Photos/Text courtesy of William Bozic, Houston, TX
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(January 29, 2011)  Monument to CSA Battle of Galveston Dead

The CSA dead from the Battle of Galveston were buried in the potters field of this cemetery. The exact location of the individual graves is no longer known. (There have been some terrible hurricanes). With one notable exception, Union dead have been reinterred in the US National Cemetery in Pineville, Louisiana.

The monument was dedicated by the Magruder Camp of the United Confederate Veterans (UCV) to honor their fallen comrades in the Battle of Galveston, January 1, 1863.

(January 29, 2011) Magruder Monument Marker

(January 29, 2011) Galveston Cemetery-Camp Magruder 106 UCV Plot Marker

This plot is located in the potters field cemetery and was purchased by the men of the Camp John B. Magruder 106 UCV. Many of these men served in Galveston so they knew their comrades were buried in the potters field cemetery of the Galveston Cemetery, but the exact location had been lost. Keep in mind there were hurricanes and subsequent elevations of the cemetery soil on the grounds.

Some modern VA markers are located in this plot for those known to be buried in the potters field whose exact location has been lost.

(January 29, 2011) Cenotaphs

Camp John B. Magruder 106 UCV plot with cenotaphs. In addition to the CSA troops who died in the Battle of Galveston, there were others who died during the CSA military occupation of the largest city and most important port in Texas at that time. The Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), and other groups have worked to discover the names of the dead and mark their graves. The SCV Camp in Galveston even retains the name of the United Confederate Veterans Camp.

(January 29, 2011) 292 CSA Graves in Galveston Cemetery

The marker gives a great explanation of the number of CSA soldiers buried in the cemetery, but it should be understood these cemeteries are all linked together, so to go from the Hebrew Cemetery to Catholic Cemetery or Soldiers Rest is really just to walk and notice a change in the grave styles. Notice the cenotaphs below the monument.

Galveston was at one time the richest and largest city in Texas, so the number of troops quartered here was always quite large. After the Hurricane of 1900 the city declined. (Worst loss of life in a natural disaster in the history of the USA to-date, estimated at 8,000+ dead but we will never know the exact number and some estimates are higher).