Way back in 1988 I began a 5 1/2 year run writing a Column in a Halifax newspaper. When it ended I had done over 560 columns helping folks seeking better treatment from municipal, regional, provincial and federal governments, as well as agencies, boards, commissions and the like at all those governments levels.
During that time I learned early on that when one in the press writes something, it often stands, even after the author has been told he or she was wrong about something.
I however took a different approach as a freelancer at the time. I felt that when an error is made, one must verify and then correct the error in a future column. I was however most stunned to hear quiet often that often you don't correct, you simply ignore it and move on.
In as much as my column was one of the top columns in the paper and in fact NS journalism of the day, the paper's approach was silly. A mistake uncorrected could lead many a reader down the wrong path to their search for justice.
So, when errors were pointed out to me I corrected them, much to the chagrin of many on the newspaper staff. I have tried to bring this same philosophy to about 755 blogs in this space over the past dozen years.
So today's column brings you a correction, as have several in the past.
It deals with Dennis Buckley's grave, of which you have hopefully read much here in the past. After some 134 years Buckley remained buried under a misspelled name. Many searched for years to locate his grave without success.
The current historian for his Civil War unit finally tried something different. If Buckley was hiding, the man would just look for the fellow who died with him at Peachtree Creek in July 1864. That man's name was Whitmore. The hunch turned out correctly.
As a result of this great research, historian John DuBois, took steps to have a new grave marker made, and a formal ceremony conducted in Georgia about the discovery and correction to this part of US and Canadian History.
The following year the historian and family and other re-enactors traveled to Ontario to help me and others unveil a commemorative marker in Lindsay for Buckley. Much has appeared in this space in the past about both matters.
Interestingly, DuBois' grandfather also fought at Peachtree, and later at Gettysburg and rests at same cemetery. His name was also misspelled but I believe corrected by John DuBois.
Somehow the story had it that the CW soldier buried next to Buckley was DuBois. But in fact it is another soldier, who died at Peachtree, and was also a buddy of Buckley's. He too was killed there in action, and it is this man... Sam Whitmore that rests at Buckley's side.
Below are some Images to show these graves.
During that time I learned early on that when one in the press writes something, it often stands, even after the author has been told he or she was wrong about something.
I however took a different approach as a freelancer at the time. I felt that when an error is made, one must verify and then correct the error in a future column. I was however most stunned to hear quiet often that often you don't correct, you simply ignore it and move on.
In as much as my column was one of the top columns in the paper and in fact NS journalism of the day, the paper's approach was silly. A mistake uncorrected could lead many a reader down the wrong path to their search for justice.
So, when errors were pointed out to me I corrected them, much to the chagrin of many on the newspaper staff. I have tried to bring this same philosophy to about 755 blogs in this space over the past dozen years.
So today's column brings you a correction, as have several in the past.
It deals with Dennis Buckley's grave, of which you have hopefully read much here in the past. After some 134 years Buckley remained buried under a misspelled name. Many searched for years to locate his grave without success.
The current historian for his Civil War unit finally tried something different. If Buckley was hiding, the man would just look for the fellow who died with him at Peachtree Creek in July 1864. That man's name was Whitmore. The hunch turned out correctly.
As a result of this great research, historian John DuBois, took steps to have a new grave marker made, and a formal ceremony conducted in Georgia about the discovery and correction to this part of US and Canadian History.
The following year the historian and family and other re-enactors traveled to Ontario to help me and others unveil a commemorative marker in Lindsay for Buckley. Much has appeared in this space in the past about both matters.
Interestingly, DuBois' grandfather also fought at Peachtree, and later at Gettysburg and rests at same cemetery. His name was also misspelled but I believe corrected by John DuBois.
Somehow the story had it that the CW soldier buried next to Buckley was DuBois. But in fact it is another soldier, who died at Peachtree, and was also a buddy of Buckley's. He too was killed there in action, and it is this man... Sam Whitmore that rests at Buckley's side.
Below are some Images to show these graves.
Like so many other soldiers who died in war, Sam and Dennis were originally buried very near the fields where they were killed. Only wooden crosses were first erected. Later they were moved to a second and then third cemetery. That 3rd cemetery is the Marieta National Cemetery in Cobb County in Marietta Georgia.
Here we see Sam Whitmore's marker at left in upper image and to the right is Dennis Buckley's markers on the right. Below these is the current marker for Buckley, unveiled by DuBois and many others in 2005. Note the older model of marker then still in place for Sam Whitmore.
I shall return on Sunday June 19th to give more on the story of God's Acre, introduced last week. Hope you will join me then.
Bart
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