRANG and John Alexander STRANG.

Vine Lake Cemetery is filled with history and the public is encouraged to visit.  The improvements, restoration, beautification and upkeep is financed by funds raised by events such as this walking tour and the dedication of Rob Gregg, the Preservation Board of Directors and volunteers. To volunteer, donate or learn more, go to www.vinelakepreservationtrust.org.