Families Remember

The "Friends of Shockoe Hill Cemetery", a citizens group that helps the City of Richmond maintain and improve the Cemetery, has had the great pleasure  of coming into contact with relatives of some of the soldiers mentioned here. In several cases, the Friends group and the families have worked together to obtain "In Memory" (cenotaph) markers from the Department of Veterans Affairs. These stones now flank the POW marker, and show the correct spelling of the soldiers' names.

Samuel Stiteler left behind wife Mary and four children when he enlisted in Company "E", 61st Pennsylvania Infantry in August 1861. He was wounded and captured at the Battle of Seven Pines on 31 May 1862, and died soon after. He appears on the POW marker as "Samuel E. Statin".

Samuel Sweetland, a father of two, enlisted in Company "D", 3rd Vermont Infantry in July 1861. His unit suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of Lee's Mill on 16 April 1862, and he was among those captured and taken to Richmond. His name appears on the POW marker as "James Sweetland". 

James Warnes was born in England. In 1861 he was a farmer and married father of two in Oswego County, New York. He enlisted in Company "E", 81st New York Infantry in December 1861, but was soon transferred to Company "H". On 31 May 1862, at the Battle of Seven Pines, he was wounded and captured, dying in Richmond a few days later. His names appears on the POW marker as "James Wormes".

The Friends of Shockoe Hill Cemetery welcome the chance to work with relatives and place more such markers.