Buckingham County: Remembering Phillips & Bagby, CSA
Photo by Joanne L. Yeck
This coming Sunday, May 19th, memorial services will be held at Buckingham County’s Mt. Zion Baptist Church cemetery honoring two Confederate soldiers.
One is Private John Randolph Phillips, of Co. C, 44th Va. Infantry (Buckingham County’s Travis Rifles) and later, Co. K, 4th Virginia Cavalry. Born in 1842, Phillips was mortally wounded on September 28, 1864. His father, Richard Phillips, and his oldest sister, America, traveled to Waynesboro to bring him back to Buckingham County to die at home. His obituary began…
Died on the 9th October 1864 Mr. John R. Phillips oldest son of Richard Phillips, Esq. of Fluvanna County, Virginia, and member of Company K, 4th Virginia Cavalry, of a wound from a ball through the right lung received in the gallant charge at Waynesboro on the 28th September.
He was the grandson of Private Randolph Phillips who served during the War of 1812 with the 4th Regiment of Virginia Militia.
Photo by Linda Doerger
The other soldier to be honored, also of Co. C., 44th Va. Infantry (Buckingham County’s Travis Rifles), is Sergeant John Fleming Bagby. Born in 1829, he was killed at the battle of Gaines Mill on June 27, 1862. Originally, Bagby was buried near Gaines Mill. It is unknown if he was re-interned at Mt. Zion; however, a stone has been placed there, in his honor, in the Bagby plot.
For those wishing to attend, the service will be held Sunday, May 19, 2013 at 4:00 p.m.
Do the families arrange these memorial services or the communities? Is there a special occasion involved?
In this case, I believe the members of Mt. Zion have organized the special memorial service. The Sons of the American Revolution and the Daughters of the American Revolution may be involved, as well as those who regularly honor Confederate soldiers. In Virginia, graveyards are well-tended and individuals who died in battle are often honored with special markers.