Cool story: We’ve been thinking about purchasing some property and, over the last few weeks, have gone to look at it multiple times. During one of the early trips, I noticed along the route what appeared to be a very old, stone wall–the type around old cemeteries–which was barely visible inside the woodline but, from what I could see, it was in very bad shape. Today, we decided to stop and investigate.

It was a cemetery for the family who originally owned the property–a plantation dating from the early 1800s. As you can see from the photos, the walls are in very bad shape and the cemetery is extremely overgrown (to say the least). Only two headstones are readable and that is due to the fact they are not the originals but placed there at a later date. Many other grave markers are visible but these are only stones in the ground, with no visible markings (typical during this time)–and these stones were mostly overgrown and not visible to the casual observer. Of the two headstones which were visible, one was a “joint” headstone, belonging to the husband and wife who owned the plantation (and were descendants of the original owners); the other belonged to their son–it is his headstone which caught our eye. (No photos were taken of the actual graves due to their collapsed condition.)

His headstone was a grave marker for a soldier of the Confederate States of America.

The headstone gives his name: “Archibald C. Massenburg”. Some initial research revealed that Archibald Cargill Massenburg enlisted as a private in Company L of the15th NC Infantry on May 20, 1861. He was promoted to sergeant on July 1, 1861. He was transferred to the Field and Staff of the NC 15th and promoted to captain on November 14, 1861, serving as the Assistant Commissary of Subsistence. He was reassigned to Company D as second lieutenant on September 13, 1863. During the battle of Bristoe Station, Virginia, on October 14, 1863, he was was wounded in the right ankle. Sent home, Massenburg died from dysentery on August 1, 1864 at the family home, Woodleaf Plantation, in Franklin County, NC. And, this is where he still lies (the land is no longer a plantation, however).

Tonight, we’ll tip one back in honor of Lt. Massenburg and all our military brothers and sisters who aren’t lying in peace in well manicured, military cemeteries but are spending eternity in overgrown and long-forgotten (and, in some cases, unmarked) graves. We respect and honor your service.

Tomorrow, we’ll take some photos of the grave and share the story of the one Union soldier buried locally. Very interesting tale!

Here are some additional photos to give you an idea of the condition of the cemetery: