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Date Posted: Friday, May 09 2008, 08:08pm
Author: David M. Weaver
Subject: Re-internment of Colonel Earp-article/after action report

I have tried several times to put this in so this is a bit late due to problems with the message board.

“What We Value- Paying Last Respects Again, the Re-Internment of Colonel Cullin Earp, 10th Texas Cavalry”- by David M. Weaver

Last weekend I was privileged to participate in the re-internment of Colonel Cullin Redwine Earp (pronounced "Arp") in Gilmer, Texas. Colonel Earp was the commander of the 10th Texas Cavalry (Dismounted), Confederate States Army. He had been buried in a remote area and his gravesite had been vandalized several years ago. Family and friends worked to re-intern him in a better place, a cemetery where one of his brothers who had served with him in the war is also buried, along with 20 other Confederate soldiers. This was truly something that we in the South dearly value, honor for our Confederate veterans and their families, a true rendition of the history of the South, and respect for those who have gone before us.

The website noted below has a printed article, an audio story, a video and a slide show. There are some great pictures of those who participated in various roles in these ceremonies and the re-internment. See:
http://www.news-journal.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/04/27/04272008_Gilmer_soldier.html

Colonel Earp's remains were exhumed on a cold day last February. Colonel Earp's remains were placed in a wooden coffin, and last weekend taken to a restored log cabin for viewing by the family and the public. We maintained an honor guard for Colonel Earp in the cabin that dated from 1849, adjacent to land Colonel Earp had owned. The cabin has been restored. We used candles to light the interior during the night. You will see the cabin in the video and slide show. The honor guards were in period Confederate uniforms with rifled-muskets and fixed bayonets. The coffin was dressed in the Second National Confederate Flag, the Stainless Banner. (This is a white flag with a Confederate Battle Flag in the place where the union/stars is located in the American flag). The honor guard was maintained from 11:00 a.m. Friday morning until 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning. The weather turned cold and we had a small concern about rain, but it lasted only a short while Saturday morning. I was one of six pallbearers. The coffin was carried by us "English" style, that is on our shoulders. We carried the body to a horse drawn carriage/hearse to start the ceremonies and services Saturday morning, around 9:00 a.m.

A ceremony was held at the town square in front of the Upshur County Courthouse. The body was then transported by modern hearse to Hopewell cemetery, just outside of Gilmer, Texas. Near the cemetery, the body was placed again on the horse drawn hearse. The funeral procession formed and marched to the cemetery with infantry lining both sides, a length of 40 men on each side, for the length of the march into the cemetery. The coffin was removed from the carriage, and placed on wooden boards over the grave for appropriate funeral services, including a Masonic Rites service as he was a Mason. A gold bordered Masonic apron was placed on the coffin. About twenty ladies of the Order of Confederate Rose (OCR), dressed in black, then individually approached the grave and laid a single rose on the coffin. Taps was played, immediately followed by alternating cannon (smoothbore 12-pounder Napoleon cannon, a Parrot rifle and a mountain howitzer) and infantry salutes. We temporarily removed the roses and Masonic apron and then removed the flag from the coffin, folding it into a square as was the custom during such time. This flag was presented to one of Colonel Earp's descendants who had traveled from Alaska for the service (you will see several photographs of the flag folding and then being presented with salute to the family representative). The Masonic apron was given to the appropriate person and the roses were placed again on the coffin.

We then lowered the coffin into the grave using ropes as was done in such period. After the ceremonies I gathered the pallbearers around the marker for Colonel Earp, placed by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. You will see photos of most of these events in the slideshow which is worth viewing along with the video, the audio, and the printed article.

This was a piece of history as noted in the website. I sincerely believe that we did Colonel Earp and his family right. Now he can rest in peace in a cemetery with his comrades and his brother. May God Bless his family, Colonel Earp, and all those who participated in this ceremony. Much work was done by a lot of people in organizing all of this. One of those who did a whole lot of the work is Preston Furlow, commander of the Order of Confederate Gray. I was privileged to participate. I had only a very small role this weekend, and others like Preston Furlow had done all of the work beforehand. My participation was simply as a part of the Order of Confederate Gray, which was an organization formed in Fort Worth, Texas, after the war by the United Confederate Veterans to honor the veterans who were dying. Several years ago, several men re-activated the Grays to provide honor at grave marker dedications and in other appropriate ceremonies such as this one where we can. Thanks to Preston Furlow and everyone who did so much for their work and efforts.

In the Bonds of the South,
David M. Weaver, 9th Texas Infantry, Order of Confederate Gray, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Cabell and Gaston-Gregg Camp

http://www.news-journal.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/04/27/04272008_Gilmer_soldier.html

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