11th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry Headstone Dedication Ceremony

Name: 11th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry Headstone Dedication Ceremony
Start: 2024-06-01T10:00:00-06:00
Location: 4001 Fort Caspar Road, Casper, WY, United States, Wyoming 82604

Schedule

Sat Jun 01 2024 at 10:00 am

UTC-06:00

Location

4001 Fort Caspar Road, Casper, WY, United States, Wyoming 82604 | Casper, WY

The Fort Caspar Museum Association and Fort Caspar Museum invite the public to attend a dedication ceremony for nine newly installed headstones for soldiers of the 11th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry who lost their lives while in service at Platte Bridge Station (now Fort Caspar) in 1865. These cenotaph headstones serve as memorials for the soldiers as in most cases, their bodies have never been recovered having been buried along the old telegraph route they were here to protect.
The ceremony will include remarks by Casper resident Elizabeth Jennings, who is a descendant of Private Adam Culp of the 11th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry who is honored with one of the nine headstones. Colton Sasser, also of Casper and Army veteran of the war in Afghanistan will be speaking about the importance of honoring past veterans and the significance of their service to today. Following the remarks, there will be a folded flag presentation to the families of the fallen soldiers. Guests are invited to tour the museum and see a special exhibit featuring Private William Bonwell’s tintype portrait and letter to his mother that he was killed in a skirmish with Native Americans before he was able to finish. Bonwell is one of the nine soldiers honored with a headstone in this project.
The installation and dedication of these nine headstones is the first phase in a multi-phase project honoring all those who died while in military service at Fort Caspar. The project began in the 1970s with the installation of eleven headstones of soldiers of the 11th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, and remain unfinished until the project was undertaken again in 2021 to obtain headstones for members of the 11th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, 6th West Virginia Veteran Volunteer Cavalry, 6th Michigan Cavalry, 7th Iowa Cavalry, 6th U.S. Infantry, 18th U.S. Infantry, and additional 11th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry soldiers. When completed, there will be approximately 50 headstones at the site along with a walkway and reflection bench.
This event is free and open to the public. If you are a descendant of an 11th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry soldier or a family member of one of the nine soldiers being honored with headstones, please reach out to the Fort Caspar Museum at 307-235-8462, or contact FCMA Vice President Johanna Wickman [email protected] who is coordinating this event.
The nine honored 11th Kansas soldiers are:
Private William T. Bonwell
Co. F, Killed June 3, 1865
Lyon County, Kansas
Private Silas Hinshaw (Henshaw)
Co. A, Killed June 16, 1865
Leavenworth (Leavenworth County), Kansas
Private Adam Culp
Co. I, Killed July 26, 1865
Mount Florence (Jefferson County), Kansas
Private James A. Porter
Co. I, Killed June 26, 1865
Lyon County, Kansas
Private George W. McDonald
Co. I, Killed July 26, 1865
Burlingame (Osage County), Kansas
Private George Camp
Co. K, Killed July 26, 1865
Pleasant Grove (Douglas County), Kansas
Private Sebastian Nehring
Co. K, Killed July 26, 1865
Alma (Wabaunsee County), Kansas
Private Alexander York
Co. D, Killed May 14, 1865
Ozawkie (Jefferson County), Kansas
Private George W. Glidden
Co. A, Killed May 2, 1865
Easton (Leavenworth County), Kansas
Those who wish to donate to the project may do so via the Fort Caspar Museum Association website, www.fortcaspar.org or mail donations directly to the Fort Caspar Museum Association at 4001 Fort Caspar Road; Casper, WY 82604.