10th Alabama Regiment Cemetery - Bristow VA - Eagle Scout Project Sites on Waymarking.com

Archaeological studies and historic document research helped Civil War preservationists and Prince William County historians identify an overgrown plot of land with three stone markers at the Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park in Bristow, Virginia as being the cemetery for the 10th Alabama Infantry Regiment, so when Dane Smith of Troop 1361 contacted the Prince William historic department looking for ideas to complete his Eagle Scout requirements, they had the perfect project -- clear and clean up the cemetery site.

After the Battle of First Manassas in 1861, infantry regiments from five states set up Camp Jones in nearby Bristoe Station. Hundreds of men died from disease in the close quarters and unsanitary conditions. They were buried in the surrounding fields in cemeteries for each state. In the years following the Civil War, most of the grave markers disappeared. Only the location of the Alabama cemetery has been verified.

In December 2011, under the guidance of Rob Orrison, site manager with the Prince William County Historic Preservation Division, Dane Smith and about forty volunteers cleared the underbrush, cut downed trees, installed a split rail fence, and put in a trail with bridge over a small creek for access to the cemetery. Two more stone markers were discovered. All the markers were flagged with bright pink tape.

The Eagle Scout project has been completed and the cemetery is open to visitors, but research remains ongoing. It is believed 90 soldiers are buried there, and to date, roughly half have been identified. Plans include the addition of a monument, plaques and dirt taken from the Alabama county courthouses the soldiers were from to be spread at the Virginia cemetery. A commemoration ceremony is scheduled in the near future to officially dedicate the Alabama cemetery.¹

¹ Confederate Cemetery to Be Dedicated in Virginia

References:

• Tenth Alabama Regiment cemetery in Virginia uncovered 150 years later
• 5 more Alabama soldiers' names added to Civil War cemetery in Virginia

Name of Eagle Scout: Dane Smith Project Completion Date: 12/05/2011 Troop Number: 1361 Troop Location: Not listed

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