Ceremony to dedicate graves of 5 Confederate soldiers on Saturday
Published 8:52 am Friday, June 23, 2017
UPDATE: The Elizabethton Star has been informed the gravesite dedication ceremony scheduled for Saturday has been postponed due to the forecast of inclement weather. A new date has not been set for this gravesite dedication ceremony but the STAR will let readers know as soon as we are informed of the rescheduled date.
On Saturday afternoon, a group of descendants and community members will gather to pay tribute to five Civil War veterans with a special gravesite dedication ceremony.
All of the veterans are interred in the Colbaugh Cemetery, which is located on High Tower Road just off of Watauga Road. All five served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. The ceremony is being hosted by descendants of some of the veterans as well as the Order of the Confederate Rose’s local Chapter 11.
Clara Craft, who is a member of the OCR Chapter 11 as well as a descendant of one of the veterans has helped to coordinate the event, which will take place at 3 p.m. Saturday in the cemetery.
“I think we’re going to have a good turnout and we’re going to have a good ceremony,” Craft said. While the forecast calls for rain Saturday morning, Craft said the weather should clear up in plenty of time for the ceremony.
Those being honored during the grave dedication ceremony are Andrew Jackson Estep, George W. Malone, Jeremiah B. Peeks, William A. David Cook, and William White Roberts.
Craft is a descendant of Estep and also a relative of Cook, who married one of Estep’s daughters. She said many of her family members are planning to attend the ceremony.
“We’ve not been able to locate any relatives for Malone, Roberts, or Peeks,” Craft said.
• Andrew Jackson Estep was born around 1822 in North Carolina. During the Civil War, he served with Company A, 21st Battalion, Virginia Infantry. After the War, Estep moved to Carter County and passed away around 1896.
• William A. David Cook was born in 1835 in Johnson County. During the Civil War, he served in Company A of the 64th Virginia Mounted Infantry. He was captured by Union forces during the Battle of Cumberland Gap and was a prisoner of war for 21 months. Cook moved to Carter County after the war and passed away in 1914.
• George W. Malone was born in 1844 in Sullivan County. During the Civil War, he served in Company F of the 59th Tennessee Mounted Infantry. Malone fought during the Siege of Vicksburg and was among the soldiers listed as captured by Union forces during the Battle of Elizabethton and was declared a prisoner of war. He passed away in 1920.
• Jeremiah B. Peeks was born in 1828 in North Carolina. During the Civil War, he served in Company C of the 59th Tennessee Mounted Infantry. He was captured in Vicksburg in 1863 but was released from being a prisoner within a matter of days. Peeks passed away in 1908.
• William White Roberts was born in Washington County, Virginia, in 1845. During the Civil War, he served in Company I of the 64th Virginia Mounted Infantry. Roberts suffered a head injury during the Battle of Sharpsburg when cannon fire broke off a tree limb, which struck him in his head when it fell. He moved to Carter County after the war and passed away in 1914.
Craft said the ceremony on Saturday is open to any family members or others in the community who would like to attend. Parking space is limited at the cemetery, so carpooling is encouraged.