Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr is standing in Section 27 of Arlington National Cemetery. He is standing by two of the first burials in Arlington, William Christman and William Blatt. This view was taken facing north at approximately 2:45 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.
Arlington National Cemetery, overlooking Washington, D.C., has many connections to Gettysburg and to the Gettysburg Campaign. There are many more connections than to only Robert E. Lee’s residence, and John F. Kennedy’s grave. Almost every row in the older sections have someone buried there who had a link to Gettysburg.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr shows us the individuals connected to Gettysburg who are buried at Arlington.
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In today’s Arlington post, Rich Kohr shows some of the first burials in Arlington National Cemetery, a Gettysburg Medal of Honor recipient, and Abraham Lincoln’s valet.
This map shows us the locations taken of videos for our Gettysburg at Arlington series. Videos #1-#50 were shown in our previous Arlington posts. Video #51 was taken in Section 27 which contains the first military burials at Arlington. Video #52 presents the grave of James Richmond of the 8th of Ohio Infantry. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for actions at Gettysburg. Video #53 was taken at the grave of William Johnson, who accompanied Abraham Lincoln to Gettysburg in November, 1863. This map was created facing north at approximately 7:00 PM on Monday, August 9, 2010.
William Henry Christman, a member of the 67th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, was the first military burial in Arlington National Cemetery. He was born in 1843 in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, and was a 20 year old farm laborer when he enlisted in the 67th Pennsylvania on March 25, 1864. He died of measles on May 11, 1864. Thanks to Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Mike Strong for this information. This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:45 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.
In Video #51 (Videos #1 – #50 were shown in our previous Arlington posts) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr presents three of the first military burials in Arlington National Cemetery. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 2:45 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.
William H. McKinney was a member of the 17th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment and a resident of Adams County, Pennsylvania. He was the second military burial in Arlington, but his was the first burial in Arlington that included family members of the deceased. McKinney was five feet, six inches in height with brown eyes and dark hair. He enlisted on March 16, 1864. He entered military service with the 17th Pennsylvania at the age of 17 instead of working in an Adams County sawmill. With his father, John, at his bedside, William died on May 12, 1864 of pneumonia after 57 days in military service. Thanks to Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Mike Strong for this information. This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:45 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.
William Blatt of the 49th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, fought at Gettysburg, and was killed at Spotsylvania Court House. He was the first battle casualty buried in Arlington National Cemetery, and was the third member of a military unit buried in the cemetery. Blatt was five feet nine inches in height. He enlisted as a 19 year old in Berks County, Pennsylvania on September 1, 1861. He received a gunshot wound to the head at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia on May 10, 1864 and died on board the hospital ship transporting him to Washington, D.C. He was buried on Saturday, May 14, 1864, the day after Christman and McKinney were buried. Thanks to Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Mike Strong for this information. This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:45 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.
Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr is standing by the grave of James Richmond of the 8th Ohio Infantry Regiment. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Gettysburg. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 2:45 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.
In Video #52 Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr shows the grave of James Richmond of the 8th Ohio Infantry Regiment. Richmond received the Congressional Medal of Honor for capturing a Confederate battle flag during the repulse of Pickett’s Charge on July 3, 1863. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 2:45 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.
Rich Kohr is standing by the grave of William Johnson, who was President Lincoln’s barber and valet. He accompanied Lincoln to Gettysburg in November, 1863. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 2:45 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.
In Video #53 Rich Kohr shows the grave of William Johnson, and explains how Johnson might have contracted smallpox from Abraham Lincoln. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 2:45 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.
William Johnson is one of a number of free blacks buried in Section 27 or Arlington National Cemetery. Most of their headstones contain the words, “Citizen.” This view was taken facing west at approximately 2:45 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.
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