SOLDIERS AND SAILORS BURIED AT MT. PLEASANT PLAINS CEMETERY, 1870-1890
WALTER PIERCE PARK, WASHINGTON, DC

More than 40 Civil War soldiers and sailors, one scout, one spy, and two post-Civil War “Buffalo Soldiers” were buried at Mt. Pleasant Plains Cemetery. It’s likely there are many more, and research continues. The military veterans include:

U.S. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC

Dabney Walker escaped slavery near Fredericksburg, Va. He served as a scout for the Army of the Potomac from 1862 to 1864. His wife Lucy Ann Walker worked as a laundress in Confederate camps, sending coded messages to the Union forces by hanging laundry in ways that communicated the movements of her Confederate employers. Lucy Ann died at age 66 on June 12, 1880. Dabney, who was known as “The Scout of the Rappahannock,” died at age 74 on April 23, 1885; he was survived by his second wife, Rosey Dean Walker.

1st REGIMENT, U.S. COLORED INFANTRY

Crier, Thompson (Thomas) M., private, Co. C; widow Martha. Crier enlisted in the 1st Regiment as a 13-year-old drummer boy. He died on December 11, 1878, age 31, occupation painter, at 1613 12th St. NW.

Edmonson, Richard, Jr., private, Co. B; widow Sarah. He died January 3, 1889, age 45, occupation waiter, on Baptist Alley between 9th, 10th, E and F streets, NW, behind Ford’s Theatre.

Ferguson, Louis (enlisted and served under the alias “William Henson”), private, Co. E; widow Patsy. He ran away from slavery in 1863 while hired out by his Maryland owner to a grocer in Washington. Ferguson, a porter, died April 22, 1885, age 40, at 1343 S St. NW.

Marks, Edward, private, Co. B; widows Maria and Annie. Marks in 1863 ran away from slavery near Petersburg, Va., came to Washington and enlisted. He died March 14, 1889, at age 55, occupation barber, at Freedmen’s Hospital. Two widows vied for his pension: Maria, whom Marks married while enslaved; and Annie, whom he married later as a free man. The Pension Bureau upheld the legality of the slave marriage and awarded a widow’s pension to Maria.

Noble, Samuel, private, Co. K; widow Fannie. Samuel Noble died July 3, 1888, age 48, occupation cook, at 1214 Blagden’s Alley NW.

Tolson, William E. (enlisted and served under the alias “John Gray”), private, Co. D. Tolson escaped slavery on the Prince George’s County, Md., farm of Mrs. Benjamin Skinner near the village of Nottingham. He came to Washington and enlisted. He used an alias because he didn’t want to be captured and returned to slavery in Maryland. He died July 2, 1886, age 39, occupation storekeeper, at 1758 T Street, NW.

White, Philip, private, Co. I, widow Martha. He died May 2, 1884, age 48, occupation hod carrier, at 410 18th St. NW.

2nd REGIMENT, U.S. COLORED INFANTRY

Boyd, John, Co. C.  Boyd, who was emancipated April 16, 1862, died March 31, 1868, age 22, a laborer.

Davis, Reuben, private, Co. B; widow Jane. Reuben Davis died July 27, 1887, age 39, occupation laborer, at 1706 Glick’s Alley between 6th, 7th, S and T streets NW.

Fox, Charles, private, Co. I; widow Lucinda. He died February 10,1886, age 53, occupation plasterer, at 618 3rd St. SW.

Gray, Reuben, private, Co. E; widow He died June 18, 1886, age 45, occupation laborer, at 1736 17th St. NW.

Johnson, Joseph, private, Co. H; widow Maria Louisa. He died June 10, 1889, age 56, occupation laborer, at Freedmen’s Hospital.

Smith, Adam, private, Co. C; mother Fannie, father William. He died March 5, 1866, age 25, occupation “late soldier.”

Williams, Charles, private, Co. I; widow Carrie. He died October 7, 1885, age 40, occupation cook, 632 New York Ave. NW.

Williams, Joseph, private, Co. H; widow Rosannah. He died Nov. 23, 1887, age 49, a laborer, at 933 Naylor’s Alley NW.

  4th REGIMENT, U.S. COLORED INFANTRY

Magruder, Enoch, private, Co. F; widow Harriet. Enoch Magruder was enslaved near Piscataway, Prince George’s County, Md., and was drafted. He died February 6, 1871. His widow reported to Pension officials that his death certificate incorrectly stated his age as 26, when, in fact, he died at age 46.

Smith, Robert M., private, Co. D; widow Priscilla.  Robert M. Smith died December 15, 1882, age 55, occupation barber, at Foundry Place between 13th, 14th, G and H streets NW.

11th REGIMENT, U.S. COLORED HEAVY ARTILLERY

Burley (Berley), Fletcher, corporal, Co. M, enlisted at Providence in 1863 and mustered out at New Orleans in 1865. Fletcher Burley died at age 27 on November 29, 1873.

19th REGIMENT, U.S. COLORED INFANTRY

Johnson, William M., private, Co. K, enlisted at Benedict, Maryland; widow Julia Weems Johnson. He joined the 19th Regiment and then was transferred to the U.S. Navy, in which he served as a landsman at the Navy Yard in Washington, DC. He died at age 63 on April 9, 1881, at his home at 1730 21st Street NW.

22nd REGIMENT, U.S. COLORED INFANTRY

Weir (Ware), James, private, Co. A; widow Amy. James Ware died March 10, 1890, age 54, at Freedmen’s Hospital.

23rd REGIMENT, U.S. COLORED INFANTRY

Boon(e), John, private, Co. H, widow Elizabeth. John Boon died August 26, 1887, age 68, occupation laborer, at 713 Freeman’s Alley.

Churchwell, Benjamin, corporal promoted to sergeant, Co. I; widow Maria. Benjamin Churchwell, born enslaved at Port Royal, Virginia, was wounded during the siege of Petersburg, Va. He died April 16, 1883, age 45, occupation laborer, on I St. between Half and South Capitol streets.

Holland, Sandy, private, Co. G; widow Mary. Sandy Holland died August 30, 1888, age 52, occupation laborer, at 121 First Alley between K and L streets.

Johnson, Samuel, private, Co. K; widow Louisa. Samuel Johnson died July 20, 1888, age 48, at Freedmen’s Hospital.

Triplett, Addison, private, Co. A; widow Louisa. Addison Triplett died January 15, 1887, age 48, occupation laborer, at 1817 Cedar St. NW.

25th REGIMENT, U.S. COLORED INFANTRY

Baggott, Hugh, private, unassigned company; widow Cornelia. He died June 28, 1888, age 49, a janitor, at 481 Ridge St. NW.

28th REGIMENT, U.S. COLORED INFANTRY

Johnson, William, private, Co. K or H. Johnson died July 3, 1884, age 45, at Freedmen’s Hospital.

32nd REGIMENT, U.S. COLORED INFANTRY

Bell, Louis (Lewis), private, Co. E; widow Mary. He died January 3, 1886, age 56, occupation laborer, at 1334 15th St. NW.

Lewis, John, private, Co. B; widow Amy. John Lewis died October 2, 1882, age 42, on Franklin Street between 4th, 5th, P and Q streets NW.

Taylor, Andrew Jackson, private, Co. D; widow Emma. Andrew Jackson Taylor died September 22, 1876, age 45, occupation waiter, at 210 Jackson Alley NW.

38th REGIMENT, U.S. COLORED INFANTRY

Turner, Henry, private, Co. K; widow Julia. He died December 7, 1884, age 55, occupation laborer, at 1510 10th St. NW.

43rd REGIMENT, U.S. COLORED INFANTRY

Hatton, John, private, Co. G; child William. He died October 4, 1887, age 45, a laborer, at Freedmen’s Hospital.

Johnson, Robert, private, Co. K; widow Mary. Robert Johnson died June 3, 1884, age 48, occupation whitewasher, at Union Alley between 14th, 15th, L and M streets NW.

107th REGIMENT, U.S. COLORED INFANTRY

Cook, James, private, Co. B; widow Charlotte. James Cook died June 5, 1883, a cook, at 313 L St. NW.

CAPTAIN BARNES’ UNASSIGNED U.S. COLORED INFANTRY

Walker, Washington, private, Co. A; widow Jane. Washington Walker died April 15, 1886, age 62, occupation cooper, at 917 Hughes Alley between 25th, 26th, I and K streets, NW. He was first buried at Mt. Pleasant Plains Cemetery; he was disinterred by family members on June 8, 1895, and reinterred at Arlington National Cemetery.

U.S. NAVY

Ball, Griffin, enlisted at New York in 1862. Griffin Ball died March 4, 1875, age 70, occupation laborer, at 1710 K St. NW. Born in Northumberland County, Va., Ball was a long-time coach driver to diplomats and politicians in Washington, D.C.

Frazier, Hamilton, enlisted at New York in 1864 and served until 1865 on the vessels North Carolina, Horace Beals, and Wyandank. His widow was Elizabeth. He died July 30, 1876, age 45, occupation cook at Ebbit House, at 1313 Alley behind New York Avenue.

Gales, Eli, enlisted at Washington in 1864 and served until 1865 on the vessels Thomas Freeborn, Ella, and Resolute. His widow was Laura. Eli Gales died June 6, 1889, age 46, at 1533 4th St. NW.

Holmes, McKenzie, enlisted off Cape Fear in 1862 and served until 1864 on the vessel Maratanza. He died November 4, 1877, age 40, occupation laborer, at 1817 T St. NW.

Johnson, William M., enlisted in the 19th Regiment, Co. K, of the U.S. Colored Infantry but was transferred to the U.S. Navy, in which he served as a landsman at the Washington Navy Yard. His widow was Julia Weems Johnson. He died at age 63 on April 9, 1881, at his home at 1730 21st Street NW.

Lucas, Elijah, served on the Western World and the Macedonian. He died at age 50 on January 30, 1878, on Columbia Road near 16th Street NW.

Young, Edward Owen, served on the USS Bibb with the U.S. Coast Survey. Edward Owen Young died October 21, 1875, age 29, occupation waiter, at 1013 18th St. NW.

POST-CIVIL WAR VETERANS:

10th CAVALRY REGIMENT (“Buffalo Soldiers”)

Abbott, Wesley.  Abbott, a carpenter, died March 29, 1882, age 53, in the alley between 7th, 8th, R and S streets NW.

Snowden, Samuel, Co. L, widow Sophronia (first wife Fannie Willis, deceased). Samuel Snowden died September 12, 1889, age 38, a waiter, at 400 21st St. NW.